Archaeology at the Jason Russell House

October 8, 2014Uncategorized18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Archaeology, Arlington History, Jason Russell House, Mark Boulding, VisitorsCarolyn Carlson

October is Massachusetts Archaeology Month! The Arlington Historical Society is celebrating in this space by revisiting the Jason Russell House’s own experience with archaeological excavations. Visitors often ask if any archaeological digs have taken place at the Jason Russell House. The answer is yes! Nearly thirty years ago, in March 1985, a team of archaeologists … Continue reading Archaeology at the Jason Russell House →

Centennial Celebration of Arlington Town Hall

July 8, 2013Blog19th century, 20th century, Arlington History, Devereaux Road, fountain, garden, Massachusetts Avenue, Mystic Street, old town hall, Pageant, residents, Robbins Garden, Town Hall, Vittoria Colonna Dallin, West Cambridge, Winfield Robbins Memorial GardenRichard Duffy

These are selected images from the 2013 Centennial Celebration of Arlington Town Hall display at Robbins Library, and the “Picture Postcard Perfect!” display installed in the lobby of Town Hall. The complete storyboards, displayed throughout May 2013, were designed and written by Richard A. Duffy. Images are from the collections of the Arlington Historical Society … Continue reading Centennial Celebration of Arlington Town Hall →

Knowing Susanna Adams Winn

June 29, 2013Blog19th century, Arlington Historical Society, Arlington History, cut paper, diaries, George Prentiss Winn, George WInn, paper portraits, portraits, residents, Sarah Prentiss, silhouette, silhouettes, Society Papers Read, Summer Street, Susanna Adams Winn, West Cambridge, Winn FamilyLisa Welter

[box]This is the third installment of three on the Winn Family Silhouette Album. The prior installments are here: The Winn Silhouette Album — Roots in Arlington, MA; Types, Techniques and Analysis of Silhouettes[/box] In the collection of Winn diaries there were only five diaries for the decade spanning 1870 to 1880, two of which were … Continue reading Knowing Susanna Adams Winn →

Types, Techniques and Analysis of Silhouettes

June 24, 2013Blog19th century, Arlington History, cut paper, paper portraits, portraits, residents, silhouette, silhouettes, Summer Street, Susanna Adams Winn, West Cambridge, Winn FamilyLisa Welter

[box]This is the second installment of three on the Winn Family Silhouette Album. The first is here: The Winn Silhouette Album — Roots in Arlington, MA[/box] There are three basic types of silhouettes: painted, hollow-cut or cut-out. Painted silhouettes were most frequently created using black ink or paint to apply the likeness to a base, … Continue reading Types, Techniques and Analysis of Silhouettes →

The Winn Silhouette Album — Roots in Arlington, MA

June 17, 2013Blog19th century, Albert Winn, album, Arlington History, carte-de-visite, Sarah Prentiss, shadow portrait, silhouette, silhouettes, Susanna Adams Winn, Victorian, West Cambridge, Winn FamilyLisa Welter

[box]This is part one of a three part series on the Winn silhouette album[/box] In 1999, the Arlington Historical Society (Arlington, MA) received a collection of artifacts, images and documents that belonged to the family of Albert and Sarah (Prentiss) Winn who settled in the town of West Cambridge (now Arlington) in 1835. Among the … Continue reading The Winn Silhouette Album — Roots in Arlington, MA →

Vintage photos of the Jason Russell House

April 5, 2013Blog19th century, 20th century, Arlington History, battlefield, Jason Russell House, Jason Street, Massachusetts Avenue, orchard, restoration, Wanzer's, White StoreRichard Duffy

This page contains five selected images related to the Jason Russell House. Click on any of them to launch the slide show. [hr] For more images of Arlington as it appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, see Richard Duffy’s new series ‘Images of History’ on Wicked Local, Arlington.

Our Youngest Audience — Arlington Third Graders

November 27, 2012BlogArlington Historical Society, Education programNikki Lopes

This past October and November, the Arlington Historical Society has been visited by members of our youngest audience — local third graders on their annual field trips! We had a wonderful time hosting 113 students from two Arlington Elementary schools. Staff, Education Assistants, and Guides worked together to present a fun and educational experience for … Continue reading Our Youngest Audience — Arlington Third Graders →

The Green Drum

August 6, 2010BlogCharlestown, Civil War, collections, Joseph Dickson, Musical Instrument, New Hampshire, West CambridgeDoreen Stevens

This beautiful drum, from The Arlington Historical Society archives, pictured here, is a lovely soft green with blue undertones. Wooden bands of a soft, sad red anchor the main green body of the artifact on either end, held together with neat rows of rivets. Emblazoned on one side is a painting of a ship and a sunrise.

On Mabel and George

February 4, 2010Blog18th century, Arlington History, George WInn, Mabel Hartwell, Nina Winn, wedding, West Cambridge, Winn FamilyDoreen Stevens

Mabel Hartwell married George Winn, Wednesday, October 14, 1903. Because the diary of George’s sister, Nina Winn, is being serialized for Arlington residents in a local e-list through the kindness of local resident, Stu Galley, we have heard much about the couple.

The Smith Museum of The Arlington Historical Society

November 2, 2009BlogAcademy Street, Anna Putnam, Arlington Historical Society, Arlington History, Elizabeth Abbot Smith, George Albert Smith, Marie Edes, Samuel Smith, Smith MuseumDoreen Stevens

George Albert Smith (1862-1952) died at age 91, one year after he announced his vision for The Jason Russell House. The son of Reverend Samuel Smith and Maria Edes Smith, George Smith lived nearly his entire life in the home where he was born at 41 Academy Street. Samuel and Maria had three sons and a daughter, with George being the next to youngest child.