Timeline Bahá’í Faith in Worcester
The Rich History of Central Massachusetts
Events related to the Bahá’í Faith are shown in red letters. General historic events are shown with regular black letters.
Years
- 1700 – 1840
- 1840 – 1850’s
- 1860’s – 1900
- 1907 – 1913
- 1914 – 1920
- 1920’s
- 1930’s – 1940’s
- 1950 – 1973
- 1991 – present
1700 – 1840
- 1722 – Worcester was first established as a town
- 1774 – First revolt of the American revolution against British authority happened across Worcester county
- 1776 July – US Declaration of Independence was first publicly read in Massachusetts by Isaiah Thomas in Worcester
- 1828 – Opening Blackstone Canal. Many Swedish family moved to the area
- 1835 – Worcester and Providence Railroad opens, replacing the Canal
1840 – 1850’s
- 1844, May 23 – The Bab declared His mission
- 1848 – At Badasht Conference in Persia, Tahirih, the Pure, appeared unveiled as the only woman participant
- 1848 – Worcester becomes a city. Industries attracted lots of immigrants
- 1850,October 23 and 24 – 1st National Women’s Rights Convention was held in Brinley Hall, Worcester (Commerce Building, 340 Main St.)
- 1850, July 9 – The Báb was martyred in Tabriz, Persia
1860’s – 1900
- 1861- 65 – American civil war
- 1863 – Bahá’u’lláh announced His Mission
- 1863 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation
- 1876 – Florence Morton, prominent early Bahá’í, was born in Worcester
- 1887 – Clark University is founded in Worcester
- 1898-99 – Howard C. Struven accepted the Faith in Baltimore
1907 – 1913
- 1907 – Florence Morton learned about the faith in Green Acre
- 1912, Feb. – Hebe Struven (Moore), Lua Getsinger’s sister, married Howard C. Struven in Washington D.C.
- 1912 April-Dec. – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá traveled to the U.S & Canada
- 1912 May 23 – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visits Clark University in Worcester after invitation by Prof. Blakeslee
- 1912 Nov. 11 – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visits Struven family in Baltimore for lunch
- 1913 – Howard Douglas, son of Howard C. and Hebe, first Bahá’í child in Worcester, was born in Baltimore
1914 – 1920
- 1914 – Dr. Robert H. Goddard of Clark University patented first liquid fuel rocket
- 1914/16 – Struven family moved to Worcester. “First” Bahá’ís in the city
- 1918 – Hebe Struven was Worcester delegate to the 10th Annual Convention of Bahá’í Temple Unity
- 1916-20 – Florence Morton & Amelia Collins studied the faith with the Struvens
- 1920 – The Struvens registered at NSA of US & Canada, along with Mr. Arthur Hathaway, as the first Bahá’ís in Worcester
- 1920 – 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified giving women the right to vote. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony spoke at Mechanics Hall in Worcester
1920’s
- 1922 – Listed as Worcester’s Bahá’ís at NSA archives: Arthur A. Hathaway, Mr. & Mrs. Struven, Mr. & Mrs. Green, Ellen M. Burt
- 1924 – Worcester has its first LSA elected at Ridvan
- 1924 – 16th annual convention Bahá’í Temple Unity held at Bancroft Hotel in Worcester.
- 1926 – Multi-faith World Unity Conferences held in Worcester. Participation of prominent Bahá’ís
- 1926 – Florence Morton & Milly Collins elected to NSA
1930’s – 1940’s
- 1930’s- 40’s – Worcester LSA rents offices for Bahá’í center in downtown (393 Main St. & 306 Main St.)
- 1940’s – Florence Morton dedicates family’s summer residence, Glen Morton, in Paxton, MA (now Moore State Park) for Bahá’í meetings
1950 – 1973
- 1950’s & 1960’s – Civil Rights Movement
- 1962 – Univ. of Massachusetts Medical School was established in Worcester
- 1963 – Harvey Ball designed the famous Smiley Face
- 1963 – Universal House of Justice is established
- 1973 – Westborough, MA elects its first LSA. It existed until ~ late 1980’s
- Mid 1970’s – mid 80’s – Shrewsbury also had its first LSA
1991 – present
- 1991 June 9 – Worcester mayor, Jordan Levy, proclaims Race Unity Day
- 2006 – Nov Black Men’s Gathering for the Northeastern region at Clark University
- 2012 – Commemoration 100 year anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Worcester
- 2017, 2019 – Celebration 200 year birthday of Bahá’u’lláh & the Báb
- 2022 – Current Shrewsbury LSA elected
- 2023 – 2024 – Worcester cluster ATC and Institute coordinators established
