Through staff-written articles about the hidden gems of our collection and lesser-known stories of the city’s history, the Boston Reconsidered Blog invites readers to explore the extensive, complicated, and diverse history of Boston. Our blog posts bring our 18th century sites to researchers, students, and everyday historians in an accessible 21st century format.

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Blogs

Panoramic view of the interior of Boston's Old South Meeting House, showing the historic meeting hall with its central pulpit, wraparound galleries, chandeliers, and wooden pews.

The History of Black Congregants at the Old South Meeting House — Part One

Despite there not being many points of reference or archival records on this topic, there are second-hand accounts of the Black community at Old South Meeting House through its pastors, white congregants, and the poetry of Phillis Wheatley.

Historic 1862 football commemorative document honoring Gerrit Smith Miller as the founder of organized football, surrounded by handwritten signatures.

The Lovett Baseball Scrapbook Part 2: From Scrapbook Page to Mysteriously Changing Boston Monument

What happens when a sports team plays an active role in shaping how they’re memorialized?

The Lovett Baseball Scrapbook Part 1: A Scrapbook’s Hidden Sporting First? Boston Origins for Football and Soccer

There’s a surprising connection between Massachusetts' history and the world’s most popular sport.

How to Solve a Problem Like Samuel: Colonial Provisions for the Mentally Ill

Find out how colonial Massachusetts towns tried (or didn’t) to take care of their citizens with mental illness

Man sitting at his desk looking at the camera

An Interview with the Director of Museum Operations & Experience at Revolutionary Spaces

In an exclusive interview with Lou Rocco, the Director of Museum Operations & Experience, find out what his job entails, and what advice he has for those who might be interested in the field.

A portrait of Cotton Mather and the title page of "The Angel of Bethesda," published by the American Antiquarian Society.

How was Mental Illness Viewed in Colonial Massachusetts?

Find out how people in seventeenth and eighteenth century Massachusetts recorded, understood and explained mental illness.