Framingham History Center Blog

It’s that time of year!  We are gearing up for our annual Halloween Trolley Tour on Saturday, October 30th.   Be sure to buy your tickets early as we sold out last year! 
We are working on adding some new stories to the tour and we’d love to hear of any strange tales and legends you have know of or have even experienced here in Framingham.   If you have anything to share please contact Michelle McElroy at michelle@framinghamhistory.org or call 508-872-0484.

As I am preparing for my September program, The March to the Vote, which focuses on women’s suffrage in Framingham, I am looking for information on the following women and Suffrage organizations in Framingham.  Any photographs, letters, diaries or family stories you remember about these people or organizations would be very helpful.  Thank you!

1909-1920
Framingham Equal Suffrage League
Framingham Branch of the National Women’s Party:

Mrs. E. Frank Bowditch
Mrs. Jessie D Hodder (Superintendent Sherborn Women’s Reformatory)
Miss Ellen Hyde
Mrs. Sumner B. Pearmain (family owned Nobscot Mountain Tea House in Sudbury, lived on Wayside Inn Rd Framingham)
Miss Abby S. Perry
Miss Olive Mills Belches
Miss Anna M. Murphy
Miss J. A. Collins (Josephine Collins subject of story)
Mrs. A.P. Sherman
Mrs. John G. Bauld,
Mrs. Charles A. Brown,
Mrs. Agnes C. Lummus, (owned Tea Room on Pleasant Street, presumably with Miss Collins)
Miss Ellen Hyde McNair,
Mrs. George M. Smith, (mother of Edmund Ware Smith author of My Tom Sawyer Town)
Mrs. Austin E. St. Clair
Mrs. Harry P. Hastings
Mrs. William I. Mayo  (Louise Mayo subject of story)
Photos of any of Mrs. Mayo’s 7 children as kids or High School Graduates
Mrs. Edwin B. Miles
Ethel Macomber
Meta Warrick Fuller (as member of Suffrage League)

I am particularly interested in a photo of Josephine Collins Dry Goods Store in Framingham Center and the Tea Room at 66 Pleasant Street residence of Agnes Lummus as well as photos of The “Barge”, the horse drawn school bus driven by the Mayo family.

This is an exciting project and I want to cast as wide a net as possible to enrich the program.  Please email info@framinghamhistory.org with any information.
Thank you,
Libby Franck
Storyteller

The weather provided an amazing backdrop for May 15th’s Patron’s Party at one of the most beautiful settings in all of Framingham.  This sold out event has become a favorite spring event for FHC supporters.

On Sunday, MAy 16th, our loyal house tour fans and showed up in force to take in an amazingly diverse array of houses, churches and artist studios across Framingham.  There was excitement in the air as the tour progressed as the buzz around various houses passed from person to person – “Have you seen the ranch on Joseph Road? Unbelievable…” to “I just want to stay in this sunken garden all day..”

Thank you to the homeowners, 100+ volunteers, and participants who made the weekend’s events truly memorable and really fun! 

Annie Murphy
Executive Director

We had a very successful Family Day last Saturday.  It was great to have kids (and some parents) playing “olde time” games on the Centre Common.  We also had activities in all of our buildings and kicked off the day with our most profitable yard sale to date!

Thanks to everyone who came and also to those who donated their items to the yard sale.  We’ll see you next year!

Michelle McElroy
Operations Manager

 
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.

This past Sunday was our “Bank On It” program.  Arthur Fitts came in to talk about  Framingham Banks and the history of local currency. It was a great talk about how the National Bank issued its own currency and Arthur pulled a lot of Framingham bills out of his pocket for display. It was fascinating to learn how this evolved into the currency we use today. We displayed some items from our own collection as well as items form Arthur’s collection.

We also did some re-arranging and are happy to report that even with a full-house, everyone had a seat for the program.

Thanks to Arthur for taking the time to come in and share his knowledge and to everyone for joining us!

Michelle McElroy
Operations Manager

African American History Roundtable
Thursday, February 18th 6:00pm
Edgell Memorial Library
3 Oak Street, Framingham
Our African American History Roundtable discussion begins at 6:00 pm tomorrow evening at the Edgell Memorial Library.  This will be an informal gathering of interested parties to discuss the full range of our local African American History.  While we will review what we have in the FHC collection to illustrate known stories and people, there is more that needs to be collected, researched and shared.  Bring your interest in or knowledge of Framingham’s African American community – past, present and future and join the discussion.
 
Bank On It!
Sunday, February 21st 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Edgell Memorial Library
3 Oak Street, Framingham

Come and learn about the history of banking in Framingham from coin and currency collector Arthur M. Fitts III. Fitts’ long-standing interest in Framingham history, especially memorabilia, will enrich this program featuring Framingham paper money through roughly the past 200 years. He will also cover early banks in Framingham and by association the evolution of banking nationally.
You will undoubtedly gain a greater perspective on current banking practices at a time when they seem to be dominating the headlines.

Free to FHC members and $5 for non-members.  To purchase tickets click here.