 A photography exhibit captures images of life during COVID-19. See 21 photos selected by a jury in the Newton Community Cameras photo contest produced as a collaboration between Historic Newton, Newton Cultural Development, and Newton Community Pride.
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 Purchase items related to Newton history and help support Newton's history museums by shopping at Historic Newton's online shop.
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 Newton Nomadic Theater presents performances of "Waiting for Godot - COVID-19 Edition" outdoors at the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds on September 12 and 13.
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 Historic Newton focuses on connecting with the public through virtual programs as both museums are retrofitted to safely reopen.
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 The Jackson Homestead lost a 250-year-old locust tree this spring but plans are underway to replant a seedling and for artisans to reuse the wood.
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 Preservation Massachusetts, in partnership with the 1772 Foundation, has awarded Historic Newton a grant for repairs to help preserve the Durant-Kenrick House building.
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 Historic Newton has received a grant from Mass Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, to support a series of films and discussions about activism and social justice from the 19th century to the present.
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 For those at home in search of a fun activity, Historic Newton has transformed images of its museums and objects from our collection into coloring pages.
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 Historic Newton is doing its part to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 by closing the Jackson Homestead and the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, and suspending all programs.
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 HAIRdentity, Historic Newton's exhibit at the Jackson Homestead,explores the history of hair – how we wore it and what it means from 1840 to 1980.
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 Now on display at the Jackson Homestead, a large-scale 1852 painting by Samuel Adams Hudson gives a remarkable view of a pastoral scene of Newton Lower Falls that includes a farmstead, the Charles River, and the railroad.
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 Local artists and authors display and sell their work at the Jackson Homestead and the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds as part of Museum Store Sunday on December 1. In addition, the shops at both museums offer a 20 percent discount on all merchandise.
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 Newton Talks is currently interviewing and recording individuals with Newton ties who have a story to share. People of all backgrounds are invited to participate.
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 The annual Hayfest festival at the Jackson Homestead gives you a chance to try hands-on activities that were popular in the 19th century.
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 Historic Newton finished a robust year for education programs with students in Newton and beyond.
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 Historic Newton News, the newsletter published twice a year by Historic Newton, has received an award in the 2019 New England Museum Association (NEMA) publication award competition.
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 The 2019 Newton House Tour brings you inside seven distinctive properties, which range in style from a bungalow to a Gilded Age mansion. The tour begins at the Durant-Kenrick House on May 19. Purchase tickets and go at your own pace.
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 The history organizations in Newton, Natick, Needham, and Wellesley were recently awarded a grant from the Wellesley Bank Charitable Foundation for "Crossing Borders," a series of programs on topics of interest to all four communities.
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 Students in Newton North High School’s Carpentry Technology program rebuilt and replaced railings on the back porch of the Jackson Homestead.
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 Historic Newton's "Expanding Our Narratives" series will be supported in part by a grant from the Newton Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
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 Historic Newton once again received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, signifying excellence.
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 Everyone receives a discount this month on merchandise at the museum shops at the Jackson Homestead and the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds.
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 In a special collaboration between the Cabot School and Historic Newton, students are planning a mural to be created with artist David Fichter. The mural, informed by local history, will be installed in the school in time for its reopening in 2019 after an extensive renovation.
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 Explore a range of hairstyles and associated accessories, including mustache cups and headscarves, at Historic Newton’s Hairdentity exhibit at the Jackson Homestead.
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 Legendary musician Booker T. Jones will perform on November 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Newton North High School for Historic Newton's fifth annual benefit concert. Tickets are now on sale.
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 Historic Newton's new President of the Board, Suzanne Cucurrullo, is a longtime Board member and West Newton resident. James Bryant also joined the Board and Lee Fisher is a new Trustee of the Jackson Homestead.
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 Historic Newton's exhibit, "Norumbega: Romance and Recreation by the River!" tells the story of the legendary Norumbega Park in Auburndale and is now available for rental.
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 C. Bernard Fulp, a leader in the financial services industry and founder of a bank in Newton, recently donated papers that chronicle his professional accomplishments to the Archives at Historic Newton.
