WALKING TOUR To Vax or Not To Vax: Smallpox in Early Boston
About this Event
Smallpox: the great killer of the 17th century. Europeans brought the disease to New England, causing the deaths of untold numbers of Indigenous people - up to 70% or even 90% of some tribes. Smallpox left villages abandoned across the region in what Puritan colonists thought was a providential sign that they had the right to seize the land. But even the English, with some immunity, suffered terribly from this disease. This new PHB walking tour, researched deeply by Michael Prochilo, takes you into the disease-ridden past, with the terrors of sudden, inexplicable death and a dramatic debate: should Bostons vaccinate - or not? Meet at Park Street Station for an amazing walking tour.
This walking tour, tracing the landmarks of smallpox and the early debate over vaccination, explores both the cost to Indigenous people and how English settlers wrestled with the disease in the first century of colonization.
During the tour, we will investigate how the colonists saw smallpox and tried to contain it, and how smallpox roiled their society in a number of ways. Had God handed the Shawmut peninsula over to them by clearing out the Native population, or was he punishing them with the same pestilence for not sufficiently following His word? Could smallpox be successfully treated by medical methods practiced since the time of the Romans, or would new, more radical methods (some employed by West Africans, including Onesimus, an African man enslaved by Cotton Mather, and Turks) prove more effective?
A number of familiar local figures feature in our story, though in perhaps unfamiliar roles. For instance, Cotton Mather is generally known as a significant minister and for his role in the Salem witch trials and in drafting rules for enslaved people, but here he appears as an Enlightenment scientist who would get blood boiling of certain politicians today. Come along with us for this and other fascinating surprises.
This tour is led by Michael Prochilo, a student of history whose expert research has revealed new links to early Boston’s smallpox epidemics and how its society coped, argued over treatment, and survived.
The tour lasts approximate 1½ hours.
Due to ongoing construction by the city, the tour route is sadly not wheelchair-friendly.
Meet at Park St. Station Plaza, at the corner of Park and Tremont streets, downtown Boston. Nearest T stop: Park Street Station
Don't forget to bring water and wear comfy shoes!
If you need to cancel, please let us know ASAP at [email protected] so that we can let someone on the waitlist take your place.
Meeting place: Park Street Plaza, next to Park Street T station, corner of Tremont and Park Streets, downtown Boston
The Partnership of Historic Bostons is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to telling the story of everyone in early New England, from rebellious women to Native people enslaved during King Philip's War to English Puritans. We believe the 17th century is the foundational moment in American history.
FAQs
What are my transport/parking options? Parking in Boston is difficult, so we recommend public transportation to Park Street, either by T or bus. If you need to drive, there is a parking lot under the Boston Common.
What should I bring? We advise that you wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes for Boston’s uneven pavements. And bring some water to make sure you stay hydrated!
How can I contact the organizer with any questions? Email Andy at [email protected]
Image: Rash of pustules on the hand of a patient probably suffering from smallpox. Watercolour by R. Carswell, 1831. Wellcome Collection
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 12.51
