Articles by Steven Gilchrist

Camden, ME. -    Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892 - 1950) was born in Rockland, Maine. Millay was a lyrical poet and playwright. In 1923, Millay became the first woman to win the Pulitzer prize in poetry. In Camden, Maine there is a sculpture of Millay and a plaque dedicated to her on Mt. Battie atop Camden Hills State Park. Sculpture of Edna Millay A quote from the plaque reads: "All I could see from where I stood was three long mountains and a wood, I turned and looked another way. And saw three islands in a bay. So with my eyes I traced the line of the horizon, thin and fine. Straight around till I was come back to where I'd started from. And all I saw from where I stood was three long mountains and a wood." - First stanza of "Renascence" by Edna St. Vincent Millay in 1910 at Mount Battie. Plaque dedicated to Edna Millay

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice (also known as the National Lynching Memorial) is located in Montgomery, Alabama.   The memorial, which was founded by the Equal Justice Initiative, honors victims of lynching in the United States.   The memorial opened on April 26, 2018.   It is the first memorial in the U.S. dedicated to the legacy of enslaved African Americans and people terrorized by lynching. The memorial includes 805 hanging steel rectangles which represent each of the counties where a documented lynching took place in the U.S.   Historical records indicate more than 4,400 people were lynched in the U.S. between 1877 to 1950.   These public acts of racial violence, which took place in 20 states, were intended to instill fear in African American communities.   Government leaders at the state and federal levels typically did not intervene to stop these acts of violence.   Racial terrorism in the American South led to a significant ...

Fall River, MA. - The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument is located at Bicentennial Park on Davol Street in Fall River, Massachusetts.   The Gold Star Memorial, which consists of 4 upright stone panels, pays tribute to families in Massachusetts who have lost loved ones in service to the United States.   The Memorial was dedicated on September 25, 2016. One inscription on the monument reads: “The Monument is in tribute to and honors the families who lost one or more loved ones in the armed forces of the United States.” Another inscription reads: “To recognize the sacrifice made by families who gave their sons or daughters for the freedom of America.” Each stone panel depicts a different aspect of a Gold Star family: Homeland, Family, Patriot, and Sacrifice.   The first depiction, which is “Homeland,” shows the United States of America.   The second image of the memorial is “Family” – which shows the families of military members who have died in servi...

Fall River, MA. -  The Iwo Jima Memorial is located at the Veterans Bicentennial Park in Fall River, Massachusetts.   Dedicated in 2005, the Iwo Jima Memorial is a duplicate of the United States Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, D.C.   The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial was sculpted by Felix de Weldon and designed by Horace W. Pealee.   The Marine Corps War Memorial was based upon a 1945 photograph of six Marines raising the U.S. flag at the top of Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.   The photograph was taken by Associated Press Photographer Joe Rosenthal.   The Marines depicted in the photograph were: Sgt. Michael Strank, Corporal Harlon Block, PFC Rene Gagnon, PFC Ira Hayes, PFC Harold Schultz, and PFC Franklin Sousley.   Iwo Jima Memorial - Fall River, Massachusetts

Boston, MA. - Clarissa "Clara" Harlowe Barton (1821-1912) was born in North Oxford, Massachusetts.  Barton was a hospital nurse during the American Civil War.  She was also a teacher, patent clerk, civil rights activist, and founder of the American Red Cross.  Barton became known as the "Angel of the Battlefield" for her work as a nurse during the Civil War. After the Civil War, Barton led the Office of Missing Soldiers in Washington, D.C.  Over the course of several years, this office help to locate, identify, and properly bury thousands of Union soldiers. On May 21, 1881, Barton founded the American Red Cross at her apartment in Washington, D.C.  In 1907, Barton published her autobiography called: The Story of My Childhood.  There is a plaque dedicated to Barton in Nurses Hall at the Massachusetts State House. Clara Barton plaque at the Massachusetts State House.

SALEM, Ma. -  Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was born in Salem, Massachusetts.   In 1825, Hawthorne graduated from Bowdoin College.   While at Bowdoin, he was classmates with future U.S. President Franklin Pierce, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and future U.S. Congressman Jonathan Cilley.   Hawthorne was a writer and diplomat.   His literary works included: novels, short stories, and a biography of Franklin Pierce called The Life of Franklin Pierce. Hawthorne’s most notable published novels include: The Scarlett Letter (1850), The House of the Seven Gables (1851), and The Blithedale Romance (1852).   The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced books in the United States.   The novel also became a best seller in the U.S.   From 1853 to 1857, Hawthorne served as United States consul in Liverpool, England during the Pierce administration. American sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt created a statue of Nathaniel Hawtho...

