Massachusetts
Recent Articles
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Is this a home? Or is it one of the most extraordinary private collections in Boston? It is both. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is unlike almost any other museum I have visited because it is difficult to separate the collection from the woman who created the setting for it. This was not simply a […]
The Massachusetts Historical Society
I have passed countless historic buildings in Boston, but on this visit I had a particular reason for walking through the doors of the Massachusetts Historical Society. I had come to see a special exhibition devoted to the history of the Irish in Boston. A story that is inseparable from the history of the city itself. […]
Headquarters of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA)
I have already written about the Otis House as one of Boston’s important historic homes, but seeing this plaque on the building opened another story. The house is significant not only because of the people who once lived within it. For more than a century, it has also been closely associated with an organization devoted […]
Three Sisters Sanctuary
While visiting Erin in western Massachusetts, we had an afternoon with no particular plans and decided to do what we often enjoy and head out and see what we might discover. That afternoon led us to Three Sisters Sanctuary in the small town of Goshen, a place unlike almost anywhere else we had visited. Three […]
The Clark Art Institute
On Father’s Day, while we were camping at Mount Greylock State Reservation, Erin came to spend the day with us. We decided to head over to Williamstown and visit Clark Art Institute. We have visited the Clark many times over the years, but it is one of those museums that is always worth returning to. The […]
Wellesley Historical Society
Standing at 323 Washington Street in Wellesley Hills, the Stanwood House has been part of this neighborhood for more than a century. Today it is the home of the Wellesley Historical Society and the Wellesley History & Exhibit Center, but the building began as both the family home and medical office of one of Wellesley’s […]
The Peabody Essex Museum
For many years before COVID, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem was one of our favorite local museums. We were members and visited regularly, not simply to see the permanent collections but especially for the major exhibitions that came through the museum. The exhibits were always thoughtfully put together, and our membership gave us a […]
Bancroft Memorial Library
Standing in the center of Hopedale, the Bancroft Memorial Library is much more than a public library. It is the keeper of the town’s memory, preserving the stories of the people whose ideas, industry, and generosity shaped this remarkable community. Completed in 1898, the library was a gift from George and Eben Draper in memory […]
Amesbury Carriage Museum
Every town has a story that shaped its identity. For Amesbury, that story was built on wheels. Long before automobiles transformed the American landscape, Amesbury was recognized around the world as one of the finest centers of carriage manufacturing. During the nineteenth century, the city’s factories produced elegant coaches, family wagons, commercial vehicles, and luxury […]
Hancock Shaker Village
When you visit Hancock Shaker Village, you are not simply touring historic buildings—you are stepping into one of the most successful communal societies in American history. The village tells the story of the Shakers, whose commitment to faith, innovation, and craftsmanship transformed this corner of the Berkshires into a thriving community that still inspires visitors […]
Buckman Tavern
There are some towns that have preserved their colonial roots remarkably well, and Lexington is certainly one of them. Marty and I took a ride over to the town this year simply to walk the familiar sites once again. Since Buckman Tavern was open, we took the opportunity to tour it and revisit one of the places […]
Thayer Library
Another impressive building in the center of Lancaster is the Thayer Memorial Library. During our tour, we learned that the institution’s roots extend far beyond the beautiful structure that stands today. The town’s first library organization, known as the Lancaster Library and later the Lancaster Social Library, was established in 1790. In 1862, residents voted […]
