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As I was putting together some notes for the Civil War Concert, I came across this nice history of the Battle Hymn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic

The author was married to Samuel Gridley Howe, who was an interesting person in his own right. He was very involved in the abolishonist movement and was part of the Secret Six that provided funding and support for John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry. He also was reponsible for setting up the Perkins institution to educate the blind in Massachussets. He was the first to provide education in English for a blind and deaf student, Laura Bridgeman. There is a fabulous book about she and Howe's relationship called "The Imprisoned Guest". Helen Keller's teacher Anne Sullivan Macy was also a graduate of the Perkins School, although she was educated there years after Samuel Howe died.

For more on Samuel Howe:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Gridley_Howe

Good stuff. Always love to see all the behind-the-scenes history.

For years I worked literally across the street from Mt Auburn Cemetery where Julia Ward Howe and Samuel Gridley Howe are buried. I spent my lunch hours exploring that beautiful cemetery where so many famous people are laid to rest.

Perkins is also in Watertown and you'd always see the teachers out with the students - many of whom lost their sight in adulthood and had to learn to use canes and guide dogs. Perkins does wonderful work. Because of the school, Watertown had all the intersection lights wired to sound a ringing alarm when the lights turned red & yellow for "walk" (remember before the walk/don't walk lights?). Now they have the sound of a cuckoo clock which allows the sight impaired to know it's ok to cross.

http://www.perkinsmuseum.org/museum/

Harpers Ferry is the name of longtime "nightclub" in Boston. Ha! I wonder how many know the origin of the name.

http://www.harpersferryboston.com/

I'm heading up to Gloucester in October and Mt. Auburn is on the list for the return ride home. Edwin Booth is also buried there.

We'll also be visiting the final resting place of several lobsters on that trip and be dressing in the traditional funeral attire of bib and crackers......

Cool!!!!You're gonna LOVE Mt Auburn Darlene! October is the perfect time to go. Edwin Booth's grave is on a steep hill as you can see in the pictures:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?p...gr&GRid=110

Mt Auburn slideshow:

http://www.mountauburn.org/gallery/

Gloucester is beautiful! My cousin has a flower shop there which her son manages now:

http://www.audreysflowershop.com/about_audreys.htm

The beaches are beautiful. Here's Good Harbor beach which has great memories for me because I used to go there with my grandma when I was a kid. When she came to the US from Ireland - she worked for awhile in the mansion overlooking the beach.

http://www.goodharborbeach.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenbo/2217443...57604268554349/

Gotta see Hammond Castle.

http://www.hammondcastle.org/common/index....AA&page=A91

So much to see in Cape Ann - Rockport, Magnolia, Manchester-By-The-Sea,

Essex, and Ipswich.

Gotta go to Woodman's in Essex for the BEST seafood! Where they invented the fried clam in 1914. YUM!!!!

http://www.woodmans.com/

My favorite beach is Crane Beach in Ipswich. Check out the photo gallery for

Castle Hill on the Crane estate. I went to a wedding there in October a few yrs ago and it was fabulous!

http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit...-the-crane.html

http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit...the-crane.html#