Woburn Historical Society
BURDETT MANSION
Home of
Woburn Historical Society
7 Mishawum Road
PO Box 91
Woburn, MA 01801
781.933.5002
Info@WoburnHistoricalSociety.com
* * * * * * * * * *
OFFICE HOURS:
Mondays and Wednesdays
10 am to 2 pm
Saturdays
10 am to 12 pm
Welcome to the Woburn Historical Society
Monday, December 8th at 7:00 PM
Woburn Memorial High School
Big Band Swing PowerPoint w/Music Clips
John Clark from The Great American Music Experience will present a dynamic PowerPoint with music clips. The Big Band era officially started in the summer of 1935 but the transition from hot jazz and Dixieland had begun much earlier in the decade. We’ll trace the roots of Big Band music, including the back story of the King of Swing himself, Benny Goodman. Then you’ll hear Benny’s hits like Goody, Goody, Taking a Chance on Love and the historic Carnegie Hall performance of Sing, Sing, Sing! You’ll also be treated to live performances of Goodman vocalists Martha Tilton and Peggy Lee. The last third of the program will be devoted to the most popular bandleader of this period, Glenn Miller with 22 chart-topping songs from 1939-1943. You’ll understand the origins of the unmistakable Glenn Miller sound heard clearly in his theme song, Moonlight Serenade. You’ll see live performances of two of his biggest hits, Chattanooga Choo Choo and In the Mood. There’s even footage of Glenn leading the 50-piece Army Air Force Band in the summer of 1944, just months before he boarded the flight to France that took his life. For ten years orchestral jazz became America’s popular music and you’re invited to wax nostalgic as you learn about two of its biggest stars. The program is free and open to the public.
Tanneries
Tanneries
Do you know that Woburn was once a significant American tannery location? The first tannery in Woburn was a small tan-yard started by the Wyman brothers in 1666 in the Central Square area.
Tanneries in Woburn
Tanneries in Woburn
As the nation grew so did the demand for leather which was essential in making shoes, boots, belts, saddles, harnesses, gloves, etc. Many shops opened in Woburn selling these products. From 1840-1865 Woburn was a major center for leather production in the country with 26 tanneries flourishing in the town.
Tanneries needed workers and immigrants from Ireland were the first group to come to America and Woburn specifically to fill the many jobs available. Soon thereafter came Italians, Greeks, and Swedes changing Woburn forever. New immigrants arrived throughout the 19th century enhancing the ethnic mix of the town.
As labor costs increased and demand for leather decreased and because many leather products were replaced by plastic, the tannery industry slowly but surely closed in Woburn. The last tannery in Woburn, the John J. Riley Company on Salem Street, closed in 1988.
As the Woburn Historical Society approaches its
20th anniversary in 2026,
we proudly recognize
John and Kathy Flaherty
for their unwavering support since our founding in 2006.
​​Their generosity has
sustained our mission, provided the Society with a home in the Burdett Mansion since 2010, and enriched the City of Woburn through their continued philanthropy.