Old Bridgewater Historical Society facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Memorial Building |
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Memorial Building
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| General information | |
| Town or city | 162 Howard Street West Bridgewater, Massachusetts 02379 |
| Country | United States |
| Construction started | 1900 |
| Completed | 1901 |
| Management | Old Bridgewater Historical Society |
The Old Bridgewater Historical Society is a group dedicated to preserving the history of the Bridgewater area in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. It was started in 1894. This society is a non-profit organization, which means it works for the community and not to make money. They have a special library filled with old books, letters, and photos. They also collect historical items that tell stories about the past.
Contents
Buildings of History
The Old Bridgewater Historical Society takes care of two important buildings in West Bridgewater. These buildings help them share the history of the area with everyone.
| Reverend James Keith Parsonage | |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Colonial Saltbox |
| Town or city | 199 River Street West Bridgewater, Massachusetts 02379 |
| Country | United States |
| Construction started | 1662 |
| Completed | 1664 |
| Client | Proprietors of the Town of Bridgewater, MA |
| Management | Old Bridgewater Historical Society |
The two buildings are the Memorial Building and the Keith House. The Memorial Building is at 162 Howard Street. The Keith House is nearby at 199 River Street.
The Memorial Building
The land for the Memorial Building was given to the society in 1899 by Francis E. Howard. He wanted a special building to be built there. The only rule was that the building had to cost at least $5,000 to construct.
To help raise money, the society sold marble plaques. These plaques cost $100 each. They honored the founding families of Old Bridgewater. You can still see these plaques on the walls inside the building.
The building was designed by an architect firm from Boston called Cooper & Bailey. It was built by Crowell & Briggs, a company from Brockton. The total cost was about $8,000. Construction started on June 29, 1900. The building was officially opened on June 13, 1901.
The Memorial Building has a colonial style, which means it looks like buildings from early American history. Inside, there is a large open room with a stage. There are also two smaller areas called alcoves. These are named the Keith Alcove and the Howard Alcove. They honor two of the first families who settled in the area. The building is made of red brick with a slate roof. This was done to help protect the building and its historical items from fire. There is also a basement under the whole building.
The Keith Parsonage
The Keith Parsonage is another important building owned by the society. It works as a museum that shows what a colonial home looked like. Building this house began around 1662. It was the home of Bridgewater's first permanent minister, Reverend James Keith, who came from Scotland. Howard and Jessie Anderson donated the home to the society on November 29, 1961.
Society's Journey Through Time
The Old Bridgewater Historical Society was founded in 1894. It officially became an organization on July 18, 1895. The first leaders of the society included Benjamin W. Harris as president and Frank E. Sweet as secretary.
Leaders of the Society
Many people have served as president of the Old Bridgewater Historical Society over the years. Here is a list of some of them:
- Benjamin W. Harris (1895-1905)
- Loring Puffer (1905-1907)
- Robert O. Harris (1907-1913)
- G. E. Dyer (1913-1921)
- Charles E. Lovell (1921-1924)
- Edward Keith (1924-1926)
- Abner Braley (1926-1938)
- Percival Churchill (1938-1939)
- Walter Stephens (1939-1945)
- Edmund Nutter (1945-1950)
- Laurist W. Reynolds (1950-1957)
- Ralph S. Bates (1957-1976)
- Robert E. Ashley (1976-1977)
- Robert D. Bevis (1977-1980)
- Francis J. Beary (1980-1985)
- Diana Lothrop (1985-1989)
- James F. Buckley (1989-1990)
- Lawrence "Larry" Conant (1990-1995)
- Diana Lothrop (1995-1999)
- Maureen Lynn (1999-2016)
- Shellie Karol-Chik (2016–Present)
More to Explore
- List of historical societies in Massachusetts
