People in Wicked Awesome History - Samuel Adams

1772 portrait by John Singleton Copley

On this day in 1722 Samuel Adams was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He would eventually become a founding father of our country and would also become the 4th Governor of Massachusetts. A businessman and tax collector before turning to politics. He was Harvard educated. An active protagonist of the American Revolution. He participated in the first and second Continental Congress.

On side note Samuel Adams had participated family business of malt houses that produced malt for brewing. He was not an actual brewer as one might believe from beer named in his honor.

People in Wicked Awesome History - Johnny Appleseed

The legendary "Johnny Appleseed" of early American folklore was actually born this day in 1775 in Leominster, Massachusetts. His real name was John Chapman. He helped build many small orchards in the early frontier from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Apples were not native to the Midwest region and were popularly used for cider and applejack. John became a legend due to his kind and generous ways. Was an early conservation leader and promoted the importance of apples. He is reported to have passed away in 1845 from testicular cancer.

Old Time Foxborough

Downtown Foxborough, Massachusetts circa 1984. Corner of Wall Street and Central Street(Route 140) looking towards the  Common. Foxboro's finest on patrol. Picture from 1984 Foxboro High School yearbook. 

Wicked Awesome History This Day - 1941

This day the USS Massachusetts and her 16 inch guns is launched from Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts.  The battleship saw action in both the Atlantic and Pacific campaigns during World War II. She was decommissioned in March 1947 and stricken from the Naval register in 1962. "Big Mamie",as she is also known, became a museum ship in 1965. Her home is now in Battleship cove in Fall River , Massachusetts and is a Memorial to those from the Bay State who gave their lives during World War 2. Is registered in the National Registry of Historic Places and designated as National Historic Landmark.

"Big Mamie " at her home in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Click here for more information or to visit "Big Mamie".

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of the settling of Plymouth, Massachusetts and the early years of the colony roughly from the landing of the Mayflower in 1620 to the end of the King Phillip War in 1676. The story doesn't hold much back as it may dispel myths about how quaint the Pilgrims/Puritans were in the early years. Pilgrims were hardline religious followers that today would almost seem cult like. They seemed to turn into what they were trying to escape. The story evolves from the early relations with the Native American population that would culminate into a nasty war(King Phillips War) that would see atrocities committed on both sides. So much so that its hard to choose a side that had more sympathy. It's a good source for those looking for insight into early years of settling of the English colonies in America.

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New Bedford Whaling meets Hawaii

Post by New England Historical Society.

Today in Wicked Awesome History - 1620

In 1620 the Mayflower left Plymouth, England with a 102 passengers bound for originally the Hudson River area. They are blown off course and end up  making landfall at the tip of Cape Cod (Provincetown,Massachusetts) 65 days later.

Cape Cod Canal - 1939

A clip of the Cape Cod Canal from 1939. It has long been a favorite holiday spot for New Englanders,

Voyage of the Mayflower 2 in 1957

A short film of the voyage of the replica Mayflower 2 from Plymouth,  England to Plymouth, Massachusetts.