Mill Talk: In Pursuit of a Safer Industrial Workplace – Pemberton to the Present

In conversation:
Professor Robert Forrant, UMASS Lowell
Gabriel Porter, Safety and Health Specialist/Process Safety Management Coordinator OSHA Boston Regional Office

What can a 19th-century mill disaster teach us about workplace safety today?

Join Professor Robert Forrant (UMass Lowell) and Gabriel Porter (Safety and Health Specialist/Process Safety Management Coordinator OSHA Boston Regional Office) for a compelling discussion moderated by Charles River Museum’s Director of Education, Stephen Guerriero. Forrant will delve into the catastrophic Pemberton Mill collapse of 1860—an industrial tragedy that claimed 98 lives, revealed systemic failures, and left questions of accountability unresolved. Porter will explore how OSHA builds on lessons from such events to safeguard workers in today’s industries. Together, they’ll connect history to modern-day practices, offering insights into the ongoing fight for safer workplaces.

Robert Forrant is Distinguished University Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His most recent book, Where Are the Workers: Interpreting Labor and Working-Class History at Museums and Historic Sites, was published in 2022. In early 2024 he published “‘No Avenging Gibet’: The 1860 Pemberton Mill Collapse” in The New England Quarterly. The article forms the basis for his talk.

Links:

Robert Forrant: UMASS Lowell
Where Are the Workers? Labor’s Stories at Museums and Historic Sites (University of Illinois Press)
"'No Avenging Gibbet': The 1860 Pemberton Mill Collapse" The New England Quarterly

Gabriel Porter is a New Hampshire based Safety and Health Specialist/Process Safety Management Coordinator with the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Boston Regional Office. A graduate of Northeastern University, he has close to 20 years' experience working in the field of workplace safety and compliance. Porter helps to communicate the role and history of OSHA as a regulatory agency tasked by Congress to ensure worker health and safety are maintained across a broad spectrum of industries and sites.

Links:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA at 50: 50 Years of Workplace Safety and Healt

Mill Talks at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation are free and open to the public and are made possible by the generous support of the Lowell Institute.

Mill Talk: Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919

presented by author Stephen Puleo

FREE and open to the public
REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Shortly after noon on January 15, 1919, a 50-foot-tall steel tank filled with 2.3 million gallons of molasses collapsed on Boston’s waterfront, disgorging its contents in a 15-foot-high wave of molasses that traveled at 35 miles per hour. The Great Boston Molasses Flood claimed the lives of 21 people and caused widespread destruction.

Puleo’s bestselling book, Dark Tide (2003) tells the gripping story of the molasses flood in its full historical context, from the tank’s construction in 1915 through the multiyear lawsuit that followed the disaster. Puleo uses the gripping drama of the flood to examine the sweeping changes brought about by World War I, Prohibition, the anarchist movement, immigration, and the expanding role of big business in society. To understand the flood is to understand America of the early twentieth century – the flood was a microcosm of America, a dramatic event that encapsulated something much bigger, a lens through which to view the major events that shaped a nation.

It’s also a chronicle of the courage of ordinary people, from the firemen caught in an unimaginable catastrophe to the soldier-lawyer who presided over the lawsuit with heroic impartiality. Even now, the tragic event behind Dark Tide continues to capture the imagination of readers across the country and is the only adult nonfiction book on America’s most unusual tragedy.

Author Bio

A former award-winning newspaper reporter and contributor of articles and book reviews to publications and organizations that include American History magazine, Politico, The Boston Globe, and the Bill of Rights Institute, Steve has also taught history at Suffolk University in Boston and at UMass-Boston. He also has developed and taught numerous writing workshops for high school and college students, as well as for adults who aspire to be writers.

