Harvard Historical SocietyDiscover Your Town
The Old Harvard Public Library on the Common now Fivesparks
The Harvard Public library had its first permanent home in the building on the Common, 1886
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.
The Harvard Shakers, their barns and the worst agricultural land in Harvard
Robert C. Anderson in his “Directions of a Town” wrote: “The first task of the Shakers at Harvard in their growing years was the cultivation and improvement of the tracts of land they had acquired, probably the worst agricultural land in Harvard.”
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.
The Antique Stove at the former Harvard Public Library building, now Fivesparks
The Historical Society’s purchase of an 1894 parlor stove assures its rightful home in Harvard.
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.
Oak Ridge Observatory
The establishment of the Harvard University Oak Ridge Observatory placed the town in the astronomical world, attracting visitors of high professional reputation from all over the world.
Five Churches, One Site
A history of five churches on one site, given in 1967 by Miss Elvira Scorgie
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.
Shakers South Family Stone Barn
The Shaker Stone Barn was built in 1835. Located at 101 South Shaker Road, the barn is now a ruin, but some of its most significant and striking masonry features still remain.
Houses now and then
In 2022, Bromfield senior Julian Iverson took current pictures of historical houses in Harvard, framing the pictures as close as possible to old photographs from HHS archives.
Colonel Henry Bromfield
The Colonel’s “picturesque figure and strong individuality made him a notable feature of the town’s life.”
Warren Hapgood
Warren Hapgood was born in the Old Mill district of Harvard. He was a major benefactor of the Harvard Public Library.
