Amesbury Mass. Memories Road Show materials available for research

The photographs, stories, and videos gathered at the Amesbury Mass. Memories Road Show are now available online for research.

Black and white photo of Merrimac Hat employees

Merrimac Hat employees, 1947. ‘It represents many people who worked for years for the Merrimac Hat Corporation, including my father James F. Manning who is on the right of back row. They were on their way to the Durham Conference. Pictured, from back to front, left to right: Joe Charles, Phil Lees, Harlan Main, Bob Wilbur, James F. Manning, (front) Francis Smith, Lenny McDonald. Location: Cedar Street.’ Contributor: Elizabeth Dion.

 

Organized by the Amesbury Carriage Museum and the Amesbury Senior Community Center, the event was held at Amesbury High School on Saturday, April 21, 2017.  Collaborating partners included the Amesbury Public Library, Amesbury Cultural Council, The Whittier Home Association, Amesbury Lions Club, and Amesbury 350th Celebration Committee.

More than thirty local volunteers joined a team of UMass Boston staff members, public history graduate students, and “Roadies” to welcome nearly 100 adults and children with connections to this town on Boston’s North Shore.

Community participants contributed nearly 300 images spanning three centuries of history. Many photographs depict the everyday lives of Amesbury’s residents in the early 21st century, gathering for family celebrations, sharing memorable moments with friends, and enjoying the town’s natural landscapes, outdoor activities, and sporting events.

Launching the whale boat at Lowell's Boat Shop built by apprentices

Launching the whale boat at Lowell’s Boat Shop built by apprentices, 2013. ‘Executive director Graham McKay’s vision became reality as the apprentices successfully launched and rowed this boat that was commissioned by Mystic Seaport’s Charles W. Morgan. As part of this great award, I became the education outreach coordinator for the museum, a position I have loved by bringing students to learn local history.’ Pictured: the seven apprentices who built the boat. Location: Merrimack River.’ Contributor: Patty Hoyt.

 

The former mill town’s industrial development in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is also documented in the collection. Contributors shared images of antique homes, historic structures and monuments, and carriage, automobile, and other manufacturing in the downtown area as well as haberdasheries and shipbuilding operations along the banks of the Powow and Merrimack rivers.

Biddle and Smart factory floor

Biddle and Smart factory floor, early 20th century. ‘Carriage manufacturer, Biddle and Smart, factory where my grandfather worked. It was located on Chestnut Street. Pictured: (second from right, in overalls) my grandfather Edgar H. Gill and other unidentified workers.’ Contributor: Paula Parker.

 

Additional materials relate to Amesbury’s legacy of social reform and activism and its rich cultural heritage.  Contributors shared memories of a number of poets, artists, and writers who once inhabited the town, as well as stories of those residing and working there today.

Halt war. Portraits of Charles H. "Bud" Dolan.

Halt war, 2013. ‘The “Dear World Project” visited the area in 2013. I asked my dad, Charles Dolan, if he would like to be photographed to share a message with the world. He was usually a very private person but he quickly agreed, stating he knew what he wanted to say. This photo captures the intense emotions my dad held inside–from his experience as a young soldier in the infantry during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII. There is urgency, fear, anger and sadness in his face. We had never seen these emotions but he was ready to share his message with the world. In his words, “I look like I just came off the battlefield.” I some ways, he had. He never thought of himself as a hero–he was just lucky. Despite being a Bronze Star recipient, he has never felt comfortable or deserving of applause. At a ceremony in Newburyport, my dad received a standing ovation. He welcomed the applause and attention in a way uncharacteristic of him. This time, however, he was being applauded for his message–his beliefs. We all saw a difference in my dad afterward. He had finally come home from the war. RIP Charles H. Dolan 9/19/1923-8/14/2014. Pictured: Charles H. “Bud” Dolan, Sr. Location: Tannery.’ Contributor: Charlene Dolan.

 

Through their contributions to the archive, local community members expressed great pride in their community service and public institutions. Civic engagement, volunteerism, and involvement in local organizations feature prominently in the collection’s images and video testimonials.

 

George Edwin McNeil sign dedication

George Edwin McNeill sign dedication, 2016. ‘This sign is at the site of George E. McNeill’s birthplace. He was a work advocate and often called the “father of the eight-hour workday.” The Amesbury Improvement Association along with the McNeill family funded the renovation of a memorial plaque and created an historical sign. I am the president of the Amesbury Improvement Association. Pictured, from left to right: Roger McNeill, Carol McNeill, and unidentified members of the McNeill family. Location: George McNeill monument.’ Contributor: Anne Ferguson.

 

Browse the Amesbury Mass. Memories Road Show collection.


