Massachusetts Archives - Planet Whitley

Why leaf-peeping is not just for old people

Driving through New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, the joy of autumn colours reveals itself. What is leaf-peeping? Up until I actually tried it, I’d treated the concept of “leaf-peeping” with utter contempt. For the uninitiated, the general concept works as follows: You drive…

Boston, driving, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, USA

One of many witches in Salem, Massachusetts.

Salem, Massachusetts: From witch trials to Halloween central

The Salem Witch trials made this Massachusetts city notorious – but it has now embraced all things spooky. Cry Innocent in Salem, Massachusetts On the stand, Bridget Bishop is doing herself no favours. She’s failing to hide her contempt for all concerned, and her claims…

Massachusetts, Salem, USA, witches

The invention of baseball – and the Abner Doubleday myth

Desperately trying to get some kind of understanding of baseball, David Whitley heads to Boston’s Fenway Park and Cooperstown, where the game was supposedly invented. Hunched over the bar, faintly jet-lagged, the statistics blizzard fired past. I had, I quickly realised, no idea what any…

baseball, Boston, Massachusetts, museums, New York, sport, USA

The John Harvard statue on the Harvard University campus, Massachusetts.

Understanding Harvard: Legends and Campus Life

Harvard University, rich in tradition and legends, offers intriguing stories, campus rituals, and a notable town-gown rivalry in Cambridge.

Boston, Massachusetts, tours, USA