If you took a bounty of historic attractions, miles of sandy
beaches, liberal portions of succulent seafood, plenty of performing
arts centers, a smattering of ski resorts and scenic highways, and a
heaping portion of world-class museums, you'd have the recipe for a
stellar vacation destination. You'd also have the state of
Massachusetts, the birthplace of the American Revolution and an
enduring leader in shaping the intellectual, political, and artistic
direction of the United States. No state is home to more symbolic
sites, and none is more steeped in the American patriotic tradition.
In 1620, the Pilgrims, seeking freedom from religious persecution
in England, landed in Massachusetts at Provincetown on Cape Cod.
They chose Plymouth a bit further north as the site of their
permanent settlement. America's annual Thanksgiving holiday hearkens
back to the Pilgrims' feast in 1621 in celebration of their first
successful harvest. Ten years later, Boston, now the state's capital
city, was founded by John Winthrop and his group of Puritans who
followed the Pilgrims to this new land.
Massachusetts took the lead a century later in forging a separate
national identity for the American colonies. From the fiery speeches
of the Sons of Liberty at Boston's Faneuil Hall to the Boston
Massacre to the Boston Tea Party to the midnight ride of Paul Revere
to the Battle of Lexington and Concord that marked the start of war
between the colonies and the motherland, Massachusetts ignited the
rebellion and bore more than its share of the burden in the fight
for independence. The Constitution of Massachusetts remains the
oldest written constitution still in effect.
In the 1800s, Massachusetts was a leader in the antislavery
movement, in eliminating child labor, and in imposing minimum wage
laws. It was also the intellectual capital of the country, and home
to philosophers and authors like Emerson and Thoreau, social
thinkers like Dorothea Dix who crusaded on behalf of the mentally
ill, and pioneers like Horace Mann who lobbied for universal
education. The state was also a key early industrial center. In the
20th century, Massachusetts has given the U.S. several generations
of Kennedys who have risen to political prominence, beat generation
spokesman Jack Kerouac, and popular illustrator Norman Rockwell, who
captured many of this century's most enduring images of American
life.
Travelers will find Boston and neighboring Cambridge to be a
diverse metropolitan area, boasting some of the country's finest
cultural institutions, professional sports arenas, and more than 100
colleges and universities that keep Massachusetts at the forefront
of intellectual debate and scientific discovery. North of Boston,
Cape Ann's beaches and eclectic towns and the witchcraft lore of
Salem are popular with visitors. The Merrimack Valley is home to the
battlefields of Lexington and Concord and the former homes of
Massachusetts literary legends. South of Boston, explore the state's
whaling history and the lives of its first settlers, the Pilgrims.
Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard have a flavor all their
own--they're the perfect oceanside antidote to Boston's urban
bustle. In the central part of the state, you'll find Springfield,
the birthplace of basketball, and college towns such as Amherst and
Northampton. The Berkshires of western Massachusetts are a summer
haven for arts lovers, a picturesque paradise in autumn, and a
winter wonderland for skiers.
Return to Massachusetts again and again. You'll always find
something you've not yet discovered amid its perfect blend of
getaway ingredients.
