Boston City Archives

Images and documents from the Boston City Archives

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Did you know that Boston successfully fought a smallpox epidemic in 1871?

On this day in 1871, Boston's City Physician sent this letter to the Board of Aldermen.  He wrote, "While some of the neighboring towns have suffered greatly....Boston has has been peculiarly fortunate." 

Boston's fortune may not have been that peculiar though! In the same letter, the City Physician wrote that the city's "exemption from this disease is due in great measure to the precautionary means which have hitherto been taken in the way of vaccination."  Boston beat back smallpox by following the guidance of its public health officials.

Almost 150 years later, Boston is fighting the Covid19 Pandemic by social distancing, wearing face coverings, and following other public health guidance - just like we did in 1871. Learn more about how you can prevent the spread of covid here

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Did you know our collections are full of statistics and data? These tables from the 1927 Parks Department annual report show how Bostonians used city playgrounds, beaches, and bathhouses, and gymnasiums. Take a look!

Annual report of the Parks Department, 1927, City Documents, Collection 0100.003, Boston City Archives.

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In 1842, a group of Boston abolitionists met at Faneuil Hall “for the purpose of holding a public meeting of those in favor of the immediate abolition of slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia.  Take a look at this petition for the meeting. Do you recognize any of the names? What do you know about them?

Docket 1842-0049-H,  Proceedings of the City Council, 1842, Collection 0100.001, Boston City Archives

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Did you know that on this day in 1870, a group of Medford residents petitioned for Medford to be annexed into Boston? The petition failed, but Boston did annex several towns in the 1870s. Dorchester joined Boston in January of 1870. Brighton, Charlestown, and West Roxbury joined the city in 1874.

Petition to annex Medford into Boston, 1870 January 17, , Docket 1870-0305-I, City Council proceedings, (Collection 0100.001), Boston City Archives

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On this day in 1873, Boston’s Common Council requested that the Boston Public Library open its reading rooms on Sundays from 2-9 pm. The Board of Aldermen and Mayor of Boston approved the order a few weeks later.

Boston’s Copley Square Library still opens on Sundays, but with slightly shorter hours. Thinking about visiting a Boston Public Library location this weekend? You can look at all branch locations and hours here

Request to open Boston Public Library Reading Rooms on Sundays, 1873 January 16, Docket 1873-0235-A1, City Council proceedings, (Collection 0100.001), Boston City Archives

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Did you know that the Boston City Archives has a large collection of Boston Public School student publications? This 1914 cover of the Mechanic Arts High student magazine shows off a piece of student artwork.

Interested in find out more about the kinds of student publications the City Archives holds? Take a look in our catalog or email us at [email protected]

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On this day in 1974, city officials in Boston recovered Faneuil Hall’s stolen grasshopper weather vane.

Faneuil Hall’s grasshopper had a habit of finding its way down from its perch. In 1755, an earthquake threw the grasshopper to the ground and about a century later in 1889, an Evacuation Day flag raising knocked the grasshopper down. Despite its adventures, the grasshopper always returned to its perch!.  

Fortunately, 1974 was no different. On January 4, it was discovered that the weather vane had been stolen. Only a few days later after the theft was discovered, the police received a tip that the thief had hidden the iconic insect in Faneuil Hall’s cupola. The grasshopper was found and repaired, returning to its proper place in July of 1974.

Faneuil Hall exterior, grasshopper weather vane, circa 1970s, Waterfront series, Boston Landmarks Commission image collection, Collection 5210.004, Boston City Archives, Boston

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We’re starting off the New Year by sharing some historical data with you! In the early 1900s, Boston’s Registry Division annually collected and published demographic and vital statistics data about each city ward.

These statistics describe the population in Ward 6, one of the city’s largest and most crowded wards. Take a look at these numbers. Does anything stand out to you?

Annual Report of the Registry Divison, 1905, Registry Division annual reports and publications, Collection 0330.003, Boston City Archives

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Its brisk in Boston this morning, so here’s a frosty cover from Jamaica Plain High’s School magazine, “The Clarion.” We hope our followers stay warm and cozy today!

Cover of “The Clarion,” 1940 February, Jamaica Plain High School records, Collection 0420.044 , Boston City Archives

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Happy Birthday, Arthur Fiedler!

Arthur Fiedler was born in Boston on December 17, 1894. He attended Boston Latin School, until his family moved to Austria in 1910. Fiedler returned to Boston around 1915, when he joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as a violinist.

