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Write Ahead, Wellesley

Here’s the schedule for Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, May 20 & 21

May 18, 2023 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, organized and funded by the Wellesley Celebrations Committee, is ready to bring the excitement during the town’s largest community gathering of the year. This two-day event takes place on May 20 and 21, and includes events and activities for all ages.

Don’t skip breakfast on Sat., May 20

Remember to start everything out with the most important meal of the weekend—the Pancake Breakfast, on Sat., May 20, 8am-1pm, at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St.

Gluten free, waffles and pancakes are available as an option and there will be bountiful chocolate chips for toppings at this all-you-can-eat family fun event with the prices that haven’t gone up in years. $10 if you’re 14 or older, and five dollars if you’re 13 and under.

Have a cool car? Help out

There is a serious need the 54th Wellesley Veterans’ Parade has for convertibles to carry the Honorees in this year’s Parade, to be held on Sunday, May 22, 2022, starting at 1pm, starting at the junction of Routes 9 & 16, at the Friendly Aid parking lot.
Anyone who might have an available convertible can contact Roy Switzler, Parade Chairman at 781-235-1299 (o), or 617-840-5718 (c) or at wellesleycelebrations@gmail.com or rswitzler@aol.com
Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend
Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend parade, 2022.

This year, the Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade theme is “Birth of Our Nation: Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.”

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend—what’s new in 2023

Encampment location change: The encampment is usually on the grounds in front of Wellesley Town Hall. That’s not happening due to construction of the historic building. Instead the 18th century military encampment will take place at Morton Park Field. There will be tours all day on Saturday and a cannon firing hourly 11am-4pm near the Wellsley PD, 485 Washington St.

Catch Connect: This year, free transportation on Saturday, May 20 will be provided by the MWRTA Catch Connect from 10:00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. to the many Wellesley Wonderful Weekend venues (e.g. Touch a Truck event, Wellesley Police and Fire Department open houses, Art in the Park and other events). Riders over 12 years of age can ride unaccompanied.

If you would like to use this service on Saturday, please email info@sustainableWellesley.com. In your email, make sure to share that you/family/friends would like to try Catch Connect so we can accommodate your travel plans.

Climate Action Passport:

  • Grab a passport at the Library, Free Eye Exam/Eyeglass donation event at Wellesley High School, Touch a Truck, or the Wellesley Police Department or Municipal Light Plant open houses.
  • Get your passport stamped at Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend climate action events.
  • Show your passport at the Climate Action table at the WWW picnic (Hunnewell Field) on Sunday, May 21 from 4:30 p.m. to dusk. All stamped passports will be entered into a drawing to win a $200 bike shop gift certificate.

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend schedule, Sat., May 20

Saturday, May 20: 18th century military encampment at Morton Park Field—The Royal Irish Artillery Division and 26th Yankee Division. Tours all day on Saturday. Canon firing Saturday, 11am-4pm, on the hour, nearby Wellesley Police Station, 485 Washington St.

8am-1pm: Pancake Festival at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St., Wellesley Kiwanis Club. Wellesley Key Club (slight cost)

8am-1pm: Free Eye Exams at the Wellesley High School,  50 Rice Street, Wellesley Lions Club

9am-10am: Morses Pond Trail Guided Walk, Wellesley Trails Committee, Meet at town beach access road gate, end of Turner Rd.

9am-10:30am: Walking Tour of Wellesley Hills Square with Wellesley Historical Society. Meet at the Tollhouse, 229 Washington St.

10am-noon: Bike Safety Rodeo, for children under twelve. With Wellesley Police and Wellesley Kiwanis, Tailby Parking Lot, Linden and Crest Roads.

9am-noon: Touch a Truck Open House at Wellesley Department of Public Works, 20 Municipal Way (off Rt 9)

11am-3pm–Open House at Wellesley Municipal Light Plant, 4 Municipal Way (off Rt. 9)

11am-3pm: Open House at Wellesley Police Station, 485 Washington Street

11am-to 3pm–Open House at Wellesley Main Fire Station #2

Noon-3pm: Open House at Tolles Parsons Center, 500 Washington Street

11am-3pm–Open House at Wellesley Historical Society, Stanwood House, 323 Washington Street

(Rescheduled until fall due to expected rain) Noon-2:30pm: Art in the Park, Wellesley Community Art Project & Wellesley Women Artisans – Simons Park (corner of Washington and Brook Streets, left of Main Library)

1pm-3pm: Pups in the Park, Rotary Club of Wellesley, Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc., and Wellesley Celebrations Committee, Hunnewell Field

1pm-3pm: Build Your Own Nancy’s Troll and Fairy House event (for elementary school kids), in memory of Nancy Bagdasarian. At Pickle Point on Morses Pond. Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, Crosstown Trail. Parking area opposite 49 Russell Rd.

