Dedham, MA
Dedham was incorporated in 1636, making it one of the earliest inland settlements in Massachusetts. Known for its strong civic structure and early town covenant, Dedham became a model of organized community life in colonial New England. Its historic town green, early meetinghouse traditions, and preserved homes reflect a town deeply rooted in shared governance and continuity.
Recent Posts
Death Mask
In the Dedham History Museum, is this death mask. An intimate impression of a person’s face taken shortly after death. The practice of creating death masks has a long history. In ancient Egypt, masks were place with the dead, though they were often idealized. In ancient Rome, families preserved wax masks of ancestors as a way to honor lineage […]
Dedham Pottery
In Dedham, history is told in many ways, it stands in grand buildings and monuments, visible reminders of the town’s long and important past. But just as much of its story is found in objects created here, shaped by hand, and carried into everyday life. Dedham Pottery is one of those stories. Founded in 1896 by ceramic artist Hugh C. […]
Pillars of Liberty Monument
While walking across the Dedham common, I paused at this modest stone monument with a bronze plaque. The marker preserves the memory of one of the earliest political monuments erected in colonial Massachusetts: The Pillar of Liberty. The original monument was erected on July 22, 1766, nearly a decade before the American Revolution began, and a full […]
Dedham Community Theatre
In the heart of Dedham Square stands an enduring landmark of community life: The Dedham Community Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1927. At a time when silent films were giving way to “talkies”, and going to the movies was an event, this theatre brought magic to the silver screen to a growing suburban […]
Samuel Colburn
As I was walking through downtown Dedham, I came across a simple rock monument honoring Samuel Colburn. I must admit I was not aware of the Crown Point Expedition. That unfamiliar name immediately caught my attention. I was excited to take a photo and look up more information later. There is something satisfying about discovering a small marker and realizing it opens […]
First Church and Parish
The First Church and Parish in Dedham was gathered in 1628, just two years after the town itself was founded in 1636. Established as a Puritan Congregational church, it became the spiritual and civic heart of the new settlement. In early New England, church and town life were inseparable, the meetinghouse was not only a place of worship but also the […]
Dedham Historical Museum
I went to visit the town green in Dedham, Massachusetts for its colonial markers and instead found myself stepping into the Dedham Historical Society and Museum. Almost immediately, I felt I had encountered a kindred spirit in the woman who greeted me at the door. Here was a whole museum designed and dedicated to the […]
