Announcing a new Meetup for Nerd Fun - Boston!

What: Spectacle Island and Its Native American Past @ The Old South Meeting House

When: November 5, 2009 12:00 PM

Where:
Old South Meeting House
310 Washington St
Boston, MA 02108
[masked]

There is a three-part lunchtime series running for the first three Thursdays of November at the Old South Meeting House. The price is $5.00. Not sure if people can drop in, or need to make reservations. T.J. needs to check.

Spectacle Island and Its Native American Past
Date: November 5, 2009
Time: 12:15 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
http://www.nps.gov/ner/customcf/apps/eventcalendar/events/bostevent03879893.html

Details:
"The Boston Harbor Islands have been inhabited for thousands of years. From A.D. 535 to 1590, Algonquian-speaking tribal groups from the Massachusetts Bay used Spectacle Island in the autumn to gather food and other resources. Boston City Archaeologist Ellen Berkland shows how archaeologists have pieced together a rich story of the daily lives of some of the first island communities. This series is presented in collaboration with the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands"

Fees:
"$5; free for OSMH members or members of the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands"

Contact:
"Old South Meeting House Education Department
"[masked]"

Where to meet:
T.J. Maher works right near South Station and should be there at noon to gather people, save chairs for people. T.J. Maher is 5 foot 7, with short brown hair, blue eyes, a "Hello My Name is T.J." nametag and a red MEETUP sign attached to his black messenger bag.

About Spectacle Island:
http://www.bostonislands.org/isle_3d_spectacle_history.html

"Spectacle Island was created by massive glaciers that engulfed present-day New England during the last Ice Age. We know that people began living on Spectacle Island over a millennium ago, utilizing the abundant resources of aquatic life and shellfish nearby for their survival. The island's name was inspired by the shape of two glacial drumlins or hills, connected by a sand bar, which resembled a pair of spectacles to early European explorers.

"The arrival of English colonists in Boston Harbor during the 1600s signaled the beginning of great changes for Spectacle Island. The first Bostonians began harvesting lumber for firewood and shipbuilding on islands in the harbor. In 1717, a makeshift quarantine station was built on Spectacle Island in an attempt to prevent the spread of disease in Boston, including the dreaded smallpox. Two summer resorts opened on Spectacle during the 1840s and became infamous for hosting gambling and other illicit activities until the hotels were closed by local authorities some years later".

About the Old South Meeting House:
http://www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org/osmh_123456789files/history_mission.aspx

"From the meeting of more than 5,000 colonists on December 16, 1773, which started the Boston Tea Party, to the present, the Old South Meeting House has been an important gathering place for nearly three centuries. Renowned for the protest meetings held here before the American Revolution, this National Historic Landmark has long served as a platform for the free expression of ideas. Today, the Old South Meeting House is open daily as a museum and continues to provide a place for people to meet, discuss and act on important issues of the day. The stories of the men and women who are part of Old South?s vital heritage reveal why the Old South Meeting House occupies an enduring place in the history of the United States".

About the Friends of Boston Harbor Islands:
http://www.fbhi.org/aboutthefriends.htm

"The Volunteers and Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands is a non-profit environmental and educational organization that encourages public use of the islands, balanced with the need to protect their fragile ecosystem and historic environment. Our diverse membership provides services to the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area through volunteer programs, public education and advocacy efforts.

"The Volunteers and Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands Inc. evolved out of the efforts of the Boston Harbor Islands Volunteer Corps. The Corps was organized in 1979 by Suzanne Gall Marsh to supplement the program services of the Boston Harbor Islands State Park staff".

Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/NerdFunBoston/calendar/11686756/