Daily Archives: October 8, 2024


Monday, October 28, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm – Conference on Newburyport and the China Trade

Join The Museum of Old Newbury on October 28 for a full day Conference on Newburyport and the China Trade, 1844-2024: Commerce, Diplomacy, and the Arts in the Years of the Dragon.

In 1843, Caleb Cushing of Newburyport resigned from the U.S. Congress to become America’s first commissioner to China. He arrived in China with four American warships, laden with gifts including revolvers, a telescope, and an encyclopedia, and used both threats and flattery to achieve his ends. The subsequent 1844 Treaty of Wanghia, named for the village where it was signed, was the first treaty between the U.S. and China. It was one more way in which Newburyport and the China Trade were inextricably linked.

Join Eric Jay Dolin, author of When America Met China, and Dane Morrison, author of True Yankees: The South Seas & the Discovery of American Identity, along with art, shipbuilding, and modern China experts to evaluate the impact of the China Trade on various aspects of our community, our nation, and the world.

This full-day event includes lunch and all sessions and is hosted by The Governor’s Academy, 1 Elm Street, Newbury, Massachusetts.

Tickets are $45 for Museum of Old Newbury Members; $60 for non-members. Register at www.newburyhistory.org


Twelve Thousand Posts and Counting

Boston Flora achieved a milestone in September. The number of highlighted events of horticultural and environmental interest written since its debut as the blog for The Garden Club of the Back Bay now exceeds 12,000. The exact number is a bit fuzzy since some recurring annual events such as major fundraisers are edited, not rewritten, so the post numbers remain the same. A couple of years ago The Garden Club of the Back Bay launched a different site, https://gardenclubbackbay.org, focusing on Club activities, while Boston Flora remains committed to broadening public awareness of educational opportunities nationwide. When COVID lockdowns expanded online lecture opportunities, I jumped on the challenge, and now Boston Flora has followers across the country. Still, New England is my spiritual home, and local organizations are prioritized. If you are not already registered, please sign up for the daily email through the website – thousands of households already do. There are no advertisements – the site is maintained on a volunteer basis as a labor of love. Feel free to let me know about events you think may be of interest, and I will do my best to include them. Boston Flora has a Facebook page and an Instagram account @bostonflorablog. On Instagram, you won’t see the daily posts, since the platform prioritizes the visual. To see what is going on, you really need to check out the website. Thank you all for following Boston Flora and me, Francine Crawford!