Hamilton High School - Hamiltonian Yearbook (South Hamilton, MA)

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The Hamiltonian In Concord S(iu;uc there is a Soldier’s Monument dciiicatcd to the men wlio fell at the Hattie of Concord. 1 he Hancock Clarke House in Lexinj ton is the place here Hancock and Adams slept the nijiht before the Hattie of Lexiiif ton when Paul Re ere came with the alarm at midniirht. We journered from here to Ifoston, the capital of Massachusetts, and the Huh of the Universe. First we visited Christ Church which is on Salem Street. This is the oldest church edifice in the city, built in 1722. It is the famous old North Church in the steeple of crhich the signal was flashed for Paul Revere to arouse the peo- ple. Another very famous historical house of worship is the old South Church cn Washinj ton Street. It was built in 172 and not only served as a place of worship hut also as a place to perform such public functions as holding town meetings and delirering orations. It was from this church that the disguised liostonians marched to take part in the famous Hoston d ' ea Party of December, 1773. A tablet ' vhich marks the site of the Hoston Tea Party Wharf reads in part as follows: “Here formerly stood ‘Ciriffin’s 3Vharf’ at which lay moored on December 16, 1773, three Hritish ships with cargoes of tea.” About ninety citizens took part and threw overboard 342 chests of tea. In June, 1876, the church was sold at auction. It is now owned by a patriotic association and contains a rare museum of curiosities. Another up-to-date church has been built near the old South Church for worship. The Old Ship Meeting House in Hingham is the oldest building in the United States, standing on its original site, that has been used continuously for the worship of God. We climbed Hunker Hill Monument which stands on Hreed’s Hill, the actual site of the Hattie of Hunker Hill. The cornerstone of this monument was laid b the Marquis de Lafayette in the presence of a crowd, June 17, 1825, the fiftieth an- niversary of the battle. After a delay of fifteen years, the monument was completed in 1842 and dedicated on June 17, 1843 in the presence of President Tyler, his cabinet, and a huge crowd. At this time, Webster gave his second Hunker Hill Oration, the first having been given at the laying of the cornerstone. The monument is an obelisk and stands in the center of the ground included in the old breastwork with its sides parallel to those of the redoubt. It is built of Quincy granite and is 221 feet in height. W’e climbed a rvimling staircase of 265 stone steps to the top. I ' he room there has four windows with iron shutters through which a beautiful view of Hoston, its suburbs, and harbor may be seen. The foremost among the large buildings in Hoston is Faneuil Hall better known as the “Cradle of Liberty” because at the first public meeting held there in 1763, James Otis dedicated the building to the “Cause of Liberty.” It was erected by Peter Faneuil, a Huguenot merchant, and pre- sented by him to the town to be used as a market place. It was destrored by fire, but was reconstructed shortly afterwards with a second floor to be used for a meeting place. Later a third story was added for galleries, with Doric columns and an ex- tended platform. The old State House, which stands at the head of State Street, is the oldest exist- ing public building in New England. 4 ' he historic part of the new State House is the “Hulfinch Front,” which alone was the M assachusetts State House for more than half a century and today houses the Execu- ti e Department and the Senate Quarters. Its gilded dome is a famil iar landmark to all New Englanders. 4 ' he cornerstone of the new State House was set July 4, 1765 by Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. P ' if- teen white horses, representing the fifteen states of the Union at that time, drew the cornerstone to Governor Hancock’s house. 4 ' he State House was completed in three years, when on January 1 1, 1768, the mem- bers of the General Court assembled foi the last time in the old State House and marched in a body to take their seats in the new one on Heacon Hill. In Doric Hall, the main hall of the “Hulfinch P’ront” as we enter the biulding, there are many distinctive memorials, relics, and works of art, chief of which are perhaps the statue of 3Vashington in marble and the cannons commemorating the American Revolution and the War of 1812. From Doric Hall one enters the passage leading into the Senate Staircases Hall, the walls

