Old Colony Historical Society

Taunton, Massachusetts

LECTURE TOPICS

Back to OCHS Home Page

 

All talks, written and delivered by Historical Society staff, are designed to be informative and enjoyable. The length and content can be adapted to fit the requirements of various groups and/or locations.

We can provide projector, projector table and laptop. We prefer to use the organization’s lectern and screen.

Speaker’s Fee: Please contact the Society for more information at 508-822-1622, or mailto:OldColony@oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org.

 

  1. How Taunton Has Changed

Slide program featuring historic photographs from the Society’s collection, reflecting pre and post 1900 Taunton, its people and places. Discussion of social and economic factors contributing to these changes, is included.  Can be adapted for middle and high school age students.  (Approx. 30 minutes)

 

  1. Patriots, Peons and Pirates:  Genealogical Research in the Taunton Region

An introduction to the research collections available to us at the Old Colony Historical Society and examples of where family history research can lead is presented by the Society’s Archivist and Library Manager.  The talk can be adapted for specific types of research, such as using military records, researching particular ethnic backgrounds, and clues on how to break through that stone wall in your family search.

 

  1. Dighton Rock: A Look into the Legend

The inscriptions on this boulder in the Taunton River have at times been attributed to the Phoenicians, Vikings, Portuguese, and American Indians. This Power Point lecture discusses the theories and personalities that have ebbed around this mysterious rock for generations.  (Approx. 40 minutes)

 

  1. Early New England Ice Harvesting

Slide talk discussing the methods of harvesting, storing and sale of ice. Emphasis on the business in general, with some local (Taunton area) firms receiving mention.        (Approx. 35 minutes)

 

  1. Main Street, Taunton, Mass.

Slide lecture offering a stroll along Taunton’s Main Street during the mid to late 19th century. This presentation showcases both downtown businesses and the buildings in which they were located.  (Approx. 35 minutes)

 

  1. Taunton Green: Common Ground

Slide talk explains the history of Taunton Green from both cultural and military perspectives, and then incorporates memories of the Green collected from area residents.   (Approx. 45 minutes)

 

  1. “Make Cooking Easy” with Old Colony Stoves

With the moniker “Stove City” Taunton was home to many manufacturers of this essential household item.  Some firms, such as the famous Glenwood Range Company, also took the cast iron stove design to artistic heights.  This slide lecture chronicles the evolution of this vital area industry and its lasting influence on the city.  (Approx. 40 minutes)

 

  1. William Mason: The Man and His Machines

Illustrated lecture exploring the life and work of Taunton industrialist William Mason, manufacturer of railroad locomotives and textile spinning looms, as well as Springfield rifles for the Civil War. Aspects of Mason’s personal life are also discussed.  Slide illustrations. (Approx. 30 minutes)

 

  1. From Simple Start to Silver Finish: Reed & Barton, the First 100 Years

Slide talk discusses the history of the Reed & Barton firm, within the context of historical trends of the day. Styles, local and national history, popular trends and decorative arts issues are emphasized. Technical aspects of the silver making process are not covered.   (Approx. 40 minutes)

 

  1. Painters and Patrons: Artists in Taunton 1750-1900

Slide talk surveys artistic activity in the Taunton area from the earliest known paintings through 1900. Recently discovered information about both the artists and those who patronized the arts is discussed. Audience shares in the intriguing detective process used to research previously unknown works.  (Approx. 45 minutes)

 

  1. Work and Play: Childhood in Taunton, 1870-1920

Follow Taunton’s children through their days of school, leisure time activities and even wage labor. Learn how the lives of rural children and immigrants differed from the lives of native city residents.  This talk can be adapted for school-age children.  Slide illustrations. (Approx. 45 minutes)

 

  1. For Liberty & Union: Pre-Revolutionary Expressions of Patriotism

This lecture describes the origins of Taunton’s own Liberty & Union Flag, raised on Taunton Green on October 21, 1774.  Many consider it to be the first patriotic flag in America.  This is not an illustrated lecture. (Approx. 40 minutes)

 

  1. The Intrepid George Washington

George Washington is one of the most famous and revered Americans who ever lived. He has become a mythic figure-but how much do we remember about the man? This program recalls some of the lesser-known episodes of Washington’s life, which helped him to become the Father of Our Country. This is not an illustrated lecture.   (Approx. 30 minutes)

 

  1. “Don’tcha Know There’s a War On?” The WW II Home Front in Taunton

Scrap drives, air raid drills, the Taunton Serviceman’s Club, and Victory gardens were all a part of Taunton life during the war. This program captures the heroic effort made by the citizens of Taunton and surrounding towns to support an allied victory between 1941 and 1945. Numerous local scenes illustrate home life, volunteering, industrial mobilization, and Camp Myles Standish.  Slide presentation. (Approx. 40 minutes)

 

15.  “Daring, Dauntless and Defiant:”  Richard De Wert and the Korean War

The “Forgotten War” and its impact on the people of the Taunton region is remembered in this Power Point presentation.  Naval Corpsman De Wert was a recipient of the highest military honor our nation can bestow, the Medal of Honor.  The medal itself is on display in the Society’s Military History Room and many lasting monuments to Richard De Wert and Korean War soldiers remain.  This presentation tells Corpsman De Wert’s story and how it was pieced together through family papers and genealogical research. (Approx 45 minutes)

 

  1. The Colonial Revival and Historic Preservation

Slide program discusses the rise of the Colonial Revival movement in decorative arts and architecture, with a focus on early 20th century preservation activity. As an example, the 1792 Nightingale-Brown House in Providence serves as a case study.  (Approx. 30 minutes)

 

  1. Town and Country:  Furniture at the Old Colony Historical Society

You will be escorted through a short history of furniture in America, from the 17th century through the mid-19th century.  Special emphasis is given to the Society’s Southeastern New England collections.  When given at the Society, the lecture includes demonstrations of the actual pieces.  Slide presentation. (Approx. 45 minutes)

 

  1. Richard Upjohn in Taunton

Nationally renowned architect Richard Upjohn designed the Bristol Academy building in 1852 where the Old Colony Historical Society now resides.  He also designed over a dozen other projects in the Taunton area.  The slide program reviews Upjohn’s background and surveys the handsome architectural legacy he left here.  Slide presentation. (Approx. 30 minutes)

 

19.   The Life of a Building: Historic Preservation at the Bristol Academy

The “life story” of our own historical society building is told through this Power Point presentation.  The talk draws from varied sources such as historic photographs, archival drawings, original documents, and the physical evidence left in the building itself to reveal what people in the past wanted to say to people in the future via architecture.  (Approx. 45 minutes)

 

  1. “The Christmas City”

View the famous Taunton Green decorated in celebration of the holiday season, from the 1930s through the 1990s. Learn about the origins of this local tradition, begun in 1914.  Slide presentation.  (Approx. 30 minutes)

 

  1. The Holly and the Ivy, or Why Do We Deck the Halls?

This Power Point presentation looks into cherished holiday traditions and how they were celebrated in the past in our region, such as hanging stockings by the chimney, sending greeting cards, and baking Christmas puddings.  (Approx. 30 minutes)

 

  1. “Wings to Fly:” A Pictorial History of the King Family and Aviation in East Taunton

This documentary produced and directed by Susan McGrath follows the life and times of the oldest continuously-operated airport in Massachusetts, the Taunton Municipal Airport - King Field.  The narrated film follows the King family from green fields to blue skies, from 1919 through 1960 and beyond.  The DVD is also available for sale.  (Approx. 80 minutes)