Massachusetts Women in Politics Now on Flickr

During the winter of 2010, the State Library displayed an exhibit on women in politics in Massachusetts. The exhibit profiled sixteen women politicians who have worked in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in such roles as Mayor, Representative, Senator, and Lieutenant Governor. The exhibit is now available for viewing on the State Library's Flickr site.

If you are interested in learning more about the women who have served in the Massachusetts Legislature, the State Library holds the legislative papers of fifteen women legislators, occupying approximately 200 linear feet. These materials are located in the Special Collections Department in Room 55 of the Massachusetts State House, open 9am-5pm Monday through Friday.

The Massachusetts Women in Politics exhibit was co-presented by the State Library of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators during their 75th Anniversary year. Thanks to Bruce DiLoreto and Mark Kasianowicz for many of the photos and to Marietta Carr for her research.

- The Marketing Committee

State Library Receives National Endowment for the Humanities Grant

The State Library is happy to announce that it has been awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant for 2012! The Preservation Assistance Grant provides funding for the continuation of the Massachusetts Room Preservation Project, a multi-year project that began in 2009.

A previous NEH Preservation Assistance Grant in 2010 supported the systematic repair and preservation of several important sub-categories of collections within the State Documents Collection (the Massachusetts Room, 20th Century Massachusetts maps, legislators' papers). The 2012 grant will continue this work, focusing on ephemeral materials housed in the Massachusetts Room.

For more information about the grant award, please see the National Endowment for the Humanities' press release. For more information about the preservation work performed as part of this multi-year project, please click on the "Massachusetts Room Preservation Project" label in the gray box at the bottom of this post.

- Lacy Stoneburner, Preservation Librarian

Swift Action, Strong Bonds: the Origins of a Holiday Tradition in Boston

Have you ever pondered the origins of Boston’s official Halifax Christmas tree tradition? The story behind the generously lit tree displayed in Boston Common, marking the beginning of the holiday season, is one that originates from the horrors of a devastating accident that shook Halifax, Nova Scotia one wintery morning in December, 1917. 

On Thursday, December 6, 1917, Halifax, Nova Scotia experienced a powerful explosion—one that is still considered the largest man-made, non-nuclear accidental explosion in history. A French munitions ship, the Mont Blanc, transporting 2,300 tons of pyric acid, 35 tons of benzene, 200 tons of dynamite, and other chemicals collided with the Belgian Relief steamer, Imo, as the steamer maneuvered down the wrong side of the Bedford Basin to avoid other vessels. The Mont Blanc caught fire immediately, and soon after the crew, aware of the extremely dangerous situation, was ordered to abandon the ship. As it drifted toward the piers and the city’s residential and industrial north end, a series of small explosions drew the attention of Halifax citizens preparing for the day. A few minutes after 9:00am the Mont Blanc exploded entirely, causing a fiery mushroom cloud to rain hot iron fragments from the destroyed ship down onto the city. 

The force of the explosion sparked a series of chain reactions. A tidal wave crashed down over nearby neighborhoods; men, women, and children were swept from the lower streets into the harbor where they drowned. Fires raged uncontrollably, tremors could be felt as far away as Prince Edward Island, and blasts of wind caused by the explosion fractured and toppled buildings throughout. A day after the accident the Halifax Herald vividly described the destruction: “Buildings over a great area collapsed, burying men, women and children. Tug boats and smaller vessels were engulfed and then a great wave washed up over Campbell Road. Fires broke out and became uncontrollable, stopping the work and rescue. Not a house in Halifax escaped some damage, and the region bounded on the east by the harbor, south by North street (sic) and west by Windsor street (sic), is absolutely devastated. The wounded and homeless are in different institutions and homes over the city … Hundreds of the bodies which were taken from the ruins are unrecognizable and morgues have been opened in different parts of the city.” (Friday, December 7, 1917) It is estimated that about 2,000 people died as a result of the explosion. A vast number of those who survived suffered injuries, many of which were disfiguring, and thousands were left homeless. Property damage climbed above $30,000,000. 

The Massachusetts State House received news about the accident at approximately 11:00am. Under the leadership of Governor Samuel W. McCall, Massachusetts, especially Boston, began immediate work to organize relief efforts. McCall sent a series of messages, including the following, to the Mayor of Halifax: “Understand your city in danger from explosion and conflagration. Reports only fragmentary. Massachusetts ready to go the limit in rendering every assistance you may be in need of. Wire me immediately.” “Since sending my telegram this morning offering unlimited assistance, an important meeting of citizens [Massachusetts Public Safety Committee] has been held and Massachusetts stands ready to offer aid in any way you can avail yourself of it. We are prepared to send forward immediately a special train with surgeons, nurses and other medical assistance, but await advices from you.” With his previous messages left unanswered, and fully aware of Halifax’s urgent and dire need for medical assistance, McCall made the decision that Halifax could not afford any delay:“Won’t you please call upon Mr. Ratshesky for every help that you need. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will stand back of Mr. Ratshesky in every way. Respectfully yours, Samuel W. McCall Governor P.S. Realizing that time is of the utmost importance we have not waited for your answer but have dispatched the train.” A train carrying a corps of surgeons, doctors, nurses, and medical supplies pushed through blizzard conditions and reached Halifax on December 8th. 

In a report written for Governor McCall by A.C. Ratshesky, the Governor’s representative and Commissioner-in-Charge, he describes his first encounter upon arrival with C.A. Hayes, General Manager of the Canadian Government Railways and West Springfield, MA native: “He was so affected that tears streamed down his cheeks. He arose and greeted me with: ‘Just like the people of good old Massachusetts. I am proud of them.’” (December 8, 1917) A meeting was held by the Massachusetts-Halifax Relief Committee at Faneuil Hall, resulting in the establishment of a relief fund which raised $100,000 on the first day alone. Supply ships loaded with donated goods were sent from Boston to Halifax, and arrived at their destination 3 days later. Boston and other cities around Massachusetts continued to tirelessly pull together to raise money and collect provisions that were soon after delivered to the devastated city. 

