Speaker Series: Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness, 12 December

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

American Heritage Museum

Highlights

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025 at 02:30 pm

1 hour

568 Main Street, Hudson, MA, United States, Massachusetts 01749

Advertisement

Date & Location

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025 at 02:30 pm to 03:30 pm (EST)

568 Main Street, Massachusetts 01749

568 Main St, Hudson, MA 01749-3027, United States

Save location for easier access

Only get lost while having fun, not on the road!

About the event

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:

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

interested
Stay in the loop for updates and never miss a thing. Are you interested?
Yes
No

Ticket Info

Tickets for Speaker Series: Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness can be booked here.

Advertisement

Nearby Hotels

568 Main Street, Hudson, MA, United States, Massachusetts 01749
Reserve your spot
Ask AI if this event suits you

Host Details

American Heritage Museum

American Heritage Museum

Are you the host? Claim Event

Advertisement
Speaker Series: Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness, 12 December
Speaker Series: Cold War Massachusetts: Hidden Infrastructure and the Legacy of Preparedness
Fri, 12 Dec, 2025 at 02:30 pm