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 ...

Slave Trade Exhibition This exhibition explores historical ties to slavery and the slave trade in Cambridge, MA, revealing how key benefactors built their fortunes from enslaved labor and the trade of slave-produced goods. Drawing from Harvard’s archives, artworks, and rare book collections, the exhibition connects these financial and historical legacies to Harvard’s development in the 18th and 19th centuries. Harvard Square and the 19th-Century Slave Economy Harvard Square, part of Boston’s thriving commercial network, played a critical role in the global economy of the 19th century, which was deeply connected to slavery. Boston, as a key port, facilitated the exchange of goods like sugar, coffee, cotton, and tobacco produced by enslaved labor on Caribbean and Southern plantations. Harvard benefited from this economy through donations from merchants and businessmen whose wealth derived from the slave trade. Displayed from Harvard’s Map Collection, these maps—initially funded by Israel...

Lieutenant Aaron Bordman (1649–1702): A Glimpse into Early Colonial Life Lieutenant Aaron Bordman, born in 1649 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was a figure rooted in the early colonial life. He lived during a time of burgeoning settlement in New England, contributing to the growing communities [4]. As a member of one of Cambridge’s early colonial families, his life paints a picture of the challenges and responsibilities that came with being part of the early American colonies. Aaron Bordman was born into a prominent colonial family. His father, William Bordman (1614–1685), emigrated from England and was one of the first stewards at Harvard College, a role that Aaron and his brother would both continue [1] . His mother, Frances Woodstreet Bordman (1618–1688), was likely also from a family of early settlers, contributing to the establishment of their place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony [2].  Aaron Bordman’s profession as a locksmith was highly regarded at the time. Locksmiths played ...

  The Massachusetts state flag shows a Native American figure holding a bow and a disembodied sword overhead. This flag attempts to reflect the colonial history of the region, but ultimately provides a simplified and romanticized version of that past. The figure is dressed in traditional attire and is portrayed in a static and submissive posture. Furthermore, he is overshadowed by a sword which symbolizes colonial dominance. This imagery reflects the perspective of European settlers and the authority they seeked to impose, but it contrasts with the actual history of the Massachusett people.The Massachusett tribes had complex social, political, and economic systems well before European contact. The sword hovering over the figure is particularly problematic, as it embodies the threat of violence and subjugation that came with colonization, rather than honoring the agency, resilience, and leadership of the indigenous population. The history presented on the Massachusett Tribe's websit...