Abby Epplett, Historian

For my second stop during last Saturday’s adventure, I visited the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA. While the name “American Heritage” might make one think of apple pie, baseball, and fireworks, this museum was actually about military vehicles from around the world with a special focus on World War II. Opened five years ago based on the collections of the late Jacques M. Littlefield via the former Military Vehicle Technology Foundation, the massive 67,000 square foot (6,625 square meter) structure with a state-of-the-art lighting and audio-visual system showcases the largest collection of its kind in an empathetic and engaging way. The museum is part of the Collings Foundation , which tends to focus on aircraft.

Last Saturday, I took my first daytrip of the 2024 museum season. For the first stop, I visited General Artemas Ward House in Shrewsbury, MA. This historic house museum has been owned and maintained by Harvard University since a member of the Ward family donated a much larger property in 1925. The hour-long house tour follows multiple generations of this family, beginning with General Artemas Ward himself, who briefly served as the commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and as second-in-command under George Washington. The house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976.

Last Saturday, April 13, I finally visited the Massachusetts State Police Museum located down the street in Whitinsville, MA, which had received three previous mentions on my blog: during the 250 th anniversary of the founding of Northbridge, MA ; the National Park Service Ranger Walkabout “Wonders of Whitinsville” ; and my Quick History Stops of Whitinsville from a few weeks ago. I received a personalized one-on-one tour from a retired state trooper and learned both the history of the police force along with its connections to other events in Massachusetts history.

Last night — April 11, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. — was the sixth and final installment of the webinar series Parked at Home hosted by the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park (BRVNHP) . Park ranger Allison Horrocks led the session with guest speaker Andrew Donovan, supervisory park ranger at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site and Salem Maritime National Historic Site , which I most recently visited in October 2022 . Sherrolyn K. provided American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. I had last visited Saugus Iron Works about eight years ago and appreciated the opportunity to refresh my knowledge about post-medieval mills leading up to the Industrial Revolution. Horrocks explained that Saugus, MA and Pawtucket, RI — one of six sites within BRVNHP — shared a business connection. The founder of Pawtucket in 1671, Joseph Jenks Jr. , originally settled in Saugus with his father, iron worker Joseph Jenks Sr. Years earlier while in England, the Jenks Sr. had worked for

Last night — Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. — was the fifth installment of the 2024 season of Parked at Home hosted by Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park (BRVNHP) . This webinar featured curator Beth Miller of Edison National Historical Park as a guest speaking about the work of Mina Edison, “Home Executive of Glenmont”. Park Ranger Allison Horrocks began by describing the life of Betsey Fletcher Whitin , born April 1777 in Northbridge, MA. Her father, Colonel James Fletcher , built the community’s first iron forge along the Mumford River. He married Margaret Wood , the daughter of Colonel Ezra Wood , and inherited a “prime piece of real estate”. In 1793, when Betsey was sixteen years old, she married local blacksmith Paul Whitin , a partner at Fletcher’s Forge forger. Historians call this match “The smartest thing… Paul Whitin, Sr. could have ever done”. As “Cotton Mill Fever” hit the waterways of New England, Whitin and Fletcher established Northbridge Co

I am revisiting small towns in the Blackstone River Valley as I wait for museum season to begin. Today’s stop is Uxbridge, MA. These quick history stops is based on a class that I taught through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Tufts University .

Last night — March 29, 2024 — I watched the latest installment of the 2024 season of Parked at Home hosted by the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park (BRVNHP) . During this webinar, chief of interpretation Todd Smith joined us from Fairbanks, AK to discuss Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (GAAR) . Park Ranger Mark Mello began by remarking how people tend to look down at phones and tablets instead of up at nature even when visiting a national park. Mello grew up in a relatively rural part of southeastern Massachusetts where he saw many stars at night. He first experienced severe light pollution as a teenager when he visited Boston and realized he could not see the stars. In contrast, while working at Arches National Park , he saw significantly more stars than at home and understood why the area was dedicated an International Dark Sky Place . The first people to inhabit the Blackstone River Valley had a close connection to the sky. The name Wampano

Despite all my travels, I have never done Quick History Stops for local towns. Since I completed updates on my adventures from last museum season, and the next season does not start until April, I will be revisiting small towns within the Blackstone River Valley to showcase all the history they have to offer. The first stop is Whitinsville, a village of Northbridge, MA and one of six sites in Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park . These quick history stops have some overlap with the Wonders of Whitinsville ranger-led walking tour from June 2023 and is based on a class that I taught through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Tufts University . Overlooking the mills and Mumford River is the James Fletcher Homestead built in 1770. James Fletcher constructed a blacksmith shop near his home in 1772. Twenty-one years later, in 1793, Paul Whitin  married Fletcher’s daughter Betsey . By 1809, Whitin and Fletcher established Northbridge Cotton Manufacturing Company

Yesterday — Thursday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m. — I watched the third installment of the 2024 season of Parked at Home featuring Amistad National Recreation Area in Texas with park archaeologist Jack Johnson. Park ranger Allison Horrocks of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park started the webinar by explaining the migration of butterflies between New England and Texas, which takes four generations to complete. She compared this migration to “The Butterfly Effect”, a theory that small events can affect people around the world. In this way, the dam and mill in Pawtucket, RI built in 1793 started social changes and industrialization across the young United States.

