FEATURED VIDEOS
If you weren’t able to attend Brian Donahue’s excellent Annual Meeting lecture on Weston’s agricultural history, the link to the lecture video is below. Thanks as always to Weston Media Center for filming and editing the lecture, and for making it available online.
John Martin (far left) worked the land owned by the Loring family estate. His 16-year-old son, Charles, is hoeing at right. In the rear is the Martin house at 168 Summer Street. Route 128 now cuts through this farm field. (1898 photo by Howes Brothers)
WHS Moves Into Josiah Smith Tavern
Weston Historical Society is leasing four rooms on the first floor of the Josiah Smith Tavern. We are in the process of setting up an office/archives in two of these rooms, to be used for meetings, cataloguing and collections processing, and to welcome visitors using the archives and photo files for research. File cabinets, map cases, document boxes, books, tables, and chairs were moved in early January. Weston resident Michael Cooper volunteered his formidable woodworking skills to build bookcases that fit perfectly along two walls. The deep shelves provide maximum storage while carefully avoiding floor vents, sprinklers, and light switches. Historical society volunteers spent many hours applying primer and two coats of paint to the seven separate units and 37 shelves.
The other two JST rooms will be used for exhibits. At the moment, parts of our recent exhibit “History Under One Roof: The Evolution of the Josiah Smith Tavern” are still on display. The society’s collection of furniture, paintings, and objects of all kinds will remain in storage in the basement of St. Julia Church. Weston Historical Society is deeply grateful to Father Mark and St. Julia Parish for providing us with a home since 2019, when the tavern renovation began.
Watch for announcements of open houses, events, and new exhibits once we have settled into our new home. To be added to the WHS email list, send a request to info@westonhistory.org.
David Cail helps to dismantle two rooms of our exhibit “History Under One Roof.”
Michael Cooper stands next to the still-unfinished custom bookcases that he built as a volunteer.
Kitty Smith, Mary Marder, and Mark Marder work to set up the new office/archives.
Save the Dates!
Weston Historical Society Spring Lecture, Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 pm, Weston Public Library.
Eric Schultz will speak on his book King Philip’s War: A History and Legacy of America’s Forgotten Conflict.
Third Annual Celebrate Weston, Saturday, May 18. Visit the society’s new home and new exhibit.
Girl Scouts visit the JST Exhibit
Last November, members of Weston Girl Scout Troop 67308 under the direction of Carolyn Lau visited the Josiah Smith Tavern to explore the exhibit “History Under One Roof: The Evolution of the Josiah Smith Tavern.”