Colonial Society of Massachusetts

09/30/2026

Join us on Sunday, October 4, between 1 and 3 for our first Open House of the Fall!

An opportunity to visit this venerable Beacon Hill mansion, and learn about the Colonial Society of Massachusetts!

Free to all--at 87 Mount Vernon Street!

09/26/2026

Larry Young, HistoricFiddler, welcomed guests to 87 Mount Vernon with wonderful selections on his fiddle, inspired by the Cumean Sybil over his shoulder.

09/25/2026

When Brock Jobe stops by the Colonial Society with a group who appreciate historic furniture, he does not just tell us about a table that John Townsend made in Newport for William Ellery, signer of the Declaration of Independence. He wants to show us why Townsend was the leading furniture maker of his day, which means not just looking at the fine finish, but turning it over to see how this table was put together 260 years ago. We don't let anyone else pick up the furniture and turn it over, but honored to have Brock Jobe show us.

09/24/2026

Tonight (Thursday September 24) at the Colonial Society! Bill Fowler, John Hancock, and more! Join us as we launch Volume 1 of The Papers of John Hancock, edited by Jeffrey Griffith!
5 to 7 pm!

09/20/2026

The Athenaeum has held the 1629 Endecott Charter for the Massachusetts Bay colony since 1810. This year, for Salem 400+, the Athenaeum commissioned a full archival reproduction of this foundational document in our nation’s history.

A pleasure to attend this evening’s unveiling event and to hear from distinguished historians Charlie Newhall and Tad Baker, who offered a talk about the Charter and its significance.

https://salemathenaeum.net/

09/13/2026

Saturday, November 7--The Colonial Society is happy to co-sponsor this day-long symposium at American Ancestors on Newbury Street, reconsidering the Puritans, and the scholarly work of Frank Bremer!
https://www.americanancestors.org/events/puritans-21st-century-politics-myths-and-future?fbclid=IwY2xjawUUE31wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAGJyaWQRMUJNa2E1Ynl6bU5Id1NiQlJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeafoMRh-ytlnApgYuBGM5VbiyEH_ElGgbb3_zZSBWIxTOddtFn3QPV_1JLYo_aem_S1rs50oCce2yy-w-X_jT5w

09/12/2026

Happy last days of summer from the Colonial Society! Hope to se you on September 24 as we launch the first volume of The Papers of John Hancock! 5 to 7 pm—all welcome!

If you would like to attend, let us know: [email protected]

09/05/2026

The Colonial Society is very sorry to hear of the passing of long-time Member Alan Rogers. More than a distinguished scholar and teacher, he was a mentor to many of us, in many ways, and a genial colleague and friend. https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/sites/bc-news/articles/2026/fall/in-memoriam-alan-rogers.html?q&fbclid=IwY2xjawUJF-RwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVhldUlmaEwxVmZhTjB3NUNzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEevDLKAzOFiBzvV2hBJQVcioZcKr6nvkcI6Ed16K9-5SMl8mRv_CPlCHy6XHE_aem_J8l57yaAuRkwEXjOArbagA

The retired professor of history, a widely respected teacher and researcher, has died at age 90

06/19/2026

Very special Colonial Society Council Meeting! Jonathan Lane brought our copy of the Massachusetts Declaration--the new printing of the July 1776 broadside, which will be sent next week to all of the towns in Massachusetts. Each town had the Declaration read at the Sunday Meeting, and then entered into the town record.

This new printing, done by Gary Gregory at the Museum of Printing in Haverhill, uses the same font as in 1776.

We have a commemorative copy of the Declaration done for the 50th anniversary in 1826, and will hang the 250th edition close by!

As John Adams said for the Quincy commemorations of the 50th, "Independence Forever!"