Washington Doll
In the years immediately following the American Revolution, George Washington became a living symbol of a new nation. Across the young republic, admiration for him inspired countless small acts of devotion. This rare type of commemorative doll is an example of this admiration. It was crafted from wool in 1790. These were not toys but expressions of patriotism, Washington’s image carried deep symbolic weight.
This doll is dressed in a white lambskin apron which Washington wore as a dedicated member of the Masonic fraternity. Washington was initiated as a Mason in 1752 and later served as Master of Alexandra Lodge. At this time, Washington’s Masonic identity represented moral leadership, civic responsibility and the ideas upon which the new nation was built. To create a doll of Washington wearing a Masonic apron was to honor the man and the virtues he embodied. This wool Washington doll from this period would have been displayed in a home or lodge. It was not an object for everyday play.
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Bell Tower
The Hingham Memorial Bell Tower rises above the historic center of Hingham. Built in 1912, the tower was created to commemorate the 275th anniversary of the founding of Hingham and to honor the generations of townspeople who shaped the community over centuries. The tower houses a remarkable set of bells that were intended as living parts of the […]
Lincoln Statue
On Hingham Common sits a large bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln is seated, reflective and contemplative. The statue was dedicated in 1939, placed there as a tribute not only to Lincoln’s national significance, but to a deeper, local connection. Long before Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky or rose to lead the nation through the […]
