26 City of Worcester: 300 Years
s Abbot (Abbie) Howard Hoffman (1936-1989), a 1960s
counterculture figure, was convicted as one of the
Chicago Seven, accused of incitement to riot at the
Democratic National Convention in Chicago in
1968. Charges were subsequently dropped.
David Clark (1903-1989) developed pressure compression
suits for World War II high performance fighter pilots,
to prevent blackouts caused by excessive G forces. Next
were aerospace suits for astronauts.
Groundbreakers
Worcester Firsts
Insane Hospital: Once known as
the Worcester Lunatic Asylum,
the Insane Hospital opened in
1833. The facility was the first
of its kind in the state; Horace
Mann, the education reformer,
spearheaded a state legislative
committee that led to funding
for the 120-bed hospital.
source: Worcester Historical Museum
source: Worcester Historical Museum
source: Telegram & Gazette
