Historic New England

02/10/2020

Join us at our History of Greenhouses in America illustrated lecture this Saturday, 2/15! Hear from Lyman Estate Greenhouses Manager Lynn Ackerman about the Lyman Estate’s role in the history of American greenhouses, including technological and architectural inspirations from the nineteenth century.

Then, take advantage of our large collection of flowers and houseplants to shop around for a truly special Valentine’s Day gift for your loved one. Members receive a 10% discount on purchases.

Advance tickets required, so visit https://my.historicnewengland.org/2790/6373 to secure yours now.

02/07/2020

Henry Davis Sleeper knew what he was doing when he named this room the Octagon Room—the number eight appears throughout the dining room, from the lamps to the rugs.

Happy #FanPhotoFriday from IG user americancastles! Head over to their IG page to see an in-depth virtual tour of Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House.

02/06/2020

Although we don’t usually display empty frames like this one, here’s a behind the scenes look at more conservation work we’re doing in preparation for our upcoming exhibition “Artful Stories” at the Eustis Estate.

The embellishments on ornate frames such as the one pictured here are often cast from a putty called composition, not carved wood. Composition can crack and fall off over time, and gilding on wood can wear down from dusting or scratching. For this frame, conservators first removed the painting to avoid damaging it. Then, any cracks in the putty or loose ornament and gilding were stabilized with archival adhesives to prevent more ornamentation from falling off. The missing ornaments were then sculpted in putty and adhered to the frame. Seen here, the newly sculpted putty has been toned a dark brown. The next step is to gild the reconstructed ornament to match the original.

Come back next week for more exclusive “Artful Stories” conservation content!

02/05/2020

Thanks to the past seventeen years of leadership from Historic New England President and CEO Carl R. Nold, our school and youth programs have become integral to our mission offer something for everyone. Historic New England subsidizes transportation and fees for children, but these programs are underfunded.

To honor Carl on his retirement, we are excited to announce the Carl R. Nold Fund for Museum Education. This permanent endowment fund will serve the 45,000 children who participate in our youth programs throughout the year.

Visit https://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-new-england-announces-carl-r-nold-fund-for-museum-education/ to learn more and donate.

02/04/2020

Party with us at Arnold House for Lincoln’s Birthday Celebration! Join us this Saturday, 2/8, for a tour of the house museum in commemoration of our sixteenth president—after whom the town of Lincoln, Rhode Island is named. Finish off the day with some delicious birthday cake. 🎂

This event is free. Get more info at https://my.historicnewengland.org/2755/6483.

02/03/2020

Happy #BlackHistoryMonth! Throughout February, we’ll be sharing stories from our collection that honor Black history. Today we recognize Edward Cassell, who ran a successful catering business in turn-of-the-century Salem, Mass.

Already a well-rounded businessman by the 1870s, Cassell eventually devoted his efforts to catering, the profession for which he would become a renowned fixture on the North Shore and in Boston. He served as head caterer at the prestigious Hamilton Hall in Salem, charming guests with his ice cream sculptures. He served many important banquets, including a party that accompanied the Prince of Wales on his trip in Salem. His recipes and legacy live on in old cookbooks such as HAMILTON HALL COOK BOOK.

📸 by E.G. Merrill, 1907. See more from our photographic collection at HistoricNewEngland.org/Collections.

01/31/2020

#DYK we are in the midst of engagement season? That’s right—the most proposals happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day! If you’re set to get hitched, consider hosting your special day at a Historic New England property. Find out which historic estate is perfect for your wedding at https://www.historicnewengland.org/engagement-season/.

📸 by Cuppa Photography

01/30/2020

We've got some photogenic sheep on our hands at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm! Shoutout to IG user glennapril for these fun #FanPhotos.

#DidYouKnow the grounds of the farm are open year-round from dawn to dusk? Come visit the animals we foster in partnership with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

01/29/2020

#OnThisDay in 1785, in a statement that took the public by surprise, John Hancock resigned as the governor of Massachusetts, allegedly due to illness.

Best known for his signature on the Declaration of Independence, Hancock lived out the rest of his days in Hancock Manor (painted here) in Beacon Hill. Unfortunately, the mansion was demolished in 1863, but the widespread public disapproval ignited a preservation movement that would eventually save other historic buildings such as the Old State House.

🖼️ “The John Hancock House, Boston, Mass.,” Charles Furneaux, c. 1859

01/28/2020

Eustis Estate

Please note: the Eustis Estate will be closed this weekend for scheduled maintenance. We reopen for regular hours February 7.

01/27/2020

Painting Removal in Phillips House for "Artful Stories"

An expansive exhibition like our upcoming “Artful Stories: Paintings from Historic New England” takes plenty of behind the scenes work to make it happen. Historic object conservation plays a vital role in preparing artwork for a show, and it all begins with de-installation. Each painting must be safely transported from its usual location to the conservation lab in Haverhill, Mass. Watch conservators in this video carefully remove “A Country Landscape” (Charles Harold Davis, c. 1890-1920) from Phillips House and safely wrap it in packaging for transportation.

