A letter penned by a solider on Christmas Eve in 1863 is the highlight of the display of Civil War memorabilia at the main Framingham Library. Veterans Agent Peter Harvell said he sould see the "very same letter dated  2010 Christmas Eve coming from Iraq or Afghanistan. The only difference is that it would be an email and 150 years from now, it will have long ago been deleted." Below is the completed text of the letter: P.T.S.S.C.P.L.N.C.*                                   Dec. 24, 1863. (*Pine Tree Signal Station Cut Post Line North Carolina)Dear Susie. I feel lonely this Christmas Eve for I…

Framingham High senior Sam Gilvarg, dressed as a Union soldier, talked about camp life during the Civil War to a group of families at the main Framingham Library yesterday afternoon. He was joined by Confederate soliders 1st Lieutenant Dave Pincins and Provost Marshal Captain Mal Grant of the 12th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment Company F (www.12thgeorgia.org). Framingham Library staff created authentic Civil War-era refreshments. Served were tea cakes; Jonnycake, made with cornmeal; gingerbread and authentic Hardtack, made in Massachusetts.  

Before he had a chance to take the oath of office and dance with his wife Mary at the inaugural ball in January 1861, Abraham Lincoln knew the daunting task before him. One month after the election, South Carolina had made its intention clear in December that it did not want to be part of the United States any longer and formally seceded. And on Jan. 18, 1861, three months before the start of the war, Massachusetts pledged men and money to president-elect Lincoln to preserve the Union -- if it came to that. Portrayed by Steve Wood of Claremont, N.H., the tall, gangly "Abraham Lincoln," …

Harvard University historian and author John Stauffer tells the story of the origins and evolution of the song first sung in Framingham: The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Stauffer spoke  at the main Framingham Library earlier this week.

The great-great-grandson of Julie Ward Howe Charles Wiggins Putnam told the audience assembled yesterday afternoon at Plymouth Church that his famous ancestor was more than words she penned for her famous poem The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Plymouth Church and Framingham Reads Together produced a program recalling Julia Ward Howe, her poem The Battle Hymn of the Republic and its first singing at was is now Plymouth Church in Framingham. Born in New York City, Julia was a descendant of Roger Williams on her father's side. She was named for both her older sister Julia, who died at age 3, two …

Yesterday afternoon, families gathered at the main Framingham Library to turn in their Zab-spotting scavenger hunt forms. For the past month, families were encouraged to travel throughout North and South Framingham to find replica's of Civil War doctor Dr. Zabdiel "Zab" B. Adams. Students from Keefe Tech created the 13 life-size blue replicas of the historic Framingham resident.  The life-size cutouts were placed in historic and important locations in town including the Memorial Building, Cushing Park, Keefe Tech, Hanson's Farm and Danforth Museum of Art. The idea was to teach students and …

Stephen Collins brought his one-man show about poet Walt Whitman to life yesterday at the Amazing Things Arts Center, as part of the Framingham Reads Together 2001 program. His show Unlaunch'd Voices: An Afternoon with Walt Whitman  opens with Whitman about to celebrate his 70th birthday. Whitman reminisces on his poems, his key moments in his life, his critics, his successes and his thoughts when he wrote Leaves of Grass to the audience. Whitman, sometimes called the father of free verse, self-published his Leaves of Grass. Collins, as Whitman, explains that collection of poems were meant to…

Looking for a fun activity this week?  Want to do something fun with the kids on early release Thursday? There is less than a week to go in the town-wide hunt for the wooden replica of Dr. Zab Adams.  Perhaps, you've noticed the bright blue and green wooden figures around Framingham.  There are 12 of them around town and the Framingham Public Library is sponsoring a contest to find them all.  The figures represent Dr. Zab Adams, a Framingham physician who served at Gettysburg. You can pick up a form at the McAuliffe branch, the mainlibrary  or download one at this link:http://www.…

Historic performer Dave Downs entertained a crowd at Framingham Library  Sunday with his educational, and at times humorous look, at Civil War medicine and the tools used in the mid 1800s. Downs, as part of a Framingham Read Together 2011 program, presented medical instruments that Framingham's Dr. Zabdiel B. Adams may have used while at Gettysburg during the Civil War. He discussed herbal medicine used during the the 1800s including licorice, peppermint, catnip tea and dandelion weeds. Downs asked the audience if they have ever tried any of these herbal methods. Some had. He showed tools to …

Dr. Zabdiel Adams may not be a household name in Framingham right now, but that’s about to change. Dr. Adams, a Civil War-era doctor, is known affectionately to Framingham Library staff as “Dr. Zab.” Sunday, the library kicks off a Zab-spotting scavenger hunt that aims to teach every family in town about Framingham’s most famous physician. It’s a family-oriented component of Framingham Reads Together 2011, the town's "one book, one community" program. The Zab-spotting begins this Sunday, March 6th, at 2 p.m., with a series of events at the main library. First, entertainer Dave Downs will …

Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer prize- winning novel The Killer Angels is the focus of tonight's book discussion at the monthly event at the main Framingham Library. The discussion starts at 7 p.m. in the Costin room and will be led by Framingham Reads Together co-chair Liz Fideler. The Killer Angels is the 2011 Framingham Reads Together book. The book is a compelling, thought-provoking piece that outlines the events immediately before and during the Battle of Gettysburg, through deft characterization of all the key players. Don't worry if you have not finished the Framingham Reads Together 2011 …

Framingham Parks and Recreation, in conjunction with the Framingham Reads 2011 program, is offering a 3-day and 2-night motor coach trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvannia. The tour leaves on Friday, April 29 and returns on Sunday, May 1. A $100 deposit per person is required by March 10. The cost for the trip ranges based on accommodations. $479 for twins, $589 for single, $449 for triple and $419 for quad. Full payment is due by March 25. A trip cancellation fee of $40 per person is available. Trip participants will receive round trip deluxe motor coach transportation throughout, refreshments on …

Starting this week and continuing through April, Framingham will be abuzz with talk of the Civil War as residents attend book groups, watch historical movies, play games from the 1800s, and even have a chance to go to Gettysburg, PA. It’s all part of Framingham Reads Together, the town’s “one book, one community” initiative. This year’s book is The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel set during the Civil War. “The Killer Angels tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863 from the viewpoints of both Union and Confederate officers,” said …

The Framingham Public Library invites residents to participate in Framingham Reads Together, the library's second town-wide “One Book” program, in March and April. The Library and local partner institutions are hosting a series of exciting and educational events for adults and children based on the theme: “The Civil War—On the Battlefield and the Home Front.” Brochures detailing all the events were delivered to the main and branch libraries today. Residents can pick up a free copy next time they visit a library. The featured book, The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, is a Pulitzer Prize-…