Boston is a city known to be rich in history, so it is only fitting that the Massachusetts State House has served as the backdrop to events ranging from the creation of the gerrymander to the crusade against the “Red Menace” and the theft of the Sacred Cod. Former State Representative and author Josh Cutler dives into these stories and more, connecting them in his latest offering, Under the Golden Dome: Historic Talks and Tales from the Massachusetts State House, which was published by Clipper Press and released last month.
From the stirring oratory of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the inspiring words of Helen Keller, to the fiery rhetoric of Theodore Roosevelt and the fearless advocacy of Angela Grimké and Dorothea Dix, Cutler offers a vivid portrait of historic personalities as well as moments, spanning two centuries within the historic walls of the Massachusetts State House. Even the unexpected appearance of Jackie Gleason, the daring flights of Amelia Earhart, and the machinations of Richard Nixon find their place in the rich tapestry of history, politics, and human drama that has unfolded Under the Golden Dome.
Under the Golden Dome is the third book authored by Cutler. Previously, he examined the role of a young Federalist editor in the War of 1812 in Mobtown Massacre: Alexander Hanson and the Baltimore Newspaper War of 1812, published by The History Press in 2019 and winner of the 2020 Baltimore History Prize. Cutler also wrote about the abolitionist movement in Boston in the 1830s in The Boston Gentlemen’s Mob: Maria Chapman and the Abolition Riot of 1835, also published by The History Press in 2021.
“From my time serving under the golden dome, I’ve been intrigued by all that has transpired in the Massachusetts State House,” said Cutler. “Researching its history and sharing its stories has been a true labor of love.”
Before being elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he represented the sixth Plymouth district for 11 years, Cutler was a publisher and editor of the Duxbury Clipper.
Under the Golden Dome is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org. For more information, please visit https://joshscutler.com.