FITCHBURG — The Fitchburg Historical Society will host a lecture “Fitchburg’s Civil War Bowie Knives” at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 5, featuring knife collector and historian Don Anderson.
Anderson will present new research on 19th-century Fitchburg cutting-tool manufacturers Whitman and Miles, whose weapons were issued to local soldiers heading off to fight in the Civil War. His work also explores the company’s ties to the abolition movement and to local Fitchburg politics.
Augustus Whitman and Eugene T. Miles operated their partnership in Fitchburg from 1857 to 1876, before consolidating with another firm and relocating operations to Akron, Ohio. The pair were also founding backers of the Fitchburg Machine Company, established in the 1870s.
A graduate of Fitchburg High School, Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in education from Boston University. Since retiring from a career in workforce development, he has devoted his time to researching and collecting vintage knives.
During the lecture, Anderson will display artifacts made by Whitman and Miles, including the Bowie knife from his personal collection that inspired his research.
The Fitchburg Historical Society is located at 781 Main St. in the Phoenix Building. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.fitchburghistoricalsociety.com or call 978-345-1157.
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