(Canceled due to expected rain: limited showing of the artwork will happen during Sunday’s picnic instead) 10am-4pm: The Wellesley Society of Artists is pleased to present “Celebrating 90 Years of Art and the Next Generation of Artists”, featuring the artwork of 30 WSA member artists on display at Simons Park (corner of Washington & Brook Street, left of Main Library).

4pm–dusk: Paint the Town–Plein Air Painting event, Wellesley Society of Artists and Page Waterman Gallery, Town Hall grounds, corner of Washington and Grove Streets, Wellesley Square.

4pm: Veterans Ecumenical Memorial Mass at Saint Paul Church, 502 Washington Street, Wellesley Veterans Council

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend schedule, Sun., May 21

8am-10am: Guided Bird Walk at Morses Pond, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust. Park on wooded side of Turner Rd. Meet at Turner Road Gate.

8am: Wonder Run 5K Race* (small fee charged) 9am: Kids Fun Run*  (small fee charged), Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club, Wellesley High School, 50 Rice Street. Register here.
A Lexington Minuteman re-enactor will fire a musket shot to start the race of the 9th annual Wonder Run 5K & Kids Fun Run

9:30am-2pm: Antique Car Show, Wheels of Wellesley X, on Central Street, from Juniper Restaurant to Fire Station 1. Organized by the Modifiers Car Club and the Wellesley Celebrations Committee

1pm-3pm: 55th Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade. 2023 Theme: Birth of Our Nation: Celebrating the 25oth Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party—1773-2023. Route along Washington St. (Route 16) through to Central St. in Wellesley Square. Reviewing Stand in front of Wellesley Village Church. Wellesley Celebrations Committee

4:30pm-dusk: Picnic in the Park at Hunnewell Field. Food, drinks, kids’ rides, crafts, games, ponies, & other fun. (small charge for food, drinks, and some activities.

6pm: Concert for Wellesley at Hunnewell Field. Featuring music by The Reminisants, and a musical theatrical performance by Wellesley Theatre Project Wellesley Theatre Project

Dusk: Fireworks – The Biggest and the Best! At Hunnewell Field. Sponsors: Roche Bros./Sudbury Farms and Needham Bank


Please support the Celebrations Committee with a donation. Those fireworks (and so much more) are free to all revelers, but not to the organizers!

Donations can be sent by check made payable to Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc. and sent to Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc. P.O. Box 812202, Wellesley, MA 02482-0015  or by visiting wellesleywonderfulweekend.com/donate

Filed Under: Entertainment, Food, History, Music, Volunteering, Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend

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Church Square to celebrate 100 years in Wellesley

May 10, 2023 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Church Square, the shopping center adjacent to Wellesley Square that has been home to dozens of classic businesses from the Blue Ginger restaurant to E.A. Davis and from Dover Saddlery to the Wellesley Market grocery store, will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Friday, May 19 at 3:30pm with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The public event, being held in conjunction with the Charles River Regional Chamber of Commerce, will take place in front of 579 Washington St.

The square got its start in the 1920s when Charles E. Holman, who had a dry goods store in the Allston/Brighton area, bought the Wellesley property on Washington Street at the urging of his son, who saw opportunity in the ‘burbs. Holman’s sister-in-law Emma A. Davis founded the E.A. Davis department store in the eastern end of Wellesley and it was moved to what would become Church Square by her nephew Clarence, according to a Church Square history page. The family bought property on Church Street that created the Holman Block and provided for parking that remains an attractive amenity for shoppers.

Corner-of-Washington-St-and-Church-St_Undated-post-1907_Wellesley-Historical-Society-Postcard-Collection
This undated postcard is likely from around the time that the block was constructed in 1922 (Photo courtesy of Wellesley Historical Society)

 

Other retailers along the way have included Corkum’s hardware store, the Wool Shop for knitters, the Camera Shop, and the Oriole Restaurant. Dover Saddlery has been a huge success story, growing from a single shop in Church Square in the 1970s into what it now refers to itself as “the leading omni-channel retailer of equestrian products.”

