Name: Fay School virtual information session
Start: 2021-04-28T10:00:00-04:00
End: 2021-04-28T11:00:00-04:00
Location: Virtual event

Five beautiful Wellesley homes recognized by Wellesley Historical Commission

April 1, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Historical Commission (WHC) has presented its annual awards to homeowners who have completed successful historically sensitive renovations of five of the town’s beautiful older homes. Part of the WHC’s mission is to seek out projects—both renovations and historically appropriate new construction—that honor and respect Wellesley’s architectural history.

Board member Rise Shepsle conferred to each family a framed certificate commending them for their outstanding home renovation and expressing the WHC’s appreciation for their efforts in preserving the town’s historic character. In presenting the awards she said, “The WHC each year seeks to identify recent projects—both renovations and historically appropriate new construction—that honor and respect the architectural history of our Town. We consider your recent project to be indicative of the excellence to which we hope all projects can aspire.”

We had the opportunity to be present as a couple of the awards were conferred on the homes that boasted the advantages of having great bones, in great neighborhoods, owned by those with a stewardship mindset. In years past homeowners have flung open the front doors and welcomed us in to explore every nook and cranny. With the pandemic, such hospitality wasn’t possible, but the reception on the front doorsteps couldn’t have been warmer.

Given the appetite for teardown/rebuild in town, life as a Wellesley grand dame structure is precarious. So congratulations to the following homes, and phew—with the kind of spa treatments they received, they’ve most likely dodged a teardown fate for at least another hundred years:

30 Old Farm Road (year built: 1934)
68 Crest Road (year built: 1895)
49 Woodlawn Avenue (year built: 1879)
65 Prospect Street (year built: 1898)
15 Ordway Road (year built: 1933)

Here are a few pics:

Wellesley Historical Commission award-winning home, 68 Crest Rd.

About the Wellesley Historical Commission

The Wellesley Historical Commission is a seven-member volunteer board of Town government and the primary advocate for the protection of Wellesley’s historic properties, both public and private. Their primary mission is to ensure that the historic structures and spaces that define the character of Wellesley are not lost for future generations. The WHC frequently collaborates with Town boards and departments, builders, realtors, and residents, to provide expert advice on projects involving historic resources to ensure that growth can coincide with preservation. The WHC also advocates for public bylaws and private actions that encourage the preservation, restoration, and innovative reuse of historic properties.

Past award-winning Wellesley Historical Commission homes

Wellesley Historic Commission works to slow down tear downs

Wellesley Historical Society lecture: Nat Sheidley on Open History, Enter Democracy

February 20, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

For the first of three free virtual lectures, the Wellesley Historical Society presents an online talk by Nat Sheidley called Open History, Enter Democracy, on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 7pm.

About the Talk

In 2020, Revolutionary Spaces launched as a new public history organization on Boston’s Freedom Trail. This talk introduces the two nationally significant historic sites we care for—Boston’s Old State House and Old South Meeting House—and argues that uniting them in a single visitor experience creates a new cultural resource unlike any other, where our nation’s most urgent questions first took shape and where the work of answering them can continue today. Using recent efforts to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Massacre as a lens, we will explore the challenges of connecting past and present in a way that is relevant to all.

Sheidley-armscrossed-credit_Justin_Saglio small — Nathaniel Sheidley (photo credit: Justin Saglio)

About Nathaniel Sheidley

Nathaniel Sheidley is the first President and CEO of Revolutionary Spaces, a new cultural organization dedicated to connecting people to the history and continuing practice of democracy through an encounter with two of the nation’s most important Revolutionary sites. Previously Nat taught at Wellesley College and served as the Bostonian Society’s Director of Public History. He has curated and provided creative direction for numerous exhibitions and programs, including Blood on the Snow, an immersive, site-specific work of theater that dramatizes the pivotal aftermath of the Boston Massacre in the very room where the events took place. Nat’s work is guided by a deeply held belief that public history at its best can do more than tell us about the past; it can also deepen our understanding of the present and equip us to build a more just and equitable future.

Advanced Registration Required via Zoom. Click here to register.

More information on this and future lectures.

MLK Day 2021 events schedule—Wellesley, Massachusetts

January 17, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

World of Wellesley invites everyone to its Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day community events, which will this year take place virtually on Monday, Jan. 18.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee will use the pandemic as an opportunity to bring the community together to not only talk about the phenomenal legacy of Dr. King, but to also engage in a series of virtual events focused on “Good Trouble: More Than Just a Day—A Call to Action.”

Schedule of Jan. 18, 2021 MLK Day events:

Good Trouble Virtual “Breakfast:” 8:30am – 10am

Good Trouble: Art Workshop, Grades K-7, 12:30 – 1:30pm
Student art will later be displayed at the Wellesley Public Library.

Good Trouble: Book Group, Grades 8-12 – 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Book groups will be facilitated by Wellesley Public School Students and focus on a short piece from Sterling Hayden’s Wanderer.