Steve holds a master’s degree in history from UMass-Boston. His master’s thesis, “From Italy to Boston’s North End: Italian Immigration and Settlement, 1890-1910,” has been downloaded more than 25,000 times by scholars and readers around the world. Steve is also a Massachusetts Historical Society Fellow and is a past recipient of the prestigious i migliori award, presented by the Pirandello Lyceum to Italian-Americans who have excelled in their fields of endeavor. Steve and his wife Kate, who live south of Boston, donate a portion of his book proceeds to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). His latest work is The Great Abolitionist: Charles Sumner and the Fight for a More Perfect Union (2024), a biography of U. S. Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts.

Links:

Author Page: Stephen Puleo

Bookshop.org: Dark Tide

Bookshop.org: The Great Abolitionist: Charles Sumner and the Fight for a More Perfect Union

City of Boston: The Great Molasses Flood, 100 Years Later

Mill Talks at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation are free and open to the public and are made possible by the generous support of the Lowell Institute.

Mill Talk: Walking Through Walls: Virtual Design and Business Innovation

presented by Oren Sherman

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT

Since Francis Cabot Lowell and Paul Moody set the first power looms in motion in 1814, textiles have been at the crossroads of American industry, artisan craft, and functionality. The great textile mills of New England drove the American Industrial Revolution, starting with the Boston Manufacturing Company on this very site in Waltham.

Now two centuries later, designers are forging innovative ways to ‘weave’ textiles using 3D technology and design in virtual space, grounded by the principles of the loom. Award-winning designer, artist, and professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, Oren Sherman, will bring us along on his own journey, discovering the cultural meaning and evolving technology embedded in textile design. Pattern traveled on textiles and the availability of locally made affordable woven cloth gave birth to an industry supercharged by the Waltham-Lowell System, including fabric dyeing and pattern design. That scale led to rapid innovation in manufacturing and design.

In exploring the construction of commercial textile patterning, Sherman found himself leaving the world of the ‘repeat’ and exploring in virtual space. He’ll explain how a desire to ‘walk through walls’ lead him to 3D weaving as an inspiration that, ironically, led him back to the first principles of the elegantly complex power loom. Oren’s talk will feature vivid color and vibrant patterns, while simultaneously connecting innovation with cutting-edge technology.

Author Bio: Oren Sherman

An alumnus and professor specializing in design, marketing and branding at the renowned Rhode Island School Of Design, Oren has partnered with corporations across the country developing original artwork and licensed collections that capture a brand’s identity. His work is sophisticated, contemporary and utterly unique, standing at the cutting edge where art meets commerce. Oren’s versatility and visual intelligence inform his distinctive approach. His art powers brand, creating a multi-level subliminal experience that resonates as an unspoken message everywhere the environment touches the customer.

Oren's work lives at the intersection between visual storytelling, art and architecture, focusing on applying two-dimensional work in a three-dimensional way to create engaging and experiential spaces. Oren worked at Elkus Manfredi Architects in Boston, crafting strategic narratives and original artworks for interior spaces, creating a multilevel, subliminal experience that resonates as a lyrical and unspoken message, recently making the leap to consulting and exploring both fine art and designing collections in 3-D space.

In 2022 he was awarded The Lifetime Achievement Award from Boston Design Week and in June 2022 gave his first TEDx presentation “Finding Creativity: A Solo Journey to a Connected Place.”

Links: Designer Page: Oren Sherman

MILL TALK: POSTPONED The Lowell Code: Cracking Innovation from the Industrial Revolution to AI

presented by Dr. Nathan Lang-Raad

POSTPONED

Join the Charles River Museum for an illuminating exploration of timeless innovation principles through the lens of Francis Cabot Lowell's revolutionary ideas. Dr. Nathan Lang-Raad will uncover how these same concepts drive today's tech giants and shape our digital future. From Lowell's daring industrial espionage in British textile mills to his groundbreaking implementation of the power loom, his journey parallels the disruptive innovations we see in Silicon Valley today. Dr. Lang-Raad will demonstrate how Lowell's approach aligns with nine essential habits of innovative thinking, drawing insights from his book "Renaissance Thinking in the Classroom."

