Framingham History Programs & Events
No House Tour in 2012
Due to our commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War with last weekend's encampment, we needed to skip the House Tour this year. We're planning on hosting it again on the Sunday after Mother's Day in 2013.
If you are interested in joining our House Tour Committee or if you have a house you think should be featured next year, please email Annie Murphy at director@framinghamhistory.org.
Join Us for the 2012 Patron's Party
Framingham Remembers...Civil War Exhibit
Location: Edgell Memorial Building, 3 Oak Street
Hours: Open Wednesdays-Saturdays, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Free for FHC Members, $5 for Non-Members
The history of the Civil War and Framingham is a collection of intriguing individual stories of national significance as well as the collective story of a town that contributed more than its share. Learn more about the exhibit >>
Framingham Civil War Relics in the News
By Jaclyn Reiss
Globe Correspondent
May 3, 2012
This weekend, some 3,000 Civil War buffs will flock to Framingham Center Common in period dress to camp out as 1860s soldiers did, celebrating the town's rich history and involvement in the Civil War. The encampment is the highlight of the Framingham History Center's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the war, which began April 12, 1861, at Fort Sumter, S.C.
Framingham residents have become more aware of their town's prominent place in Civil War history in the past year, due in large part to the history center's efforts. Read more >>
Michelle's Run for History
 Despite the warnings and the heat she did it! We consider Michelle an elite runner now as she made it to the finish line holding a steady pace throughout the race. At the 10K mark she was running a 10:11 minute mile - halfway 10:36 - at 30k 10:44 and during the final brutal leg she held on to a 10:54 mile. She finished the marathon in 4:46 minutes and as this photo shows, it was a great experience. We're so proud of her and thank you for your support. |
General Gordon's Nut Brown Ale on Tap
If you didn’t get a chance to join us for the brew launch, or you just want another taste of General Gordon’s Nut Brown Ale, John Harvard’s Brew House will be selling the beer through May 31st. Click here for a
$5 off $20 purchase coupon at JH and remember they’re selling growlers and glasses too! Every pint ordered is a dollar for the FHC. Thank you!
Framingham History In the News
Metrowest daily News— 04/22/2012
Civil War training day in Framingham
FRAMINGHAM —For veteran Civil War reenactor Tom Fearebay, the line between playing history and living history blurs each time he pretends to die. A hulking man with a burly beard, Fearebay, 55, of Framingham, recalled yesterday a gun salute he participated in at a burial service in 2004 for a Confederate soldier. As each shot from his 1853 Enfield rifle rang out, Fearebay said he felt more and more connected to the soldier. At one point, he said, “I was a part of history.” Read more...
Wickedlocal.com — 02/03/2012
Civil War encampment planned in Framingham
FRAMINGHAM —If the pitched canvas tents don’t give it away, maybe the cannon and Civil War soldiers will.
Come the first weekend of May, the Framingham History Center will transform the town common into a time portal that will take the community back to the 1860s.
Confederate and Union soldiers, sutlers and civilians will camp out in Framingham Centre, May 4 through 6, as part of the town’s ongoing commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Read more...
Metrowest Daily News — 08/05/2011
Historian pens biography of Civil War general from Framingham
FRAMINGHAM —Just like 150 years ago, George H. Gordon has left his beloved mother in Framingham to answer the call of duty and lead Massachusetts volunteers through several of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
Marching through the pages of Town Historian Fred A. Wallace's new biography "Framingham's Civil War Hero," Gordon emerges as a complex, sometimes enigmatic figure who triumphed over humble origins to achieve the rank of major general and serve with distinction. Read more...
- Metrowest Daily News — 05/19/2011
Framingham Remembers the Civil War with Exhibit
FRAMINGHAM —When Abraham Lincoln pledged after Gettysburg "these dead shall not have died in vain," he might have been thinking of citizen-soldiers like Theodore Russell of Framingham.
The 18-year-old farmer enlisted in the 45th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment in September 1862, died nine months later from wounds received in White Hall, N.C., and was carried home for burial in Edgell Grove Cemetery.
Keeping Lincoln's promise, the Framingham History Center is hosting "Framingham Remembers...The Civil War" to honor the memory of town residents like Russell who served on the battlefield and homefront 150 years ago.
Read more...
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Framingham History Blog
- Read the latest about Framingham History Center news and events at our new blog.
Blog Entries »
Welcome!
The Framingham History Center is a gathering place for those who care about Framingham's past, present and future. We provide connections with local history that enrich our lives and our community. We share the town's remarkable heritage by collecting and preserving our stories, our historic buildings, and over 12,000 artifacts in our collections. These collections help us understand our place in the community, state, and nation. We are eager to share this with you. Join Us
Past Forward Coffees
These one hour sessions are an opportunity to hear stories from board members, staff and volunteers about the breadth of our work at the Framingham History Center and our vision going forward. Our audiences come away inspired and moved. Click here for more information |
Framingham's Historic Buildings
Central to our work and to the life of Framingham is the preservation of
three irreplaceable buildings constructed in the 1800s on the Town Centre Common.
The Old Academy, an unusual Greek Revival temple, the Village Hall, at the
epicenter of the Common and still an important meeting house, and the Edgell
Memorial Library, a grand Victorian Gothic structure in urgent need of repair.
Rent Framingham's Historic Village Hall
Now available for events and functions, Village Hall is among the largest capacity historic venues in Greater Boston, offering all modern amenities. Learn more »
Help Us Honor Our Local Heritage
We are a non-profit organization that depends largely on memberships and donations to perform our mission of preserving and sharing Framingham's unique history and culture.
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Framingham History Fun Fact
Framingham's Connection to the Salem Witch Trials
Did you know that Thomas Danforth provided part of his land to a victim of the notorious Salem Witch Trials? In 1692, a council was established to look into the accusations of witchcraft in Salem. As Deputy Governor of Massachusetts Bay, Thomas Danforth presided over these early proceedings. After leaving office in 1693, Danforth worked behind the scenes to bring an end to the witch hysteria. Sarah Clayes, one of the accused, mysteriously escaped from prison and ended up, with her husband and children, living on Thomas Danforth's land in an area that came to be known as "Salem End."
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