Holy Cross Libraries

These titles represent some of the many items in the Rare Books collection of Archives and Distinctive Collections that tell the story of and celebrate American Independence:

The first image is a 1776 imprint. "A Vindication of the Rev. Mr. Wesley’s “Calm Address to the American Colonies” in Some Letters to Mr. Caleb Evans by John Fletcher, Vicar of Madeley" is a defense of Methodist founder John Wesley’s 1775 “Calm Address,” which argued against the American colonists' rebellion and defended Parliament's right to tax them. Wesley's pamphlet was highly polarizing and his successor, John Fletcher, wrote a “vindication” in support of Wesley.

"The Journal of Charles Carroll, during his visit to Canada, in 1776, as one of the commissioners from Congress" recounts Carroll’s diplomatic trip to Quebec seeking support for the impending War of Independence. Charles Carroll, from Maryland, was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only Catholic signer, and also happened to be Jesuit-educated.

The "Address to the City Council and citizens of Worcester, July 4th, 1876" by Benjamin Franklin Thomas was given at the City of Worcester’s celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1876. Thomas was a Massachusetts politician and the grandson of the famous printer and patriot from Worcester, Isaiah Thomas.

📸 College of the Holy Cross Archives and Distinctive Collections

Samuel Adams was a prominent figure in the American Revolution and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His signature also appears on this probate document, which was signed in 1796, when he was Governor of Massachusetts. The autograph is part of the Patrick O'Connor Collection in Archives and Distinctive Collections at the College of the Holy Cross.

📸College of the Holy Cross Archives and Disinctive Collections

John Hancock’s autograph features prominently on the Declaration of Independence. It also appears here, when as President of the Continental Congress, he signed this commission of John Hooghkerk as First Lieutenant of Co. G, First Battalion of New York Forces on Nov. 21, 1776. This framed portrait and autographed document is part of the Edward Bennett Williams Autograph Collection in Archives and Distinctive Collections at the College of the Holy Cross.

📸 College of the Holy Cross Archives and Distinctive Collections

The 27th Annual Convention of the International Catholic Deaf Association was filled with both the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of '76! This program from the Bicentennial Convention, held July 1-17, 1976 in Los Angeles, is part the Deaf Catholic Archives collection in Archives and Distinctive Collections at the College of the Holy Cross.

📸 Deaf Catholic Archives

These simple-looking blocks of wood are pieces of the elm tree that stood in Cambridge, Massachusetts under which George Washington is said to have taken command of the American Army on July 3, 1775. They were presented by the City of Cambridge in 1924 and are now items in the Special Collections at the College of the Holy Cross. The legendary tree fell in 1923, and the story is now considered more myth than fact. However, July 2 does indeed mark the 250th anniversary of George Washington's arrival in Cambridge followed by his inspection of troops in Cambridge on July 3.

📸 College of the Holy Cross Archives and Disinctive Collections; Cousins, Frank, “Cambridge, views, Washington elm tree,” ca. 1865-1914, Frank Cousins Glass Plate Negatives Collection, PhotoVault_Box 82_3721. Courtesy of Phillips Library, Peabody Essex Museum, Rowley, MA.

Happy Independence Day! The Holy Cross Libraries will be closed this Thursday and Friday in observance of this holiday.

A previous post about O’Kane Hall generated questions about the gymnasium and running track. The gym was located in the southwest corner of the basement. By 1925, the gymnasium was transformed into a student recreation hall. O’Kane was also the location of the Chemistry Department and laboratories until 1959, when the department was relocated to Haberlin Hall.

July 4, 2026 marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Visit the Reading the Revolution display in Dinand Library for a selection of books that highlight the complex history of the United States and 250 years of progress towards life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

For more suggested reading, visit the MA250 Reading the Revolution Toolkit provided by the Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB) and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) . Link below:

https://mblc.state.ma.us/programs-and-support/public-awareness/toolkit-ma250.php

On this day in …

On June 21, 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt attended the College of the Holy Cross Commencement Ceremony. An invitation was extended to him after Father Hanselman, S.J., then College president, discovered that President Roosevelt would be traveling through Worcester. Commencement exercises were held on Fitton Field for the first time, in order to accommodate the great number of visitors expected to be on campus.

The College of the Holy Cross campus has been recognized over the years for its beauty and has earned numerous awards for its landscaping. Paul Rogers, a noted local horticulturalist, served as Superintendent of Grounds from 1958-1974. His successor, Jim Long, held several positions during his 53-year tenure at the College before retiring as Superintendent of Grounds in 2010. In 1977, then College president Rev. John E. Brooks, S.J. presented members of the Grounds crew with a special brass buckle to commemorate Holy Cross being named the best maintained campus of any educational institution in the U.S. by the Professional Grounds Management Society.