Throughout the Bay State’s history, the biggest events didn’t occur in Boston. In fact, plenty of big things happened in small towns in Massachusetts. Here are just a few of them. You may know some of these facts but others may surprise you.
- Salem
sphraner/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images Between the years 1692 and 1693, paranoia and mass hysteria caused 200 people in the town of Salem to be tried for practicing witchcraft. Of the accused, 20 were executed. The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most infamous events that occurred in our country.
(Pictured here is The Witch Trial Memorial of Salem which is dedicated to the victims of the Salem Witch Trials.) Salem, MA, USA
- Concord
bpperry/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images The town of Concord is rich in Colonial history. It’s here where the American Revolutionary War held its first battle in 1775. Several famous authors like Louisa May Alcott and Henry David Thoreau also called Concord home for a time. Concord, MA, USA
- Provincetown
Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis Documentary via Getty Images Most people associate Plymouth with the Pilgrims, but did you know that it’s in Provincetown where the Mayflower first landed? The Pilgrims first landed on the shores of present-day Provincetown back in 1620 and it’s here where the Mayflower Compact was signed. After approximately five weeks, the Pilgrims eventually moved on and settled in Plymouth. You can visit the Pilgrim Monument to learn more about the start of this historical town. Provincetown, MA, USA
- Plymouth
DenisTangneyJr/E+ via Getty Images Of course, we now have to talk about Plymouth! After the Mayflower left the shores of Provincetown, it made its way to Plymouth. It’s here where the Pilgrims created their first settlement. When you visit, be sure to check out the Plymouth Rock as well as the Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship. Plymouth, MA, USA
- South Deerfield
Jiri Lala/Google Once upon a time, South Deerfield was known as Bloody Brook. It was here where an attack during the King Phillip’s War occurred in 1675. The town was left abandoned for a time, but was later resettled in 1682. However, it faced additional raids in the following years.
Visit the Historic Deerfield website to learn more. South Deerfield, Deerfield, MA, USA
- Wellfleet
Cami Schmidt / EyeEm via Getty Images The only authenticated pirate ship in the world was found just off the coast of Wellfleet. On April 26, 1717, the pirate ship known as the Whydah Gally sank off the coast and it was a mystery as to what happened to it for the next couple of centuries. In 1984, ocean explorer Barry Clifford found the remains of the ship and many items pulled from the wreck can be seen at the Whydah Pirate Museum in Yarmouth. Wellfleet, MA, USA
- Rockport
Walter Bibikow/DigitalVision via Getty Images The town of Rockport was originally called Sandy Bay. In the 1800s, the granite industry started here and many immigrants from across the Atlantic came to work in the town’s quarries. Granite procured from here was shipped all along the coast and was used to build some of the most notable buildings around. In 1840, the town’s name was changed to Rockport, a more appropriate name given its quarry industry and rocky coastline! Rockport, MA, USA
sphraner/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
Between the years 1692 and 1693, paranoia and mass hysteria caused 200 people in the town of Salem to be tried for practicing witchcraft. Of the accused, 20 were executed. The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most infamous events that occurred in our country.
(Pictured here is The Witch Trial Memorial of Salem which is dedicated to the victims of the Salem Witch Trials.)
Salem, MA, USA
bpperry/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
The town of Concord is rich in Colonial history. It’s here where the American Revolutionary War held its first battle in 1775. Several famous authors like Louisa May Alcott and Henry David Thoreau also called Concord home for a time.
Concord, MA, USA
Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis Documentary via Getty Images
Most people associate Plymouth with the Pilgrims, but did you know that it’s in Provincetown where the Mayflower first landed? The Pilgrims first landed on the shores of present-day Provincetown back in 1620 and it’s here where the Mayflower Compact was signed. After approximately five weeks, the Pilgrims eventually moved on and settled in Plymouth. You can visit the Pilgrim Monument to learn more about the start of this historical town.
Provincetown, MA, USA
DenisTangneyJr/E+ via Getty Images
Of course, we now have to talk about Plymouth! After the Mayflower left the shores of Provincetown, it made its way to Plymouth. It’s here where the Pilgrims created their first settlement. When you visit, be sure to check out the Plymouth Rock as well as the Mayflower II, a replica of the original ship.
Plymouth, MA, USA
Jiri Lala/Google
Once upon a time, South Deerfield was known as Bloody Brook. It was here where an attack during the King Phillip’s War occurred in 1675. The town was left abandoned for a time, but was later resettled in 1682. However, it faced additional raids in the following years.
Visit the Historic Deerfield website to learn more.
South Deerfield, Deerfield, MA, USA
Cami Schmidt / EyeEm via Getty Images
The only authenticated pirate ship in the world was found just off the coast of Wellfleet. On April 26, 1717, the pirate ship known as the Whydah Gally sank off the coast and it was a mystery as to what happened to it for the next couple of centuries. In 1984, ocean explorer Barry Clifford found the remains of the ship and many items pulled from the wreck can be seen at the Whydah Pirate Museum in Yarmouth.
Wellfleet, MA, USA
Walter Bibikow/DigitalVision via Getty Images
The town of Rockport was originally called Sandy Bay. In the 1800s, the granite industry started here and many immigrants from across the Atlantic came to work in the town’s quarries. Granite procured from here was shipped all along the coast and was used to build some of the most notable buildings around. In 1840, the town’s name was changed to Rockport, a more appropriate name given its quarry industry and rocky coastline!
Rockport, MA, USA
As you can see, some really big things happened in small towns in Massachusetts. What other small towns in the state experienced other big events? Tell us all about it in the comments.
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