Way Back Wednesday: The First West School

August 20, 2025 by Geri Duff In this photo we see about 45 children and their teacher on the grounds surrounding the first West Grammar School on Thaxter Street. This school was built in 1880 and served the families of West Hingham until the second West School was built sometime in the 1930s. The second school was …

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Way Back Wednesday: West Hingham 1903

August 13, 2025 Geri Duff One area of Hingham that has changed considerably in the past 100 years is West Hingham. Looking from a home on South Street, near Hersey, you can see that Baker’s Hill on the left horizon is bare, the church was Methodist, and the house at the corner of North and Thaxter Street …

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Way Back Wednesday: John Burr’s Pond

August 6, 2025 Geri Duff Charles H. Marble took this photo of John Burr’s Pond at the corner of Leavitt and Spring Streets in 1885. John Burr was one of many Burrs who lived and worked in the Leavitt Street area working as farmers and coopers. The pond is no longer there but the house in front …

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Way Back Wednesday: Thomas Loring House

July 30, 2025 by Geri duff The first Thomas Loring left England in 1634 and lived for a short time in Dorchester before moving to Hingham a year later. His house was at the corner of North and Ship Streets. Loring moved to Hull after the fire burned down his house in 1645. Eventually his fifth-great grandson …

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Way Back Wednesday: Acadian House at Derby Corner

July 23, 2025 by Geri Duff This is a nice summertime view of the Acadian House so named for the French speaking exiles from Acadia, Canada who lived there for a short time, the name stuck even though it was originally owned by a Cushing and later a Hollis. When Michael J. Shilhan used this view in …

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Way Back Wednesday: Fire Muster on Hingham common

July 16, 2025 by Geri Duff It may look like Deputy Chief Warren Lincoln is mooning the crowd on Hingham Common but in truth he is gearing up at the Firemen’s Muster. Back in the day, during the summer months, Hingham firefighters would compete in various contests testing their skills. A favorite event was “Midnight Alarm” where …

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Way Back Wednesday: Shopping in Hingham Square

July 2, 2025 Geri Duff When Michael Shilhan proposed a project documenting Hingham through historical photographs, he was given access to many different collections of photos from both private and public sources. He did not realize that when he captured the charm of early Hingham, he also showed that while the physical changes, the people haven’t. Window shopping …

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Hospital on Bumpkin Island Burns

June 18, 2025 Geri Duff June 29, 1946 was the day the Old Burrage Hospital burned on Bumpkin Island. Firefighters and equipment were transported across the harbor by boat. On the right side of the porch, you can see a firefighter on the roof. In the past the Island was used by Native Americans, Colonial farmers, and …

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Way Back Wednesday: Postmaster Ella J. Cushing

June 11, 2025 Geri Duff At one time Hingham had five Post Offices: Hingham, South Hingham, Hingham Centre, West Hingham and the Naval Ammunition Depot. In the early years the post office was often in the home or business of the appointed postmaster. Quincy Lane was the first South Hingham Postmaster and kept it in his store …

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Hingham and Cohasset DAR chapter to dedicate markers at the graves of four distinguished founding members

June 5, 2025 Submitted by Amy Whorf McGuiggan On Wednesday, June 11, the Col. Thomas Lothrop-Old Colony Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will dedicate markers at the graves of four distinguished founding members with Cohasset and Hingham roots. It seems fitting that as 250th anniversary events unfold, these women and their ancestors …

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