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Natick Established
Natick Established
On this day in 1781, Natick was formally incorporated, but the town already had a long history. In 1651, a group of Christianized Indians had founded a "Praying Town" in what is now South Natick....
Angelina Grimke Addresses Legislature
Angelina Grimke Addresses Legislature
On this day in 1838 a woman addressed a legislative body for the first time in American history. An overflow crowd gathered at the State House in Boston as Angelina Grimké, daughter of a South...
U.S. Hockey Team Wins Olympic Gold
U.S. Hockey Team Wins Olympic Gold
On this day in 1980, the U.S. hockey team beat Finland to win the Gold Medal at the Lake Placid Olympics. What really captured the country's imagination occurred two days earlier in the semi-finals. The...
First Slaves Arrive in Massachusetts
First Slaves Arrive in Massachusetts
On this day in 1638, a ship returned to Massachusetts Bay from the West Indies after a seven-month voyage. Its cargo included cotton, tobacco and, as far as we know, the first enslaved Africans to be...
Perkins School for the Blind Incorporated
Perkins School for the Blind Incorporated
On this day in 1829, the New England Asylum for the Blind was incorporated in Boston. The institution opened with six students, but within six years, it had ten times that number. For the first time, blind...
Ruiz Wins World Heavyweight Championship
Ruiz Wins World Heavyweight Championship
On this day in 2001, boxer Johnny Ruiz of Chelsea defeated Evander Holyfield in 12 rounds to become the first-ever Latino WBA heavyweight champion. Trained at a club in Somerville, Ruiz combined discipline with determination...
Globe Publishes First Edition
Globe Publishes First Edition
On this day in 1872, a brand-new newspaper hit the streets of Boston. Costing four cents, the Globe had twice the number of pages as most competitors for the same price. But even at a...
Clarence Birdseye Tests Frozen Food
Clarence Birdseye Tests Frozen Food
On this day in 1930, shoppers in Springfield became the first Americans to find frozen food in their grocery stores. A test marketing program was designed to see if people would buy frozen food. And...
Alexander Graham Bell Receives First Patent
Alexander Graham Bell Receives First Patent
On this day in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone. Born in Scotland, Bell settled in Boston when he was in his early 20s. He made his living as a teacher...
Sophia Smith Endows New Women's College
Sophia Smith Endows New Women's College
On this day in 1870, a shy but determined woman from Hatfield willed that her fortune be used to establish a women's college in Northampton. The first woman in America to endow a college for...