Family Story Time: Family event – all ages 2:30pm – 3:10pm
Children and families are invited to listen together to the story of Vitamin D and Me – How Humans Outsmarted the Sun, an amazing story of how and why human beings have different color skin tones.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 2020

Wellesley Square clock is alive and ticking

January 12, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

If you’ve been missing the Wellesley Square street clock, which the town sent out for repairs late last year, it’s time to take a look at the newly reinstalled and restored beauty. An Electric Time Co. truck rolled into town early this morning with the two-dial street clock crated and secured in the back of Medfield business’ vehicle. Between David Cintolo, the venerable company’s go-to guy for installations all over the region, and the Wellesley Department of Public Works crew members, the 15-foot cast aluminum clock was put in place in just over an hour.

(Thanks to Wellesley DPW’s Kevin Collins for the swell video.)

The clock looks fabulous and refreshed after its several months at the spa (as would we all with the kind of pampering such time would allow.) For its spa treatments the clock was stripped down, sandblasted, painted, and had certain parts replaced and upgraded (sounds like heaven).

Wellesley Square clock — The over 15-foot clock has stood in Wellesley Square since 1998.

Fun facts about Roman numeral IIII

Back when I was in elementary school, Roman numerals were drilled into me as efficiently as the multiplication tables. One thing I thought I knew for sure was that 1 = I; 2 = II; 3= III; and, wait for it, 4= IV.

Behold, the Wellesley Square clock expresses 4 as IIII. Was this a case of a paint job gone awry?

Nope.

According to Electric Time Clock’s website, “There does not seem to be a definitive reason why the number four is represented by IIII rather than IV, but it is how the dials on tower clocks have been done for centuries.”

It goes on to say that possible reasons include IV was commonly used to notate the Roman god Jupiter (in Latin, Ivpiter), and the numeral IIII was used to differentiate between the lowly number and the exalted god; visually, IIII forms better symmetry with the VIII on the other side of the clock, as well as creating radial symmetry in that only I appears in the first four hours, V only appears in the second four hours, and X only appears in the last four hours; IV is oddly positioned and difficult to read from the normal angle where four appears; and/or Romans simply preferred IIII as they largely avoided subtraction.

Thank you Swellesley Report supporters & on to Year Sweet 16

What Wellesley’s business landscape used to look like

December 13, 2020 by Bob Brown 14 Comments

News that The Gap will be vacating the Wellesley Square space it has occupied for nearly 30 years has saddened those who shop there or did when they lived around here. It’s also triggering nostalgia for shops that have moved on in years past.

We found this poster, undated and somewhat erratic on actual locations, that shows a tremendously different Wellesley business landscape from not that long ago. Some continue to operate, including Captain Marden’s and Maugus and Ice House, but many others no longer exist. Whatever became of Successful Singles?

For those of you who have lived here for a while, or who used to live here, take a trip down memory lane. Any guesses as to when this poster was printed? (We don’t know.)

Wellesley takes Veterans Day ceremony outdoors at Town Hall

November 11, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Members of the public joined Wellesley firefighters, police officers, town officials and veterans in recognizing Veterans Day outside of Town Hall at the war memorial along Washington Street.

2020 wellesley veterans day ken johnson — Navy veteran and Wellesley Middle School teacher Ken Johnson makes remarks

The event usually held in the Great Hall at Town Hall, but the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t allow for that.

The outdoor venue proved nice on a pleasantly sunny and windy day, though between the wind, masks and finicky mic, I won’t pretend that I heard most of what veterans like Royall Switzler, Pete Jones, Ken Johnson and Lorelei King said, but the gist was that they were proud to serve and encourage us all to honor veterans.

Holding its #VeteransDay2020 ceremony outside was a great day for flags in #Wellesley pic.twitter.com/fOX56MZZF6

— swellesley (@swellesley) November 11, 2020

Wellesley Media was on hand and has posted its recording.

You can also soak in local and national military history by strolling around Wellesley this month to see window displays saluting veterans.

Earlier in the day, Natick honored veterans wounded in combat as it raised its new Purple Heart flag at the Natick Community-Senior Center.

Army Sergeant Lorelei King, a Wellesley veteran, shares a poem — Army Sergeant Lorelei King shares a poem

Army Sergeant Royall Switzler of Welelsley

2020 wellesley john dirlam veterans — Navy Veteran and MassBay Professor John Dirlam shares some Veterans Day and Armistice Day history

Wellesley showing movie Midway outside to celebrate veterans

November 5, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Mobile Movie Night on Nov. 10

The movie Midway (1976 version with Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda) will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 10 in Wellesley’s Tailby parking lot. The lot will open at 4:30 p.m.

The movie will run from 5 p.m. to approximately 7 p.m. and is free for Wellesley residents. Space is limited; please register in advance beginning on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10a.m.

To sign up, use the Wellesley Recreation Department online registration portal or call the Recreation Department at 781-235-2370.

wellesley drive in movie knives out

More: Stroll through Wellesley into military history