Teaching American History Program
Local Historical Societies and their Collections
The following are just some of the local historical societies that are rich with historical materials to enhance our student’s knowledge of American History. Many of them have monthly lectures, workshops, presentations, and in some cases re-enactments of historical events. Their websites and newsletters publish an events schedule.
Collection Highlights
- 200,000 items collection that tell the story of people who lived in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
- Diaries or letters written by soldiers in the Civil War
- Civil War manuscripts written by researchers through the years
- Significant collections of items found in colonial homes of the 1700s and 1800s and turn of the century farms and businesses.
- Collection of published books and materials on Fitchburg-related topics and an extensive collection of Civil War books and original Sentinel newspapers from 1844 to 1976.
- Historical Trunks for various periods in American History created for teachers and students to use in the classroom.
The Gardner Museum
28 pearl Street
P.O. Box 511
Gardner, Ma.01440
Phone (978) 632-3277
www.thegardnermusuem.com
E-mail: info@thegardnermusuem.com
Collection Highlights
- Extensive materials on the industrial, cultural, and social history of Gardner
- Working silver shop and tools of the trade owned by the Dean of American Silversmiths, Frank W. Smith, 1887-1958
- 19th Century Fire Fighting Equipment
- Furniture collections and records from the major Gardner furniture companies (James Comee, S. Bent Brothers, Conant Ball, Gem Industries, Nichols and Stone, and Heywood-Wakefield ) that made Gardner the “Chair City of the World”
Leominster Historical Society
17 School Street
Leominster, Massachusetts 01453
Phone: 978-537-5424
HOURS: Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday 9A.M. to Noon, or by appointment
www.leominsterhistorical.org
E-mail: info@leominsterhistorical.org
Collection Highlights
- Civil War artifacts
- Twenty-one Civil War letters written between 15th Mass. Regt. soldier Charles T. Brown, and his wife Sarah, a school teacher in Leominster.
- Materials on Western Expansion, the Settling of Kansas, and Leominster
- Women in American History: Mrs. Frances Drake
- Materials on the Plastic Industry in Leominster
- Italian Immigration
Townsend Historical Society
Box 95
72 Main Street / Route 119
Townsend, Massachusetts 01469
Phone: 978-597-2106
www.townsendhistoricalsociety.org
Collection Highlights
- The Society owns several properties of Historical significance that may be visited for special events or by appointment. They are
- The Reed Homestead, built in 1809
- The Cooperage, built in 1733
- The Harbor Church, built in 1853
- The Spaulding Grist Mill, processed corn and grain until the 1920’s
- The Copeland Cooper Shop, a rare example of a 19th century home industry.
- Civil War Diaries
- The 1860s Memoirs of William O’Taylor
- Extensive “Daily Life” clothing collection from the Oliver Reed Family that includes Colonial, 19th and early 20th Century artifacts
- Rufus Porter Murals (In Reed Homestead.)
Groton Historical Society
172 Main Street
P.O. Box 202
Groton, Massachusetts 01450
Phone: 978-448-0092
Collection Highlights
- Governor George S. Boutwell House Museum (Governor Boutwell elected Governor of Massachusetts in 1851 and very active in national politics under Presidents Lincoln and Grant)
- Historically significant documents tracing 350 years of Groton history
- Historically significant collection of American decorative arts, illustrating centuries of Groton’s domestic life.
- Extensive Revolutionary War, Civil War, and some World War I Military Artifacts
- Extensive collection of objects made and used by the people of Groton
Sterling Historical Association
Pine and Maple Streets
Sterling Massachusetts 01564
Phone: 978- 422 6139
Collection Highlights
- Extendsive Records and Photographs Sterling’s diverse families
- Mary “ Had a Little Lamb” Sawyer collection
- Large collection of clothing and hats warn by Sterling residents
- Sterling Industrial artifacts (chairs, pottery, straw hats, emery wheels, guns)
Winchendon Historical Society
50 Pleasant Street
Winchendon, Massachusetts 01475
978-297-0412
Collection Highlights
- Civil War Artifacts (photographs, hats, hardtack, swords, medals, military utensils, bullets, grave maker, telescope, etc.)
- World War II collection of 90 books, some on World War I and the Korean War
Harvard Historical Society
215 Still River Road
P.O. Box 542
Harvard, Massachusetts 01451-0542
508 456-8285
www.harvardhistory.org
Collection Highlights
- Extensive collection of photographs, deeds, and historical research projects on the Town of Harvard
- Women’s Clothing and other artifacts 1830s to 1890s (Shaker Bonnets, baskets, sewing materials, chairs, etc.)
- Civil War, World War I, World War II uniforms
- Firearms and swords from Civil War and before
- 19th century agricultural and household artifacts ( some from 18th Century and beginning of 20th Centuries
- Textiles from the 18th to the 20th Centuries
- Collections of genealogies, photographs, deeds, records of special events and monographs
Collection Highlights
- Over 16,000 artifactual and archival items are part of the Society's many collections.
- The George and Sybil Fuller Memorial Research Library holds over 1600 volumes which includes an extensive genealogical section and numerous reference books on American history
- Based on primary resources held in the Archives, the Society has published three volumes
- The County Store" contains examples of appliances, kitchen utensils, home remedies, etc. that would have been sold at the Boylston Center Store from 1900 to 1920.
- John B. Gough memorabilia ( Gough was a internationally known temperance leader, lecturer, and Boylston resident from 1848 to 1886)
- Civil War Roster of Boylston, MA
- George L. Wright manuscripts (19th Century Historian and Boylston Town Clerk historical) On line papers as follows:
- “Boylston’s Church History” (1852)
- “Historical Notes on the Town of Boylston, Massachusetts, Prepared for Use in the Public Schools”
- “Historical Phenomena from the Papers of George L. Wright, (transcribed by Amy Gilgis)
- Genealogies of the Banister, Hinds, William Dunsmoor, Keyes/Knowlton, and Kendall Families
Orange Historical Society
41 North Main Street
PO Box 28
Orange Massachusetts
978 544-6286
Collection Highlights
- Artifacts from the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, and World War II
- Turn of the Century Industrial Artifacts (i.e. Steam Automobile Circa 1904 made in Orange by the Grout Brothers)
- Victorian Household Furnishing, Firefighting equipment, Musical instruments, Farm tools ,toys and other items
- Several family genealogies and Town histories.
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