It’s Also History: Tales & Tidbits from Alan's Archives

In 1972, a north-of-Boston Mall, slated to be named Northland Plaza, obtained a piece of modern art called The Liberty Tree, built for the New York World's Fair, and later, placed on Boston Common. It renamed the retail center in honor of the tree and used the artwork as its centerpiece. In 1992, it disappeared with no fanfare, and, until recently, its fate was unknown. Listen to hear of the tree's wandering days, and its ultimate fate,

Fifty years before America 250, there was The Bicentennial. Hear about the grandiose plans for Boston's celebration, then listen to what really took place - actually, something better

The British troops left Boston on March 17, 1776, almost a year after the Revolution began. That wasn't quite the end of the story, however. There was one more brief skirmish and the handling of POWs to deal with. The story is about British troop ships sailing into the harbor after the evacuation, and how the prisoners of war were handled..

On March 16, 1926, a century ago, Robert Goddard gave birth to the Space Age as he launched the world's first liquid fuel rocket from a relative's farm in Auburn, MA. It took another 30 years before the space race began in earnest, but it had its roots in a small Massachusetts suburb of Worcester.

Alexander Graham Bell's name is a household word around the world. He is indelibly linked with the invention of the telephone. What is less known is that he uttered his famous first words on his invention in a tiny makeshift lab in downtown Boston, Listen how Bell came to be in Boston and what a tourist would find at the site today.

The old Boston Arena, birthplace to the Bruins and Celtics, pre-dated Boston Garden by 18 years and outlived it by 30. It is now slated to be replaced. Hear how a Boston sports jewel - older than Fenway - survived deep into the twenty-first century, while hosting famous sports and entertainment celebrities, major league games, politicians, and icons of its era..

In 1881, leaders of a private school in Northfield, MA mandated that all students run a 4-mile course around the campus before leaving for Thanksgiving break. It was extremely unpopular until Mrs. Forslund offered pies. It is today the oldest road race in America.

In 1925, the United States had a major soccer league that was second only to baseball in newspaper coverage. Soccer also had - and still has - an open tournament for the national title. It's open to all teams - professional and amateur. Hear how, in 1925 a small club from Andover, Massachusetts beat all comers;

There was a time when Benedict Arnold was considered one of the best soldiers for the American Cause. Hear about how he led an expedition across New England on his way to capture Quebec for the Americans.

Hidden in the shadows of the more famous battles of Lexington & Concord and Bunker Hill is a little-known, but important step on the way to independence. The battle of May 27, 1775, took place along the shores of today's communities of Chelsea, Revere, and East Boston, and is considered to be the first naval engagement of the American Revolution.