This Week @MHS

FEATURED ITEM

Leverett Saltonstall—Mayor, Senator & Representative

Leverett Saltonstall (1783–1845), pictured here in 1845, grew up in Haverhill, Mass., and moved to nearby Salem to practice law after he graduated from Harvard College. He took breaks from law to serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate between 1813 and 1834, and then as Salem’s mayor from 1826 to1838. In 1838 he was elected to U.S. Congress until 1843.

During his four years in the U.S. Congress and several previous trips to Washington D.C. to present a case before the US Supreme Court between 1824 and 1826 he wrote letters to his wife and four children describing the capital city and its residents. In a letter written 24 February 1825, he included a description of John Quincy Adams.

View the 1845 photograph up close. Read Saltonstall’s correspondence to his wife and children.

Tuesday, 1 October, 6:00 PM: The Haunting of the MHS, Sponsored by the Young Patrons with Rakashi Chand, Reading Room Supervisor. This is a special event for Young Patron Members.

Tuesday, 8 October, 5:00 PM: The Myth of Corruption: Postwar Psychiatry, the Homophile Movement & the Meanings of Seduction with Lauren Gutterman, University of Texas at Austin, with comment by Stephen Vider, Bryn Mawr College. This is a seminar.

Wednesday, 9 October, 6:00 PM: Making the Presidency: John Adams & the Precedents That Forged the Republic with Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library, in conversation with Louisa Thomas, author and staff writer for the New Yorker. This is a program.

Monday, 14 October, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM: Opening Our Doors with MHS staff. This is a special event.

See full calendar.

Boston Views: Through the Lens of Arthur A. Shurcliff

Arthur A. Shurcliff (1870–1957), a landscape architect, created a collection of 1,295 glass lantern slides that depict cityscapes and buildings in Boston and other locations during the first decades of the 20th century. View a selection of Boston scenes reproduced at large scale and learn more about Shurcliff.

Learn more about the collection of glass lantern slides by reading this blog post. Visit our hours and admissions page for gallery hours.

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Support from MHS Members makes it possible for us to fulfill our mission and expand access to historical knowledge. Thanks to our Members, we offer free admission to our research library and exhibitions; provide history and civics education resources to students and teachers; support leading historical research fellowships and publications; and more. Membership begins with a fully tax-deductible contribution of $250 or more to the MHS Fund. All Members enjoy a full year of social, cultural, and educational experiences, including invitations to our annual Holiday Party, FREE program registration, and Member Week perks. Learn more and join today!

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