FALL RIVER — There’s no shortage of interesting Fall River history.
Each year, Fall River Historical Society finds a few gems to present in its summer lecture series.
This year’s series will kick off Tuesday, July 9, with “River Rocks – Landmarks, Stones and Stories,” by Bill Goncalo.
“This should be very interesting,” said Historical Society assistant Curator Dennis Binette.
Goncalo will share his knowledge about local rocks and stones, some of which are things of legend. He’ll talk about Profile Rock, which was recently destroyed, and the city’s Rolling Rock, among others, and the downtown fire of 1928 that “exposed” the granite ledge.
Three other lectures will be offered on consecutive Tuesdays this month. All will be held at Bristol Community College, in lecture room C-111, 6:30 p.m. The series is free, but donations will be accepted to support society programs.
Binette said society members “brainstorm” interesting historical tidbits for the series each year to complement speakers’ “field of expertise.”
“Fortunately, there are a lot of people out there with lot of different interests,” Binette said. “There’s so much history in the city of Fall River. It just needs to be made public.”
On Tuesday, July 16, “Downtown Fall River: From Sleepy Crossorads to Bustling City Center” will be presented by Bob Kitchen. The lecture will take listeners back to downtown’s early days and into its mid-20th century heyday when the streets were filled with shops and pedestrians.
“He’s got some great illustrations,” Binette said.
History lovers will learn about murder on Tuesday, July 23, in “Murderous Southcoast: 1826-2016 – 190 years of ‘Murder, Manslaughter, and Mayhem,’” with Stefani Koorey. The talk will be based on findings of the three-volume series of the same name, by John B. “Red” Cummings Jr. and Koorey.
The last lecture, “Could it be that Fall River’s Finest Year was 1953? Let’s see,” by Philip Silvia Jr., will explore the year before the city’s 150th anniversary and what it was like living during a time of civic pride, community spirit and purpose.
Binette said those attending the lectures should be prepared to arrive on time – or early. He said lectures were so well-attended last summer that some people were turned away due to the room’s seating capacity of 125.
“We had record attendance last year,” Binette said. “My recommendation is: Come early.”
To learn more, contact the Historical Society at 508-679-1071, ext. 5.
Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com.