Candy-Making and Memory in Boston

The Boston candy-making industry goes back to the 1760s, when an Irish immigrant named John Hannon built a chocolate mill on the Neponset River in Dorchester. For over 250 years, the city was a confectionary hub, boasting over a hundred candy producers at its peak in the early 20th century.

The story of candy-making (and candy-eating) here is a complex one whose origins include the rise of industrialization, immigration, and the legacy of slavery both in Massachusetts and in the Caribbean. This program will explore several centuries of candy history, focusing on the people who worked in the candy industry, and those who have consumed and enjoyed it over the decades.

Presenter Bio:
Beth Folsom is program manager at History Cambridge, where she works to create programming that shares the stories of all Cantabrigians. Beth is a graduate of Wellesley College and American University, with a B.A. and M.A. in early American history. She has worked as an adjunct professor at Framingham State University, Emmanuel College, and the University of Massachusetts Boston, as well as at the Winsor School. Beth is particularly passionate about monuments and memorials, and the landscape of public memory in New England.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Boston Public Library - Central Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, United States