This talk will draw fascinating parallels between Lowell's innovations and modern challenges, offering valuable insights for anyone interested in the evolution of American industry and technology. Dr. Lang-Raad will explore how these habits of thinking - including cultivating diverse curiosity, taking risks, and embracing lifelong learning - can be applied to foster innovation in our rapidly changing digital world. Attendees will discover how historical lessons from the Industrial Revolution apply to current technological advancements, with a focus on interdisciplinary learning and addressing real-world problems.---

Author Bio:

Dr. Nathan Lang-Raad is an educator, speaker, and author with a passion for innovative teaching methods and the integration of technology in classrooms. He has served in various roles throughout his career, including as a teacher, school administrator, and education supervisor at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Dr. Lang-Raad is the author of several books on instructional coaching and innovative teaching methods.

Renaissance Thinking in the Classroom: Interdisciplinary Learning, Real-World Problems, Intellectually Curious Students by Dr. Nathan Lang-Raad provides educators with a comprehensive guide to fostering innovative thinking in K-12 education. This book details nine specific habits of thinking and a challenge-based framework that educators can integrate to promote students' academic knowledge and lifelong learning skills.

Links:

Website: Dr. Nathan Lang-Raad

Mill Talks at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation are free and open to the public and are made possible by the generous support of the Lowell Institute.

MILL TALK: The Railroads of Waltham: An Industrial City on the Move

presented by Rick Kfoury

Join the Charles River Museum for a journey back to Waltham’s railroad heyday, when the advent of the railroad was deeply entwined in the industrial history of the region, and the Boston Manufacturing Company specifically.

Links:

Blurb.com "The New England Southern Railroad Volume 1"
Blurb.com "The New England Southern Railroad Volume 2"
QUEEN CITY RAILS - MANCHESTER'S RAILROADS 1965-1990
Steam Trains of Yesteryear: The Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern Story

Mill Talks at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation are free and open to the public and are made possible by the generous support of the Lowell Institute.

Mill Talk: The Rosy Dawn of Industrialization: Distant impacts by early New England

presented by Kevin Coffee

The environmental impact of industrialization is often imagined as belching smokestacks or noxious effluents. But local pollution is only the most obvious impact of industrialization. Often overlooked are the distant impacts and ‘externalities’ that accompanied mechanized production and the growth of modern cities.

The Waltham and Lowell systems which birthed textile manufacturing in America were highly profitable and spurred a massive influx of investment capital into the sector. Between 1830 and 1840, more than 270 textile manufacturers were incorporated in Massachusetts alone, each equipped with hundreds of machine tools and dozens of hydro-turbines.

The tremendous demand for raw materials – wood, cotton, iron, clay, limestone, granite, etc. – transformed landscape and watershed. The dramatic rise in demand for raw cotton in America and Britain intensified the brutality of forced labor in the American South, expanded the plantation system into Alabama and Mississippi, and prompted war against Mexico. The growing network of factory sites co-produced an extensive network of railroads and canals. The first twenty years of factory building in Lowell alone required clearing more than 25 square miles of forest for structural timber.

In this talk, historical archaeologist Kevin Coffee shares his research on the standing structures commissioned by the Lowell manufacturers and explores some of the most significant wide-area impacts produced by the new industry.

Kevin Coffee is an archaeologist and museologist whose research explores the materiality of late-modern societal development, especially urbanization and industrialization. From 2018 into 2023, he was the chief interpretation and education officer at Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell MA. He has published about urban development and industrialization in Industrial Archaeology Review, Post-Medieval Archaeology, Journal of the Society for Industrial Archeology, and in the Routledge International Handbook of Heritage and Politics. He has presented on the subject to annual meetings of the Society for Historical Archaeology, Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology, and the Society for Industrial Archeology. He is also the author of Museums and Social Responsibility (Routledge 2023) and Objective Culture and the End of the Museum (Routledge 2025).

