Speaker Series: Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness

American Heritage Museum Speakers Series
Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness - Joshua Shanley

This presentation explores the pivotal but often overlooked role Massachusetts played during the Cold War, when military and civil defense infrastructure—such as bunkers, radars, and missile launchers—were embedded into the state’s landscape. At the center of the story is the Framingham bunker, the nation’s first blast-resistant state emergency operations center, built to ensure continuity of government in the event of a nuclear strike. Drawing on archival research, site visits, and more than 30 years of experience in public safety and emergency management, author and historian Joshua Shanley examines how Cold War-era planning shaped modern emergency preparedness—and why its legacy still matters today.

About the Presenter
Joshua Shanley is a historian, educator, and emergency management professional with over 35 years of experience in public safety, including roles as a firefighter-paramedic and emergency management director. He currently serves with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Shanley is the author of several historical works, including Cold War Massachusetts, which examines the state’s hidden role in Cold War civil defense. His work blends archival research with real-world experience to explore how past infrastructure and policy continue to shape today’s preparedness strategies.

Event is included with standard admission to the American Heritage Museum

You may also like the following events from American Heritage Museum:

• This Saturday, 6th December, 10:00 am, Stow, MA and Hudson, MA Community Weekend – Free Admission for Residents in Hudson
• Happening on, 17th January, 10:00 am, Battle of the Bulge History Experience 2026 at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson

Also check out other Arts events in Hudson, Literary Art events in Hudson, Fine Arts events in Hudson.