Posts Tagged ‘industry’
In the organ-making history of East Cambridge, two small-business owners dominated
By Beth Folsom, 2025 As Cambridge enters the season of graduations, weddings and first Communion and other church-related celebrations, it is worth noting the city’s history of building the instrument that provides the soundtrack to many of these events: the church organ. East Cambridge in particular has been home to several organ and piano manufacturers…
Read MoreEast Cambridge led, not to mention innovated in, the manufacture of coffin and caskets
By Beth Folsom, 2025 Brothers William and David Lockhart established their coffin- and casket-making factory on Bridge Street in East Cambridge in 1854. Woodworking shops of many varieties already existed in the neighborhood, and the Lockhart brothers themselves had a brief foray into the world of cabinet-making before turning their attention to caskets. What began…
Read MoreBrush-making in Cambridge used prison labor, ultimately defeating an industry and principle
By Beth Folsom, 2025 Beginning in the early 19th century, individual craftspeople and small-scale workshops in East Cambridge made a variety of brushes for domestic and commercial use. By midcentury, this had expanded into larger-scale industrial production; in the 1850s, Stratton, Sherriff & Co. employed more than 150 workers in its brush factory on South…
Read MoreLessons in East Cambridge history: Reflections on two centuries of newspaper coverage
By Beth Folsom, 2025 This is the third year of History Cambridge’s Neighborhood History Center model of programming, in which we choose one of Cambridge’s 13 neighborhoods on which to focus for a calendar year. For the past six months, I have delved into the history of this year’s neighborhood, East Cambridge, by reading the nearly…
Read MoreEast Cambridge’s American Net and Twine Co. reflects a history entangled with enslaved labor
By Beth Folsom, 2025 Before the founding of the American Net and Twine Co. in 1844, fishing and other kinds of nets were either made locally using hemp fibers or were made of cotton but imported from England. American Net and Twine was the first manufacturer to use domestic cotton to craft its nets –…
Read MoreJuly 26: Crafted in East Cambridge
Saturday, July 26, 202512:00 – 2:00 p.m. Cambridge Street Courtyard (688 Cambridge St.) Discover East Cambridge’s Crafty Past with History Cambridge and Cambridge Plays! Get ready for a fun and educational afternoon as History Cambridge, in partnership with the City of Cambridge’s “Cambridge Plays” summer initiative, presents “Crafted in East Cambridge.” East Cambridge has a…
Read MoreMay 18: Inman Square events
📣 Double the fun in Inman Square on Sunday, May 18th from 12-4 PM Join History Cambridge for TWO exciting events happening simultaneously: 🍔 Inman Eats & Crafts (Cambridge Street between Springfield & Prospect): Presented by the East Cambridge Business Association (ECBA), indulge in delicious bites from local restaurants (get your Inman Bucks), browse unique…
Read MoreElias Howe’s 1846 sewing machine is example of creativity in Cambridge
By Beth Folsom, 2025 The Inman Eats & Crafts Makers Market set for Sunday celebrates the many creative people and organizations that call Cambridge home. As part of the festival, History Cambridge offers visitors the opportunity to see the first commercially available sewing machine, invented in Cambridge by Elias Howe Jr. in 1846. Building on the work…
Read MoreInnovation in Cambridge
Researched and written by Katie MacDonald, 2012 Introduction It’s nearly impossible to get through a single day without using something born right here in Cambridge. Think about it: from the childhood vaccines that protected you to the software powering your computer, the ice cooling your drink, or the screen displaying this very text – Cambridge’s…
Read MoreMay 17: Born in North Cambridge: A Guided Tour
Saturday, May 17, 20252-3:30 pmFree; registration requiredLimited space availableWeather date: Sunday, May 18 at 2 pm As of Friday, May 16, this event is taking place rain or shine! About the tour Join authors Karen Weintraub and Michael Kuchta for a series of free tours exploring Cambridge’s legacy of innovation, adaptation, and revolutionary ideas. Based…
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