"He now belongs to the ages" 

The Lincoln Assassination

(90 Minutes)

This presentation is the result of many years of research and travel. My journey has taken me to Washington D.C. to photograph and document the site of the assassination and Lincoln's death - Ford’s Theater and the Peterson House. Also, I've visited Mary Surratt’s Boarding House and her Tavern where the conspirators met.  Then, walking in the footsteps of the assassin I was able to photograph the sites of his escape - the Samuel Mudd House, The Pine Thicket; the site where Booth and and co-conspirator David Herold hid out in the days after the assassination, and finally the site of the Garrett House and Barn where Federal Troops cornered and killed Booth. The result is a fascinating multimedia presentation of one of the worst tragedies in the history of the United States!

Anything Goes - America During the Jazz Age

"The Roaring 20s"

(60 Minutes)

The lecture is a one-hour slide presentation that is an entertaining overview of the 1920's, showcasing world events, political events, prohibition, organized crime as well as the style, fashion, and trends of the Jazz Age.

   The 1920's were really the first decade of the 20th Century. During this decade many of the conventions of the Victorian Era were left behind as a new modernism emerged. "It was a time of conservatism; it was a time of great social change. From the world of fashion to the world to politics, forces clashed to produce the most explosive decade of the century.

   In music, the three sounds were jazz, jazz, and jazz. The Jazz Age came about with artist like Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington. Youth ruled everything from the young styles of dress to the latest celebrities. If it was young, it was the thing.

No Irish Need Apply 

A History of the Irish in Boston

(90 Minutes)

This presentation covers Irish migration history in Boston: from 17th-century indentured servants to 1718 Scot-Irish arrivals, pre-famine Catholic immigrants' challenges and anti-Irish sentiment, including events like Pope's Day and Ursuline Convent burning. It also explores post-famine immigration, settlement, work, assimilation, and Irish influence in Boston politics, featuring figures like James Michael Curley and Honey Fitz Kennedy.

The History of  Emancipation

&

Juneteenth

(60 Minutes)

The presentation, The History of Emancipation & Juneteenth, offers an exciting and engaging exploration of key events and milestones in the journey to freedom. It covers the abolitionist movement, the election of Abraham Lincoln, Fremont’s Emancipation, Hunter’s Emancipation, and General Benjamin Butler’s “Contraband of War” orders. It delves into the Emancipation Proclamation—its timing, political implications, and the people it directly impacted—as well as the gradual emancipation of enslaved individuals by Federal troops as they advanced through Confederate states. The presentation also highlights the end of the Civil War, the arrival of Federal troops in Texas, and the historic issuance of General Order No. 3 on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas. Finally, it traces Juneteenth’s evolution from a local Galveston celebration to its recognition as a national holiday.

Onslaught

The Wessagusset Incident

(60 Minutes)

This presentation explores the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth and the establishment of their colony, alongside the lesser-known story of “Weston’s Men,” who founded a settlement in what is now Weymouth, originally called Wessagusset. The talk examines the interactions between these two English groups and the Native peoples, delving into the events and tensions that culminated in the violent conflict of 1623. It provides a detailed account of the attack on Wessagusset and concludes with an analysis of the far-reaching consequences of these events.

1620: The First Year

(60 Minutes)

In 1620, the Pilgrims faced adversity.  They came to these shores seeking religious freedom and found an untamed inhospitable wilderness fraught with innumerable dangers.  They struggled with disease and death and survived through the grace of God and with the help of the "People of the Dawn" - the Wampanoag Nation.

The Haunted History of New England

(60 Minutes)

The Haunted History of New England presentation melds historical fact together with legend and myth to produce an interesting, fascinating and sometimes shocking new look at events that really happened and the stories of haunting that followed them.