In 1930, Fiedler became the conductor of the Boston Pops, a position he held for almost half a century, until 1979. This photograph shows Fiedler with Mayor Kevin White at a 1977 birthday party thrown for Fiedler.

Mayor Kevin H. White with Boston Pops Conductor Arthur Fiedler at Fiedler's 1977 birthday party, December 1977, Mayor Kevin White photographs, Collection 02455.002, Boston City Archives

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Today, we’re sharing this festive cover from the December 1930 issue of “The Artisan,” a magazine published by students at Boston’s Mechanic Arts High School.

Cover of “The Artisan” from Mechanic Arts High School, Boston Technical High School records, (Collection 0420.015 ), Boston City Archives

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This morning’s post is for the data crowd!

This 1905 chart from Boston’s Registry Division, shows the birthplaces of brides and grooms in Boston. Take a look. What does this chart tell you about Boston’s population in 1905?

Annual Report of the Registry Divison, 1905, Registry Division annual reports and publications, Collection 0330.003, Boston City Archives

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This morning, we’re sharing one of our favorite wintery photos with you! Photographer Peter Deryer snapped this image of a visitor with a red umbrella at Granary Burial Ground in 1969. 

Granary Burial Ground, 1969 March, Peter H. Dreyer slide collection, Collection 9800.007, Boston City Archives

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On this day in 1863, Boston’s Edward Everett delivered an address at the dedication of Soldiers National Cemetery at Gettysburg. Though Everett’s lengthy speech was slated to be the main event at the cemetery dedication, it has come to be known as “The Other Gettsyburg Address.” After Everett spoke for nearly two hours, President Abraham Lincoln took the stage for about two minutes.  His brief remarks are now remembered as the famous and familiar Gettysburg Address.

Everett himself recognized the power of Lincoln’s remarks.The day after the dedication, Everett wrote to Lincoln, “ “I should be glad if I could flatter myself, that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes “ (Read the letter here.)

Though many individuals praised Lincoln’s address immediately, Everett’s remarks were well received and generally recognized as the Gettysburg Address.  A few weeks after the cemetery dedication, Boston’s Board of Aldermen ordered that Edward Everett’s remarks be published in a pamphlet for public distribution. It wasn’t until several decades later that Lincoln’s remarks became known as “The Gettysburg Address.”

Order to publish the remarks of Edward Everett at Gettysburg, 1863 December 3,  City Council proceedings, (Collection 0100.001), Boston City Archives

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On this day in 1854, Mary Littlebale wrote to Boston’s Board of Aldermen to protest against the “taxation without representation” of Massachusetts women.

Littlebale argued that the practice of taxing women who could not vote flew in the face of the principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence  as well as the Massachusetts Bill of Rights. She wrote “On what ground are the women of this Commonwealth called upon to bear any portion of the public burden while denied by her statues the concomitant right of Suffrage?”

After arguing against common arguments against women’s suffrage, Littlebale ended her letter, “I demand of your justice exemption from these taxes enforced without my consent and in defiance of the principles of our Constitution.”

We know that LIttlebale’s letter was received by the Board of Aldermen and filed, but we don’t have any record of their response to her. Women in Massachusetts did not gain full suffrage until 1920.  Read her entire letter above.

Docket 1854-0166-A Proceedings of the City Council, Collection 0100.001, Boston City Archives .

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In 1829, a Bostonian caught a 700 lb fish between the Charlestown and Warren bridges. On November 4, 1829, Thaddeus Harrington applied for a license to exhibit the fish on Flagg Alley.

We’re not sure if Thaddeus caught the fish himself, or if he was exhibiting the fish on behalf of someone else. We’re also not sure if the fish was, in fact, an albacore tuna. If it was, it was an albacore of unusual size!  Do you think it was an albacore? Do you know what other kind of fish might have grown to 700 lbs?

Docket 1829-0051-B Proceedings of the City Council, Collection 0100.001, Boston City Archives .

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On this day in 1850, the Boston’s Board of Aldermen approved this petition to use Faneuil Hall to “consider the operation of the Fugitive Slave Law upon our own citizens.” Take a look at the signatures on this petition - do you recognize any of the names?

Docket 1850-0009-A. 1850, Proceedings of the City Council, Collection 0100.001, Boston City Archives .