Massachusetts History

Massachusetts State Prision – Refered to as “Old Prison” in the 1868 book “Pictures from Prison Life – Massachusetts State Prison” A great book which gives a year by year recounting of life in Mass prisons thru 1868.

The etching above is from the book. You can click on it for a larger view.

The “Old Prison” was built in 1804-1805 on the western extremity of the peninsula of Charlestown, called Lynde’s Point.

The building was 200 feet long, by 44 wide. Two wings of 4 stories each and a center with 5 stories.

Opened 12th December 1805 and by the end of the month had 34 inmates.

The 1st death occurred in the prison January 20, 1806. The first escape was on February 24th 1806.

From the Boston Music Hall Program, week of June 23, 1902.

Boston Music Hall- JAPANESE TEA GARDEN.

Our patrons are cordially invited to visit, without additional charge, the Japanese Tea HOUSE and GARDENS in the lower hall, formerly known as Bumstead Hall. transforming this chamber into a picturesque Japanese miniature, the management has sought to provide its patrons with opportunity for pleasant intercourse, and especially to provide a dainty and novel retreat for the ladies and the children.

Tea or Coffee, with or without creams will be served free from 12 to 3 and 6 to 9 pm.

It is impossible to paint in colorless words the wondrous color scheme which presents itself in this bit of Japanese land. Credit for the charming effect is due chiefly to Sir. Yamasaki, without doubt the most gifted Japanese landscape painter now in the country. Entrance is through a typical gates of Japan, narrow and winding, with a thatch roofing over the door fill. To the immediate left is the Tea House itself, radiant with its striking colors of green, amber, red and black. The door way cover is also thatched, and the effect in the rear of the house is of a veranda reaching out if I a mildly-flowing stream, besprinkled with little Summer houses set up on piles.

Next in the circle comes the Wistaria Garden with purple and blue as the dominant colors. tiny bridge connects this garden with the chef orchard which faces the entrance, and which is perhaps the most charming spot in the chamber. The scene painting here is remarkably illusive, showing a path winding through the orchard and defying the eye to determine where the painting leaves off and where the artificial grading begins. What seem to be real cherry trees, with myriads of blossoms, sweep the passer-by, and subdued electric colored lights heighten the effect. Apparently from the trees may be heard the appealing twitter of birds, and one can almost scent the sweet aroma the foliage and blossoms.

Then comes the Japanese Temple of Art, which is occupied by Mr Yamasaki in person as a studio for painting genuine Japanese souvenir art studies of every description. A little further along is the Good Luck House another resort for infantile and youthful spirits. Between these two edifices is a other masterpiece of landscape painting, the Sacred Mountain (Fujiyama) At its base is a rice field bordered by chrysanthemum beds—all making variegated and fascinating picture. Next to the Good Luck House is the exit, designed after a typical gateway to a prosperous Japanese residence. In the space bounded by these scenes is a fountain of running water. A rustic bridge curves gracefully over this waterway in which hundreds of little goldfish dart restlessly about, and makes part of a path through which visitors pass. All about overhead are Japanese lanterns and umbrellas. When lighted the former give forth a beautiful effect to the scene, and unimaginative indeed must be the person who cannot fancy himself or herself for the time in picturesque Geishaland.

Remains of the wreck of the English vessel “Sparrowhawk”. It was wrecked off the coast of Orleans, Cape Cod, in 1626. In 1863 a storm revealed part of the frame. It was dug up and presented to Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth by Charles W Livermore of Providence , Rhode Island. The rudder was presented by John Doane.

The “Sparrowhawk” is the 1st English vessel known to be stranded on Cape Cod.

Click Here For The Pilgrim Hall Page On The Sparrowhawk

You can click on the photo (and then again on the next page) for a larger view.

It’s a great old handsaw from the Riverside Tool Company out of Boston Massachusetts…

Part of Massachusetts great toolmaking history…

It’s about 24″ tip to tip-  “Cast Steel – Patent Ground” and “Warranted”

From the January 1887 Popular Science News and Boston Journal of Chemistry…………

Much interest has been excited in Boston by a Mr. Bishop, a so-called “mind-reader.”

With the assistance of several well-known citizens of Boston. he performed some very remarkable feats, such as indicating on a blackboard the number of a bank-note known only to the person whose hand he was holding, and discovering by the same means, while blindfolded, a small object previously concealed in a building at a distance from the one where the experiments took place.

Bishop claims that there is actual ” thought-transferrence ” to his mind from that of the “subject ” but we fail to see any satisfactory basis for the fashionable theories of “thought-transferrence,” or ” mind-telepathy,” to rest upon.

 The proceedings of Bishop, so far as regards the use of connecting wires between himself and others, and the holding of his head between the hands of his assistants, must be regarded as mere ” clap-trap,” as in hundreds of instances the same experiments have been performed with even better success by others entirely free from such connections.

By the use of unnecessary trumpery, and by giving to the psychical phenomena a name tolerated among the educated classes, he secured an audience composed of distinguished men, who under other circumstances would not have been present.

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