Unitarian Church Fire December 13, 1964

Once again, the church at the top of the Common was ablaze. Firefighters tried valiantly to save the building. Fires have shaped the town’s beautiful center.

Presidential Pops 2024

The Harvard Historical Society celebrates a presidential election year with a musical program that’s all about presidents and nothing about politics.

Harvard on ABC 5 Chronicle

A team from Chronicle visited Harvard for a segment on Massachusetts towns that have names of colleges but no actual college located in them.

Hildreth Inventions History

How water power and the spirit of improvement inspired inventors in Harvard. The Hildreth brothers Stanley and Edwin were the most well known of Harvard’s ingenious inventors.

Harvard Historical Society Completes Balustrade Restoration

On Monday, August 26, the Harvard Historical Society celebrated the successful completion of a major restoration project with the installation of a newly reconstructed balustrade atop the belfry of the 1832 Baptist Church in Still River.

The Great Ragweed Campaign of 1939

In the summer of 1939 the Garden Club of Harvard organized a special ragweed eradication campaign. It was carried out by a group of school children under the leadership of Mrs. Frank Cummings…

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The Whitney Portraits

These portraits portray Captain Aaron Whitney, his wife Susannah, and their sons, who lived at 165 Littleton County Road. You can view them in our Meetinghouse.

Pea Roast

Although the “meatless diet” only lasted ten years (1837 – 1847), it was observed in most communities, but not strictly enforced.

Frederick Fiske Warren

Fiske Warren is most famous as a staunch advocate of Henry George’s single-tax system, a version of which he attempted to create in Harvard.

The Harvard Historical Society Website Gets a Makeover!

We are excited to announce the opening of the Harvard Historical Society renewed website! After months of dedicated work, we’ve enriched the online experience to provide you with a more engaging and informative journey through the rich history of the town of Harvard.

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Ida Harris

Ida was active in the Harvard Woman’s Club and in the Harvard Historical Society. She chaired a committee to gather material to update the history of Harvard from 1880 to 1940. That manuscript was only recently published.

Fruitlands

The Fruitlands Museum was founded, expanded, and curated by Clara Endicott Sears, a member of a wealthy Boston family and among the best known and most accomplished of Harvard’s summer residents.

Fire at the Meeting House

A September 2008 fire was confined to the attic of Sturdy Hall, causing some structural damage but mostly water damage.

Historic House Renovation

Lee McColgan’s house restoration journey expertly examines our relationship to history through the homes we inhabit, beautifully articulating the philosophy of preserving the past for the future.

Ned Quist

A retired academic librarian, Ned is a researcher specializing in the history of the Harvard Shaker Village.

Bellevue Cemetery

In March 1893 the town approved a new cemetery site; Henry Warner named it Bellevue.

Ann Lee

Mother Ann Lee, founder of the Shakers, established a community in Harvard in 1781, the second oldest Shaker settlement in the United States.

Local Register of Historic Places

The Harvard Historical Commission’s ‘Local Register of Historic Places‘ includes a detailed architectural description and the history of the property and of its owners.

Cabbage Pie

All vegetables were grown locally; there was a constant succession of different crops.

Applesauce

This recipe uses dried apples and concentrated cider.

Shaker Cemetery

The Harvard Shaker Cemetery, also known as the “Lollipop Cemetery,” is a unique burial ground located in the Shaker Village of Harvard, Massachusetts.

The Old Bromfield School

Because of Margaret Bromfield Pearson Blanchard’s generosity, Harvard got a high school for the town, to educate girls as well as boys. Now the building is part of the Harvard Public Library.

Fried Fresh Peaches

A recipe from “The Best of Shaker Cooking,” revised and expanded by Amy Bess and Persis Fuller.

Oak Ridge Observatory

The establishment of the Harvard University Oak Ridge Observatory placed the town of Harvard in the astronomical world, attracting visitors of high professional reputation from all over the world.

Cucumber Salad

“It does not seem generally known that the cucumber is one of the most valuable vegetables we raise. It can be dressed in more palatable and suitable ways than most any other vegetable except tomatoes.”

Back to School Memories

At one time Harvard had nine school districts, each with its own schoolhouse. Districts merged, and in 1905 there was one grammar school.

Corn Relish

Corn relish is a type of condiment made from corn kernels that are typically mixed with various other ingredients. It’s known for its sweet and tangy flavor.

Christmas Cards

Christmas Cards from the Harvard Historical Society archives
and a little history…

Elvira Scorgie

A woman of many talents, Elvira Scorgie was an authority on the history of the town of Harvard. Her research is archived at the Harvard Historical Society.

250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party

Elijah Houghton, a Boston Tea Party participant, is buried in the Center Cemetery off the Harvard Common. We are celebrating the Tea Party and Elijah Houghton’s part in the “Destruction of the Tea.”

The Harvard Historical Society Meeting House

In 1966, the Harvard Historical Society purchased the former Still River Baptist Church. Until then, the Historical Society had been using the Hapgood Room and attic of the public library.

Harvard Shaker Village

Harvard Shaker Village Historic District is a historical Shaker community located on Shaker Road, South Shaker Road, and Maple Lane.