Corner-of-Washington-St-and-Church-St_12-12-1973_B-Bucknam_Wellesley-Historical-Society-Photograph-Collection
Photo of Church Square from 1973 (Photo courtesy of Wellesley Historical Society)

 

Linda Kimbrell, great granddaughter of Charles E. Holman, fondly recalls playing in the toy section of E.A. Davis, and says that Church Square has remained in the family throughout its existence. It is overseen by a board of family members, and some family members still live locally, including a great, great granddaughter who handles some video promotion work for the square.

While there are no big plans for property updates, Church Square has been investing in landscaping to keep the property inviting (it doesn’t hurt having NatureWorks as a tenant). “Our goal is to have an interesting mix of retailers and service providers for the community, what Wellesley wants and needs,” Kimbrell says.

Dennis Di Schino has been involved with Church Square since the early 1990’s, doing the leasing and the property management. “I have seen a trend away from apparel to more service-orientated tenants. Church Square is one of the last few retail blocks in Wellesley that is still family owned. They are onto their 4th generation of ownership, which is remarkable in these times of large corporations and Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT’s),” he writes.

Di Schino credits the owners for investing a lot of money in maintaining and improving the property over the years. “All of the stone façade above the Washington Street building had to be replaced. It looks like real granite, but you will also find that material on a Hollywood back lot! Over the years some of the stores have been used as scenes in several movies.” “Daddy’s Home 2” was filmed in part at E.A. Davis in 2017.

Another bit of history from Di Schino: “The original E A Davis sign that hung for decades perpendicular to the sidewalk actually crashed to the ground in the middle of the night luckily!”

Church Square has plans to partner with local charities and organizations this year as part of its anniversary celebration.

Photo of Church Square
Photo courtesy of Church Square

 

church square
Photo courtesy of Church Square

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Filed Under: Business, History, Shopping

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Get your ticket for Wellesley Historical Society Spring Gala

May 1, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley Country Club
The Wellesley Country Club

Tickets are on sale through May 3 for the Wellesley Historical Society’s annual Spring Gala. The fundraiser will take place on Thursday, May 11, 6:30-9:30pm, at the Wellesley Country Club and features a talk by Edward Achorn, author of The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention that Changed History. Achorn’s riveting read tells all about the vivid, behind-the-scenes story of perhaps the most consequential political moment in American history—Abraham Lincoln’s history-changing nomination to lead the Republican Party in the 1860 presidential election.

Cocktails, dinner, and a jazz pianist will precede Edward Achorn’s presentation. Come “Open the Door to History” at this much-anticipated event.

Filed Under: Books, Entertainment, History

Refined Renovations, Wellesley

Wellesley Clock Tower bell not music to everyone’s ears

April 13, 2023 by Bob Brown 14 Comments

Concerns about noise from future night games at the Hunnewell Track & Field complex and from the current rapid fire pop of pickleballs near homes have generated their fair share of controversy in Wellesley. Now enter the hourly ringing of the bell at the nearly 100-year-old Sprague Memorial Clock Tower at Elm Park in Wellesley Hills as the latest sound to spark a complaint.

clock tower

The Natural Resources Commission this past week (shortly before the 50-minute mark of the Wellesley Media recording) discussed a neighbor’s complaint about the bell, which rings every hour from 9am-6pm daily. It had been ringing hourly from 7am-9pm before the resident raised the issue over the winter, and the resident’s request was to limit the ringing to once per day, according to NRC Director Brandon Schmitt. There was some murkiness around who actually defines the schedule, though it was determined that the bell controls have limitations that allow for hourly ringing but not for say, ringing every 3 hours.

The Sprague Memorial Clock Tower bell sound is classic, striking, and loud. The clock and bell were given to the “the town of Needham for the village of Grantville” initially in 1874 by resident John W. Shaw for a schoolhouse bearing his name that stood at the intersection of Forest and Washington Streets. The clock and bell later made their way to the tower, designed by architect Benjamin Proctor, Jr., and completed in 1928 (per Josh Dorin, who wrote on the subject for a 2016 Wellesley Townsman article).

“[T]he bell used to chime every hour, even throughout the night. This feature didn’t last long. Numerous residents complained — primarily the newer residents of town, as the old-timers were comforted by the familiar tones made by the striking of the bell,” Dorin wrote.

