[close] Have you ever wondered about pirates in Boston, or whether Captain Kidd actually turned up in the Bay State? Do you know about the original Ponzi Schemes or James Otis and the Writs of Assistance? Can you recall when the Great Fires or the Molasses Flood occurred? Are you curious who Johnny Most and Phillis Wheatley were; or how the Green Dragon, Doyle's, and the Warren Tavern became such notable pubs and meeting places? The answers to these and countless other questions can be found in this valuable reference that tells what happened -- and when -- in the rich and colorful history of the Hub.

Jim Vrabel delves into the most significant, entertaining, and unusual events in Boston history, in categories ranging from population, planning, and development, to politics, religion, and social change, to education, the arts, and sports. Drawn from the canon of books on Boston history, media sources, neighborhood historical associations, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Boston Athenaeum, and the Boston Public Library, as well as the Bostonian Society, this compendium of facts, figures, and annual highlights is the only comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of its kind. Here the reader revisits Boston's most intriguing people, places, and events, from the Algonquin Indians, to the African American Meeting House and Bulfinch's State House, to the Swan Boats, Blinstrub's, Cheers, Fenway Park, and the Zakim-Bunker Hill Bridge, to Josiah Quincy, Martin Lomasney, Louise Day Hicks, and Tom Menino.

As authoritative as it is user friendly, When in Boston will prove an indispensable and handy tool for researchers, professionals, history buffs, residents, and tourists alike. It is arranged chronologically with an extensive bibliography, thorough index, and abundant illustrations drawn primarily from the collections of the Bostonian Society. [close]