Katherine, Grace, and Mary: Archaeological Revelations of 17th and 18th Century Women from Boston's Big Dig

Lecture
Joe Bagley, Boston City Archaeologist
6:00pm (with 5:30 reception)

“Katherine, Grace, and Mary: Archaeological Revelations of 17th and 18th Century Women from Boston's Big Dig”
The archaeological surveys conducted prior to the beginning of Boston's infamous Big Dig resulted in the uncovering of mountains of historical data on Boston's deep history.  Three archaeological sites stand out for their contributions to Women's history in Boston. These include the late 17th century site of Katherine Nanny Naylor, the early 18th century site of Mary Long, and the mid-18th century site of Grace Parker.  Katherine was the first woman to legally divorce her husband in Puritan Massachusetts, Mary was the operator of the Three Cranes Tavern in Charlestown---the cultural and physical heart of the Charlestown community, and Grace owned and operated the most successful ceramic business in Boston producing wears with her distinctive brush strokes.  Together, these three women paint a complicated and nuanced history of Boston that goes far beyond what is typically known or written about women in these periods.  Join City Archaeologist Joe Bagley as he discusses the information uncovered about these three women and their contributions to the history and culture of Boston.

Joe Bagley is the City Archaeologist of Boston.  As a City employee, Joe executed archaeological surveys on city-owned land, reviewed construction and development projects that could impact archaeological sites, and promotes Boston's archaeology through public events and talks.  Joe received his BA in Archaeology from Boston University and his MA in Historical Archaeology from UMass Boston.  He has been conducting archaeological surveys in New England on historic and Native sites for over a dozen years.  He is also the live-in caretaker of the Dorchester Historical Society's William Clapp House where he lives with his wife Jen and his dog, Jack.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/archaeology/
https://www.facebook.com/BostonArchaeologyProgram