Carly Bolton's Blog

  Elmwood In J.L. Bell’s George Washington's Headquarters in the Longfellow House, the role of Tory Row estates, like Elmwood, is crucial to understanding the shifting allegiances and tensions that characterized Cambridge in the pre-Revolutionary era. One of the themes in Bell’s study that informs the events surrounding Elmwood is the relationship between loyalist figures and the colonial resistance, especially in the context of Cambridge’s growing revolutionary sentiment. Elmwood, as the estate of Thomas Oliver, the last Royal Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, became a flashpoint in the larger conflict between the British authorities and colonial resistance. Bell’s work highlights how figures like Oliver were central to the political struggle, as they embodied royal authority in the colonies. The example of the Powder Alarm and the subsequent mob action against Oliver illustrates a key aspect of Bell’s discussion: the increasingly public and direct confrontation bet...

  Potential project Ideas to Explore:  1. The Evolution of Public Transportation in Cambridge: From Trolleys to Buses Overview: This paper will trace the history of Cambridge’s transportation system, focusing on the shift from trolleys to buses and how these changes influenced city planning. Goal: To explore how transportation developments impacted urban expansion, commercial activity, and residential distribution, and how each shift in transit reshaped daily life and mobility patterns. 2. Housing Crisis: Voices from Realtors and Residents Overview: This project focuses on the perspectives of both realtors and residents struggling with Cambridge’s housing crisis, examining rising rents and property values. Goal: To gather personal stories that reveal the human impact of the affordability crisis, and analyze policy proposals aimed at creating long-term housing solutions, focusing on both market forces and city initiatives. 3. The Transformation of Kendall Square: From Industria...

Exploring Cambridge through the lens of the Cambridge Chronicle reveals critical shifts in crime, school policies, industrial growth, and housing over time. Each period reflects how these issues evolved in response to broader economic, political, and social changes in the city. Late 19th Century: Urban Growth & Crime In the 1880s-1890s, the Cambridge Chronicle provided detailed reports that captured the socio-economic pressures accompanying rapid urbanization. Crime reports frequently highlighted issues like public disturbances, petty theft, and street violence, which were symptomatic of the densely populated industrial neighborhoods. These areas, home to working-class families and new immigrants, were marked by poor living conditions, exacerbated by a lack of infrastructure planning. Articles often connected crime to overcrowding and unsanitary housing, illustrating the tensions between rapid industrial growth and the city’s ability to manage its expanding urban population. Labor ...