Back in November, I took a trip to Cumberland, RI to walk the trails around the former Cumberland Monastery , formerly called  Our Lady of the Valley Monastery . Once the home to Cistercians or Trappist monks, this property now contains the Cumberland Public Library , Cumberland Senior Center , and the Office of Children, Youth, and Learning for the town of Cumberland .

Last night — Thursday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m. — was the second installment of the 2024 season of Parked at Home, a webinar series hosted by the National Park Service . In this talk, park ranger Mark Mello of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park was joined by park ranger Rebecca Schroeder of the Ten Thousand Islands District of Everglades National Park to talk about the history of these sites as related to water.

In early November 2023, I took a stroll through Air Line Trail State Park in Connecticut and visited West Thompson Cemetery . This easy walk and historic burial ground were a great way to enjoy one of the last warm and sunny days of the year before the winter set in, along with learning about less commonly known local history.

The 2024 season of Parked at Home hosted by Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park (BRVNHP) returned last night — March 8, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. — with guest speaker and park ranger Samantha Baranski of First State National Historical Park (FSNHP) in Delaware.

After taking a brief hiatus from history webinars, I watched “Edith Stevens: Pioneering Woman Cartoonist” with speaker Robert S. Davidson on March 6, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Hosted by Historic New England, this informative, fast-paced, and at times hilarious talk focused on the life of a local artist who shaped women’s fashion and culture from the 1920s through the 1960s with her daily comic strip Us Girls in the Boston Post and Boston Globe . Edith Stevens was the aunt of Davidson, who currently teaches at Massachusetts College of Art and Design thanks to her encouragement to pursue his interest in art. Stevens was born in Fitchburg, MA in 1899, but her family soon moved to Staten Island. Her father, Beaumont Stevens , died in the New York City harbor after a ferryboat accident, leaving his only daughter Edith, his son Roswell , and his wife Margaret . The Stevens family soon moved to Chicago to live with an aunt, and then to Boston when Margaret remarried. Stevens went to Gi

On October 28, 2023, I checked off a bucket list item by riding the historic Blackstone Valley train from Woonsocket, RI to Worcester, MA to Putnam, CT and back again. This trip lasted from 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. with about six-and-a-quarter hours of travel on a vintage train and a two-and-a-half hour walk through Putnam. The day was sunny and bright, although the best fall color had passed the weekend before.

Along with touring Historic New England’s Winslow Crocker House , Edward Gorey House , and sites maintained by Historical Society of Old Yarmouth during my trip to Yarmouth, MA back in September 2023, I also made several quick history stops around the town. Like in other towns, I visited the cemetery, library, churches, and historic houses, along with a unique bookstore.

For my third major stop during my adventure to Yarmouth, MA on Cape Cod in late September 2023, I visited sites run by the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth (HSOY) . Stops included a tour of Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum, a collection of little historical buildings, a massive weeping beech tree, and nature trails.

For my second major stop during my adventure in Yarmouth, MA on Cape Cod in late September 2023, I visited the Edward Gorey House . Located down the street from Historic New England’s Winslow Crocker House , this museum memorializes the life of a illustrator, author, and Broadway costume designer. While the house appears ordinary from the exterior, Edward St. John Gorey used his love of whimsy and the macabre while decorating. Each year, a new exhibit showcases another facet of his life.

At last, I reach the conclusion of my journey to visit all thirty-eight properties owned by Historic New England (HNE) . In late September 2023, I made a special day trip to Yarmouth, MA on Cape Cod to visit several historic sites. My first major history stop was Winslow Crocker House , built in nearby West Barnstable around 1780 by maritime trader Winslow Crocker . I received an especially warm welcome from the excellent guides and celebrated my completion of the HNE passport book. This lovingly renovated home filled with antique furniture was the perfect way to bring this phase of my adventure to a close.

For my last history stop during my adventure to Amesbury, MA and Portsmouth, NH in September 2023, I strolled along the Amesbury Riverwalk . Built atop a former railway, the 1.3 mile out-and-back trail passes the historic Carriage House and underneath major roads along with providing a story walk for younger adventurers. The flat, paved path is perfect for people of all ages and abilities. Near the start of the path is the red brick Carriage House and a large open patio, owned by the Carriage House Museum , which also manages the Industrial History Center , and undergoing renovation. According to the Carriage House website , the carriage industry in Amesbury started in 1853 as local entrepreneur Jacob R. Huntington moved a shop from the nearby town of Merrimac. He used standardized parts and hired specialized workers to manage each section of the assembly line, a precursor to the moving assembly line invented by Henry Ford for his car company. When a massive fire in