grant spotlight: scituate historical society
"The Scituate Historical Society loves sharing the rich and vibrant history of our town. Made possible by the Scituate Education Foundation, SHS has produced three educational and immersive events accessible to every Scituate resident,” says SHS Trustee Gigi Mirarchi
The Scituate Historical Society (SHS), aware of the love of Scituate and its rich history that draws people to the 12 historical sites that it owns or maintains throughout town, saw an opportunity to further this knowledge by requesting funds from Scituate Education Foundation for multiple grants that would enrich and extend the historical knowledge our residents have of Scituate. These programs include the Lawson Trolley Tour, “History of Scituate” with Fred Freitas, and Mann House Family Farm & Garden Day.
LAWSON TROLLEY TOUR
As part of Scituate Historical Society’s 100th year, Scituate Education Foundation funded a trolley tour named for the man SHS was honoring: Thomas W. Lawson, whose property covered over 1300 total acres and is known in Scituate and beyond as Dreamwold.
The trolley traveled around the property, with tour guide Mat Brown, Scituate resident, and Lawson enthusiast. Dressed as Thomas W. Lawson himself, Brown narrated the tour with memories of years before including the locales of a former race track, gold fish pond, dog kennels.
HISTORY OF SCITUATE
“History of Scituate” was aptly named. The 6-week course was well attended, and Mr. Freitas was totally engaged in a give-and-take conversation with the audience, asking and answering questions, seizing “teachable moments,” mixing in facts, figures, and extraordinary old photos and maps of Scituate’s named corners and villages.
“Our goal is to share the rich history of Scituate with town residents, both those who have ancestors that lived here, and those who are new to our community, so that they will have a better understand of how our town was founded and how it developed into what it is today,” says grant applicant and Historical Society trustee Alison Short.
MANN HOUSE FAMILY FARM & GARDEN DAY
SEF is thrilled that the recent Mann House Family Farm & Garden Day, a collaborative effort of the Scituate Historical Society (SHS) and the Scituate Garden Club (SGC), made possible by a generous SEF grant, highlighted the best of Scituate’s past and present.
The Mann Farmhouse and barn were open for tours with experts Betty Crowley and Jill West available to discuss noteworthy items and farm implements, and ready to tell the story of the five generations of the Mann family who lived here continuously from the mid-17th century through Percy Mann’s death in 1968. Located on two acres next to the Mann House, SGC’s Wildflower Garden showcases wild and primarily native plants and trees.