Tech Talk: The Making of Millpower: An Animated Series for the Charles River Museum

Join us for a Tech Talk about our new series of short animations on the history of the Boston Manufacturing Company, designed to educate and entertain audiences of all ages, with a particular focus on middle school students.

Waltham animator Macy Lawrence will discuss the research, design, and animation process, and the event will include a screening of the short films

CRAFT BEER for a CAUSE!

a suds-centric fundraiser for the
Charles River Museum
Featuring the best in craft beer, great local restaurants, spirits, wine, and more!

All proceeds of this event will benefit the programs of the Charles River Museum.

FEATURING:

FEATURING:

BEERS:

• 7th Wave

• Best Day Brewing (non-alcoholic beer- *available for our DESIGNATED DRIVERS!)

• Break Rock Brewing

• Clown Shoes

• Crue Brew

• Harpoon

• Idle Hands

• Jacks Abby

• Mighty Squirrel

• Nightshift

• Vitamin Sea Brewing

• Woodland Farms (non-alcoholic beer- *available for our DESIGNATED DRIVERS!)

SPIRITS:

• Boston Harbor Distillery

• Tito’s Handmade Vodka

CIDER:

• Downeast

• Shacksbury Cider

RESTAURANTS:

• Amuleto Mexican Table

• Gustazo

• Lulu’s Allston

• Tack Room

• Sweet Basil on Moody

HYDRATION

• Gold Peak Tea

• smartwater

• vitaminwater

And more to come!!

Not into beer??
There will be wine and other options available for sampling!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Want a taste of what it was like last year? Watch this video!

All proceeds will benefit the exhibits and programs of THE CHARLES RIVER MUSEUM OF INDUSTRY & INNOVATION, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization.

MILL TALK: Racing Against the Odds: Major Taylor & the Golden Age of Cycling

presented by Todd Balf, in conversation with Lynne Tolman, writer and president of the Major Taylor Association

Join the Charles River Museum for an inspiring look at the life and times of Major Taylor, one of the most consequential athletes in American sports history.

Taylor was racing on the national and international stage at a time when the US was deeply segregated. He combatted both racial prejudice and systemic barriers to triumph as the ‘world’s fastest man.’ The legendary African American cyclist and the Charles Metz Company of Waltham were deeply intertwined through the golden age of bicycle racing and innovation. Taylor raced on Metz's "Orient" bicycles, and his sprinting ability and speed on the lightweight Orient bikes brought him national fame during the rise of cycling as a competitive sport in America.

However, as the 20th century progressed, the bicycle industry began to decline, largely due to the rise of automobiles. Charles Metz himself shifted his focus from bicycles to cars, founding the Metz Company in 1909, marking the end of an era for Waltham's bicycle production. Still, Taylor’s triumphs in the face of racial adversity remain a lasting legacy of both his own perseverance, and the innovations of the Waltham-based Metz Company.

Todd Balf writes for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and others, and is the author of several books including this summer’s “Three Kings” and “Major: A Black Athlete, a White Era, and the Fight to be the World’s Fastest Human Being.” He is an enthusiastic advocate for cycling and accessibility.

Major: A Black Athlete, a White Era, and the Fight to Be the World's Fastest Human Being by Todd Balf tells the riveting and inspiring story of Major Taylor, an African American cyclist who defied the odds in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Amidst the deeply segregated society of his time, Taylor rose to become the world’s fastest cyclist and a global sports icon. Balf’s meticulously researched book not only captures Taylor’s athletic prowess but also highlights his struggles against racial prejudice and personal battles. This powerful narrative sheds light on a groundbreaking figure whose legacy transcends sports, symbolizing resilience and the fight for equality in a racially divided world.

