Author Archives: Rebecca Beatrice Brooks

About Rebecca Beatrice Brooks

Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. Rebecca is a journalist and history writer who got her start in journalism working for small-town newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire after she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. in journalism. She is a member of the American Historical Association, Historic Salem Inc, the Danvers Historical Society, the Salisbury Historical Society and she volunteers for the National Archives and the Massachusetts Historical Society transcribing historical documents. Visit this site's About page to find out more about Rebecca.

Derby Wharf, Salem, Mass, circa 1988

Derby Wharf in Salem, Massachusetts

Derby Wharf is a historic wharf located at Salem Harbor in Salem, Massachusetts. The wharf is 2,046 feet long and is built on large, load-bearing granite block bulkheads and mounded… Read more »

Photo of the Bridewell Prison ruins published in the Boston Globe in 1956

Bridewell Prison in Boston, Massachusetts

Built in 1723, Bridewell Prison was a prison built next to the almshouse that once existed near the intersection of Beacon and Park Streets in Boston, Massachusetts. Many cities across… Read more »

Derby House, 168 Derby Street, Salem,. MA

Richard Derby House: Oldest Brick House in Salem, Massachusetts

Built in 1761-62, the Richard Derby House is the oldest surviving brick house in Salem, Massachusetts. The house is a Georgian-style, two-story, brick house on Derby Street built by Captain… Read more »

Cushing Hotel on fire at Salisbury Beach during the Great Fire of 1913, photo published in the Boston Post in 1913

The Great Fire of 1913 at Salisbury Beach

On September 9, 1913, the Great Fire of 1913 took place at Salisbury Beach in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The fire started in a photography studio on Broadway before it spread and… Read more »

Did Queen Elizabeth II have the authority to clear the Salem witches?

John Beresford Hatch’s Crusade to Clear the Salem Witches

In 1950, Salem resident John Beresford Hatch began a crusade to convince the British government to clear the names of the convicted Salem Witch Trials victims. Hatch first became interested… Read more »