North End Historical Society Visits MHS

By Elaine Grublin

On Tuesday, 2 November, a group of 20 members of the North End Historical Society (NEHS) visited the MHS for a tour and document show and tell. The visit was arranged by Alex Goldfeld, the president of the NEHS and Elaine Grublin, the head of reader services at the MHS. 

Peter Drummey addressing seated crowd in Dowse LibraryThe guests arrived promptly at 6:00 PM for brief introductory remarks in the Dowse Library. The group then explored the building, guided by MHS staff. Anne Bentley, curator of art, lead a tour of the art and artifacts on display throughout the building, including portraits of famous North Enders such as Paul Revere. Elaine Grublin offered an introduction to using the MHS library.

Reconvening in the Dowse Library guests were treated to a North End focused document show and tell that included large detailed maps of the North End in 1798 drawn by Samuel Chester Clough, Paul Revere’s deposition recounting his midnight ride, documents related to Father Taylor and the Seamen’s Bethel, an early 19th century engraving of Commercial Wharf, and a number of other treasures from our collections. Librarian Peter Drummey, offered an overview of the items on display (pictured) before the guests had an opportunity to view the materials up close. 

It was a wonderful evening for all that attended. We hope to see many of the North End Historical Society members return to the MHS in the future.