In anticipation of our upcoming exhibition “Artful Stories,” we will be sharing different historic conservation methods and treatments across social media. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more exclusive #ArtfulStories conservation updates.

01/24/2020

Coffin House, built in 1678, saw six generations of the Coffin family and underwent multiple renovations. The house had more than doubled in size by 1712 to accommodate the growing family, and it has rooms from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries.

Thanks so much to IG user nbptdoors for this great #FanPhotoFriday!

01/23/2020

Join us in Haverhill next Thursday, 1/30, for the next installment of our Behind the Scenes in Collections Storage tours, with a focus on ceramics! View rarely seen, centuries-old ceramics and learn more about their history from an expert.

Advance tickets are required, so get yours now at https://my.historicnewengland.org/2797/3159.

Pictured: children’s ☕☕☕ from c. 1840-1880

01/22/2020

Eight historic Massachusetts wedding venues for your big day - The Boston Globe

See why Globe Magazine named the Lyman Estate one of the best historic wedding venues in Massachusetts! 💍 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/01/17/magazine/eight-historic-new-england-wedding-venues-your-big-day/

From a country estate with literary pedigree to a grand museum, here are majestic local spots steeped in both history and romance.

01/22/2020

We love #LibraryShelfieDay. (Just don’t ask if we’ve actually read all of those books…)

📚 in Phillips House Museum, Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House, Gropius House, and Quincy House respectively

01/21/2020

Historic New England is excited to announce our upcoming exhibition, “Artful Stories: Paintings from Historic New England,” coming to the Eustis Estate this May! For the first time ever, we are bringing together forty-four of our finest paintings—some from our historic house museums and others rarely on view to the public—and putting them on display under the same roof.

The exhibition celebrates over 200 years of art from and about New England. The people who sat for portraits, the artists, the owners, and the settings of the paintings each have their own interesting stories, told through the art on display. Read more about the exhibition at https://www.historicnewengland.org/artful-stories-paintings-from-historic-new-england-opens-in-may-at-the-eustis-estate/.

🖼️ “Paul Revere Room, Beauport,” William Ranken, 1928

01/20/2020

“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy birthday, Dr. King #MLKDay

01/17/2020

Happy birthday, Benjamin Franklin! The founding father was born on Milk Street in Boston in 1706. However, the house he was born into burned down in 1811—in its stead now stands a building with a commemorative bust of Franklin carved into the façade.

📸 by Baldwin Coolidge, 1898

01/17/2020

💍👏🎉

The Beauport gardens are perfect for intimate wedding ceremonies! We are proud to be a #BONSWedding2020 Editors' Choice Winner. Check out the January/February issue of Northshore Magazine.

Photos courtesy Sharon's Studio of Gloucester & Duxbury SAIL Ardelle Historic New England Discover Gloucester

01/16/2020

Thank you to WeddingWire for naming the Lyman Estate one of the winners of the 2020 Couples’ Choice Awards—for the third year in a row!

The Lyman Estate, located in Waltham, Mass., sits on thirty-seven acres of beautiful lawns and was a filming location for the Oscar-nominated LITTLE WOMEN adaptation. The estate is adaptable for indoor or outdoor weddings and has both Federal and Victorian styles of architecture. For more, call 617-994-6672, email [email protected], or visit https://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/property-rentals/lyman-estate/.

Get more wedding inspo at our wedding IG page historicneweddings.

📸 Alex+Betty Photography
📸 Lisa Rigby Photography

01/15/2020

This hat from the 1950s is just too perfect for today, which happens to be #NationalHatDay AND #NationalStrawberryIceCreamDay! 🍓 👒

The velvet hat, lined with lace and attached with small combs, has hanging strawberry tassel adornments. What clothes would you pair this hat with today? Find more objects from our collection at HistoricNewEngland.org/Collections.

01/14/2020

Vendor applications are now live for both the Roseland Cottage Fine Arts and Crafts Festival and the Codman Estate Fine Arts and Crafts Festival! Apply today to get a space at one of these juried shows, hosts to artisan works including paintings, pottery, photography, jewelry, food, clothing, and much more.

The Codman Festival takes place 9/12 and the Roseland Festival takes place 10/17 and 10/18.

Submit your application through our Zapplication pages:
• Codman: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=8114&fbclid=IwAR3t7pOuj6rqoh4ReFack19_9_AHdZU5VigvvkJ9hA07OY45U-K_oDEP8hI
• Roseland: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=8115&fbclid=IwAR1zkExfA1b5Dx9Nno3sCxmwBOMJXNo-2VJCqv6JiPhN7GrxdgnLIy65qpA

01/13/2020

👏👏👏

Congratulations to #LittleWomenMovie for receiving 6 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design! #OscarNoms

01/10/2020

Snow + the Codman Estate = a postcard-worthy photo

Thanks IG user awakereader for this #FanPhotoFriday!

01/09/2020

Come out to Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm next Saturday, 1/18 for Old Newbury Open House Day! This free event celebrates the 1701 purchase of the town with hot cider, donuts, and a bonfire.

Visit https://my.historicnewengland.org/2663/6484 for more info.