MAJOR: The story of Worcester’s world champion cyclist Marshall “Major” Taylor and the race to build the world’s fastest bike

Lynne Tolman is a cyclist herself, an editor -- retired from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette -- and president of the nonprofit Major Taylor Association, based in Worcester. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She has written about bicycling for VeloNews, USA Cycling, and other publications, and she bikes with the Seven Hills Wheelmen. One of her other hobbies is genealogy, another species of the history bug.

Links:

Bookshop.org "Major: A Black Athlete, a White Era, and the Fight to Be the World's Fastest Human Being"

Bookshop.org "Three Kings: Race, Class, and the Barrier-Breaking Rivals Who Launched the Modern Olympic Age"

Todd Balf in "Runner's World"

MILL TALK: Making It in America: The past, present and future of New England textile manufacturing

RESCHEDULED FROM THE ORIGINAL MAY DATE

presented by: 
Rachel Slade author of Making It in America 
& Michelle Finamore fashion historian, author, and curator

New England has a rich apparel and textile manufacturing history. The United States' industrial revolution started here, and many of the region's famous families made their first fortunes in textile, shoe, and apparel production. Over the past 40 years, much of that industry has vanished as companies have been forced to deal with ever cheaper imports from abroad.

Now, a new group of entrepreneurs is reviving every aspect of this legacy. Why are they doing it? What does it take to breathe life into a dying industry? And will they succeed?

This far-reaching conversation with journalist Rachel Slade, author of Making It in America, and Michelle Finamore, fashion historian, author, and curator, will explore New England's manufacturing legacy while exploring the ways new companies are revitalizing centuries-old industries.

MILL TALK:
Historic Innovation and its Modern Legacy in 3D Photographs

Presenters:
Bernard P. Fishman
Director, Maine State Museum

George L. Mutter
Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School

See a stunning 3D projection of original images from the 1800s and early 1900s, showing how past inventions, economic changes, and conceptual freedoms have made today’s world. The growth of early industry, mechanized production, industrialized warfare, transformation of cities by an emergent middle class, labor activism, the revolution in domestic life and the women’s rights movement are all shown. You will see lively and thought-provoking scenes of whaling, oil exploration, mining, textile manufacture, skyscraper construction, and the depletion of forests, grasslands, and fisheries. Look into the faces of those affected by slavery, dispossession, and poverty, as well as immigrants in search of a better life. Although this world is gone, we live in its shadow.

You will be provided magic glasses to see these photos in 3D, as they were viewed in Victorian parlors.

Warning: This presentation includes explicit images as they were shown in the day. Content may not be suitable for children.

We Are Waltham: True Stories from Waltham, MA

General Admission $15.00
Students & Seniors Admission $10.00

This show may not be suitable for young children.

Join the community as Waltham resident and storyteller  Chandreyee Lahiri takes us on a journey into the lives of others in Waltham.

This program aims to build a stronger Waltham community. For those new to storytelling, Lahiri will offer guidance in crafting your presentation prior to the event.

STORIES: A cast of 6 tellers will share true 6-8 minute stories about memorable experiences in their lives. All live, work or have close ties to the city so will help bond the community together as we discover the similarities that run through our differences.

'We are Waltham' is a storytelling show aimed at exploring the lives and experiences of residents of Waltham in order to entertain as well as help knit the community together. 

In keeping with the current standards of storytelling represented by popular shows like The Moth and Stories from the Stage, stories on this show will be true incidents from the lives of the tellers, told in their own authentic voices. In a world increasingly divided by ideology and suffering from Pandemic fallout, perhaps peeking into each others' realities might help us feel more like a community.  

Each show will attempt to have a cast of diverse tellers from many walks of life and stories will be their own but crafted with the help of a story telling coach. Hate speech will not be tolerated but an attempt will be made to accommodate all voices and perspectives. 

Its origins:

The show was conceived by Waltham resident Chandreyee Lahiri, a part-time writer and storyteller (chandreyeelahiri.com).

