Have you ever wondered the history of the Soldiers Monument, Jamaica Pond, the Loring Greenough House, Green Street, and other JP areas? Then you should sign-up for a free Jamaica Plain Historical Society tour. This is the 31st season of JPHS’ historic walking tours. All JPHS tours are free to the public. Tours start on Saturday at 11 am at specific locations relevant to the focus of the tours. Tours last between 60 and 90…
Posts published in “History”
The other day I came upon a pile of books and amongst the fiction was an old Jamaica Plain phonebook from 1988-1989. Inside this magical book are ads for companies no longer with us: Cajun Joe’s, which sold fried chicken, biscuits, and more; and Pablo hair salon. There are also ads for some familiar businesses like Ferris Wheels and Jamaica Plain Auto Body.
Did you know that in 1887 the Kindergarten for the Blind opened in Jamaica Plain where the MSPCA is currently located? In honor of Women’s History Month, the Jamaica Plain Historical Society hosted Perkins School for the Blind Lead Archivist Jen Hale, who spoke about the women who led the former JP school. “The Kindergarten was the first of its kind in the United States and had considerable support from prominent women in the Boston…
Emily Greene Balch was born in Jamaica Plain, and won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. Learn about her life and life’s work at the Connolly Library on Jan. 24 at a free Jamaica Plain Historical Society event. Wellesley College Professor Catia Confortini will reflect on Balch’s legacy, not only as a scholar and thinker, but also as a teacher who taught at Wellesley, and as an activist. Balch founded and led the Women’s International…
As construction continued at the former site of Doyle’s, the remaining facade of the restaurant stood at the corner of Washington and Williams streets. The hope was that it could be incorporated into the new structure — but as construction progressed, it became apparent that keeping the remaining structure was not safe.
The Mary Eliza Project hosted a talk on Jamaica Plain’s first female voters at the Northeast Arts Building, the very site where these women registered in Ward 22 in 1920.
