BRAINTREE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

IT WAS GREATER THAN A “GRAND ReOPENING”!



With over 100 guests attending, the Braintree Historical Society’s reopening of the Gilbert L. Bean Barn and Mary Bean Cunningham Historical Resource Center could not have gone any better. There was a resounding air of positive energy, community and fellowship. Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan and several representatives of the Town Council and Civic Organizations graced us with their presence.

Mayor Joseph Sullivan praised the work of the volunteers and said he is committed to preserving the history of the town, “so we underline the importance of Braintree to the history of our nation.”

In reaffirming the continued contribution the Town makes, the Mayor encouraged and underscored the need for members of the community to also support the Society. This support is now coming in many forms: much needed financial pledges and contributions and  growing number of important historical items  being accessioned to our museum, a growing awareness by the public of the discoveries that can be made from the rich and unique resources available under our roof. Above all, the community’s support is echoed by acknowledgment of the now over 85 (and growing) Volunteer core, allowing us to further expand our activities and better serve Braintree.


Operating as a100% volunteer organization, our hard work and efforts over the recent period were on full display. These were supplemented by a team”of students from the local CATS Academy who are providing community service to the Society; they came and enthusiastically helped us set up the venue for our fantastic evening! If you missed it, you can capture some of it here:


Bob Harris, a member of the board of directors, shows a wooden medallion from the 1500′s at the Gilbert L. Bean Barn and Mary Bean Cunningham Historical Resource Center,Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018.Gary Higgins/The Patriot Ledger

REALIZATION OF GILBERT l. BEAN AND MARY BEAN CUNNINGHAM'S DREAM

A presentation made by past president Ronald Forrest Frazier. FULL TEXT



History revitalized in Braintree

By Fred Hanson 
The Patriot Ledger 

Posted Oct 19, 2018 at 12:10 AM Updated Oct 19, 2018 at 11:06 AM

Re-opening of museum and resource center result of a revitalized Braintree Historical Society.

An antique bicycle frames the gathering at the Gilbert L. Bean Barn and Mary Bean Cunningham Historical Resource Center,Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018.Gary Higgins/The Patriot Ledger

BRAINTREE − With an eye towards better displaying and preserving the history of the town and the world, the Braintree Historical Society rededicated the Gilbert L. Bean Barn and Mary Bean Cunningham Resource Center Thursday night.

Past President Ron Frazier shows personal artifacts from Gilbert Bean and Mary Bean Cunningham at the Gilbert L. Bean Barn and Mary Bean Cunningham Historical Resource Center,Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018.Gary Higgins/The Patriot Ledger

The barn displays a variety of artifacts, including ceramics collected by the Beans.“They traveled all over the world, and they picked up a number of things wherever they went,” said Ron Frazier, a former society president who was given a number of the items now on display by Bean Cunningham on her death. He loaned them to the society.

Frazier said she told him, “I want them to go somewhere where they will be taken care of.”

Gilbert Bean raised the money to build the barn behind the Thayer House, which opened in 1976. Mary Bean Cunningham, who remarried following Gilbert Bean’s death, raised the money for the addition, dedicated in 1995, which was intended to house a library and research facility.

Several years ago, a former executive director of the society decided to move much of the library to the Watson Building in East Braintree, which Frazier said proved to be a financial disaster for the society.

Bob Harris said much of the society’s collection was stored in an attic which was not climate controlled and left the items vulnerable to damage. The files were very disorganized, he said. Over the past two years, volunteers including members of the society and high school interns took on the task of moving items from the attic into the climate-controlled basement and organizing the society’s files and library. The job is ongoing.
In the process, the society itself has been revitalized. Cheryl Edgar, the society’s vice president and program chair, said the now all-volunteer society has seen its volunteer base grow from six a couple years ago to 87 today. The goal is to reach 100. The society is launching a membership drive and has a new web site, she said.With the added help, she said the group is hoping to expand the opening hours of the museum and the Thayer House, continue to expand its school programs, as well as offer rotating exhibits.
Harris said of the items now on display, “a lot of it was out of sight for 20 years.”
Mayor Joseph Sullivan praised the work of the volunteers and said he is committed to preserving the history of the town, “so we underline the importance of Braintree to the history of our nation.”



Cheryl Edgar, Vice President of the Braintree Historical Society officiated as the Master of Ceremonies  for the evening.

OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION




Braintree High School Social Studies Department/Braintree Historical Society Partnership 2018/2019

The Braintree Historical Society is happy to have the opportunity to partner with Braintree High School in support of this year’s History of Braintree course.  Students enrolled in this semester-long, research-based course will research and examine the history, geography, economy, government, and politics of the Town of Braintree, Massachusetts, from its founding in 1625 to the present day. Beginning with discussions in the 2017/2018 school year, Gorman Lee, Director of Social Studies for Braintree High School is partnering with Braintree Historical Society as a part of this year’s class. 

On Wednesday, September 26, 2018, students in the History of Braintree course, Mr. Lee and Bob Harris of the Society’s Board of Directors, met at the Civil War Monument on the Town Green.  After a brief discussion of the monument, Dr. Harris reviewed the Society’s three homes on Washington Street in a short walk to the Society’s Gilbert L. Barn Museum and Mary Bean Cunningham Historical Resource Center at 31 Tenney Road.

Students had an opportunity to tour the Society’s newly relocated historical library and genealogical resource center, to look at historical items on exhibit on the building’s ground level, including a Roman oil lamp, circa 70 – 100 AD (currently on loan to the Society), and to look at some of the items in storage in the building’s newly restored lower level climate-controlled collections storage area and lower level library.

Students will be exploring, investigating, and analyzing various primary source documents and artifacts that collectively tell the story of their hometown, including items in the Society’s collection. Students will contribute in developing the primary text for this course and will also complete a culminating final research project (or paper). 

The Braintree Historical Society is pleased to support Dr. Lee, his students and Braintree High School in this initiative and in collaborative efforts in future years.



CATS Academy/Braintree Historical Society Partnership

The Braintree Historical Society is excited to partner with students from CATS Academy in their year-long initiative to support the Braintree Historical Society with community service. 

CATS Academy, an international boarding school with locations in Great Britain and Braintree, MA provides a college preparatory curriculum with an emphasis on academic rigor and English proficiency, drawing students from across the world.  (See July 2019 Lantern Online Then & Now article.)

 The Academy, located in the newly-renovated former Norfolk County Hospital for the Treatment of Tuberculosis, has reached out to the Braintree Historical Society with an offer to volunteer time and effort in all areas of the Society’s needs for volunteers.

Ms. Darcy Daniels, of the CATS Academy History Department, met initially with Society Board Members, Bob Harris and Aziz Karsan to explore the opportunity for CATS students to volunteer at least one afternoon a month over the course of the 2018/2019 school year.  Ms. Daniels offered to support a group of 10 to 12 students to assist the Society in tasks varying from electronically documenting collection items, to tech and social media support, to events preparation and to grounds maintenance – an offer that is welcomed with open arms!


Twelve students, Ms. Daniels, Mr. Karsan and Dr. Harris met for the first time on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 26, 2018, for the students to receive the Society’s recently-developed Volunteer Orientation presentation, to answer student questions and to tour the Society’s collection displays on the Barn’s ground level.  The students, from Asia, Mexico and South America, had many questions and ideas, including how to “hook us (BHS) up” with an Instagram account with which each of the students will share their 1000 followers (a potential total of 12,000 contacts for a BHS social media Instagram account).

The CATS students and Ms. Daniels will be volunteering once weekly to help prepare for the Society’s Grand Reopening of the Gilbert L Bean Barn and Mary Bean Cunningham Historical Resource Center.  The Society looks forward to energetic and enthusiastic contribution of these young volunteers.





HS - Thayer Academy - 2018 Intern Program:

BHS was pleased to host Senior Max Wagner from Thayer Academy during the month of May 2018 for a student internship as a part of his year-end senior project.

Max worked at the Society’s Gilbert Bean Barn & Mary Bean Cunningham Resource Center 5 mornings a week, supporting BHS Directors, Curators and Librarians, Bob Harris, Mary Frazier, Ruth Powell, Claudia Shutter and Claudette Newhall with a variety of tasks critical to the Society’s reorganization of the 31 Tenney Road location.


Max toured the Society’s General Sylvanus Thayer House & Museum and the Gallivan House, had the opportunity to view many of the Society’s collection items and had the opportunity to learn about both famous and infamous aspects of Braintree’s history. In addition to working to relocate and restore the Society’s computer and internet systems, Max played a major role in moving collection items stored in the Barn loft and the attic, in reorganizing spaces on the first and basement floors of the building and in repairing parts of the building and collection items.

