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The Fourth of July is a treasured early summer holiday that carries memories of family fun and celebration. It is an opportunity to reflect on the history of our relatively young nation and how living in the United States has shaped our lives both personally and collectively. And when the sun sets and countless displays … Read more

160 years ago today, Abraham Lincoln gave one of the most famous speeches in American history – the Gettysburg Address. This short speech – only 271 words – has remained in the general consciousness of the American people ever since. Although the speech was written to dedicate a cemetery, it spoke mainly of the larger … Read more

On February 28th, 1837, the Selectmen of the Town of Greenwich gave permission for the teachers of the North Greenwich Congregational Church Sabbath School to educate a woman named Emaline Foster. The letter shown bellow, granting Ms. Foster permission to attend the church’s school, highlights a brief but important moment in the history of civil … Read more

Our beautiful and all powerful love, my darling, will carry us through everything, and crown us with success and happiness in the end. Elmer Livingston MacRae to Emma Constant Holley, February 14, 1898 Elmer Livingston MacRae and Emma Constant Holley first met in the summer of 1896 when Elmer, New York City native and budding … Read more

Josephine Holley, the proprietress of the Holley boardinghouse, and noted American Impressionist painter John Henry Twachtman were close, supportive friends. Their letters preserve the system of support and care that sustained the Cos Cob art colony.

If you’ve ever come across a deed from the eighteenth or even nineteenth century, you’ve probably been confused by the language used more than once. Are we sure this is English, and how can I get any usable information from this document? This post will break down a deed from top to bottom, defining terms and giving … Read more