Sprague Memorial Clock Tower

I swung by the park over the weekend to record the sound, which I’ll admit—even though I knew it was coming—made me jump as I pressed play on my iPhone to capture the bell marking 1pm with 1 bold note.

The bell had been been out of commission for some time until last summer/fall when it returned to action after the bell hammer was rehabbed and other old hardware was replaced.

We had the good fortune of a DPW-led tour inside the clock tower back in 2013—the bell wasn’t working then (see  “Wellesley exclusive: Inside the Sprague Memorial Clock Tower”).

The town has slowly been making repairs to the woodwork around the top of the bell tower as well as to the staircase leading up to it, with plans to bring in a contractor for copper roof repairs and additional renovation, Park and Highway Superintendent Mike Quinn told us.

The Department of Public Works made a request in 2017 for Community Preservation Act funding for work on the clock tower, which along with the park, is on the National Register of Historic Places. In that Community Preservation Committee (CPC) request, it is stated that “the keeping of time and hourly ringing of the bells provide a tangible connection to a significant historic tradition in town…”

A line item for FY25 within the DPW portion of the 5-year capital budget shows $525K (with the CPC as the funding source) for clock tower work that goes beyond the initial consultant estimates. Look for spending on some design and scope of work in the upcoming year, with the actual rehab taking place in FY25.

“At this time I’m not inclined to change the schedule of the clock tower bell, but I could recommend that we would look at better controls when we redo the entire building in 2025,” the NRC’s Jay McHale said during the recent commission meeting.

The other commissioners agreed.

Sound is a subject that’s been on the minds of NRC members, and in fact we asked about sound during our pre-election interviews with NRC candidates earlier this year. The NRC has been conducting research on sound, and plans to work with the School Committee to come up with a consistent sound policy for NRC and School fields.

Sprague Memorial Clock Tower

Sprague Memorial Clock Tower


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Filed Under: History

Call and Haul, Wellesley

Sociology professor exploring historical impact of immigrants on Wellesley

March 31, 2023 by Bob Brown 2 Comments

When Wellesley resident and Emmanuel College Professor of Sociology Catherine Simpson Bueker began researching the “multi-directional ways” in which immigrants have affected the town over the past 100-plus years, she couldn’t have imagined just how multi-directional that influence might be.

For example, in looking at Chinese immigrants, influences spanned from restaurant menus to healthcare services and from town policies to national politics. On the national front, the Wellesley Townsman editor urged residents in 1943 to write their senators to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act, and in particular called on friends of Soong Mei-ling, aka, Madame Chiang Kai-shek (First Lady of the Republic of China) from her time at Wellesley College. The Act was repealed, and notable thanks to the town came from Dr. Tehy Hsieh, an economist and lawyer from China living in the area who was a major liaison between the Chinese community in the Boston area and established residents.

“This was an example of a small town flexing some muscle in response to a possible federal policy change,” says Bueker, whose research over the years has focused on “the ways in which people engage civically and politically in American society and how they become a part of the public sphere.”

Locally, the owners of Chin’s Village restaurant on Rte. 9 pushed for and won support for changes in local alcohol serving rules. In the community, Chinese cooking classes were being taught in the 1960s by non-Asian residents.

Bueker’s current research focuses on the impact of Chinese as well as Italian and Jewish immigrants and their children on individuals, groups, and organizations—specifically “established” Americans (3-plus generations)—using Wellesley as a case study. Traditionally, these immigrants were concentrated in certain areas of town, such as Jewish residents near the “bird” streets close to the temple, Italian residents near the high school and Italo American Educational Club, and Chinese residents near Hardy Elementary School. Because of this, residents in certain areas of town weren’t necessarily all that aware of what was happening in other parts.

The research tests a theory called “neo-assimilation” which Bueker describes as “the idea that as immigrants enter into the United States, it is not just that they change to become more like ‘established’ Americans (those born in the U.S. to U.S.-born parents), but that established Americans also change.”

Bueker further illustrates the point:

“We often think about our society as being pretty static and closed, kind of like a lake, that individuals enter into. Immigrants swim across the lake and by the time they, or their children, make it across, they have assimilated’ to the waters in which they are swimming. In reality, we know that society is constantly changing, but we don’t think about that day to day. Really, we should think about society, big or small, as more like a river moving through the landscape. The water upstream is different than the water downstream as a result of who enters along the way. The swimmers are changed in the process, but so is the water.”

