The Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center (JHC) at American Ancestors houses an archival collection of more than four million documents specializing in Boston and New England Jewish history. These records include everything from institutional documents from synagogues,..

1863 print depicting American artist Washington Allston

I have lived in Allston, a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, for about three years. For most of that time, I never gave the area’s name much thought. I assumed that it was either the name of a town back in..

Touro Synagogue from Patriots Park (Photo by author)

You might know Newport, Rhode Island, for its plethora of beautiful and historic mansions, many of which overlook the Atlantic coast. Maybe you know that the city hosted the first U.S. Open Tournaments for both..

Engraving of a man sitting in a steam box, May 1869. Source: Wellcome Images.

Have you ever wondered what non-surgical medicine was like in the nineteenth century? You may already be aware that the until the first use of ether in 1846, surgery was routinely performed..