Boston, MA. – John Albion Andrew (1818-1867) was the 25 th Governor of Massachusetts.  In 1837, Andrew graduated from Bowdoin College and in 1840 Andrew was admitted into the Massachusetts Bar Association.  Andrew was a leading member of the Free Soil Party which was established in 1848 with the intent to eliminate the expansion of slavery in the western territories.  In 1857, Andrew was elected as a State Representative serving in the Republican party.  Later, Andrew served as Governor from January 3, 1861 – January 4, 1866.  During his time as Governor, Andrew signed several vital legislative documents.  Andrew spoke out against the institution of slavery.  Andrew was instrumental in the creation of the Massachusetts 54 th Infantry.  This infantry group was composed of African American soldiers who fought during the Civil War.  In 1865, Andrew signed legislation creating a statewide constabulary – now known as the Massachusett...

Boston, MA. – Louis Dembitz Brandeis (November 13, 1856 – October 5, 1941) was born in Louisville, Kentucky.   Brandeis attended Harvard Law School where he graduated as the class Valedictorian.   At the time of his graduation, Brandeis had maintained the highest grade point average in school history.   Later, Brandeis became the first Jewish person to be selected as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.   Brandeis was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson and he served on the Supreme Court from 1916 – 1939.   Brandeis’ legal work focused on advocating for working class citizens.   He lobbied against the abuse of corporate power, monopolies, and government corruption.   Brandeis was a founding member of the Massachusetts Bar Association. His notable legal opinions include: Gilbert v. Minnesota (1920) – Freedom of speech; Olmstead v. United States (1928) – Right of privacy; Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins (1938) – Federal versus state laws. ...

Boston, MA. – Samuel Walker McCall (1851 – 1923) was born in East Providence Township, Pennsylvania.   During his time as a student at Dartmouth College, McCall self-published a newspaper called The Anvil.   After college, McCall settled in Massachusetts.   He would eventually practice law in Boston.   McCall also served as the editor-in-chief of The Boston Daily Advertiser newspaper for two years. As a member of the Republican party, McCall served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1887 – 1892) and he also served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1893 – 1913.   McCall served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1916 – 1919. After he left politics, McCall continued to write for newspapers and magazines.   There is a statue of Samuel W. McCall in the Massachusetts State House in Boston. Samuel W. McCall statue at the Massachusetts State House.

Boston, MA. – Oliver Ames (1831 – 1895) was the son of Oakes Ames and Eveline Orville.   Oliver’s father was the owner of the largest shovel manufacturer in the United States. Oliver Ames was educated at Brown University and he eventually went on to become a politician, financier, and philanthropist.   From 1881 – 1882, Ames was a Massachusetts State Senator.   Later, Ames served as the 33 rd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts (1883 – 1887) and he served as the 35 th Governor of Massachusetts from 1887 – 1890).   Ames was a member of the Republican party. There is a statue of Oliver Ames located in the Massachusetts State House in Boston. Oliver Ames statue at the Massachusetts State House.

Boston, MA.- Wendell Phillips (1811 – 1884) was born in Boston, Massachusetts.   Phillips attended the Boston Latin School and graduated from Harvard University (1831) and Harvard Law School (1833).   Phillips was an abolitionist, lawyer, and an advocate for women’s rights and Native American rights.   Phillips helped organize the Massachusetts Indian Commission with Helen Hunt Jackson and Massachusetts governor William Claflin.   Phillips was also a member of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. In 1845, Phillips wrote an essay titled “No Union With Slaveholders.”   Phillips wrote the following paragraph in one part of the essay: “The experience of the fifty years…shows us the slaves trebling in numbers – slaveholders monopolizing the offices and dictating the policy of the Government – prostituting the strength and influence of the Nation to the support of slavery here and elsewhere – trampling on the rights of the free States, and making...

Boston, MA.- Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was born in Salisbury, New Hampshire.   Webster attended Dartmouth College and later became a politician.   Webster served as a U.S. Representative (1813-1817) from New Hampshire and a U.S. Representative (1823-1827) from Massachusetts.   Webster served as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (1827-1841 and 1845-1850).   Webster and James G. Blaine are the only two people to have served as Secretary of State under three presidents.   Webster served as Secretary of State under Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and Millard Fillmore (1841-1843 and 1850-1852). There is a statue of Daniel Webster on the front lawn outside of the Massachusetts State House. Daniel Webster statue - Massachusetts State House.

Boston, MA. - Frederic Thomas Greenhalge (1842 – 1896) was born in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England on July 19, 1842.   When, Greenhalge was a teenager, his family immigrated to Lowell, Massachusetts.   In 1859, Greenhalge enrolled in Harvard College.   Later, Greenhalge would serve as mayor of Lowell from 1880 – 1881.   He also served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1885 and from 1889 – 1891 Greenhalge served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts’ 8 th district. Greenhalge also served as the 38 th Governor of Massachusetts from January 4, 1894 – March 5, 1896.   When he was elected as governor, he was the first foreign-born governor of the state of Massachusetts. There is a statue dedicated to Greenhalge on the second floor of the Massachusetts State House in Boston. Frederic T. Greenhalge - Massachusetts State House

