Dyer Memorial Library

Before Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863, states proclaimed their own days of Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving Proclamation in the collection of the Der Memorial Library was issued by Gov. Caleb Strong for Massachusetts in 1812. Happy Thanksgiving from the Dyer Memorial Library!

You never know what you'll find in the stacks at the Dyer Memorial Library. Since the musical Hamilton is playing in Boston, here at the Dyer Library we have this sermon "The Sixth Commandment Friendly to Virtue, Honor and Politeness. A Discourse, in Consequence of the Late Duel" by Samuel Spring from August 5th, 1804. Spring was one of many Federalist ministers who used the famous Burr-Hamilton duel as an opportunity to speak out against the practice of dueling in Early America. Accompanying the sermon is a small newspaper clipping reporting the duel.