Ashby Historical Society

Home
United States
Ashby, MA
Ashby Historical Society

The Ashby Historical Society has been preserving Ashby's history through education and its collection for over 100 years.

06/15/2026

It's the Historical Society's annual Pie for the 4th of July event.

Need a pie for the Fourth of July? We've got you covered. Local bakers from all over town and beyond are baking up a storm to have one ready for you. Four different fruit pie to choose from. But order early to get your preference. They go quickly.

Order your now and pick up your fresh baked pir on July 3rd between 10 and noon. Donatin $20. More info and to order:

https://ashbyhistorical.org/portofolio/pie-sale/

06/14/2026

🧵 From Household Necessity to Modern Art: Two Centuries of Ashby Textiles! ✨
How did textile making go from a grueling daily chore to a vibrant form of artistic expression? Find out in just two weeks!
Join the Ashby Historical Society staff and contemporary local fiber artists for a fascinating look at how fabric and community have woven together in our town from the 18th century to the 21st century.
• 1700s: See the rugged, homemade textiles crafted purely out of survival and necessity right here in Ashby.
• 1830s: Learn how the rise of the Lowell Mills shifted production and offered local young women a rare path to economic independence.
• Today: Discover how modern Ashby women are keeping the tradition alive, transforming fiber into stunning contemporary art.
🗓 When: Saturday, June 27th | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM 📍 Where: Ashby Historical Society
Come trace our history through the threads that bound it together!

06/12/2026

Happening TOMORROW! Don't miss this one-of-a-kind performance.
The stage is set, the scripts are ready, and the voices of 1776 are coming to the Ashby Congregational Church.
If you’ve ever wondered what it felt like to live through the birth of a nation—not in Philadelphia, but right here in Ashby—this is your chance to experience it. Join your friends, neighbors, and town leaders for a moving afternoon of history, reflection, and community.
🕒 Time: 2:00 PM (Saturday, June 13)
📍 Location: 21 New Ipswich Road (Ashby Congregational Church)
💰 Admission: Completely Free
Doors open early, so come grab a seat and be a part of this special 250th-anniversary commemoration. You won't want to miss it!

06/11/2026

AshbyFest, Sat., June 13th, 9-3 pm, on the Common. Ashby Historical Society is giving away samples of George Washington's favorite food. Hoe cakes as he would have called them or johnny cakes as the were known in New England are simple to make and can be carried for sustenance on a journey or eaten warm at home with butter and syrup for a delicious breakfast. Stop by and take a bite of history.

06/08/2026

History isn't just about famous people—it’s about us. Did you know that Ashby voted on independence the day before the Continental Congress voted in Philadelphia.
Next weekend, your neighbors will step into the shoes of the past. Declaring Independence: Then & Now features local elected town officials and ordinary citizens reading the real words of the men and women who shaped our region’s and nation's history. Come hear how our community debated the ultimate question of freedom right here in our own backyard.
📅 When: Saturday, June 13th at 2:00 PM
📍 Where: Ashby Congregational Church, 21 New Ipswich Road
🎟️ Cost: FREE!
Let’s gather to honor our local roots and reflect on what the Declaration of Independence means to us today as we approach the 250th anniversary. See you there!
#1776

06/06/2026

The Ashby Historical Society will be giving away samples of foods from Revolutionary War times at AshbyFest, Sat., June 13th, 9-3 pm on the Common. Sample Joe Froggers named for Joe Brown of Marblehead and warm Johnny Cakes, reported to be George Washington's favorite food. AHS books, maps, hats and challenge goins will be on sale.

06/02/2026

What did independence actually mean to the people of Ashby in 1776? 🌍📜
Find out on Saturday, June 13th at 2:00 PM, when the Ashby Historical Society presents a special live performance of Declaring Independence: Then & Now at the Ashby Congregational Church (21 New Ipswich Road).
This compelling performance brings history to life using primary source material researched by citizen historians. You’ll hear the actual arguments, doubts, and passions of ordinary people from Ashby and neighboring Massachusetts and New Hampshire towns as they debated breaking away from the King in the spring and summer of 1776.
The presentation concludes with a powerful, annotated reading of the Declaration of Independence to commemorate its upcoming 250th anniversary.
✨ Admission: FREE and open to the public.
Bring your family, your neighbors, and your curiosity!

05/25/2026

Ashby American Legion Post 361 Ashby MA 01431
Memorial Day schedule:
12:30-1pm legion will be honoring our fallen at west cemetery
2pm parade starts from the legion post guest speaker this year is Navy veteran Cheryl Cromwell
RAIN PLAN: Ashby elementary. Post will announce no later than 11:45am if we need to move indoors.
3:30pm chicken BBQ
Parking:
Post office
Ashby elementary
Ashby Library
Ashby market See less

05/13/2026

Dedication of the John Fitch Headstone Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Old Burial Ground.
The final years. In 1772 John Fitch moved to Rindge to speculate in land. It was here he became wealthy and then lost everything. By 1784 he was elderly, feeble and penniless. Rather than pay to support him, Rindge had him transported to Ashby, his last legal residence. He was taken in by Samuel Gates whose wife was related to Fitch. As it happened, the Gates home was near the spot where Fitch had defended his home against attack fifty years earlier. It was here that he died April 8, 1795, aged 87 years. He was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave in the Old Burial Ground.

02/27/2026

Black History Month.
Prince Estabrook
slave, birth date unknown - 1780,
Lexington Militia, 1775,
Continental Army, 1776-1783,
farmer, laborer, Ashby resident, 1805-1830.

Address

Ashby, MA
01431

Telephone

+19783867981

Website

http://ashbyhistorical.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ashby Historical Society posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Ashby Historical Society:

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Ashby?