Max’s efforts were central to making significant progress toward the Society’s goal of reopening to the public the Gilbert Bean Barn and Mary Bean Cunningham Resource Center in the fall. While those who worked with Max will miss him, they and the Society wish him the best as he graduates, enters college, and moves forward with the next major step in his young life.


Girl Scouts Program






Boy Scouts Program

In collaboration with the Braintree Historical Society and the Braintree Public Schools 3rd and 5th grade students will visit the General Sylvanus Thayer Birthplace during the first two weeks of June 2018 for their annual "Braintree, Our Town" field trip.           
Two other stops of this Tri-Visit Program include visits to the Braintree Fire Station for a tour and fire truck exploration and a visit to Braintree Town Hall, where they meet the Mayor, view the original Indian Deed to the Town of Braintree, and tour the operations of their local town government first hand.   
      
At the General Sylvanus Thayer birthplace, children will be greeted by a costumed volunteer and after a brief introduction about General Sylvanus Thayer and the 1720 home in which he was born, they will begin their educational tour stepping back to the period of 1785. 

 Through guided talks by volunteers and demonstrations of the crafts and chores necessary for everyday living, they will experience what life was like for Sylvanus as a little boy growing up in Braintree at that time.


What is it?   October

HINT: Made entirely of wood, probably elm, this item is  approximately 6” wide with a 5” handle.


What was it ?  September

This is a carriage jack.  The wood fame  jack with iron serrated edge was used to lift your wagon, carriage or cart when the wheel broke or fell off or the axle was damaged. They were in extensive use throughout the world until the beginning of the 20th century.



Go to Curator's Corner to see more of our collection:SEE MORE

GRADUATION PARTY

On Sunday, August 26th, the Bowes-Andrews family of Braintree hosted a Graduation Party on the Society's campus for their daughter,  Alyssa, celebrating her graduation this year from Stonehill College with a major in history.
Fifty family members and close friends attended a delightful gathering featuring a catered buffet dinner with beverages and desserts. 
In addition to enjoying the ambiance of a historical venue, guests were able to see artifacts of local and national historical significance on display in the Society's newly reorganized Barn. And over 30 guests participated in guided tours of General Sylvanus Thayer Birthplace, an 18th century home and museum, with period furnishings that captures what home life was like for a middle-class family in the 1700s.
The 3 hour celebration took place under the shade of the campus's old trees, with a pleasant breeze and a perfect blue sky. The day and the celebration could not have been better!



John A. Dennehy was born and raised in Braintree. He is a former member and past chairman of the Braintree Board of Selectmen and past president of the Braintree Historical Society. He is an attorney and a history professor. On Thursday afternoon, August 30, 2018, John presented a Photographic History of Braintree to residents of Glen Manor Estates, an assisted living facility in Braintree, which offers activities at their location for residents. 
An enthusiastic group were reminded of how the face of Braintree has changed from its formative years to today.
First settled in 1634 Braintree was primarily a farming community for almost three centuries and home to a number of water-powered mills and businesses, which prospered along the banks of the Monatiquot River. Horse ridden paths gave way to trams and cable cars later to be replaced by classic motor cars for the wealthy until Henry Ford introduced mass produced vehicles that now smother our roads. 
With the arrival of the railroad in the mid-19th century, several manufacturing plants were built near South Braintree Square. Farming and manufacturing have since been replaced by white-collar businesses and retail establishments. Since World War II, Braintree has become home to a larger and increasingly diverse residential and business population due in part to its proximity to Boston and three major highways.
John painted vivid images of life then, supported by his photographs, stories and his passion for history. He included many previously unpublished photographs from the archives of the Braintree Historical Society. These sparked so many memories of life then by this retired community!

Over the last month, BHS launched a new Volunteer Initiative.  We hosted two very successful Volunteer Orientation sessions. We had a full house of Volunteers bringing new energy, ideas, enthusiasm, and learning about the incredible history and legacy of the Braintree Historical Society, founded in 1930.  Our goal for this Initiative is to increase our volunteers to 100 over the course of the coming year. Won't you join us? Volunteer  

Tours of The Thayer Birthplace
Available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 AM - 2 PM - BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

Appointments should be made at least two days in advance
by emailing BHS at braintreehistoricalevents@gmail.com to confirm availability. Group Tours are encouraged.

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