The 2026 series will end on Sunday, July 12 at 1:30 PM at the Westford Museum (2 Boston Road), located within the original 1794 Westford Academy building. Enjoy an engaging performance hosted by the Westford Historical Society, followed by spirited period music provided by the Prescott Battalion Fife and Drum Corps. Declaring Independence: Then & […]
John Abbot of Westford was a multifaceted individual, serving as a lawyer, town treasurer, selectman, Massachusetts State Senator, and a dedicated graduate and trustee of Westford Academy. On June 17, 1825, he held the distinguished role of Grand Master of the Masons of Massachusetts, where he had the honor of presiding over the cornerstone-laying ceremony […]
We invite you to embark on a fascinating historical audio tour of Westford Center before the Civil War! Join our enthusiastic virtual guides, Kate Hamlin (1847-1937) and Fred Fisher (1855-1941), as they share their vivid memories of their beloved hometown. While exploring the charming historic Westford Center, you'll have the chance to reflect on its […]
The Westford Museum and Historical Society, in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Westford, is pleased to announce the upcoming event, “Affectionate Friends and Humble Servants,” featuring American notable figures Mercy Otis Warren and Martha Washington. Set in the late 18th century, this engaging conversation unfolds between Martha Washington (Sandy Spector) and Mercy […]
The History of Trolley Service in Westford In the early 1900s, the Lowell & Fitchburg Street Railway operated a trolley line connecting Lowell to Ayer. This line passed through North Chelmsford and extended to Forge Village. In 1907, a branch line of the Lowell & Fitchburg ran along Brookside Road, around Whidden’s Corner, and terminated […]
Join us for “A Day for Doughnuts,” a one-act play set on April 19, 1775. This performance captures the last thing Colonel Robinson said before he left that morning: “Have the girls prepare dough knots and send them to the men for lunch.” Olive Prescott, Lt. Col. John Robinson’s great-granddaughter, recounts the April 19, 1775 […]
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered the towns across the colony to prepare The Battles of Lexington and Concord erupted on April 19, 1775, pitting the brave Massachusetts militia against the formidable British forces. This confrontation followed the dramatic Midnight Rides and the urgent Lexington Alarm, which mobilized the countryside in preparation for […]
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered the towns across the colony to prepare for war with England. In response, the colony entered a wartime phase that included creating minute companies, stockpiling arms, ammunition, and equipment, and establishing a defense network ready to mobilize if the redcoats marched from Boston into the countryside. Join […]
Deborah Sampson, the first woman to enlist, fight, and be honorably discharged from the American Military, captivates audiences in an hour-long program chronicling her life. An indentured servant by age five, Deborah grew up in a man’s world, where women were naught but second-class citizens. Without the ability to vote or to own property, Deborah […]
Step back in time for an engaging conversation with two influential Revolution writers: John Adams and Mercy Otis Warren! Through first-person narratives and primary source documents, they will share the ups and downs of their friendship, which experienced a significant rift after Warren's 1805 publication of the first history of the American Revolution. Adams was […]
The early American colonies faced significant cash problems, and various solutions were devised to address them. Money, or the lack of it, was a persistent issue in colonial America. The colonists were subject to British rule, where gold and silver were the official legal tender; however, British coins circulated only infrequently in the colonies. Lacking […]
18th century newspapers and pamphlets were essential to the dissemination of information and were instrumental in fanning the flames of discord on both sides of the revolutionary conflict. While the job of printing was largely considered a masculine activity, widows, wives, and daughters took up the mantle of a free press. Not only did women […]