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 The 2018 Newton House Tour on May 20 from noon-5 pm showcases spectacular homes not usually open to the public. Tickets are now on sale.
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 Winners of the 2018 Newton Preservation Awards include local institutions, private homeowners, and education groups. The awards each year recognize outstanding efforts and stewardship in local historic preservation.
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 Historic Newton won a grant from the U.S. Federation of Friends of Museums to expand its program for students in grades K-12 to consider immigration -- what pushed families to leave their homes and what pulled them to come to Newton?
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 Historic Newton presents a series of three talks that explore how female immigrants adapted to life in Newton in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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 Education programs for school groups and visitors to the Jackson Homestead teach more about the Underground Railroad and the risks taken by freedom seekers and abolitionists who helped them.
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 The holiday of Kwanzaa began in 1966 as a response to rioting in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, and synthesizes African and American traditions. Historic Newton's December 3 lecture follows the holiday's development for the past 50 years.
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 Historic Newton presents a memorable evening with iconic musicians Geoff Muldaur, John Sebastian, and Jim Kweskin
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 Visit the Jackson Homestead and Museum and the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds for free on September 23 as part of Smithsionian magazine's Museum Day Live!
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 In the exhibit Freed from the Frame: Beyond the Childhood Portrait, Historic Newton displays six portraits from our collection and also follows the lives of the children into adulthood. Research into each child’s life paints a more complete portrait than what you see inside the frame. The exhibit is now on display at the Jackson Homestead and Museum.
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 Historic Newton recently elected five new members to its Board of Directors. All have strong leadership skills and ties to the community.
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 The Jackson Homestead and Durant-Kenrick House are among 2,000 museums nationwide to participate in the Blue Star Museums program
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 Historic Newton's 35th annual Newton House Tour features examples of outstanding historic preservation as well as creative modern interpretations. The variety celebrates Newton’s rich architectural heritage.
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 Historic Newton's new "Storytime at the Museums" program connects children to historical themes through books and activities. The program is for children ages 18 months to 6 years and their caregivers. Admission is free.
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 A display and a talk at Newton Free Library highlight Frederick Douglass' influence in the 19th century and beyond.
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 Historic Newton's fun series of talks about New England beverage history continues with a talk about hard cider with samples and snacks.
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 Inspired by the "Santa Claus Agency" that residents of the Jackson Homestead ran to help Newton residents in the 19th century, Historic Newton is collecting clothing and food donations during the holiday season.
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 Retired City Councilor Rodney Barker, Newton Cemetery, and local property owners receive 2016 Newton Preservation Awards
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 This exhibit shows what can be learned about the past through the letters, yearbooks, scrapbooks, and other materials that have been carefully stored in the Historic Newton archives.
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 Do you know of an interesting renovation or restoration, or a well-maintained historic property or landscape in Newton? Historic Newton is now accepting nominations for the 2016 Newton Preservation Awards. The awards are a collaboration between Historic Newton and the Newton Historical Commission
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 The themes of "The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro" are still relevant in an era of Black Lives Matter and other activism against racism.
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 Historic Newton's custom-made jam recalls the importance of the Kenrick Nursery, which introduced America to many varieties of fruit still popular today.
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 Shop at either of the Newton locations of Whole Foods March 1 and each store will generously donate 5% of net sales for the day to Historic Newton.
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 The recent transfer of ownership of the Waban Hill Reservoir to the City of Newton highlights the history of the property, developed as a source of water for Newton in 1877.
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 Mayor Setti Warren announced that Newton’s efforts to restore and preserve its historic East Parish Burying Ground have advanced with the award of a $50,000 matching grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commission. The grant will be used to match $653,679 in City of Newton CPA funds to restore and preserve tombs and grave markers in the city’s oldest burying ground.
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 Eight properties or individuals have won 2015 Newton Preservation Awards for their outstanding contributions to local historic preservation.
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 On the day before Halloween, 8th grade students at F.A. Day Middle School will use East Parish Burying Ground as an outdoor classroom for lessons in math, science, English and History.
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 Historic Newton is now accepting nominations for the 2015 Newton Preservation Awards. Buildings, landscapes, and individuals that feature the preservation of Newton's history are recognized.
