Lectures, Workshops and Walking Tours
by Dr. William Marchione

Please consider an illustrated lecture, lecture series, walking tour or workshop by Dr. William P. Marchione.

Director of the Allston-Brighton Oral History Center, teacher of  Boston history at area colleges  and a member of the Boston Landmarks Commission, Dr. Marchione is a seasoned public lecturer with a varied repertoire of programs focusing chiefly on Boston-area history.  

Dr. Marchione has written four books and countless articles on the history of Greater Boston, including The Charles: A River Transformed  and The Italian-Americans of Greater Boston: A Proud Tradition.  

He has received a number of awards for his contributions to teaching, lecturing, and writing.  In 1993 he was named the "Outstanding American History Teacher in Massachusetts" by the Daughters of the American Revolution.  In 1998 he received the Bostonian Society’s  "Boston History Award” for his work as a teacher, lecturer, writer, and preservationist.  And in the year 2000 he was presented with the Pirandello Lyceum’s “I  Migliori” award for his contributions to the understanding of Italian history and culture.

A list of Dr. Marchione's lectures, workshops and walking tours:

1. Colonial Boston: City of the Puritans, 1630-1750
Deals with the foundation of Boston and its emergence as the principal commercial and political center of New England.

2. Boston in the Federal Period, 1786-1825
A feast for the eyes, this presentation describes the early 19th century transformation of Boston into an elegant Federal style metropolis.

3. The Charles: A River Transformed
This richly illustrated presentation traces the physical transformation of the Charles River Basin from a tidal estuary to a commercial and industrial highway in the 19th century, to its 20th century transformation into Boston's greatest recreational and visual amenity.

4. Water for the City: The Evolution of Boston’s Water Supply System
Metropolitan Boston boasts one of the finest water supply systems in the nation.  This slide/ lecture describes the development of that system from its primitive beginnings in the colonial period, to the establishment of the Cochituate Water Works system in the mid-19th century, to the building of the massive Quabbin Reservoir in the Swift River Valley.

5. Boston’s Cultural Golden Age, 1880-1920  
A five part lecture series adapted from Dr. Marchione’s university course, “Boston and the Fine Arts,” that focuses upon the impressive cultural achievements of Boston in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

I & II. Boston Architecture in the Golden Age
II.  Boston Landscape Design in the Golden Age
III. Boston Painting & Sculpture in the Golden Age
IV. Boston Music in the Golden Age

6. To  Market! To Market!  The Impact of Cattle Drives Upon the Roads and Villages of New England
Livestock drives were an important feature of transportation in New England in the early 19th century that has received little attention from historians.  This lecture will also consider the impact the movement, accommodation, sale, and slaughtering that these animals had upon the Town of Brighton, the headquarters of the region’s cattle and slaughtering industries.

7. The Life and Art of Washington Allston
No artist of the 19th century was held in higher regard by America's intelligentsia than Washington Allston, who resided in Boston and Cambridge during the last quarter century of his life.  This handsomely illustrated slide show traces the life and career of the preeminent American painter of his day.

8. The Patriot Painters: Peale, Stuart, Trumbull and Early American Art
This slide/lecture examine the contrasting lives and fascinating careers of the principal painters of our early national history.

9. The Italians of Greater Boston (In two parts: to 1910 and since 1910)
First developed for the Center for Italian Culture in 1995, part 1 of this illustrated lecture tells the story of early Italian immigration into the Boston area, the factors that generated the immigrant influx, and the conditions that these immigrants faced up to 1910. Part 2 carries the story forward to the present day. A perfect offering for October,  Italian Heritage Month in Massachusetts.

10. An Illustrated History of Brookline: Boston’s ‘First Suburb”
Developed for the Brookline Tricentennial (1705-2995), this profusely illustrated PowerPoint presentation provides a brief account of the fascinating story of Boston’s premier 19th century elite suburb.

11.  Walking Tours of the North End, Beacon Hill, the Back Bay, and  the Brighton Center National Register District
Dr. Marchione is available to lead informative and insightful walking tours of several of Boston’s most interesting neighborhoods.

12. Oral History Workshops
Dr. Marchione has wide experience in the field of oral history, having conducted or supervised several hundred oral interviews over the past twenty years, and having developed public programs based upon oral history resources.  He is currently serving as Director of the Allston-Brighton Oral History Center, in which capacity he provides training in effective oral interviewing techniques.   
 
Dr. Marchione may be reached for inquiries about fees and scheduling at 617-782-8483 or wpmarchione@rcn.com