Data collection has been undertaken by Bueker and 3 student researchers, with Wellesley Townsman archives being a key resource combined with some 80 interviews of lifelong residents as well as community leaders, the local business community, and various organizations (including ours).

Newspaper advertisements have been particularly telling of trends, such as which foods were being promoted in grocery store circulars. Overall, using the archives since the early 1900s has allowed for a consistent longitudinal view of how those immigrant groups have affected the community, whereas the individual interviews provide additional color, detail, and opinion, but rely on people’s not-always-accurate memories.

Here’s a timeline representing the diffusion of Chinese medicine and healthcare practices in Wellesley:

Chart showing diffusion of chinese medicine and healthcare in Wellesley

The research is being conducted through a 2-year Russell Sage Foundation grant that goes until the end of 2024, and the output from it will include a book, articles, and a research paper to be presented at the American Sociological Association meeting in Philadelphia this August. Research should be completed by the end of summer.

How the findings might apply to other communities will be nuanced, Bueker says, as immigration varies from place to place, both in terms of the number of immigrants, the level of education of immigrants entering communities, and their income levels. “I do think the findings will be applicable, but with a footnote,” she says.


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Filed Under: Embracing diversity, History

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Mass Hort hopeful that vacant Elm Bank manor house has lots of life left

March 14, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

When AMC filmed parts of its “Invitation to a Bonfire” series at the Cheney-Baltzell Manor House within Elm Bank Reservation last fall, park visitors were surprised to see the usually off-limits neo-Georgian building back in action. It’s been decades since the manor has been occupied, and only occasionally this century has it been used, such as for filming and antiques fairs. The team behind “Bonfire” had approached Mass Hort about using the building after noticing some work had been done on it.

AMC wound up scrapping its “Bonfire” production to cut costs, so the fate of that project is unclear. So too is the future of the manor house, but the Massachusetts Horticultural Society that calls Elm Bank (900 Washington St., Wellesley) its home is hopeful that there will be a future for the 1907 building that now looms vacant behind the striking Italianate garden.

Elm Bank manor house

An Update on the Manor House

Mass Hort Executive Director James Hearsum, named to that position in 2019, recently shared an update with us on the site of the 3-story building that possesses an inner beauty that shines through the deterioration (no inside photos allowed). Highlights include a classic ballroom and 2-story library (accessed via a sort of secret door… don’t lean on the balcony!), their shelves filled with real and fake books supplied during the filming of 2009’s “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.” Also unique: more than a dozen commissioned marble fireplaces, each sent here from Italy following the original owners’ honeymoon in Europe.

The ground floor of the 40-room building remains in relatively good shape inside, though less stable temperatures on the upper floor have wreaked some havoc there. Fortunately, even though much plaster has turned to dust, the way the plaster was originally applied over a concrete base makes it “about a simple a restoration as you can do,” Hearsum says. There is lead paint to deal with as well, he adds.

Unfortunately, Hearsum acknowledges, the 36,000 sq. ft. condemned building, with its exterior marble steps and Ionic columns, has been low on the Society’s priority list because of the daunting cost to restore it. “When I came here in 2020 I wondered what we would be doing with this, and was told it would be a $20M to $25M restoration. Obviously there is no way on the planet we can fund that—nor should we. It’s not our mission,” he says.

In learning more about the building, and trying to get a handle on where the $20M-$25M figures came from, Hearsum says that “it was clear that it was tipping from restorable to not restorable” due to losing the water tightness of the building. “As soon as you lose the water tightness, you lose the building in a matter of a few years,” he says.

Elm Bank manor house

cheney manor
The X warns first responders that the vacant building is unsafe to enter.

Hearsum began looking into what it would take to maintain the building envelope for the next 10 years, at least giving it a chance to remain viable. Hazardous material and structural surveys were conducted. On the plus side, it was structurally fine, but not unexpectedly, there was lots of asbestos to deal with in the basement. The building was restorable, but even at a modest per square foot cost for such a large building, you’re talking tens of millions of dollars, he says.

State politicians (Senators Rausch, Creem, and Rush among them) were then contacted to seek funding to keep the building intact. This would include addressing woodwork on the windows to prevent them from falling in or out, and keeping water from seeping into the basement, where utilities are located amidst the asbestos. The roof also has leaks, which could be fixed for a few hundred thousand (vs. a replacement that would cost millions). Mass Hort could find a couple or few hundred thousand dollars to put toward fixes (“we’ll stretch as far as we can…”), but it would really need the state to come through with more to effectively save the building, Hearsum says.

