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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

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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

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

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Wellesley Lacrosse

Wellesley history: Part of Sprague Fields used to be a farm

December 8, 2022 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Members of the Mulcahy family have appealed to the Wellesley Public Schools for permission to install a plaque at the Sprague Fields commemorating the family farm that used to be there.

The first stop for the family has been to present its case at the Wellesley Historical Commission, which discussed the topic most recently at its Nov. 14 meeting (see Wellesley Media recording, about 70 minutes in) after researching the farm’s history in prior weeks (it began discussing the request publicly in February). The Commission supports the family’s effort and plans to work with the School Department to nail down more specifics about the history, where the plaque might go, and what it might say.

Planner Ryan Griffis shared some of the history at the Historical Commission meeting. With military personnel returning from World War II in the mid-1940s, Wellesley saw its population growing and needed a new school. Town Meeting appointed a committee in 1944 to survey land for such a school and the following year made a recommendation to use the Mulcahy farm lot. Back-and-forth meetings, committees and referendums put that recommendation in doubt, but eventually the town went with the Mulcahy property.

According to a review of Wellesley Townsman archives, the town bought 10 acres of Mulcahy property for $21,500 for its new school project, which entailed demolishing the high school, and building a junior high school, plus surrounding playgrounds.

Griffis said “it was very contentious issue, which the entire town become involved over where to place its new school. It is now still a very active part of the community, so we do feel a plaque would be well placed.”

mulcahy
The Planning Department showed that the main Mulcahy farm house used to be where 2nd base is now on the Sprague baseball field (Screenshot of map shown during Wellesley Media recording of Wellesley Historical Commission’s Nov. 14 meeting)

 

Outgoing Planning Director Don McCauley added that the Mulcahy family’s history in town in that location went back until at least the mid-1800s, making them something of a “founding family” in Wellesley. One member of the family noted that the Mulcahys were connected to Dr. William T.G. Morton, a dentist who is memorialized dentist with a marker in front of town hall that celebrates the world’s first public demonstration of ether as an anesthetic in surgery in 1864.

One thing missing so far are actual pictures of the farm, which the family is trying to dig up as they digitize their collection.

Bob Mulcahy read very brief proposed language for the plaque, including that the property was bought by the town in 1948 and that the family moved to town in 1854. The town acquired the property via eminent domain, he said.

Charles Mulcahy said the property had been used as a family farm and included chickens, pigs, a cow, a horse, and a pond where some of the animals drank. The farm was adjacent to a dump that has been covered over with the turf fields at Sprague (Wellesley was known for having little dumps sprinkled here and there back in the day).

The Historical Commission suggested that more details would be appropriate for the eventual plaque.

“To me this is a very interesting story,” said Jacob Lilley, an Historical Commission member. “It’s personal to a lot of people here in town. There are very few places in town where so many people utilize a space on a daily basis and have the ability to potentially reflect on what was there and how it’s changed over time.”


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Filed Under: Education, History

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Share your thoughts on Wellesley Historical Society

November 16, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

A Bentley University class has begun its market research on the Wellesley Historical Society both in person and online.

You may be approached by students near Roche Bros., or the Wellesley Free Library to share your thoughts related to the Wellesley Historical Society and Wellesley history. You can also take a quick survey online.

The goal of the research is to help the non-profit Wellesley Historical Society better understand the interests of members and the wider community, and to identify new opportunities. The class seeks to wrap up its report by year-end/

The Society, which was founded in 1925, recognizes that it needs to change with the times, and become a more engaging resource while honoring local history.

The Historical Society operates out of the Dadnum-McNamara House at 229 Washington St. It has launched at $2.5M capital campaign to support its acquisition of the Stanwood House at 323 Washington St., for the purpose of making that building its headquarters (read our update on Stanwood House from June).


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Filed Under: Education, History

Wellesley Veterans Day ceremony honors those who have served

November 11, 2022 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

As long as the weather cooperates, the War Memorial on Washington Street, with the iconic Town Hall building in the background is the perfect location for Wellesley’s annual Veterans Day remembrances. Credit (or blame) COVID for the change of venue—for years the ceremonies took place indoors in the administrative building’s Great Hall. Unless November decides to show us who’s boss, why take the event inside?

The mild weather, combined with a sense of civic duty, brought a large crowd out to honor those who have served. New this year: a sound system that cooperated. We could actually hear the words of each speaker. Much better to learn why the speakers were proud to serve their country than just assume that’s what they were talking about.

Between the scout troop that led the attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance; the talented vocalist, and bugle player, both WHS students; and the Wellesley Youth football players who helped with set-up and breakdown of the chairs and sound equipment; the Veterans Day observances were a true community event.