The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide digital history project that documents people, places and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories. In partnership with teams of local volunteers, we organize public events to scan family and community photographs and videotape “the stories behind the photos.” The images and videos are indexed and incorporated into an online educational database. Since its launch, the project has gathered more than 10,000 photographs and stories from across the state. It is supported in part by the Patricia C. Flaherty ’81 Endowed Fund at UMass Boston.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston was established in 1981 as a repository to collect archival material in subject areas of interest to the university, as well as the records of the university itself. The mission and history of UMass Boston guide the collection policies of University Archives & Special Collections, with the university’s urban mission and strong support of community service reflected in the records of and related to urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, war and social consequence, and local history related to neighboring communities. To learn more, visit blogs.umb.edu/archives.

Marshfield Mass. Memories Road Show materials available for research

The photographs, stories, and videos gathered at the Marshfield Mass. Memories Road Show are available online now for research.

'Farmer at heart, 2015. It was a tomato contest at our farmer's market. I grew these on the last colonial farm in town (Truant).' Contributor: William R. Frugoli.

‘Farmer at heart, 2015. It was a tomato contest at our farmer’s market. I grew these on the last colonial farm in town (Truant).’ Contributor: William R. Frugoli.

 

Hosted and organized by the Ventress Memorial Library on Saturday, October 28, 2017, the event was the result of a collaboration with numerous community organizations including the Marshfield Historical Society, the 1699 Isaac Winslow House and Cultural Center, and the Marshfield Council on Aging. Over twenty local volunteers joined a team of UMass Boston staff members, public history graduate students, and “Roadies” to welcome nearly 100 adults and children with connections to the town on Boston’s South Shore.

The Kiley girls and friends at Ocean Bluff Beach.

‘The Kiley girls and friends at Ocean Bluff Beach.  A fun day swimming at Ocean Bluff Beach, c. 1910s. Pictured, from left to right: Edith Dow, Mary M. Kiley, Evelyn W. Kiley, Katherine (Kittie) Driscoll Kiley, (in Kittie’s arms) my mother Marguerite Kiley Driscoll, and Marion Rogers.’ Contributor: Marguerite Krupp.

 

Participants contributed images of everyday life in the seashore community in the 20th and 21st centuries. Family gatherings swimming at the beach and exploring the town’s natural beauty are well documented in the collection.

Little Rams, 1973. Friends in high school cheering on girls' Powder Puff football game. Pictured, from left to right: myself Ned Bangs, Contributor: Ned Bangs.

Little Rams, 1973. Friends in high school cheering on girls’ Powder Puff football game. Pictured, from left to right: Donny Roche, myself Ned Bangs,  John Taylor, Matt Harris, Tom Sousa, Joe Kelly, and Mike Robinson.’ Contributor: Ned Bangs.

 

Many contributors chose to share images of casual times at school, as well as formal class photographs. Other images feature Marshfield residents coming together for community service projects and at work in the Police Department, the Fire Department, and in family businesses.

'When we arrived, 2016. The first day we arrived in Marshfield from Puerto Rico. We loved to be near the ocean since we came from an island. Pictured: my husband Edward Sanchez and myself Ana Delgado. Location: Green Harbor."

‘When we arrived, 2016. The first day we arrived in Marshfield from Puerto Rico. We loved to be near the ocean since we came from an island. Pictured: my husband Edward Sanchez and myself Ana Delgado. Location: Green Harbor.”

 

Browse the Marshfield Mass. Memories Road Show collection.


The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide digital history project that documents people, places and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories. In partnership with teams of local volunteers, we organize public events to scan family and community photographs and videotape “the stories behind the photos.” The images and videos are indexed and incorporated into an online educational database. Since its launch, the project has gathered more than 10,000 photographs and stories from across the state. It is supported in part by the Patricia C. Flaherty ’81 Endowed Fund at UMass Boston.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston was established in 1981 as a repository to collect archival material in subject areas of interest to the university, as well as the records of the university itself. The mission and history of UMass Boston guide the collection policies of University Archives & Special Collections, with the university’s urban mission and strong support of community service reflected in the records of and related to urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, war and social consequence, and local history related to neighboring communities. To learn more, visit blogs.umb.edu/archives.

Collecting and preserving hip-hop history in University Archives & Special Collections at UMass Boston

Members of the hip-hop community fill out paperwork about photographs and items they plan to contribute to the Mass. Memories Road Show.

Volunteers and contributors at “Show ‘Em Whatcha Got” Mass. Memories Road Show: The Hip-Hop Edition.

Well over 200 community members joined us at the Boston Public Library this past Saturday to share photographs, objects, and memories at “Show ‘Em Whatcha Got” Mass. Memories Road Show: The Hip-Hop Edition. In all, we collected about 300 digital images of items ranging from photographs and concert posters to t-shirts and album covers. We also recorded about 60 video interviews with community members throughout the day about their connections to hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts.