The topics addressed in this presentation will be Mercy Brown "The Vampire" of Exeter Rhode Island, the cursed Freetown State Forest in Massachusetts, The horrors of  the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River Massachusetts, a haunted forest in the wilds of Connecticut, the ghostly happenings at Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire, and evidence of ghosts at the John Alden House in Duxbury Massachusetts.

 The Notch

The History of Crawford Notch & Environs

 (60 Minutes)

This presentation tells the captivating history of Crawford Notch, one of New Hampshire's most beautiful and awe-inspiring locations. It covers the discovery of the Notch as a vital link between the coast and the interior, the early days of pioneering, the era of the Grand Hotel, and the remarkable engineering achievement of constructing a railroad through the Notch. Additionally, it explores the thriving lumber industry that once defined the North Country.

"Massachusetts' Paranormal Past"

 The Haunted History of Massachusetts

(60 Minutes)

Building on the success of my previous talk, The Haunted History of New England, which I have presented across the region for the past 15 years, my new presentation, Massachusetts' Paranormal Past, will dive into real historical events, examine their unfolding, and explore the paranormal phenomena that followed.

Topics covered will include: The Curse of Giles Corey, Salem, The Haunted Hoosac Tunnel, Florida & Adams, The Ghost of the Eunice Williams Bridge in Greenfield, and The Spectres at the Ancient Burial Ground in Plymouth.

"Interminable"

The Construction of The Hoosac Tunnel

(60 Minutes)

When the Hoosac Tunnel was chartered in 1851, it was expected to take about four and a half years and cost 2 million dollars to complete. Geologists predicted no significant obstacles, no water issues, and no weak earth. However, none of these expectations proved true. In reality, the project took 23 years, claimed 195 lives, and cost between 17 and 21 million dollars.

In this vivid one-hour talk, the story of this seemingly endless monumental project is brought to life through primary sources, maps, and period photographs, offering a detailed recounting of the Hoosac Tunnel’s challenges and triumphs.

"Together They Lived and Together They Died"  

The Tragic Story of Bonnie and Clyde

(90 Minutes)

This presentation, blending travelogue and history, tells the true story of Bonnie and Clyde, separating fact from fiction. For years, the public has been captivated by the tale of this Dust Bowl Romeo and Juliet. However, much of what we know is shaped by the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde and a more recent, highly fictionalized TV movie aired on A&E and the History Channel. Over time, myths, speculation, and outright falsehoods have clouded the reality of these two Texas bandits. When we dig into their true story, a far more fascinating and human narrative emerges—one that is far more compelling than what Hollywood portrayed.

Through a mix of period photographs, film clips, and modern footage I’ve personally captured, this presentation will walk you through the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, tracing the trail of Bonnie and Clyde. It covers the locations of their homes, crimes, robberies, shootouts, and hideouts, offering a fresh perspective on their infamous legacy.

"Viva l'Anarchia" 

The Sacco-Vanzetti Case

(90 Minutes) 

This presentation chronicles the saga the two Italian anarchists. The story begins with the robberies in Bridgewater and Braintree Massachusetts and then turns to the famous trial at Dedham and the following six years of attempts to get a new trial. Next, the worldwide protests and demonstrations will be discussed and then, finally, the last days of Sacco and Vanzetti will be highlighted with a vivid description of their sentencing and execution.

 "Viva l'anarchia" contains period photographs of all the major players in the case, the locations of the robberies, the courthouse, the massive demonstrations, Charlestown State Prison and the funeral procession down Hanover Street in Boston. Many of these photographs are rare and are not published anywhere. There are also many photographs of locations as they appear today.

Mass Murder 

Massachusetts' Most Infamous Murder Cases

 (60 Minutes)

This talk is an entertaining and fascinating look at some of Massachusetts' most infamous historical murder cases, both solved and unsolved. Audiences that like mystery, suspense and a little blood and gore will love this lecture. It is fully illustrated with photographs and artwork culled from archival, microfilm and literary sources. Many of the murder sites and historical locations have been photographed in order to give the audience a sense of the modern day context of the crimes.