01/08/2020

🚉 👀 If you’ve ever noticed our logo at a T station, you’re not mistaken—at several stops around the city of Boston, prints of historic images from our archives are on display. The images are of the historic scenery near the station.

Take a look on your next commute! Browse photos, ephemera, documents and more at HistoricNewEngland.org/Collections.

01/07/2020

#OnThisDay in 1714, English inventor Henry Mill patented the typewriter. The first one wouldn’t actually be built for several more years.

⌨️ in Gropius House, 1950-1960

01/06/2020

Have you heard of History Pin? The online initiative takes historic images of cities and superimposes them on interactive, modern day Google Earth street views. Historic New England contributed hundreds of photos to the project at locations such as the Boston Public Garden, Copley Square, and Pleasure Bay (pictured).

Visit https://www.historypin.org/en/historic-new-england-s-collection/geo/42.363902,-71.05926,5/bounds/19.421631,-88.917536,59.2134,-53.200984/paging/1 to see more of our archival images in today’s world, or simply browse your own points of interest.

01/03/2020

Loving this golden hour Gropius House #FanPhotoFriday from IG user rollycof!

Gropius House is open through the winter every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Historic New England members get free admission.

01/02/2020

This is the last weekend to see Victorian Christmas at the Eustis Estate! The property will be decorated through Sunday, 1/5. As of next week, the house will be open for the rest of the winter season on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. For more information, visit https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/eustis-estate-museum-study-center/.

01/01/2020

Happy New Year! This 1882 card depicts an older man as the “old year” and a young boy as the “new year.” We hope the start of your 2020 is just as refreshing.

See more of our ephemera collection at HistoricNewEngland.org/Collections.

12/31/2019

Are you looking forward to Boston’s annual First Night festival tonight? First celebrated in 1975, the New Year’s Eve tradition involves live music, ice sculptures, light displays, and more.

Here’s a look at past First Night commemorative buttons from our ephemera collection—do you remember seeing any of them in person?

12/30/2019

You can still see several of our historic properties through the winter! Come visit the Lyman Estate, Lyman Estate Greenhouses, the Eustis Estate, Gropius House, and Sarah Orne Jewett House and Visitor Center this season to take a tour. Remember, admission is free for Historic New England members. https://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes-farms-landscapes/?zip=&radius=&sort=open_next

12/27/2019

As of last Saturday, winter is officially here.

In honor of the new season, we’ve compiled the best winter scene photographs from our archives. Check out our winter photo roundup at https://www.historicnewengland.org/archival-photos-of-wintry-scenes/.

12/26/2019

No coal here! This Christmas stocking from the 1920s is full of goodies like dolls, a paper horn, a box of chalk, crayons, a popper, a noisemaker, and much more. Made in Philadelphia, the red mesh stocking has a paper tag that reads “G.E.M. BRAND” with an image of Santa.

See more from our objects collection at HistoricNewEngland.org/Collections.

12/25/2019

Merry Christmas from all of us at Historic New England! Check out these colorful mid-century modern Christmas catalogs from our collection. See more at HistoricNewEngland.org/Collections.

• Sears catalog, 1945
• Jordan Marsh Company catalog (featuring toys, clothing, accessories, jewelry, appliances, and home furnishings), 1953
• Filene’s catalog (featuring toys, clothing, accessories, and Christmas decorations), 1957

12/24/2019

Did you know our newly digitized Royal Barry Wills collection includes more than just his architectural drawings? The collection also holds many of his sketches of everyday life, in his own unique style. Explore more of the history behind the collection at https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/library-archives/royal-barry-wills/.

Now take Wills’s advice and make some cookies tonight for Santa Claus!

12/20/2019

How ‘Little Women’ Throws a Dance Party | Anatomy of a Scene

Get the lowdown from Greta Gerwig herself on how perfect the Lyman Estate was for shooting the LITTLE WOMEN ballroom scene. 🎥
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP7tk68aiLM

There’s a moment in Greta Gerwig’s new film adaptation of “Little Women” that ignites the screen with as much energy as a fire that sets ablaze a character’s...

12/20/2019

This week’s festive #FanPhotoFriday is brought to you by IG user bellasvignettes. In the spirit of the upcoming LITTLE WOMEN adaptation, the Lyman Estate ballroom is decorated for a Victorian Christmas. Don’t forget—the movie comes out in just five days!

12/19/2019

#OnThisDay in 1843, Charles Dickens published his iconic story A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Written during the revival of Christmas traditions in the Victorian era, the book helped popularize modern customs. We just hope your holidays aren’t very Scrooge-like.

📚 from a shelf at Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House.

12/18/2019

Wednesday Will Officially Be "Little Women Day" in Boston

Have you heard the news? Today is officially "Little Women Day" in Boston! In honor of the upcoming movie adaptation, filmed in several Massachusetts locations, you can participate in a city-wide #LittleWomenScavengerHunt to see different film sites up close.

Then, be sure to stop at the Lyman Estate as part of the broader tour of eastern and central Massachusetts film locations.

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2019/12/17/little-women-day-boston/

That means you're allowed to wear a hoop skirt and bonnet to work, right?