In February 1882, a raging fire leveled most of the buildings in Haverhill's shoe district. But like a phoenix, the "Queen Slipper City" rose from the rubble and began its reconstruction while the charred bricks were still warm.
Though the shoe industry eventually waned, the history of Haverhill remains vibrant. Discover the legend of pioneer Hannah Duston—the first woman in America to be honored with a public monument—who in 1697 fought her way out of captivity among local Indians and returned to Haverhill to tell the tale. Learn about the rail and river catastrophes that the city overcame, and the coal men, peddlers and ice harvesters who were long hallmarks of Haverhill life. In Remembering Haverhill, Charles Turner captures the spirit of the most tenacious and resilient city in the Merrimack Valley.