A Yankee in Virginia, 1864
The MHS recently acquired a fascinating manuscript volume by Lt. Henry L. Estabrooks of the 26th Massachusetts Infantry describing his six weeks as a fugitive in Virginia during the Civil War. ...
In 1768 1,000 Redcoats landed in Boston to quell protests, but their presence fanned the flames of unrest. Witness a reenactment of the arrival of the troops in Boston Harbor, their parade through Boston, and encampment on the Common. More
This letter is the last of nearly 1,200 extant letters that John and Abigail exchanged between 1762 and 1801. More
One of the founding fathers of the United States, Hamilton was a lawyer and political writer, a Revolutionary War officer, member of the Continental Congress, and the first Secretary of the Treasury. Explore Items from the MHS related to Hamilton, including pamphlets and letters by Hamilton and others. More
From Oct. 2018 to Nov. 2019, the Massachusetts Historical Society and a group of partner organizations will offer engaging programs and educational opportunities to commemorate Abigail Adams. Join the celebration! More
Explore the ways in which the multiple meanings of fashion and fashionable goods are reflected in patterns of consumption and refashioning, recycling, and retaining favorite family pieces. View
Library Closed:
Columbus Day
Monday, 8 October 2018
As the nation’s first historical society, the MHS strives to enhance the understanding of our nation’s past and its connection to the present, demonstrating that history is not just a series of events that happened to individuals long ago but is integral to the fabric of our daily lives. More about the MHS
In October of 1768 the British government sent troops to quell the unrest that had been rising since the passage of the Townshend Acts. Boston was a town of about ...
The Massachusetts Historical Society will join our neighboring cultural institutions for a day of free history, art, music, and cultural happenings in the Fenway ...
This panel will explore the intersections of environmental history and indigenous studies—the questions that each field engenders in the other, as well as the ...
View a selection of our favorite items from the MHS collection.
Browse a list of our digital collections or limit your search by topic, format, or time period.
The Adams Family Papers consist of the writings of two presidents—John Adams and John Quincy Adams—and their families. View documents and transcriptions, biographies, a timeline, and more.
The Coolidge Collection of Thomas Jefferson Manuscripts, containing almost 9,000 pages of correspondence, personal manuscript volumes, and more than 400 architectural drawings, is the largest gathering of the personal papers of our third president.
Comprised of manuscripts, photographs, books, pamphlets, broadsides, maps, graphics, newspapers, works of art, and artifacts, MHS collections are unparalleled in their importance for the study of American history.
The MHS recently acquired a fascinating manuscript volume by Lt. Henry L. Estabrooks of the 26th Massachusetts Infantry describing his six weeks as a fugitive in Virginia during the Civil War. ...
Today we return to the 1918 diary of Newton teenager Barbara Hillard Smith. You may read our introduction to the diary, and Barbara’s previous entries, here: January | February ...
