1. On December 28, 1737, the Massachusetts General Court authorized the creation of the town of Pittsfield in western Massachusetts. Originally known as Pontoosuc, the town was renamed in honor of British politician William Pitt.

2. The Boston and Worcester Railroad began regular passenger service on December 28, 1835. The line connected Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts and was one of the earliest railroads in the United States.

3. December 28, 1917 was the date of one of the worst tragedies in Boston's history. A massive explosion occurred at the Halifax Harbor in Nova Scotia, Canada, causing widespread damage in Boston and killing over 1,900 people.

4. In 1947, December 28 was the day when the Boston Bruins played their first NHL game in the Boston Garden after moving from the Boston Arena. The Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in front of a crowd of 13,909 fans.

5. On December 28, 1984, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) subway system experienced one of its worst accidents when two trains collided in a tunnel near downtown Boston. Twenty-one people were killed and dozens more were injured in the crash, which was caused by operator error.