The Making of Millpower: An Animated Series for the Charles River Museum

Wish to become a member and take advantage of the different benefits available at each of our six different levels?

Visit HERE for more information and to join!

Join us for a preview of a new series of short animations on the history of the Boston Manufacturing Company designed to educate and entertain audiences of all ages, with a particular focus on middle school students.

The research, design, and animation process will be explored, and the event will include a sneak preview of the short films before they are shared publicly.

We Are Waltham: true stories from Waltham, MA

General Admission $15.00
Students & Seniors Admission $10.00

This show may not be suitable for young children.

Take the stage alongside Waltham resident and storyteller Chandreyee Lahiri to share your own story as a presenter, or join us as an audience member to learn about others’ journeys.

This program aims to build a stronger Waltham community. For those new to storytelling, Lahiri will offer guidance in crafting your presentation prior to the event.

STORIES: A cast of 6 tellers will share true 6-8 minute stories about memorable experiences in their lives. All live, work or have close ties to the city so will help bond the community together as we discover the similarities that run through our differences.

RAFFLE: The fun raffle for the Spring show will be some Rubik's cubes that feature prominently in some stories plus some tote bags with the show logo.wearewaltham.com

'We are Waltham' is a storytelling show aimed at exploring the lives and experiences of residents of Waltham in order to entertain as well as help knit the community together. 

In keeping with the current standards of storytelling represented by popular shows like The Moth and Stories from the Stage, stories on this show will be true incidents from the lives of the tellers, told in their own authentic voices. In a world increasingly divided by ideology and suffering from Pandemic fallout, perhaps peeking into each others' realities might help us feel more like a community.  

Each show will attempt to have a cast of diverse tellers from many walks of life and stories will be their own but crafted with the help of a story telling coach. Hate speech will not be tolerated but an attempt will be made to accommodate all voices and perspectives. 

Its origins:

The show was conceived by Waltham resident Chandreyee Lahiri, a part-time writer and storyteller (chandreyeelahiri.com).

RESISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS FULL!

Mill Talk: Travel 3D with the 19th Century TimeGuys

presented by George L. Mutter, Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School and Bernard P. Fishman, Director, Maine State Museum, Augusta, ME

Magic glasses will be provided

Note: Due to the special nature of this 3D presentation, this Mill Talk will not be recorded or livestreamed. This is an in-person event only.

Warning:  This presentation is uncensored, showing imagery as it was prepared for and shown to audiences in the day.  Some content may be considered offensive to current sensibilities.  Viewer discretion is advised.

George Mutter trained in medicine at Harvard and Columbia, and is currently a Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School.  He is a prolific scientist and educator, having authored over 120 scientific papers, and delivered numerous invited lectures internationally. 

Bernard Fishman is an Egyptologist trained at Columbia U. and U. of Pennsylvania.  He worked in Egypt with the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago before becoming a nonprofit institution administrator.  He is presently the Director of the Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine.  

Mill Talk: THE HIDDEN COSTS OF A GREENER FUTURE
Unearthing the Environmental Impact of Electrification, presented by Dr. Tomas Villalón

FREE to the Public
REGISTRATION REQUIRED

This lecture will be recorded for later viewing on the WGBH Forum Network.

The sustainable future we are collectively building comes with significant environmental costs, primarily felt by the global south. The mining and processing of rare earth metals, nickel, cobalt, copper, and many other critical materials, essential for electrification and renewable technologies, often result in considerable ecological damage.

We will explore how the mining and extraction of these materials, while essential for driving forward the clean energy revolution, often contradicts the principles of environmental stewardship. The lecture will particularly focus on the impact in the global south, where much of the world's mining and refining activities take place, often with less stringent environmental regulations and oversight. This raises critical questions about the true cost of our transition to renewable energy and electric mobility.