Six people in front of a graffiti painting.

Cindy Diggs (AKA “Mother Hip Hop”), center, with contributors at the Mass. Memories Road Show. Diggs served as Director of Hip-Hop Community Engagement for the event.

It will take University Archives & Special Collections at UMass Boston 2-3 months to fully process this collection and make it available for the world to see at openarchives.umb.edu. Once it’s there all contributors will be notified. [Update: This collection is now online. Read more and view the digital collection here.]

Logo for National Endownment for the Humanities

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations in this program do not necessarily express those of the National Endowment of the Humanities.

This event was supported by a Common Heritage grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor, as well as support by the UMass President’s Creative Economy Initiatives Fund. It is part of a larger project called “Local Rappers, DJs, B-Boys, and Graff: Documenting the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Community from the 1970s to the present.” Learn more about this project here.

Contribute to the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive

In 2016, University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston launched the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive with an initial donation by Pacey Foster of recordings from the Lecco’s Lemma radio program. Learn more here and explore the Lecco’s Lemma Collection.

Image lists the kinds of materials we collect: Audio and video recordings (cassettes, videotapes, and film reels); Original photographs, negatives, and slides; Flyers, promotional materials, and unique publications and magazines; Letters, diaries, and other firsthand accountsAs we continue to develop this new collection area, University Archives & Special Collections at UMass Boston is now focusing on donations of original and unique archival materials from musicians, DJs, breakdancers, graffiti artists, producers, promoters, and fans that will help us document the rich heritage and legacy of hip-hop culture in Boston and Massachusetts.

Do you have original and unique materials related to hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts that you think should become part of the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive? Contact an archivist at UMass Boston to learn more.

What’s next: Digitized Massachusetts Rock Against Racism videos online soon

Massachusetts Rock Against Racism (RAR) was co-founded in the Boston area in 1979 at a time when the City of Boston and its surrounding areas were “rocked by racism.” The RAR organizational records are part of University Archives & Special Collections. Learn more and view the finding aid here. We recently completed digitization of approximately 100 videos from the RAR collection and this summer,  thanks to a grant from the UMass President’s Creative Economy Initiatives Fund, we will complete descriptive work on these videos, which include documentary films, outtakes, interviews, and concert footage.

As a sneak peek of what this amazing collection has to offer, embedded below is “Breakin’ Rappin’ Poppin’ and Graffin’: A Rockumentary,” which was filmed at Madison Park High School in Roxbury, Mass., on June 9, 1985. The footage includes performances by a number of artists, as well as a breakdance battle between the Floor Lords and HBO.

Breakin’ Rappin’ Poppin’ and Graffin’: A Rockumentary, Presented by Mass. Rock Against Racism (1985 June 9) from UMass Boston Archives on Vimeo.

The digitized and described Massachusetts Rock Against Racism collection of videos will be available online soon. Keep visiting this site for more information and for updates.

If you have questions about the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive, please contact an archivist at UMass Boston or connect with the project on Facebook.


University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives & Special Collections welcomes inquiries from individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in donating materials of an archival nature that that fit within our collecting policy. These include manuscripts, documents, organizational archives, collections of photographs, unique publications, and audio and video media. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.

Mass. Memories Road Show heads to Amesbury on Saturday, April 21

Time: Saturday, April 21, 2018 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Location: Amesbury High School  | 5 Highland Street | Amesbury, Mass. | Click here for directions.

Do you have a connection to Amesbury, Massachusetts? Do you live or work in Amesbury? Are your roots in Amesbury? Share your memories and take your place in Massachusetts history at this free, public event.

Please bring 2-3 photographs in their original format (digital or print photographs) and your stories to be recorded. We will scan unframed pictures and copy digital images and return the pictures back to you. All images will be added to the online collection at openarchives.umb.edu.

Local support for the Amesbury Mass. Memories Road Show is provided by the Amesbury Carriage Museum and the Amesbury Council on Aging.

For more information about the Amesbury Mass. Memories Road Show, contact Doreen Brothers at (978) 388-8138 x 546 or brothersd@amesburyma.gov, or John Mayer at (978) 834-5058 or jmayer@amesburycarriagemuseum.com. Read more about the event here.

The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide digital history project that documents people, places, and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories. It is produced by the Joseph P. Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts Boston and is co-sponsored by the Patricia C. Flaherty ’81 Endowed Fund.

Download the flyer for the Amesbury Mass. Memories Road Show and remember to share it with your friends and family members!

Questions? Email carolyn.goldstein@umb.edu.


