Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

brown dwarf

(Encyclopedia)brown dwarf, in astronomy, celestial body that is larger than a planet but does not have sufficient mass to convert hydrogen into helium via nuclear fusion as stars do. Also called “failed stars,”...

Danforth, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Danforth, Thomas, 1703–86, American pewterer, founder of a family of celebrated pewterers, b. Taunton, Mass. In 1733 he opened a pewter shop in Norwich, Conn., where he made a wide variety of pewter...

Clark University

(Encyclopedia)Clark University, at Worcester, Mass.; coeducational; chartered 1887, opened as a graduate school 1889. It was the second graduate school to be formed in the United States. Its undergraduate college (...

Church, Benjamin

(Encyclopedia)Church, Benjamin, 1639–1718, New England colonial soldier in King Philip's War, b. Plymouth, Mass. He took a leading part in the Great Swamp Fight (Dec., 1675), W of Kingston, R.I., and finally hunt...

Alvord, Henry Elijah

(Encyclopedia)Alvord, Henry Elijah, 1844–1904, American agriculturist, educator, and specialist in dairy husbandry, b. Greenfield, Mass. He pioneered in developing the cooperative creamery system and served (1886...

Field, Erastus Salisbury

(Encyclopedia)Field, Erastus Salisbury, 1805–1900, American painter, b. Leverett, Mass. Field's paintings, executed in a primitive manner, included biblical and classical themes and portraits. His famous Historic...

Greenwood, John

(Encyclopedia)Greenwood, John, 1727–92, American artist, b. Boston, Mass. An engraver and painter, Greenwood executed some of the first genre paintings in America. He is also noted for his satirical works peopled...

Appleton, Daniel

(Encyclopedia)Appleton, Daniel, 1785–1849, American publisher, b. Haverhill, Mass. The owner of a general store in Boston, he moved to New York in 1826, where he established one of the largest publishing houses i...

Attleboro

(Encyclopedia)Attleboro ătˈəlbərə [key], industrial city (2020 pop. 46,461), Bristol co., SE Mass., near the R.I. line; settled 1634, inc. as a city 1914. Its jewelry industry bega...

Northeastern University

(Encyclopedia)Northeastern University, at Boston, Mass.; coeducational; founded 1898 as a program within the Boston YMCA, inc. 1916, university status 1922, fully independent of the YMCA 1948. It is noted for its c...

Browse by Subject