In response to these challenges, Dr. Tomas Villalón will share Phoenix Tailings’ transformative approach to mining and material processing. Our innovative strategies aim to revolutionize the industry by extracting rare earth metals and other crucial materials sustainably. He will discuss their cutting-edge techniques for minimizing ecological impact through rethinking the approach to material refining and the remediation of toxic waste. By turning a historically pollutive process into a more environmentally responsible one and cleaning up the toxic byproducts of mining operations, Phoenix Tailings is not only contributing to the cleaner production of electrification materials but also paving the way for a more equitable and truly sustainable future.

Mill Talk: Community Engineering: Stories and Soaring to the Future

An Evening with Engineers Without Borders USA

Engage in a dynamic and lively conversation with the leaders and volunteers of Engineers Without Borders USA!

The Charles River Museum will host EWB-USA CEO Boris Martin, Former EWB-USA Board President Dr. Chris Lombardo, and EWB-USA volunteers from across the New England area for a happy hour social followed by a unique and forward-moving Mill Talk on community engineering. Expect to be regaled with stories of impact, engaged in reflection on engineers’ and educators’ calling, and moved toward action to build a better world.

Come for a happy hour social (with light appetizers and a cash bar) from 6-7 pm, and a dynamic and conversational Mill Talk with Dr. Boris Martin and Dr. Chris Lombardo from 7:15 to 8 pm.

Perhaps above all, Boris is proud to contribute to EWB-USA’s global impact projects that provide reliable access to safe water, renewable energy, nutritious food, and improved economic opportunities for thousands of underserved communities across the USA and around the world. His commitment is to make EWB-USA a leading Community Engineering organization and a catalyst and partner for Community Engineering around the world.

Dr. Chris Lombardo
Dr. Lombardo is currently employed at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences as the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies and Lecturer in Electrical Engineering. His teaching focuses on electronics, engineering design, and the intersection of engineering and human centered design with a focus on low resource settings.

Mill Talk:
How Dickens Helped Bring Christmas to Boston

Readings and performances of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol have played an integral part in winter holiday festivities since longer than most of us can remember. What fewer people know, however, is that the British literary superstar and his popular novella actually helped bring Christmas back to Boston.

Accompanied by a beautiful slide show, Susan Wilson—the Official House Historian of the Parker House—traces the history of Christmas celebrations, which were discouraged and even banned in the Puritan stronghold of colonial Boston. Wilson explains how and why Christmas finally began to be embraced in the mid 19th century, and how Charles Dickens' arrival in 1867—when he made his home at the Parker House for 5 months—really added fuel to the yule log.

We Are Waltham Storytelling

This program aims to build a stronger Waltham community. For those new to storytelling, Lahiri will offer guidance in crafting your presentation prior to the event.

Email Chandreyee at wearewaltham@gmail.com to pitch an idea for a story for a future show, maybe even this one!

About the show 'We are Waltham:

wearewaltham.com

'We are Waltham' is a storytelling show aimed at exploring the lives and experiences of residents of Waltham in order to entertain as well as help knit the community together. 

In keeping with the current standards of storytelling represented by popular shows like The Moth and Stories from the Stage, stories on this show will be true incidents from the lives of the tellers, told in their own authentic voices. In a world increasingly divided by ideology and suffering from Pandemic fallout, perhaps peeking into each others' realities might help us feel more like a community.  

Each show will attempt to have a cast of diverse tellers from many walks of life and stories will be their own but crafted with the help of a story telling coach. Hate speech will not be tolerated but an attempt will be made to accommodate all voices and perspectives. 

Its origins:

The show was conceived by Waltham resident Chandreyee Lahiri, a part-time writer and storyteller (chandreyeelahiri.com). It is brought to you by the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation and with the support of the Waltham Cultural Council. 

Drop-in Weaving!

Try your hand at weaving!

FREE with Museum Admission!!

Come learn how to weave on a table loom with instruction from Beth Guertin of "A Place to Weave"

Beth will be set up in the main gallery from 10-12 so come before 12 and get a chance to try your hand at weaving!