Wellesley Veterans Day

Wellesley.Veterans.Day.Color.Guard
Wellesley Color Guard

https://www.facebook.com/SwellesleyReport/videos/1212396435976004

 

Wellesley.Veterans.Day

Wellesley.Veterans.Day
Introduced at the event as Wellesley’s new interim Veteran Services Office was David Farrell, USMC veteran. Farrell is available to assist veterans every Wednesday, 10am-4pm, at Town Hall.

 

Veterans.Day.Wellesley
Sgt. Lorelei King, Army veteran, read from John McCrae’s famous war poem, Flanders Fields, about the only World War I American cemetery in Belgium. The poem reads in part, “In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow/ Between the crosses, row on row/ That mark our place…/We are the Dead. Short days ago/ We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow/Loved and were loved, and now we lie/ In Flanders Fields.”

 

Veterans.Day.Wellesley
Wellesley Middle School teacher and Navy veteran Ken Johnson.

 

Veterans.Day.Wellesley
From left: Colonel Bill Sinnott (Marines veteran); Select Board member, and an organizer of the event, Beth Sullivan Woods; Sgt. Lorelei King (Army veteran); an organizer of the event, Sgt. Royall Switzler (Army veteran); and Wellesley Middle School teacher Ken Johnson (Navy veteran).

Wellesley Media recording of Veterans Day ceremony

 

MORE:

On Dec 17, the organization Wreaths Across America Day, will partner with Wellesley’s Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter to coordinate the national organization’s annual wreath-laying ceremonies on veterans graves in Wellesley, at Arlington National Cemetery, and at more than 3,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. You can donate here to the effort.


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Filed Under: History, Holidays

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Rick Cram, leader

Wellesley remembers minuteman Amos Mills

October 20, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Amos Mills-Lucy Jackson Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution held a ceremony of remembrance on Saturday, Oct. 15  for Amos Mills, one of the chapter’s namesakes.

His homestead was on Weston Road, where an original marker was placed in 1955. Chapter members laid a wreath and remembered “this Patriot who fought at the Battle of Monotomy (now Arlington) on the first day of the American Revolution—considered one of the bloodiest battles.”

According to a do-it-yourself tour of Wellesley by historian Beth Hinchliffe, the farmer and minuteman was “the only man from what is now Wellesley killed the first day of the Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775.”

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a service organization for women who are directly descended from people involved in the United States’ efforts towards independence.

Terry Horrigan, Laurie Witt, Elyse Mihajloski, Liz Becker, Lorelei King, Nathalie Pommier, and Jane Kettendorf.
Terry Horrigan, Laurie Witt, Elyse Mihajloski, Liz Becker, Lorelei King, Nathalie Pommier, and Jane Kettendorf at remembrance ceremony

 

amos mills 264 weston road

More: Wellesley Free Library display recognizes signing of U.S. constitution (Sept. 2022)


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Filed Under: History

Wellesley Historical Society focus of Bentley research project

September 28, 2022 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

A Bentley University class this fall will conduct market research intended to help the non-profit Wellesley Historical Society better understand the interests of members and the wider community, and to identify new opportunities.

The Society recognizes that it needs to change with the times, and become a more engaging resource while honoring local history (See also: “Wellesley Historical Society’s 4th annual craft beer experience.”). The Society was founded in 1925.

The Society was recruited by Bentley’s Office of Civic Engagement, which focuses on helping and working with local non-profits.

Students from the Waltham-based school will conduct research on trends in local, state, and national historical societies, and zero in on the interests of Wellesley Historical Society members and others about their interests in local history (If you’re interested in participating, reach out to Historical Society Executive Director Taylor Kalloch at director@wellesleyhistoricalsociety.org or 781-235-6690.)

Fred Wright, a Wellesley Historical Society board member, says the Bentley class will be making its final report in December. He plans to invite Wellesley Historical Commission (its focus is the “preservation and protection of the tangible evidence of the architectural, aesthetic, cultural, economic, political and social history of Wellesley”) and Wellesley Historical Society to the presentation of that report, figuring the two town outfits have opportunities to work and share in the future.

The Historical Society, which operates out of the Dadnum-McNamara House at 229 Washington St., has launched at $2.5M capital campaign to support its acquisition of the Stanwood House at 323 Washington St., for the purpose of making that building its headquarters (read our update on Stanwood House from June).

323_Summer-2021 rev
Wellesley Historical Society’s Stanwood House (photo courtesy of WHS)

Wellesley Historical Craft Beer event coming up Oct. 13

whs craft beer


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