Wednesday, April 24

Local History

News in brief: Week of Feb. 26, 2024
27Feb By Will DowdNo Comments
Local History, Municipal Matters

News in brief: Week of Feb. 26, 2024

The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews.org. Congressman Seth Moulton, second to the far right, met with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, in Taipei on Thursday, Feb. 22. COURTESY PHOTO / TAIWAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE Housing Authority partners for support services The Marblehead Housing Authority has partnered with the Aging Service Access Program of the North Shore area and AgeSpan, formerly known as Merrimack Elder Services and North Shore Elder Services, to receive funding from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs for the Supportive Housing Program. The program provides onsite support to residents of subsidized housing to help them maintain independence. It features coordination of services, 24/7...
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21Feb By Dan DixeyNo Comments
Columns, Local History

THE DIXEY COLLECTION: Before the big fire

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer and historian Dan Dixey, who regularly shares photos of Marblehead from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot. This is a photo of School Street taken in the 1880s before a big fire in 1888. These buildings had all been rebuilt after another fire back in 1877 (you can see a foundation on the corner where one building still hadn't been rebuilt). The two fires hit Pleasant, School and Essex streets. The entire area, full of shoe factories, burnt to the ground, including the railroad depot, both times. The fire station is on the left, then the Henry O Symonds hardware store (which is where the Blue Canoe is today). The photo was taken from near the train depot on Pleasant Street, where Nationa...
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21Feb By Leigh BlanderNo Comments
Community resources, Culture, Local History, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories

‘Marblehead Vignettes’ shares colorful stories of town throughout the centuries

Dennis Curtin moved to town 50 years ago and quickly decided he wanted to join the legion of “Marblehead characters” he met and learned about. Now, he’s out with a new book, “Marblehead Vignettes,” which describes many of those characters and their stories. Dennis Curtin has written more than 100 books. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER “This book will change the way you see your hometown,” laughed Curtin’s daughter, Suzanne Dougherty. “Marblehead Vignettes” features hundreds of stories about people, locations and inventions  throughout the town’s 400-year history. Curtin is honest from the beginning. He can’t guarantee every story is true. He quotes Sir Walter Scott, “I cannot tell you how the truth may be; I say the tale as ‘twas told to me.”  In other words: Tak...
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7Feb By Will DowdNo Comments
Local History, Local News, Municipal Matters

RESTORING THE PAST: Before-and-after photos highlight grave stone restorations at Old Burial Hill

The Old Burial Hill Committee gave the Select Board an overview of restoration work completed and repairs made at the public and historic cemetery founded in 1638. Committee member Alex Finigan and Town Planner Becky Cutting reported that the committee funded the repairs of a dozen weather-beaten gravestones in 2023. The before-and-after restoration of Mary Elithrop’s gravestone (1717), shows the craftsmanship in preserving a piece of Marblehead history. COURTESY PHOTOS / TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD "These are ancient stones that have weathered for hundreds of years and are at the point where many of them are in critical need," Finigan told the Select Board. "The more we can do proactively, the better." An estimated 1,000 grave markers are on Old Burial Hill. Finigan and Cutting shared b...
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7Feb By Will DowdNo Comments
Columns, Local History, Local News, Uncategorized

THE DIXEY COLLECTION: Snowbound: Winter of 1960

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer and historian Dan Dixey, who regularly shares photos of Marblehead from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot. This is a shot of snow dumped in the harbor at State Street Wharf on March 12, 1960. The town trucks and some hired subcontractors dumped the snow in Marblehead Harbor as they did snow removal. You can see the Marblehead Lobster Company where the Landing Restaurant is today. This original 35mm slide was taken by Harry Wilkinson.
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31Jan By Pam PetersonNo Comments
Columns, Local History, Pam Peterson

MARBLEHEAD CHRONICLES: The town and the American Revolution: 1775 Leslie’s Retreat

In February of 1775, Gen. Thomas Gage, the British commander in Boston, was informed that cannons were being refitted for use by colonial militia in Salem. He made immediate plans to capture the weapons, ordering Col. Alexander Leslie with 240 troops to do just that. Historical Commission Chair Pam Peterson Leslie headed to Marblehead by ship and planned to march from there to Salem. He chose a Sunday to embark, as he thought that all the people would be at church, thus giving him the advantage of surprise. He was unaware of the differences between Marblehead and Salem in this regard. Many Marbleheaders attended church, but not all. Leslie landed at Homan's Cove on Marblehead Neck. Marbleheaders observed him and suspected his plans. Under the leadership of Maj. John Pedrick, the ...
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26Jan By Dan DixeyNo Comments
Columns, Local History, Local News

THE DIXEY COLLECTION: Who remembers the early days of Village Plaza?

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer and historian Dan Dixey, who regularly shares photos of Marblehead from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot. Here’s a snapshot of Village Plaza in 1978. The plaza was built and opened in 1970. The stores in the photo include: The White Hen Pantry, Brigham’s Ice Cream, Sam’s Cleaners, Village Pharmacy, Salon Feminique, Rinaldo’s Restaurant and Marblehead Shoetique.
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24Jan By Leigh BlanderNo Comments
Art, Community resources, Culture, Local History, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Recreation, Top Stories

CURRENT EVENTS: Marblehead’s best bets coming up

Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming days. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current Editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. ‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder’Friday, Jan. 26-Feb. 4 It would be criminal to miss Marblehead Little Theatre’s latest musical production, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” The show tells the story of Monty Navarro, who discovers he’s eighth in line for an earldom and figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight. Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught? More info and tickets at MLTLive.com. Light your lanternSaturday, Jan. 27, 4:45 p.m.  Meet at the Old Town House on Washington Street and join Glover’s Marblehead Regiment on its ann...
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24Jan By Leigh BlanderNo Comments
Local History, Religion

Local temple hires Marblehead’s first female lead rabbi

After saying goodbye to Rabbi David Meyer last summer after his three decades of service, Temple Emanu-El is welcoming a new spiritual leader, Marblehead’s first female rabbi, Jenn Mangold. Rabbi Jenn Mangold will begin working at Temple Emanu-El this summer. COURTESY PHOTO “I just clicked so well with the people,” Mangold told the Current. “From my Zoom interview to my visit, I felt this chemistry with them. I truly wanted to be their rabbi and share the joyful events of life and the hard times as well.” Mangold, who has a 4-year-old and 3-year-old twins, is coming from St. Petersburg, Florida, where she has been rabbi for about two years. Before that, she served as assistant rabbi in Milwaukee. She was ordained in 2018. Growing up outside of New York City, Mangold didn’t alw...
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