“We frankly didn’t expect to get it, but it wound up getting attached to the state budget for this past year,” says Hearsum, who credited many Mass Hort members from Wellesley and other communities for writing to their legislators in support of this investment. To Mass Hort’s surprise, $600K was appropriated, with asbestos abatement first on the list of jobs, starting this spring. Some painting and other woodwork restoration on windows on one facade has already been done, and Mass Hort has determined it will still need to raise $150,000-$200,000 for other work. Netting has been placed on the gutters to prevent parts of the roof from falling.

The state building inspector and town of Dover (where Elm Bank’s land resides) would need to sign off on any use of the property. It would most likely be cost prohibitive for Mass Hort to host events there, but AMC was able to pay for safety upgrades to allow filming for a few weeks. Given that that was done, it could be possible for Mass Hort to explore whether such existing safety investment would allow it to take advantage of that in hosting something. Hearsum was complimentary of the state and town’s willingness to support its efforts.

What would really be nice is if the manor house would catch the eye of not just film producers, but one of the many home makeover reality shows that might be willing to foot the bill.

Mass Hort feeling strong

While Mass Hort took an early hit during the pandemic, as weddings that would have been held on the Elm Bank grounds were canceled or postponed, Hearsum says the Society has come out of the past few years stronger organizationally and financially.

It is playing some catch-up, after being short staffed, and is sprucing up the pollinator area within Weezie’s Garden for Children and filling in the Bressingham Garden. It has been working more closely with Wellesley College, supporting internships, alumnae programs, and more.

The Society has also rethought its mission, which has long been a traditional approach to growing the art and science of horticulture, and promoting it. “We asked: ‘Is that significant enough?’ What we really do is help people have better lives through horticulture, helping at every stage of life,” Hearsum says. This translates into school programs that focus more on growing, efforts aimed at people transitioning from school to work, helping people going through various forms of rehabilitation. Hearsum points back to early Society work, back in the 1840s, helping new immigrants learn how to grow food in an unfamiliar climate.

“We kind of lost sight of all this, and had focused more on ‘Hey, pretty flowers,'” he says.

Not that Mass Hort, whose gardens are open from spring through fall, is eschewing pretty flowers. In fact, it will start spring with a bang in the form of a Tulip Mania festival during the first weeks of April. Some 53,000 tulip bulbs have been planted under netting in the trial garden for what should be a spectacularly colorful display, with cut flowers available for purchase.

Having a mission that supporters believe in will be important both for Mass Hort’s future, and possibly the manor house, Hearsum says.

Still, a huge challenge with the manor house is that those who might have an interest in restoring it would need something more to make a sustainable business of it. For example, the house plus a hotel or the house plus an arts center,  Hearsum says.

“I am an optimist about this. I actually do believe this is restorable and worth restoring—otherwise we wouldn’t be sinking nearly a million dollars into it just to keep the possibilities alive,” he says. “You have to take a 20-year view though. If you take a 5-year view, there’s nothing we can do.”

Elm Bank manor house
You may be able to see that on the facade on the right, Mass Hort has begun restoring windows to help buy it time on the building.

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Filed Under: Gardens, History

Happy 112th birthday to Wellesley’s own Herlda Senhouse

March 2, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Happy birthday to Herlda Senhouse, Wellesley’s oldest resident, who on February 28 celebrated her 112th birthday. With COVID restrictions lifted at Herlda’s home at Glen Grove, well-wishers came out in force to help the centenarian mark the festive occasion. Over 50 guests including friends, nieces and nephews, and a strong contingent from her church home of Myrtle Baptist in West Newton, came to share memories and create even more.

Herlda Senhouse, Wellesley, 112-years old
Herlda Senhouse, born in 1911, celebrates her 112th birthday at her home in Wellesley. Photo via Town of Wellesley.

Herlda looked beautiful, as always. Wearing a neutral sweater under a blazer that shined with metallic thread, along with her signature strand of pearls, she set the standard for style. Guests, too, were dressed to impress and looked well as they relaxed in each other’s company and remarked on the super-longevity of their dear friend. Everyone there seemed to have known Herlda for decades. Everyone looks up to the 44-year Wellesley resident as the gold standard. “She’s wise, she’s a strong lady. I’d like to be in her shoes one day,” said June.

