Tuberculosis? Didn’t that Disappear in the Last Century?

Tuberculosis, commonly known as TB, is one of the oldest known infectious diseases, having been found in Egyptian mummies from 3000 BC.             In 17th and 18th century Europe it was known as “consumption,” and was commonly depicted in literature and opera. Marguerite, the heroine of the novel The Lady of the Camelias and the […] Read more »

Gardening with Compassion

As many lawns begin to fry, there isn’t much you can do to reverse it so take time out to think about what is really important in our communion with nature. Is it just about having a lush green lawn and perfectly balanced borders? We all seek perfection, but the bigger picture deserves consideration.             […] Read more »

They’re Leaving Boston… But to Where?

            This week in Revolutionary War History, let’s discuss what was going on 250 years ago in and around the colonial Province of Massachusetts Bay. The best way to figure out what was going on was to read Washington’s papers and General Orders of the time period, as there was daily correspondence and orders put […] Read more »

2025 Keel Awards

            The Wanderer is pleased to announce that we are soliciting nominations for our 31st annual “Wanderer Keel Awards.” The yearly community service honor, presented to one Tri-Town resident from each of the three central towns in our circulation area, will be announced in our August 28 edition, and each winner will be the subject […] Read more »

The Marion Town Party Returns!

Marion’s 2025 Town Party was held at Silvershell Beach on Saturday, July 24. In the midst of days with soaring temperatures, heat advisories and sporadic rainfall, the weekend was comparably “mild,” though still sunny and warm.             Donna Hemphill, executive assistant to the town administrator and Town Party organizer, stated at earlier town and Select […] Read more »

Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You?

The term “gaslighting” originates from a 1938 play and later movie which depicted a husband who manipulates his wife by dimming their gaslights and then denying that the lights have changed, making her doubt her own perception and sanity. The term has since become a psychological term for a form of emotional abuse where one […] Read more »

Further Organization and Discipline

            This week in Revolutionary War History, let’s discuss what was going on 250 years ago in and around the colonial Province of Massachusetts Bay.             The best way to figure out what was going on was to read Washington’s papers and General Orders of the time period, as there was daily correspondence and orders […] Read more »

A History of the Mattapoisett Town Band

            Mattapoisett has had a town band since the mid-1800s. It’s likely it was formed the same year the town was incorporated: 1857. Archeological forensics notwithstanding, what we do have is very compelling.             Thanks to the Mattapoisett Museum, we have photographic evidence, historical instruments, and early handwritten musical scores. Photographs show the Mattapoisett Cornet […] Read more »

‘Sold!’

            This year’s Harbor Days was held with some sporadic, less-than-optimal weather patterns. However, as per usual, it was a success. Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and July 20, Shipyard Park packed in artisan stands like sardines, accompanied by the huge foodie-tent and patrons from across the Tri-Towns and beyond.             The event is regularly […] Read more »

“This Just In!”

Today, should one want to figure out what’s going on, there are plenty of sources to turn to, from The Wanderer, for local goings-on, to The Boston Globe for more state-wide news, to the big APs, NBCs, and Foxs focusing national/international coverage. However, at the time of the nation’s founding, how would we have figured […] Read more »