Dover Historical Society

09/29/2026

Strange sightings at the Sawin Museum! Huge thanks to Chronicle on WCVB Channel 5 for stopping by to explore the legend of the Dover Demon with us!

Miss the episode? Take a look here:

Four teenagers reported seeing a strange creature in Dover in April...

09/18/2026

Calling All Dover 4th Grade Historians!
Last spring, we had the pleasure of welcoming Chickering School third grade students to the Dover Historical Society properties. We loved sharing our town’s rich history with them, and now we would like to showcase their creative work in our upcoming member newsletter, Tidings.
We are inviting students to share a short written piece or a drawing reflecting on their visit!
Submission Ideas
Written Reflections:
What did you enjoy most about your visit?
What was surprising to you?
What is something memorable you learned about the town of Dover?
How does your life today differ from life in Dover in the late 1700s?
Artwork:
A drawing or illustration representing your visit or favorite historical artifact/property.
Submission Details
Deadline: Friday, October 9th
How to Submit:
Email: Send digital copies or photos of artwork/writing to Liz at [email protected]
Pickup: Reach out via email to coordinate a pickup time at your convenience.
Thank you for helping us highlight our local history through the eyes of our students!

06/17/2026

Over the past three weeks, the Dover Historical Society has had the pleasure of hosting the 3rd and 4th graders from Chickering Elementary School for field trips to the Caryl Farm and the Sawin Museum!
The students stepped back in time to explore the history of Dover and discover exactly what was happening right here in our own backyards during the Revolutionary War, 250 years ago.
They brought incredible energy, sharp eyes, and some fantastic questions that kept our volunteers on their toes! Some of our favorite student inquiries included:
"Why is Powisett sometimes spelled with one 't' and other times two?"
"Did farm animals ever escape?"
"Were there any Minutemen in Dover?"
"Why was the bathroom outside?"
"Where did people bring their garbage?"
"Why are there buckets hanging by the front door?"
"How did they keep food cold if there were no refrigerators?"
We love seeing our youngest residents connect so deeply with Dover’s roots. Thank you to the Chickering students, teachers, and parent chaperones for spending time with us, and to our dedicated DHS volunteers for making these visits so memorable!