Wellesley Select Board vice chair Tom Ulfelder on behalf of the town congratulated Herlda on her “extraordinary milestone” and expressed admiration for her continuous quest “for new adventures to complete her bucket list.”  This year’s goal: to meet President Barack Obama.

Herlda never goes wanting for meaningful human connection. Besides socializing at her yearly birthday party, she has a friend group she meets up with regularly at area restaurants. “She likes to go out to dinner. We all go out to dinner a lot,” Gerald Jones said. “Sometimes she pays and won’t let us pay. But today is her day. I always tell her I promised her father I’d have her home by ten. For the most part, I do.”

Herlda Senhouse, Wellesley, 112-years old
Family members traveled from Maryland, North Carolina, and Georgia to help celebrate their Aunt Herlda’s day. Photo via Town of Wellesley

In addition to outings close to home, Herlda occasionally goes farther afield to try her luck at Encore Casino in Everett, where she favors the slots. About her overnight there last week she acknowledged, “I made a little piece of money.” Luck follows this lady around wherever she goes.

But perhaps luck can claim only part of the credit for Herlda’s longevity, long-term friendships, and life well-lived. It seems there’s something about Myrtle Baptist that keeps Herlda and her friends engaged, their exuberance uncaged, and looking of an indeterminate age.

“That’s right. It’s where love abides,” I was told.

Amen.

Happy birthday, Herlda.

Filed Under: Embracing diversity, Entertainment, History, Holidays, Uncategorized

Wellesley Historical Society holding pub-style trivia event

February 9, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Thursday, March 2, 2023

6:30pm – 9:30pm

Italo American Educational Club

75 Pleasant Street, Wellesley, Mass

This pub-style trivia event will feature general knowledge trivia, including a round of Wellesley specific trivia.

The event will be an evening filled with pasta, snacks, fun, and friends as teams of 4-8 people compete to win a collection of gift cards from local eateries.

Cash bar.

All event proceeds will support the Society’s general operations.

Tickets $40/person

When you purchase tickets, you will be asked to provide a team name or list of other team members. No team? You will be assigned to one at the event.

Questions? Please email Executive Director Taylor Kalloch at director@wellelseyhistoricalsociety.org or call 781-235-6690.

Filed Under: Charity/Fundraising, Entertainment, History

Wellesley Historical Society reveals spring speaker series

January 26, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Historical Society is offering a series of free, in-person lectures this spring at Wellesley Free Library’s main branch (530 Washington St.):

The Whartons’ War (Sunday, March 26, 2pm)

Local Resident Sue Bell and Civil War historian William Davis will discuss their new book on the recently-discovered correspondence between Sue’s ancestor, Confederate General Gabriel Wharton, and his wife Anne Wharton during the Civil War. General Wharton was actively engaged in the fighting in Virginia and was acquainted with many other, high-ranking Confederate officers.

Rebels at Sea (Sunday, April 2, 2pm)

Maritime historian Eric Jay Dolin will discuss his latest book, Rebels at Sea, which focuses attention on the often- overlooked role of American privateers in winning the American Revolution. Not surprisingly in light of our maritime traditions, many of these privateers were based right here in New England.

Blood & Ivy at Harvard Medical School (Sunday, May 7, 2pm)

Retired Massachusetts Superior Court Justice Dennis Curran will discuss the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Dr. George Parkman of Harvard Medical School in 1849. This case (and the subsequent murder trial) was one of the most sensational in the history of 19th Century America.


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Filed Under: History

Top 10 things to do in Wellesley, Mass. in 2023

January 6, 2023 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

We’ve updated our popular “Top 10 things to do in Wellesley” page to remind everyone of how much the town has to offer. From hiking the many trails in town, to listening to live music during summer concerts, or enjoying a meal at any number of top-notch restaurants, there’s plenty to do and see in Wellesley.

Have you experienced everything on our list?

Boston Marathon, Wellesley
Boston Marathon, Wellesley

 

Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend, antique cars
Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, antique cars

 

Babson College globe
Babson College globe

Make The Swellesley Report first on your top-10 list of places to support with a contribution.


Top 10 things to do in Natick, Mass.

Filed Under: Art, Babson College, Dump, History, Holidays, Wellesley College

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