The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide digital history project that documents people, places and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories. In partnership with teams of local volunteers, we organize public events to scan family and community photographs and videotape “the stories behind the photos.” The images and videos are indexed and incorporated into an online educational database. Since its launch, the project has gathered more than 9,000 photographs and stories from across the state. It is supported in part by the Patricia C. Flaherty ’81 Endowed Fund at UMass Boston.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston was established in 1981 as a repository to collect archival material in subject areas of interest to the university, as well as the records of the university itself. The mission and history of UMass Boston guide the collection policies of University Archives & Special Collections, with the university’s urban mission and strong support of community service reflected in the records of and related to urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, war and social consequence, and local history related to neighboring communities. To learn more, visit blogs.umb.edu/archives.

Wilmington Mass. Memories Road Show materials available now

The photographs, stories, and videos gathered at the Wilmington Mass. Memories Road Show are available online now for research.

Julia Barry at the Wilmington MMRS.

Chika Amakor and Julia Barry were among the two dozen students from Wilmington High School who volunteered at the event on September 30, 2017.

 

Hosted by Wilmington High School on Saturday, September 30, 2017, the event was organized by the Wilmington Memorial Library in collaboration with numerous community organizations including the Town of Wilmington Elderly Services and Veterans Affairs departments, Wilmington Public SchoolsWilmington Historical Commission, Wilmington Community Television, Wilmington Community Fund, Sons of Italy, Rotary Club of Wilmington, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Fourth of July Committee, Friendship Lodge, We’re One Wilmington, Abundant Life Church, Wilmington United Methodist Church, St. Dorothy and St. Thomas Villanova Catholic Churches, Wilmington Little League, Wilmington Youth Soccer, Girl Scouts of America, Cub Scout Pack 361, Angels in Motion (A.I.M.), and The Wilmington Town Crier. Over thirty local volunteers–mostly students from the high school–joined a team of UMass Boston staff members, public history graduate students, and “Roadies” to welcome more than 150 adults and children with connections to the suburban town north of Boston.

twinning

“Twinning D’s, 1978. My sister Donna and I are twins. My husband Michael and his brother are also twins. We had our wedding in Wilmington during the Blizzard of ’78. Pictured, from left to right: Donna Paulsen Heffron, Dianna Paulsen DiGregorio, Michael DiGregorio, and Lou DiGregorio.” Contributor: Dianna Paulsen DiGregorio.

 

Participants contributed images of everyday life in the community over the years. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and other family gatherings are well documented in the collection. Photographs of family farms, in operation in the decades before the construction of Rt. 128 and Rt. 93, and other local businesses are also included.

 

Julie carnations

“‘Julie’ carnations, named after grower Sigfrid Olson’s granddaughter,  1978. ‘This photo is particularly important because my father developed this new variety of carnation and named it after my husband and my daughter,  Julie, the first of our four children. Julie eventually . . . built a house on the property where the greenhouses once stood. So, although my parents are both deceased, there still are ‘Olsons’ on the property. Location: Lowell Street.” Contributor: Marilyn Penny.

 

Many contributors chose to document time spent in school and extra-curricular activities, sharing photographs of their first day of school as well as participation in sports competitions, marching bands, and homecoming celebrations.

 

Jeanne Ashworth

“Wilmington Skating Club speed skating team, 1950s.  The team represented the town in competitive races throughout New England. Jeanne Ashworth–who in 1960 became the first woman from the United States to win an Olympic medal in speed skating–was a member. Pictured, from left to right: unidentified, ‘Pudge’ Cushing, Charlie Cushing, Jeanne Ashworth, and Pat Cushing.” Contributor: Jack Cushing.

 

Several photographs document the connections forged among individual citizens through the organized activities of civic groups such as the Rotary Club and the Sons of Italy as well as 4th of July parades and other community gatherings, including several held at the public library. Many images depict Wilmington residents’ proud efforts in local politics–campaigning for office, lobbying for causes, and raising funds for new public buildings.

Rotary Club sponsor of parade

‘Rotary Club sponsor of Old Home Days Parade, 1948. When the dental equipment was donated to the high school by the Rotary Club. Pictured: Rotary members.’ Contributor: Bernie Wagstaff.

 

Browse the Wilmington Mass. Memories Road Show collection.


The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide digital history project that documents people, places and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories. In partnership with teams of local volunteers, we organize public events to scan family and community photographs and videotape “the stories behind the photos.” The images and videos are indexed and incorporated into an online educational database. Since its launch, the project has gathered more than 9,000 photographs and stories from across the state. It is supported in part by the Patricia C. Flaherty ’81 Endowed Fund at UMass Boston.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston was established in 1981 as a repository to collect archival material in subject areas of interest to the university, as well as the records of the university itself. The mission and history of UMass Boston guide the collection policies of University Archives & Special Collections, with the university’s urban mission and strong support of community service reflected in the records of and related to urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, war and social consequence, and local history related to neighboring communities. To learn more, visit blogs.umb.edu/archives.