Harvard Historical SocietyDiscover Your Town
History and Stories from Clinton Shores
A community on the shores of Bare Hill Pond has flourished since the early 20th Century: A program of stories and history told by those who lived there
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.”
Mozart and Marteney Program and Annual Meeting
“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.
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.”
Hildreth Second Graders Become Town Historians
In June, the Hildreth Elementary School second-graders, their teachers, and some parents came to the Harvard Historical Society’s Meetinghouse and to the Harvard Common to do some hands-on learning about town history.
Harvard in the First Half of the 20th Century
A living history program presented by the Harvard Historical Society in which former citizens tell stories about their lives and events that took place during the first half of the 20th century. Based on manuscripts collected by Ida Harris, recently edited by Joe Theriault.
The Creation of the Wachusett Reservoir
Ed Sterling from Bolton has had a lifelong interest in history, especially that of trains and railroads. He has studied the history of the Central Mass Railroad extensively and the role it played in the building of the Wachusett Reservoir.
The Cultural Landscape of the Harvard Shakers. What has Vanished and What Remains
Ned Quist, a retired academic librarian, gave an illustrated talk about the changes the Shakers made to the landscape of northeastern Harvard, showing what used to be there between 1791 and 1917 and the few buildings that remain today.
Firefighting, Past and Present
The Harvard Historical Society hosted the Harvard Fire Department to clebrate the department’s 100th anniversary. The program featured a film created by Harvard resident, producer/filmmaker, and firefighter, Robert Curran. The evening opened with the arrival of “Antiquey,” driven by Lt. Tony Shaw, and Engine 1 at the front of the Meetinghouse.
Shaker Open House
Open House at the Harvard Historical Society featuring our permanent Shaker Collection and a unique Shaker desk on loan to the society. The members prepared a few Shaker Recipes that could be tasted during this event.
Shaker Hidden Treasure
People were invited to admire a newly arrived Shaker Desk, on loan to the society, and learn about two special Shakers who might have used it.
Organ Recital by Gavin Klein
Gavin Klein was artist-in-residence at the society from 2020 to 2022, keeping the newly restored 1870 Stevens organ in tune and in use.
Autoneers Frostbite Tour
On Sunday, October 17, the Autoneers Frostbite Tour went through Harvard, and drivers stopped briefly at the Historical Society to view the building and collections. Their antique cars parked outside the meetinghouse created an authentic scene from the early 20th century.
L’Acadie!
Joe Theriault’s 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.
A Common History Day
On September 25, 2021, we celebrated the unique history of the Harvard Common: the people, places, and events that help tell the story of Harvard’s identity. The program took place on the Common.
