Your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things Beantown has to offer!

A collection of odd and obscure moments in Boston history, starring colonists and criminals, baseball players and barmaids, and many more. Boston has been a favorite backdrop for novels, films, and television series, but some of the best stories about the city are true ones. Historian Ted Clarke explores these stories, both the familiar and the obscure, that have earned Boston such nicknames as “the epicenter of American crime fiction,” “the cradle of liberty,” and “the ice cream capital of the world.” The fifteen-foot tidal wave of molasses that roared down Commercial Street in 1919 is one of the more famous legends. Lesser known, but equally stunning, is the case of Albert Tirrell, who in 1845 murdered his mistress in a Boston boardinghouse but was released after presenting the first successful sleepwalking defense in the United States. From the mysterious story of John Jacob Loud, who patented the first ballpoint pen, to the dubious early enterprises of merchant prince turned philanthropist Thomas Perkins, Boston Curiosities offers up a medley of memorable events that give Beantown its celebrated flavor

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Discover more than 200 of the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Bay State has to offer in this completely revised and updated edition.

In William W. Wheildon's 'Curiosities of History: Boston, September Seventeenth, 1630-1880', readers are taken on a captivating journey through the historical events and figures that have shaped the city of Boston from its founding in 1630 up to late 19th century. Wheildon utilizes a narrative style that is both informative and engaging, providing readers with a comprehensive look at the city's development over centuries. The book is rich in detail, offering insights into lesser-known aspects of Boston's history while also exploring well-known events with a fresh perspective. The literary context of the book reflects Wheildon's deep passion for history and his meticulous research process, making it a valuable resource for both scholars and history enthusiasts alike. William W. Wheildon's background as a historian and researcher is evident in the meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive scope of 'Curiosities of History'. As a respected authority on Boston's history, Wheildon's expertise shines through in his ability to bring to life the people and events that have shaped the city. His dedication to preserving and sharing historical knowledge is evident throughout the book, making it a valuable contribution to the field of historical literature. I highly recommend 'Curiosities of History: Boston, September Seventeenth, 1630-1880' to anyone with an interest in Boston's rich history or the broader historical context of early America. Wheildon's insightful exploration of the city's past is sure to captivate readers and provide a deeper understanding of the forces that have shaped one of America's most historic cities.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Boston has been a favorite backdrop for novels, films and television series, but some of the best stories about the city are true ones. Historian Ted Clarke explores these stories both the familiar and the obscure that have earned Boston such epithets as 'the epicenter of American crime fiction', 'the cradle of liberty' and 'the ice cream capital of the world'. The fifteen-foot tidal wave of molasses that roared down Commercial Street in 1919 is one of the more famous legends. Lesser known, but equally stunning, is the case of Albert Tirrell, who in 1845 murdered his mistress in a Boston boardinghouse but was released after presenting the first successful sleepwalking defense in the United States. From the mysterious story of John Jacob Loud, who patented the first ballpoint pen, to the dubious early enterprises of merchant prince turned philanthropist Thomas Perkins, Boston Curiosities offers up a medley of memorable events that give Beantown its celebrated flavor.