Way Back Wednesday: Souther’s Buttonwood Tree

January 28, 2026 by Geri Duff Daniel Souther was a private in the American Revolution and along with his brothers John and Joseph and his cousin Samuel Souther was a part of the companies formed for seacoast defense in 1776. He is buried in the Hingham Centre Cemetery. In 1791 Daniel planted this Buttonwood tree to give …

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Way Back Wednesday: Hingham’s Ice Harvest

January 21, 22026 by Geri Duff During the late 1800s, in January when the weather was at its coldest and for twenty to thirty days, ice was harvested off the Hingham ponds in large blocks and stored in barns insulated with hay and sawdust. A good winter produced smooth thick ice for summer use. Should a mild …

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Way Back Wednesday: Girl Scout Winter Carnival

January 15, 2026 by Geri Duff January 20, 1923, the Hingham Girl and Hingham Boys Scouts joined forces and held a Winter Carnival on the Cadet Grounds, now Derby Academy, on Burdett Avenue. About 75 Scouts were present to participate in the 100 yard dash on snowshoes, the 100-yard dash on skis, ski jumping, obstacle race on snowshoes, …

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Way Back Wednesday: 1944 Cushing House

January 7, 2026 Geri Duff This is the Cushing House on North Street at the corner of Fearing Road in 1944. The town of Hingham had several designated Air Raid Shelters about town and as you can see by the sign on the sidewalk this hotel was one of them. Another sign, on the hotel lawn, states …

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Way Back Wednesday: Home Meadow House in 1930

December 17, 2025 by Geri Duff This is a photo of the Home Meadows House in 1930. Located at 182 Main Street it was originally built by Deacon Benjamin Cushing in 1753 and looks very much like the Benjamin Lincoln and the Solomon Cushing houses. You almost wonder if they used the same builder. The basic structure …

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Way Back Wednesday: Traffic on Main Street

December 10, 2025 Geri Duff In 1841 the negative-positive process was developed and patented. This meant that for the first time multiple copies could be made from a single glass negative. Many early camera hobbyists often sold copies of their pictures to fund the hobby like this one. This is Hingham’s Glad Tidings Plain between Wilder Hall and …

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Way Back Wednesday: Charles Hawkes Marble

December 3, 2025 by Geri Duff The Hingham newspaper ran this photo of Charles H. Marble on the occasion of his 90th birthday In July of 1948 and it ran again when he died the following December. Born and raised in Hingham, he graduated from Hingham High in 1875. Two years later he became a plumber …

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Way Back Wednesday: Russ Burr’s Island

November 26, 2025 by Geri Duff Back in the 17 th Century, the Accord Brook was dammed creating Triphammer Pond. The pond was named for the sawmill that was powered by the stored water running through a mill race and activating a ‘triphammer.’ This picture was taken about 1917 by the noted bird carver Russ Burr. He …

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Way Back Wednesday: The Old Hingham House

November 19, 2025 by Geri Duff Originally the home of Matthew Whiton, the house at 421 Main Street, Cole Corner, was at different times, a restaurant, a food and pastry shop, and a gift and sweet shop. On November 22, 1945, the Thanksgiving dinner menu offered Roast Native Turkey with Sage Dressing, Giblet Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Steamed Butternut Squash, …

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Way Back Wednesday: Joshua Wilder’s Clocks

November 12, 2025 by Geri Duff Joshua Wilder was the first clockmaker to settle in Hingham. He was born in Hingham in1786 and aside for a brief time when he lived in Hanover learning the clockmaker’s trade, he spent his life in Hingham at his trade. From 1820 to 1850 he made and repaired clocks, watches and …

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