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The Hamiltonian HISTORIC SHRINES OF MASSACHUSETTS r AST summer a friend from the West came to visit me ; quite naturally she wanted to see the historic shrines of M assa- chusetts about which she had heard so much. Since Plymouth was the first set- tlement in Massachusetts, 1 took her there first and we visited the Forefather’s Rock known as Plymouth Rock upon which the Pilgrims landed December 21, 1620. ' Fhe honor of first stepping on this stone has been claimed by the descendants of Mary Chilton for her, and of Jcdin Alden for him. Because John Alden was so chival- rous in the episode that terminated with “Why, d on’t you speak for yourself, John,” probably John, with his usual chivalry, said, “Ladies before gentlemen,” and handed the honor ( ver to Miss Chilton. In 1774 an attempt was made to nuwe the rock but it split in two, an incident which was regarded as an omen of the separation of the colonies from England. When the excitement caused by this ac- cident subsided, it was decided to lower the under part of the rock into its original bed on Water Street. It has been covered with a handsome granite canopy and sur- rounded by an iron fence. 4 ' his part of the rock may still be seen in the liarbor. d ' he rest was taken to the square and placed in front of Pilgrim’s hall. There is also in Plymouth the National Monu- ment, which was erected to the Pilgrims and upon which are the names of those who came to America in the “MA - FL(4WER.” On a high hill near the ocean on the outskirts of Provincetown stands an ther Pilgrim Memorial to the Forefathers. The Pilgrim Monument is one of the tallest masonry tow ' ers in America. It was com- pleted in 1607 when President I ' heodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone. ' Fhe in- terior is a circling stone staircase at the top of which there is a beautiful view of lower Cape Cod. The people of Prov- incctown are rightfully proud of this monument for it is one of Massachusetts greatest pieces of architecture. At the foot of the hill upon which this monument stands is a large granite and bronze me- morial wliich commemorates the Compact. A bronze tablet at the shore’s edge marks the spot where the Pilgrims landed in Provincetown before deciding to move to Plymouth. ' Fhen we went to Salem which is noted for its Witch House, Gallows Hill, the House of Seven Gables, and old Derby Wharf. Salem ranks second among the oldest settlements of Massachusetts. Fhe Witchcraft delusion arose here in 1692 and nineteen persons were hanged on Gallows Hill. ' Fhe victims were first tried at the old Witch House which is the oldest house in Salem. In the abstract of the laws of New England printed in 1655 appear these articles: Article HI: ‘AVitchcraft, which is fellowship by covenant with a familiar spirit, to be punished with death.” Article IV: “Considters with witches not to be tolerated, but either to be cut off by death or banishment or other suitable punish- ment.” ' Fhe fanatical outbreak in Salem in the year 169] is one of the most striking incidents in the history of New Englaml. ' Fhe House of Seven Gables has become famous through Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book of the same name. Although Haw- tlwrne had no particular house in mind, everyone has assumed that the house on ' Furner Street was meant. It is one of the oldest houses in Salem, dating from 1662. In the verv early days, Salem was an im- portant port and Old Derbc Wharf was the nrincipal wharf on the harbor. Next we went to Concord and Lcxim -- ton where the Revolutionary War actually started. Eight hundred British, sent by General Gage from Boston to seize the ammunition stored up by the colonists in Concord, met a few minute men on Lex- ington Green and a short fight ensued. ( )n this green every important spot is desig- nated by a monument or statue. ' Fhe British pushed on to Concord only to be repulsed at the old North Bridge by tiie minute men in Concord. Here, at this bridge, was fired the shot “heard round the rorld.” On the Lexington side of the bridge are monuments erected to unknown British soldiers, and on the opposite side stands a bronze minute man to show where the Americans fought so bra •el .

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The Hamiltonian 5 of which are covered with the famous Hoston historical paintinjis. From here one enters the Memorial Hall, filled with paint- ings of IVlassachusetts soldiers and sailors in the Civil and Spanish W ars. In the Senate Chamber is kept the first firearm taken from the enemy at Lexington in the War for Independence. Above the buildim: still shines the pine-cone, recalling the Pine Tree State which was once part of the Commonwealth and calling attention to the emblem of the IVlassachusetts State Flag, the pine tree, which signifies “An Apped to Heaven.” ' Fhe Paul Revere House on N ' ortii Square, which is the oldest house in Hoston, was built in the seventeenth century. Paul Revere lived there for tliirty years and the old crane that he used is still in the kitchen. On the location of the famous Washing- ton Elm in the roadway next to the Com- mon, Cambridge, Massachusetts, a tablet has been placed stating the historic fact that Washington here first took command of the Continental army. 1 he larngfellow House in Cambridge is a very fine old colonial mansion. It was used by VV ashington as headcpiarters dur- ing the Revolutionary War, and later it became the home of the poet, Longfellow. ' Fhe Colonel Bigelow House on Lincoln Scpnre, Worcestei, the site of which is marked by a tablet, was the home of Colo- nel ' Fimothy Bigelow. He, with the little company of minute men he had drilled and which Washington had praised with the words, “ ' Phis is discipline, indeed!” answered the call of April 19, 177 ' I, and marched to Lexington and Concord. ' I ' he Governor John Hancock mairdon in Worcester, which was built in tlie early seventeenth century, is probably the ( nly house in New England that was the home of five governors. ' Fhcse happen to be John Hancock, Levi Linccrln, Sr., Le i Lin- coln, Jr., Enoch Lincoln, and John Davis. ' i he (9id Marblehead Fown House, built in 1728, was, like Faneuil Hall, used as a market and public meeting place and also as a public school. At the top of three flights of half ruined stairs is the dingy loft where Ebenezer Gerry and other patri- otic plotters against Ring George held their secret meetings. Here the Marblehead legiment gathered during the Revolution. At the United States Armory in Spring- held in 1795 the first musket was manu- factured in the Llnited States. Beginning with a force of forty men and a production of 245 muskets the first year, the rVrmoi has increased its producticm and today manufactures 300 guns a day and employs 1400 men. In the arsenal there are kept twent different models of muskets includ- ing the historic guns of every war in which the LOiited States has taken part. My friend and 1 returned to Hamilton. She had been much impressed by the his- toric shrines of IVlassachusetts, and 1 was proud to show her that Hamilton, too, is famous. I ' he town was named for Wash- ington’s Secretary of the Freasury, Alex- ander Hamilton, and was so honored through the efforts of Rev. Dr. .Manassah Cuttler, the seccnd Congregational min- ister, who greallv admired him. In front of the Cuttler house there is a marker which states on December ,L 1787, the first covered wagon to leave Massachusetts for the West left there, reached the northwest territor - the next spring, and foumled Marietta, (9hio. Hamiltoiians can well be proud of the fact that for a town of its size Hamilton ranks among the mot famous. B ARB.ARA MaXVVHI.I. HISTORICAL PERSONAGES OF MASSACHUSETTS I F was in 1620 that a little band of men and women, famous in history as the Pilgrims, reached Cape Cod, crossed the bay, and founded their settlement at Ply- mouth, Massachusetts. Among this small group was a man named Miles Standish. His foresight was great and without his wise counsel the settlement would have sureh failed. He used fine diplomacy with the Indians and, in this way, he man- aged to protect his people. In 16. 2, Miles Standish founded the town of Duxbury, li ' ing there and working for the welfare of the settlement until his death, (October 3. 1656, In September, 1628, John Endicott ar-