Boston, MA. - William Eustis Russell (January 6, 1857 – July 16, 1896) was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.   He served as the Mayor of Cambridge and also the Governor of Massachusetts.   In 1877, Russell graduated from Harvard College.   In 1879, Russell became the first student to graduate summa cum laude from Boston University School of Law.   He gained admittance to the Massachusetts Bar Association in 1880. From 1885 – 1888, Russell served as the Mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts.   From 1891 – 1894, Russell served as the 37 th Governor of Massachusetts.   During his tenure as Governor, Russell signed legislation creating the Metropolitan District Commission and the Trustees of Reservations – state and private parks agencies, respectively. There is a statue that pays tribute to Russell located in the Massachusetts State House. William E. Russell - MA Governor (1891 - 1894).

In 1666, the island of St. Thomas was settled by a group of Danish explorers.   Between 1672-1680, Fort Christian was built in Charlotte Amalie - the capital city of the U.S. Virgin Islands.   The fort was named after King Christian V of Denmark.   Governor Jorgen Iversen was the architect of the fort.  In 1977, the fort was designated a National Historic Landmark.   Fort Christian is the oldest structure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Fort Christian - Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas U.S.V.I.

Newport, RI. - Located in Newport, Rhode Island, Fort Adams State Park is a National Historic Landmark.   Fort Adams was originally built on July 4, 1799 as a First System coastal fortification.   The original fort was designed by Major Louis de Tousard of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.   After the War of 1812, the federal government decided to replace the original Fort Adams.   The new Fort Adams was designed by French Brigadier General Simon Bernard.   The fort eventually became the most complex military fortification in the Western Hemisphere. Fort Adams remained an active military installation until 1950.   From 1841 until 1950, the fort was active in five major wars: Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. Entrance to Fort Adams -  Newport, Rhode Island

Boston, MA. - Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Curtis Guild, Jr. (1860-1915) was a diplomat, journalist, politician, and soldier.   Guild was educated at Harvard University.   As a student at Harvard he was classmates and friends with Theodore Roosevelt.   In 1891, Guild joined the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.   Later, he volunteered to serve in the Spanish-American War.   In 1909, Guild retired as a Major General from the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. Guild began his political career in 1881 serving as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.   Later, Guild was elected as the 39 th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts (1903-1906) and the 43 rd Governor of Massachusetts (1906-1909).   After serving as Governor, Guild served as U.S. Ambassador to Russia for two years.   He also assisted with drafting a model income tax law for the National Tax Association. There is a monument dedicated to Curtis Guild, Jr. in the Mas...

Sharon, MA. - Deborah Sampson (1760 – 1827) is most well known for her participation in the American Revolution as a Continental Army soldier.   What makes Sampson’s story unique is that she was a woman who disguised herself as man in order to be eligible to serve in the Continental Army.    Deborah Sampson sculpture by Lu Stubbs, Sharon, MA. Sampson was one of a small contingent of women who had military experience during the American Revolution.   Sampson served 17 months in the Continental Army under the name “Robert Shirtliffe.”   After the war, Sampson worked as a teacher and a weaver.   She died in Sharon, Massachusetts.   In 1989, sculptor Lu Stubbs created a statue in Sampson’s honor.   The statue is located in front of the Sharon, Massachusetts public library.

Boston, MA.- Built in 1798 the Massachusetts State House is one of the oldest State Capitol buildings in the United States.   The original building was designed by Charles Bulfinch – an American architect. The State House is the oldest building in the Beacon Hill section of Boston.   Charles Bulfinch also designed the original State House in Hartford, Connecticut and the State Capitol in Augusta, Maine. The building has numerous works of art, monuments, memorials, mosaic floors, stained glass work, and portraits of the past Governors of the state of Massachusetts.   The Governor of the Commonwealth, executive level government officials, and the state Representatives and state Senators have offices in the building.   The front lawn of the State House has statues of Anne Hutchinson, Daniel Webster, General Joseph Hooker, Henry Cabot Lodge, Mary Dyer, John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Horace Mann.   The second floor of the building has five ceremonial halls and fun...

Boston, MA. – Roger Wolcott (July 13, 1847 – December 21, 1900) served as the 36 th Lieutenant Governor and the 39 th Governor of Massachusetts.   Wolcott was born in Boston, Massachusetts.   He graduated from Harvard College in 1870 and later in 1874 he graduated from Harvard Law School.   In 1875, Wolcott opened a law office in Boston.   After practicing law, Wolcott started his political career.   He served in the Massachusetts Legislature from 1881 – 1884.   Wolcott would eventually become the Lt. Governor and the Governor of Massachusetts. There is a statue of Wolcott on the 3 rd floor of the Massachusetts State House.   The statue of Wolcott is in the middle of a mural dedicated to American soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American War.   Wolcott was influential in securing legislative funding to provide supplies for troops during the war. Roger Wolcott statue at the Massachusetts State House.