What did TV character Fox Mulder have in common with John Winthrop, the Puritan founder of Boston? They both recorded strange lights in the sky and other unexplained phenomena in extensive detail. This week, we’re going to explore the close encounters Winthrop described in 1639 and 1644. There were unexplained lights darting around the sky in formation at impossible speeds, ghostly sounds, and witnesses who claimed to have lost time. It’s a scene straight out of the X-Files, except these are considered the first recorded UFO sightings in North America.
Puritan UFOs
- John Winthrop’s notes on the 1639 sighting
- Winthrop’s account of the 1644 event
- Drake’s History and Antiquities expands on the 1644 event
- UFO hunters get lost in the Blue Hills in 2017
Featured Historic Site
Fern Cunningham’s Step on Board is the first statue of a woman erected on City Property in Boston. Stop by Harriet Tubman Park on Columbus Avenue to view this work, as well as Emancipation by Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller. Or, view them as part of the South End Women’s Heritage Trail.
Upcoming Event
On January 20 at 1:00 and 3:00pm, the Nichols House Museum on Beacon Hill will be hosting a historic tea tasting. It is a partnership between the museum and the Mark T Wendell Tea Company, focusing on items from the museum collection related to tea, the history of tea in America, and the connection between Rose Standish Nichols and Mark T Wendell. Tickets are $25.
From their website:
Join us for an exclusive tea program with the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company. Led by Hartley E. Johnson, owner of the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company, our special experience at the museum will include:
- A brief overview of the history of tea and the connection between Rose Standish Nichols and this Boston Tea Importer
- A tasting of black, green, and oolong teas
- A discussion around the showcased teas, from their geographical region of origin to how they are processed
Following the presentation, there will be time to explore the Nichols House Museum’s period rooms and the special exhibition, Peace and Prosperity: Rose Standish Nichols and Tea. Among her other achievements, Rose Standish Nichols was famous for hosting elaborate tea parties where she would cultivate lively conversation and promote world peace. Tea parties were a vehicle through which Rose Nichols furthered social and political agendas while also showcasing her collection of fine porcelain and silver. This exhibition highlights collection items related to tea service while examining the culture and society in which Rose Nichols entertained.
In 1904, Boston businessman Mark T. Wendell assumed ownership of his uncle’s business, a firm that imported luxury products from abroad. Mr. Wendell settled in the Beacon Hill section of Boston and set up offices on nearby State Street. For many years he imported port, sherry, snuff, olive oil, coffee and rare teas to sell to the upscale clientele of Boston (including Rose Standish Nichols), New York and Philadelphia.
Over time, Mr. Wendell began focusing solely on the import of tea into his Boston waterfront offices, and one of his most popular items was a smoky China tea called HU-KWA (who-kwaa). From an initial listing of only 5 teas, including the legendary HU-KWA, offerings have expanded to over 80 estate grown specialty teas, signature tea blends, herbal & fruit tisanes.