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Newton Historical Society Board Member Honored
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 The best part of Springfest at Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds was...
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 Like many businesses, the origins of EverPresent are personal: in 2009 a 91-year-old World War II veteran living in Florida had a collection of 10,000 unsorted photographs. The pictures dated from the 1920s, when the veteran was a baby boy, to all the decades beyond. A visual link to the past, the photos were moldering in the bottom of his closet unseen, unappreciated, and with no plan to preserve and share them. Their loss or destruction would have been devastating for the entire family. At this point, the veteran's grandson, EverPresent co-founder Eric Niloff, stepped in to help.
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 Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds hosts STEM group
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 Both Jackson Homestead and Museum and Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds are closed Sunday, Feb. 15th due to snow.
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 Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds has been featured in a new book!
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The Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds is closed to the public on Wednesday, January 28.
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 Mayor Setti Warren and Historic Newton announced today (January 2, 2015) the appointment of Lisa Dady as the new Director of the Jackson Homestead and Museum and of Historic Newton, effective February 25, 2015.
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 Purchase your tickets for the 2015 Newton House Tour today!
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 Know someone aged 3-5 years old? Bring them by to play with our new toys!
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 This compost is easy for anyone to make at home.
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 Historic Newton Launches Its First Online Fundraiser!
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 A new acquisition to our collections
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 The 2014 Newton Preservation Awards ceremony is sold out. Please contact Hannah Weisman at 617-796-1463 or hweisman@newtonma.gov with questions or concerns.
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 Historic Newton is pleased to welcome three generations of the Guthrie family for an exciting fundraising SOLD OUT concert.
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 Join Historic Newton's education staff for an open house for educators on Thursday, October 2, at the Jackson Homestead and Museum and at the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds.
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 It involves the Planting Ceremony of a young pear sapling that has a story to tell...
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 Durant-Kenrick as of July 1st will be open Wed-Fri 12-4 and Saturday and Sunday 10-4
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 Turning Again to the Well: Poems of the Energy Necklace Project,
Jackson Homestead, 2014
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 Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds plants new trees in the public park on the corner of Waverly and Kenrick.
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 Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds hosts First Vacation Week Program
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 Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds is featured On Museum Open House on NewTV
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 Sculpture Exhibition, Newton MA Energy Necklace at Jackson Homestead, Newton, April 3-July 18, 2014
And companion Poetry Walk, June 1
Sculpture curated by Susan Israel -- Artists: Gail Jerauld Bos Mary Dewart Linda Hoffman Susan Israel Milan Klic Peter Kronberg Peter Lipsitt John Powell Margot Stage Gabrielle White Jeanne Williamson
Poetry curated by Susan Edwards Richmond -- Poets: Zachary Bos Polly Brown Cheryl Perrault Linda Fialkoff Lynn Horsky Neil Horsky Terry House Lila Linda Terry Joanne Reynolds Susan Edwards Richmond bg Thurston
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 Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds Installs New Interactive Map!
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 This spring, we will offer an exciting series of programs built around two of the provided films. These powerful documentaries, The Loving Story and Freedom Riders, include dramatic scenes of incidents in the 150-year effort to achieve equal rights for all in the United States. The series will be comprised of 6 programs in March and April: 2 film screenings, 2 lectures, and 2 panel discussions. Each of these programs will address aspects of the Civil Rights Movement – locally and nationally – to celebrate the importance of its legacy 50 years on, and to create dialogue about where we find ourselves today in relation to the same issues.
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 This March while we wait for the ground to thaw, come get hands-on experience and add to your plant skills. The workshops cost $25 per adult ($20 students, seniors, members), which covers museum admission and materials. Pre-paid registration is required. Call 617-641-9142 to register. All workshops will be held at the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue.
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 The Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, a beautifully restored and preserved 1734 house and newly constructed educational center, celebrated its grand opening today in a ceremony that marked the completion of an eight-year, $4.9 million project carried out by volunteers and staff of Historic Newton.
