Hyde Park Historical Society
The Hyde Park Historical Society was founded in 1887 by Theodore Dwight Weld, an architect of the American abolitionist movement . The society maintains a unique collection of historic publications, images and artifacts dating from before the founding of Hyde Park in 1868. The historical collection is housed in Weld Hall - named after our founder - in the Hyde Park Branch of Boston Public Library.
From the founding of Hyde Park by the twenty associates of Fairmount Hill to the Civil war and the military encampment at Readville, with its story of the 54th and 55th African-American regiments, Hyde Park's early history includes events of national importance and stories of leading abolitionists, temperance activists, and women's rights activists. A cradle of early manufacturing and the industrialization of America, Hyde Park has a rich history and many stories still to tell.
News & Events
Meetings are open to the public. To join the society, please go here.
NEXT MEETINGS:
"A special Kind of Evil..." 11:00 am Saturday, October 21st. Join us for a behind the scenes look at solving a 1991 Hyde Park cold case, with retired Lieutenant Detective, Stephen A. Murphy and retired Captain Timothy J. Murray. See the Flyer here.
"The Sergeant: The Incredible Life of Nicholas Said" 11:30am Saturday, October 28th. Kidnapped into slavery to eventual acclaim in the American Civil War. Author talk with Pulitzer and Polk prize winner, Dean Calbreath. See the Flyer here.
NEW RESOURCES:
Women of Hyde Park - Boston Women's Heritage Trail. This walking guide highlights the location of the 1870 Women's march and vote, and the homes of seventeen Hyde Park women, among them suffragists, educators, abolitionists, authors, and businesswomen. View or download the PDF here.
Hyde Park Black History Pamphlet. View or download the PDF here.
Hyde Park Notable
- The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment were trained at Camp Meigs in Readville. The 54th was one of the first official African American units in the US armed forces, which saw extensive service in the Union Army during the Civil War. Read Camp Meigs and the 54th
- Hyde Park played an early role in the advancement of women’s voting rights, when in 1870, 47 Hyde Park women, led by the Grimke sisters, flouted the law of the land and voted in an election—50 years before the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1919. Read 1870 Women's March and Vote