On a windy February night in 1804, Samuel Talbot sat at his desk in Stoughton and thought back over the year. Talbot had spent the last several months overseeing a controversy that had begun in 1727 that pitted wealthy mill owners against farmers and a way of life that was disappearing with the dawn of […]
On July 3, 1756, David Tilden drew his last breath in what was then Stoughton. And up until now, that was merely a historical curiosity that would pass each year without any note or mention. But this year we will gather at his grave and visit a very old friend. We will offer a prayer […]
At age 58, James Ritchie had accomplished more than 10 men would in a lifetime. Think of a life in chapters or seasons and the storyline becomes clear. Born here in Canton on May 12, 1815, in what is now the Draper House at Pequitside Farm, the young man flourished under the watchful eye of […]
Invention is both art and science. The mind of an inventor is complex and patient. These are the people who ask “what if?” and are the people who study process to improve or even save lives. There is no better case for the inventor than that of Cornelius Callahan. It was Callahan who invented and […]
There is always talk of passing the torch to a new generation. And at the venerable local Historical Society very few young people become engaged in the work of preservation and discovery. Yet every once in a while a young person will enter our orbit, and through their eyes we see the history of Canton […]
George Grow was a natural-born salesman. In the Roaring Twenties, Grow had become very wealthy selling used cars. Through his connections, he would network with wealthy men selling their cars, and men on the way up the ladder purchasing the cars. Grow never spoke of his family background, and all outward appearances led his customers […]
A few weeks ago I was invited to the Canton Senior Center to speak with the Canton Women’s Club. The invitation came at the behest of a dear friend over a year ago. As has always been my practice, I had been thinking about the subject matter for several months. My mind ran through so […]
In 2008, after a failed rezoning effort left his clients short on hope and looking to cut its losses, a prominent Canton zoning attorney signed off on a request to demolish the buildings at Plymouth Rubber. The gauntlet was thrown down, and the situation looked bleak. Local preservationists on the Canton Historical Commission raised the […]
Can a house have a gender? Are there feminine lines to some houses and in others masculine elements that give the observer the sense that a house has the grace of a lady or the demeanor of a gentleman? There is a term for beautiful old Victorian Style homes that describes them perfectly: painted ladies. […]
There are very few architecturally significant houses from the early 1800s that have survived almost intact with respect to their adornment and features. One such example is the splendid house built for Dr. Ezra Abbot at 470 Washington Street. Even today, 182 years after it was built, this Italianate home exemplifies a style that is […]