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 Historic Newton’s 1734 historic house and educational center, 286 Waverley Avenue, opens for visitors on Jan 29. Hours will be Wed-Friday 11:00 am-5:00 pm and Sat-Sun noon-5:00 pm.
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 Featuring stained glass, working drawings, designs and other studio materials, this new exhibit will be on display through July 2014 at the Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington St, Newton MA. www.historicnewton.org. Admission $5.00 adults/$3.00 children and seniors. Reduced admission for Newton residents.
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 An Evening with Livingston Taylor
Saturday, November 16, 7:30 p.m.
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 Through September 22, 2013 only! Come explore Newton's history through it's maps - only 3 weeks left.
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 In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s March on Washington, this coming spring Historic Newton will offer a series of documentary screenings paired with lectures and discussion forums centered around the theme of Civil Rights.
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 Our city’s citizens participated in the war effort in many ways—from fighting on the battlefields to sewing undergarments at home. See their faces and learn their stories in this salute to Newton’s brave citizens from an earlier era. On view through October 1, 2013.
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 Due to unforseen circumstances, the Crystal Lake walking tour scheduled for Sunday, July 14th will not be able to be held as planned. It will be rescheduled for later in the summer, and the new date will be posted as soon as it is known. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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 Soldiers will march, musket volleys will echo, and campfire smoke will fill the air on the weekend of August 3-4, 2013, when visitors to Newton’s historic Jackson Homestead will have a chance to step back in time...
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 New trees and plants will grace the already blooming grounds of Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds
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 Historic Newton announces new membership promotion.
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The Jackson Homestead will be closed on Friday February 8 and Saturday February 9 due to the expected blizzard. Please call 617 796 1450 after 11:30am on Sunday February 10 to make sure we're open for Ask the Archivist.
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 Many of the papers are new reproductions such as the one pictured here from Waterhouse Wallhangings. Waterhouse says, “Originally printed by woodblock on rectangular and joined sheets of paper, this flowing Arabesque pattern is accredited to Jean Pillement, circa 1760.” This paper will surround the historic furniture vignette in our 1700’s parlor. The furniture set includes a beautiful mahogany tall-case clock made by Benjamin Willard in Lexington around 1769. For our 1930’s Parlor we have found nearly antique wallpaper circa 1920 from Hannah’s Treasures. In this room will be a very special pair of chairs from Mr. Arthur Dewing’s grandparents. The chairs were a gift to his grandparents at their marriage in 1841 from the father of the bride.
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 As the carpenters are finishing up the interior of the Durant-Kenrick house, we recently went around to survey and photograph some of the framing details before they got covered up with the final layers of plaster, wood and paint. We discovered an interesting bit of the history of the house- evidence of a small chimney fire! Charred beams were exposed when the plaster and lathe were removed for the running of electrical wires. Sometime in the past the family must have had a bit of a fright when the flames appeared, but the fire must have been contained pretty quickly as the charring does not extend more than a few feet along the beam. This is along the edge where the ceiling meets the wall above the fireplace in what will be called the “Kenrick Parlor.” When this room is finished it will have an engaging exhibit about the Kenrick nursery and 19th century Horticulture, and gorgeous Neo-classical furniture from the Dewing Collection. Note the marks of the hewing axe in the lower right corner of the picture. This beam of wood was shaped by hand when the house was first built.
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 Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds restoration recently profiled in Newton Tab.
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 (Newton, MA September 21, 2012) Historic Newton's work to transform the historic 1734 Durant- Kenrick House and Grounds on Waverly Avenue to an education center is going green, in a most visible way, starting next week as crews begin painting the house the historic color “verdigris”—a bright green.
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One of our most popular exhibits ever, Norumbega: Romance and Recreation by the River, will be closing at the end of the month to make way for a new exhibit about Annie Cobb, arguably the first woman architect in America, and a resident and designer in Newton Highlands in the 1870's. Come visit the Norumbega exhibition one more time and add your memories to the book, before it closes on August 29th.
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 Historic Newton has elected Carl M. Cohen of Newton as its new President of the Board. Carl succeeds Anne Larner and brings his business acumen, academic experience, and extensive knowledge of Historic Newton and the city of Newton to this position.
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