Harvard Historical SocietyDiscover Your Town
Events
Mozart and Marteney Program and Annual Meeting
Wednesday December 6, 2023 at the Harvard Historical Society
215 Still River Road, Harvard, MA 01451
Annual meeting of the HHS at 7 pm, followed by a Musical Program at 7:30 pm.
Thanks to Will Hopper from Harvard Cable TV for recording this event.
"Mozart and Marteney" features oboes hand crafted in the style of Mozart's era by former Harvard resident Eugene Marteney and music from the Mozart era. Social time and refreshments follow the program.
250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and A Harvard Patriot who was there
Was on September 9, 2 - 4 PM at the Harvard Center Cemetery
Thanks to Will Hopper from Harvard Cable TV for recording this event.
Called the most important single event leading to the Revolution, the Boston Tea Party led to a "tea frenzy" across Massachusetts. Harvard resident Elijah Houghton was part of the group involved with dumping the tea in Boston Harbor. In 2021, Houghton, who is buried in Harvard Center Cemetery, was acknowledged with a marker placed at his grave.
The Cultural Landscape of the Harvard Shakers
What has Vanished and What Remains
Was on October 20th, 2022 7:00 pm
215 Still River Road, Harvard MA 01451
An illustrated talk about the changes the Shakers made to the landscape in the northeastern part of Harvard and some of the buildings they acquired or built between1791 and 1917. Ned Quist will share some of his large collection of photographs of Harvard's Shaker Village and his gleanings from the Shaker journals about the buildings. In addition to building their houses and shops, the Shakers made extensive changes to the landscape that remain and shape the Village area today.
Ned is a researcher specializing in the history of the Harvard Shaker Village. He has collected a large number Shaker Village photographs, maps, and illustrations from many sources across the country and has searched the journals kept by the Harvard Shakers to document the history of the buildings, roads, ponds, and the Shaker Mill. A retired academic librarian, he is the author of published articles on the Harvard Shakers and a builder of Shaker furniture.
South Shaker Road and the Stone Barn as it looked in the early 20th C.
Hand colored photograph by Eleanor Merrifield from the Harvard Historical Society.
The Shaker Stone Barn as it looks now. South Shaker Road, Harvard
Photograph by Marijke Vallaeys
The Shaker Sawmill used the power of Bowers Brook. It was located at the eastern end of the mill pond that you can see at the northern end of Shaker Road. This building is no longer there. A postcard from the Harvard Historical Society archives.
Firefighting, Past and Present
Was on Thursday, September 15 at the Still River Meetinghouse- -
Thanks to Harvard Cable TV for recording the event.
Robert Curran's film starts at 01:51.
On September 15th, 2022, the Harvard Historical Society hosted the Harvard Fire Department for a program featuring a film created by Harvard resident producer/filmmaker, Robert Curran. The evening opened with the arrival of “Antiquey,” driven by Lt. Tony Shaw, and Engine 1, at the front of the Meetinghouse.
Engineer Curran, who is lead driver and in charge of maintenance on Engine 2, runs his own commercial film production company (FIRE ENGINE Productions, Inc.), and he made the film to celebrate the department’s 100th anniversary.
Shaker Open House
Sunday, June 26, 1 to 3 pm at theHarvard Historical Society, 215 Still River road, Harvard, MA
On June 26 we had a Open House at the Harvard Historical Society featuring our Shaker Collection, including the newly arrived Shaker Desk. There were refreshments and an opportunity to taste Shaker recipes prepared by the members of the Historical Society.
Shaker Hidden Treasure
Sunday, May 22, 2 to 4 pm at the
Harvard Historical Society, 215 Still River road, Harvard, MA
On Sunday, May 22, people were invited to admire a newly arrived Shaker Desk and learn about two special Shakers who might have used it. They had plenty of opportunity to have a conversation with our Shaker experts who hosted the event from 2 to 4 pm at the Meeting House.
Organ Recital by Gavin Klein
May 15, 2pm at the
Harvard Historical Society, 215 Still River road, Harvard, MA
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The Harvard Historical Society celebrated the restoration of the Organ and organist Gavin Klein after a two year artist residency on Sunday, May 15 at 2 pm.
Gavin, an award winning organist, is a graduating senior at Nashoba Regional HS in Bolton. He recently won the coveted four year Organ Scholarhip at The College of the Holy Cross.
Gavin performed Bach, Handel, Pachelbel as well as Shaker arrangements on our recently restored 1870 George Stevens organ.
A reception followed the program to meet this remarkable young man.
Gavin invites you cordially to his Senior Recital at All Saints Episcopal Church in Worcester. It will take place on June 3 @ 6pm. More details about parking can be found on their website:
All Saints Episcopal Church | HOME (allsaintsw.org)
French Canadians in North America
A two-part online speaker series.
Friday October 8 at 7 PM and Friday October 22 at 7 PM
The Harvard Historical Society and the Warner Free Lecture Trust have come together to present a special two-part speaker series in October.
The series chronicles the experiences of French-Canadians and Acadians in North America who were forcibly relocated or voluntarily immigrated to New England beginning in the 18th century until the early 20th century. Two million New Englanders are French-Canadian or Acadian descendants, and yet they remain among the region’s least known historic communities.
The two-part series will examine the social, religious, and political issues that contributed to the immigration of these peoples to New England.
Friday October 8, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Harvard resident Joe Theriault discussed how Nova Scotia was once home of the Acadians in 1604 when the French settled the colony. Our town historian Henry Nourse wrote about the Acadians in 1894 in his book ‘History of Harvard’ as did Longfellow in his beautiful poem ‘Evangeline, a Tale of Acadie’.
Joe Theriault is a past president of the Harvard Historical Society and author of two books about his Acadian ancestors “Destination: Madawaska” and “Mills of Madawaska”.
His talk related the story of Acadia, the first French colony to be settled in North America, and the unwilling role that the Lancaster militia, with some Harvard members, played in Acadian history. He also talked about the families who were brought to Lancaster, one of which was transferred to Harvard, after the expulsion of the Acadians by the British. Theriault’s research shows there are 15 descendants of Acadian families in Harvard today, in addition to him.
Watch the recorded webinar (58 min)...
Friday October 22, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Author David Vermette continued the story over 100 years later and places late 19th and early 20th century French Canadian immigrants to the U.S. in an historical context that includes the early French presence in N. America; the events after the Civil War that drew them to the region, particularly into the textile industry; and the little-known story of the opposition and conspiracy-mongering they faced when they arrived as did the Acadians 100 years before. Vermette’s talk exposed immigration and labor history with surprising resonance for today.
Autoneers Frostbite Tour
October 17, 2021
On Sunday, October 17, the Autoneers Frostbite Tour stopped at the Harvard Historical Society for about 45 minutes. The Autoneers visited the Still River Baptist Church with its restored Organ and the HHS museum.
Learn more about the Autoneers...
Organ Recitals
Listen to the organ recitals or play it yourself!
We are inviting musicians to play the organ.
Contact the Curator to schedule your own experience with this unique and historic instrument.
Listen to the recitals