All ages are welcome, come with your family and learn how to weave!

Design & Fly Your Own Drone!

THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT!

TWO DAY WORKSHOP

Dates: July 13 (1:30-4:30) and July 14 (1:30-5:00)
Participants should plan to be at both sessions.

Participants: 6 max. Ages 14-18
Previous drone flying and 3d printing experience is useful but not required.

Cost: $50 (includes drone kit and Museum admission)

Sign up today for two afternoons of learning how to fly and design racing drones from some of the best in the business. At the end of this workshop, experienced and novice pilots alike will have honed their flying skills and used cutting-edge equipment to make design changes to customize their drones.

The sessions will take place in the iconic Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation and will be taught by Brandeis MakerLab leaders, drone racers themselves. You will not only be immersed in the Museum’s cool exhibits, but also get to experience its cutting-edge Collaboratory.

QUESTIONS? email: katherine.sorrows@charlesrivermuseum.org

Design & Fly Your Own Drone!

THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT!

TWO DAY WORKSHOP

Dates: July 13 (1:30-4:30) and July 14 (1:30-5:00)
Participants should plan to be at both sessions.

Participants: 6 max. Ages 14-18
Previous drone flying and 3d printing experience is useful but not required.

Cost: $50 (includes drone kit and Museum admission)

Sign up today for two afternoons of learning how to fly and design racing drones from some of the best in the business. At the end of this workshop, experienced and novice pilots alike will have honed their flying skills and used cutting-edge equipment to make design changes to customize their drones.

The sessions will take place in the iconic Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation and will be taught by Brandeis MakerLab leaders, drone racers themselves. You will not only be immersed in the Museum’s cool exhibits, but also get to experience its cutting-edge Collaboratory.

QUESTIONS? email: katherine.sorrows@charlesrivermuseum.org

SALT, SILVER, and SUNBEAMS
Exploring the Timeless Art of Wet Plate Collodion Tintype Photography

presented by Daniel Leocadi
danielleocadi.com

Note: This Talk will be recorded for sharing on the Museum’s YouTube channel at a later date

Daniel Leocadi

Daniel Leocadi is a photographer who specializes in creating unique portraits and landscape works using historical alternative photographic processes from the 1800s. He has dedicated the past decade to mastering these techniques, studying under notable experts such as Mark and France Osterman, as well as John Coffer. Leocadi's preferred method is wet plate collodion photography, a process discovered in the 1850s by Frederick Scott Archer in the UK, which uses silver and light to create images on glass or metal, also known as the Tintype. This process requires the material to stay wet throughout the process, and can take up to fifteen minutes to produce a single photograph.

SOLD OUT We Are Waltham Storytelling

This program aims to build a stronger Waltham community. For those new to storytelling, Lahiri will offer guidance in crafting your presentation prior to the event.

Email Chandreyee at wearewaltham@gmail.com to pitch an idea for a story for a future show, maybe even this one!

About the show 'We are Waltham:

wearewaltham.com

'We are Waltham' is a storytelling show aimed at exploring the lives and experiences of residents of Waltham in order to entertain as well as help knit the community together. 

In keeping with the current standards of storytelling represented by popular shows like The Moth and Stories from the Stage, stories on this show will be true incidents from the lives of the tellers, told in their own authentic voices. In a world increasingly divided by ideology and suffering from Pandemic fallout, perhaps peeking into each others' realities might help us feel more like a community.  

Each show will attempt to have a cast of diverse tellers from many walks of life and stories will be their own but crafted with the help of a story telling coach. Hate speech will not be tolerated but an attempt will be made to accommodate all voices and perspectives. 

Its origins:

The show was conceived by Waltham resident Chandreyee Lahiri, a part-time writer and storyteller (chandreyeelahiri.com). It is brought to you by the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation and with the support of the Waltham Cultural Council.