Carlisle Historical Society Awarded $10,000 Grant

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Carlisle Historical Society Awarded $10,000 Massachusetts 250 Grant

Carlisle Historical Society has been selected by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) to receive a $10,000 grant through the Massachusetts 250 Grant Program. The program, which has awarded a total of $1.5 million to thirty-seven Massachusetts organizations, “aims to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in a vibrant and engaging way.”

Grant recipients will use their awards to support projects and events that “highlight the themes of revolution and independence, celebrate significant historical ‘firsts’ in Massachusetts, or utilize creative approaches to showcase the state’s rich 250-year history.”

Carlisle Historical Society, in conjunction with Carlisle’s 250thCommittee, is planning a series of public events that will encourage residents and tourists alike to discover the rich colonial history of the town. Events will begin this fall and will run through the 250th anniversary next April. Please revisit the Carlisle Historical Society’s website for details about the events.

To read more about individual Massachusetts 250 Grant Program recipients and the aims of their programs and events, please visit the Massachusetts 250 Grant Program website.

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Carlisle Historical Society Awarded Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant

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Carlisle Historical Society Awarded Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant

Carlisle Historical Society has been awarded a two-year, $43,000 matching grant by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Award dollars will be used to repair and preserve the historic Samuel Heald House and Museum.

The Society has two years to raise the matching funds. and it is already on its way to meeting its first-year goal.
If you would like to make a donation to support our fundraising efforts, please visit our Donation Page.

The Samuel Heald House was built in 1743 by Carlisle minuteman Samuel Heald and his wife Rebecca Fletcher.
In 1784 the house was severely damaged by a fire in which Samuel Heald and his son John lost their lives.
The house was rebuilt and expanded over the years. In 2001 the Carlisle Historical Society purchased Heald House to save it from demolition, and today it is home to the Carlisle Historical Society and Health House Museum.

To read more about the Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant, please see their announcement below.

MA Cultural Council Award Recipients AnnoucementDownload

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Now on YouTube! The Gropius House & Bauhaus Movement

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Watch the Gropius House & Bauhaus Movement Lecture on YouTube!

On March 6, 2024, the Carlisle Historical Society welcomed Historic New England again! Site Manager Wendy Hubbard presented on the origins of the Bauhaus architectural movement and the history and design of the modern, iconic Gropius House, which was built in Lincoln, MA in 1938 by Bauhaus Design School founder, Walter Gropius. Wendy was joined by British architect and Carlisle resident, Debbie Bentley, who discussed the influence of the Bauhaus Movement on many mid-century modern houses in Carlisle. Click below to enjoy this lecture on YouTube!

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Walks & Tours

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Walks & Tours

Walking Carlisle is the perfect way to explore the town’s rich, natural and historic beauty. Stay tuned, as the Society is planning a unique opportunity to walk the town and experience its history.

Perambulation of Carlisle’s Boundaries (Spring 2025)
Join us for a walk to Carlisle’s granite boundary markers. Perambulation is an old English custom that involves walking the geographic boundaries of a town to maintain a memory of the precise location of its boundary markers. It was once practiced by most New England states, including Massachusetts, in which it was a duty of civic leaders. Today, modern surveying techniques make perambulation unnecessary, but the walk remains as a fun, ceremonial practice for town residents.

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Scout Badge Programs

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Scout Badge Programs

The Carlisle Historical Society offers Boy Scout and Girl Scout badge programs. Scouts choose an appropriate badge subject, then work with the Society to establish and fulfill the badge’s requirements. Contact the Society if you are interested in proposing a badge subject, or if you are curious about the possibilities. Two different Eagle Scout projects are listed below, but your badge program is limited only by your imagination!

Ian Wolossow directed the construction of a wooden platform over the opening of an old commercial copper mine located behind Heald House Museum (see photograph). Construction of the platform will allow our visitors to peer safely into the remains of the mine, and it is the first step in the re-construction of the exterior of the mine as it may once have looked. Read about The Copper Mine Project in the Spring 2023 Carlisle Historical Society Newsletter.

David Jiang created an interactive map of fifty historical sites in Carlisle that offers residents and visitors a simple tool for exploring the town’s past, from colonial homesites to foundations of old grist mills, mines, and schoolhouses. The map provides an accessible, visual means to learn about important elements of Carlisle’s past. Explore David’s map on our Research pages.

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Heald House Museum Open Houses

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Heald House Museum Open Houses

Come visit Heald House Museum! The Museum is open the third Sunday of each month from 2:00-5:00pm. Admission is free, and there is a guided tour of the Museum’s collections.

Our next open house is Sunday, April 20, 2025 from 2:00-5:00pm. This will be a special, festive open house, with traditional Christmas tree displays and period treats to sample!

If you cannot visit us during one of our monthly open houses, contact us to schedule an appointment to view the Museum’s collections.

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CHS Newsletter – Fall 2024

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CHS Newsletter – Fall 2024

Check out our latest newsletter to read the Tales of April 19th and to learn about the Society’s work over the past year (Old Home Day Remembered, and A Banner Year for the Society). In addition, learn about events that the Society has sponsored – and will sponsor – to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the start of the American Revolution.

2024 Fall – CHS NewsletterDownload

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Donate an Artifact

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Donate an Artifact

The Carlisle Historical Society’s principal mission is to gather and share documents and artifacts that illustrate Carlisle’s rich history. Do you have a document or artifact that is relevant to Carlisle’s history, or that is associated with a Carlisle resident or family? We are looking for such items (ordinary or extraordinary) to add to our collections. If you have an item(s) that you would like to donate to the Society, please contact our curator, John Troast III, at curator@carlislehistory.org.

To read more about the artifacts displayed in the shadow box above, see Buried Treasure in a Carlisle Field in the Spring 2023 Carlisle Historical Society Newsletter.

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