 In 1918, Halifax gifted to the city of Boston a giant Christmas tree as a token of appreciation and remembrance for the immediate assistance that the Boston Red Cross, the Massachusetts Public Safety Committee, and the citizens of Boston provided during the most critical and darkest period after the 1917 explosion. In 1971, the practice was reinstated and has since continued as a yearly holiday tradition that signifies humanity and selflessness in times of disaster. Two of the digitized images above were adapted from original photography that can be found in Manuscript Collection 90, located in the State Library’s Special Collections. Also included in this collection are reports prepared by the Massachusetts-Halifax Relief Committee and other officials, meeting minutes, records of aid distribution, letters, and photographs that document the damage in Halifax and efforts to rebuild. 

Kaitlin Connolly 

Library Technician, Reference Dept.

Kindle Downloads Now Available!

The State Library of Massachusetts is pleased to announce that e-book downloads are now available for the Amazon Kindle through the C/W Mars consortium. Permanent state employees with a State Library card may borrow a book for their Kindle reader or another electronic device equipped with the free Kindle app.

Please visit the C/W Mars Digital Catalog to browse the titles available for the Kindle and the Kindle Help page to get started borrowing your first e-book today!

-Libby Johnson, Reference & Outreach Intern

Seals of Massachusetts Cities and Towns

One of the treasures in the Special Collections Department is a scrapbook titled Seals of Massachusetts Cities and Towns. The Massachusetts Department of Agriculture donated it in 1924 but it is not clear who originally began the collection. Alan Fox, an Assistant Librarian at the State Library, included additional seals in 1967. Seals in the first section are embossed and generally on white paper which makes it difficult to appreciate the amount of detail included. However, there are some on metallic and colored papers that show details more clearly. The other section of the volume contains printed seals which generally include a white background and one other color for text and pictures.

These seals are used to authenticate official documents and all of them include the name of the city or town and the year it was incorporated. The majority also have, in the center space, a picture related to the city or town’s beginnings. A useful reference for understanding the significance of the depictions used for these seals is Town and City Seals of Massachusetts (State Street Trust Company, 1950-1951) which is available in the State Library.

This is a selection of seals used in Massachusetts since the 1600’s. Find the remainder of the collection at the State Library's Special Collections Department.

Kate Boutin, Special Collections Intern

The Halloween Storm of 1991

Twenty years ago, the interaction of three meteorological events produced an extreme nor'easter that became known as the Halloween Storm of 1991. The subject of much media attention at the time, interest in the storm was renewed after the 1997 publication of of Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm. The book tells the story of the Andrea Gail, a swordfish boat that was lost at sea attempting to return to Gloucester in the midst of the storm. While the exact fate of the three men aboard is unknown, their story was later dramatized in the 2000 film adaptation of Junger's work.

Through the collections at the State Library of Massachusetts, one can revisit the history of this devastating storm from multiple perspectives. In addition to Junger's book, library patrons can also explore newspaper articles that report on the storm's destruction and process of recovery in coastal communities. Proquest is an excellent electronic resource for accessing full text articles from the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald is available via the Library's microfilm holdings. At the time, news reports drew the comparison between the Halloween Storm and the Blizzard of '78, an issue examined in a 1994 report by the Army Corps of Engineers. The report, titled Coastal Storm Evaluation Halloween Storm of 1991 offers a wealth of information about the storm itself, as well as the significant impact that it had from Nantucket to Portland, Maine. The damage experienced by each community is described in detail and illustrated in striking color photographs.

Combined, these State Library resources offer a depth of information on an event that touched the lives of many Massachusetts residents. Please contact the Library if you are interested in viewing these items or learning about what else the collection has to offer.

-Libby Johnson, Reference & Outreach Intern

One Large Exhibit, Two Small Cases

With a dazzling array of binding colors, lettering styles, and subjects, the seven-case exhibit Decorated Publishers' Bindings 1840 to 1930: Collections from the State Library of Massachusetts was extraordinarily popular, but had to come down eventually to make way for the new exhibit, Worcester: Heart of the Commonwealth. Although the full bindings exhibit is still available digitally on the Library's Flickr site, the library wanted to continue to display a selection from this exhibit on a much smaller scale. The question was, how?

This is where I came in! As a preservation intern beginning in September, my first assignment was to help the Preservation Librarian, Lacy Stoneburner, take down the full exhibit and design a much smaller one using the same materials. First, I looked at the approximately eighty books from the original exhibit, knowing that I had to pare these down to about ten. I also realized that the large text panels that "told the story" were too large to keep with the books and fit in the smaller cases. So, what essence of the original exhibit could I retain?

While the two small display cases did not have enough room for one volume from each decade from 1840 through 1930, I wanted to maintain a wide range of publication dates, and to include one 1938 paper-covered book representing the end of the era of decorative publishers' bindings. I chose covers in cloth and wood veneer, in red, black, green, blue, and yellow, and many with eye-catching gilt lettering. Finally, I wanted the volumes to represent the wide variety of the books' subject matter, which included almanacs, histories of places or battles, and educational books covering topics from steam to nature studies.

How did I do? Come visit the two exhibit cases just inside the entrance to the State Library, Room 341 of the State House, and you can decide!

Posters of the original exhibit are available for $8 in both the library administration office (Room 341) and in the Special Collections department (Room 55). Shipping options are also available. Please let us know if you have any questions by calling (617) 727-2595.

-Colleen McGhee-French, Preservation Intern