At the annual Family Day on the Common event each spring we set up a “yard sale” to sell previously-loved items and use the proceeds to support the History Center. If you would like to donate items for the yard sale please call Susan Silva at 508-877-8465 or Jemi Miceli at 508-626-2649. Susan can also be emailed at susansilva@verizon.net.
The FHC is pleased to announce that it has received a $5,000 grant from the Framingham Co-operative Charitable Foundation matching a previous donation of $5,000 from Foundation for Metrowest. Both of these donations will fund our Civil War in Framingham 2011 initiative. Last week a group of 30 volunteers convened at the Edgell Memorial Library to begin planning for the Civil War Sesquicentennial which kicks off in April of 2011. A museum education consultant will be hired with this grant funding to help volunteers and staff develop Civil War exhibitions and programs using the FHC collections, buildings, and stories as well as the town’s sites related to the era of this great conflict.
We recently had a couple of items restored and were happy to have them back.
The first was an ox yoke from the colonial period.This piece was really heavy but our crew which included our very hands-on Executive Director, Annie Murphy and Researcher, Kevin Swope helped finish the job. At one point there were 5 of us lifting and adjusting (I wish I set the camera on timer mode to capture that) but it’s up and hanging in its rightful spot at the Academy Building.
We also had a pair of benches restored that reside at the Edgell Memorial Library. If anyone has had the experience of sitting on one of these you might have had the feeling of being on a ship since they were in pretty rough shape.
These former church pews have slowly been deteriorating to the point we could no longer have people sit on them, but we’re happy to report that they are back and ready to provide rest for all those who seek it when visiting Edgell.
Thanks to Paul Reidl of Reidl Restorations Services in Framingham for doing such great work!
Michelle McElroy
Operations Manager
