Historic Boxford

10/14/2026

The Document Center's 50th Anniversary Party is FRIDAY! Get tickets today at:
https://www.historicboxford.org/events/50-for-50-document-center-50th-anniversary-party-fundraiser

Date: Friday, October 16
Location: Community Center at 10 Elm
Time: 6:00-8:30pm

We are so excited to hear our special speakers at this event:

Tina Benson de la Cruz
Carol Benson Antos
Jane Doughty Merrill
Liz Murphy
David Myers
Catherine Price Rogers

Celebrate 50 years of Boxford’s stories at the Document Center’s anniversary party. Join neighbors, friends, and history lovers for an evening of conversation, refreshments, and a look at treasures from our archive. Drinks will be provided by  Merriam Vineyards and Essex County Brewing, an

10/12/2026

This is another VERY special new accession at the Boxford Historic Document Center from the Parkhurst-Richards family. It is a photograph taken on Schoolhouse #6 (Lake Shore Road and Main Street) in 1879 😮 We have very few school photographs from this time period, and this one is pretty unique in that the students are identified!

10/10/2026

The Document Center's 50th Anniversary Party is coming up THIS FRIDAY, October 16th at 6:00pm! Get your tickets today, and join the celebration 🎉 🥂

Tickets: https://www.historicboxford.org/events

10/07/2026

If you guessed Town Hall, you get all the points! This was built as the Aaron Wood school. It is located right next to Cole School, which was built to replace it when more space was needed for students. When this photo was taken, it was serving as the Boxford Town Hall, and there is still a sign in the parking lot behind it for Town Hall employee parking!

Where is it Wednesday! Bonus points if you can guess what the building was being used for when this photo was taken.

10/04/2026

Another really great new donation! This is the 1896 student body of the Little Red Schoolhouse (when it was white!). Click the first image to see the full photo. I love it because you can peek in the door at the wallpaper in the coatroom!

The back of the photograph lists the students: Eva Mortimer, Winnifrid C. Parkhurst, Dolly Gurley, Edith Mortimer, Edwin Elliott, Ernest Mortimer, Bill Gurley, Frank Moore, Bertha Towne, Elsie Frye, Julia Lehan, Alice Cheney, Kate Lehan, Sarah Peabody, Ruth Gurley, Edward Mortimer, Teacher, Helen Frame

This photograph, along with a number of others, was donated to the Boxford Historic Document Center by the Parkhurst-Richards family.

Friends of the Little Red Schoolhouse Boxford

10/02/2026

This is a very exciting new donation! It is a letter written by Thomas Killam to his wife Sally (Fuller) Killam while he was away fighting in the Revolutionary War. When he wrote this, he had two daughters; Polly was almost 2 and Sarah was 8 months old. Although the date is not recorded, Sarah died sometime before her 4th birthday, and we don't know if that happened before or after Thomas came home from the war.

Ticonderoga August the 14th Day 1776
After my Love to you I would inform you that after a tedeous march we arrived at This place on the pint coled Independence. we Landed the 11 Instant in the rain and it has rained almost Ever Sence. The Old Soldiers say that it raines tu thirds of the time and has Don all Somer. We are under bead Curcumstances on a count of the rain for we have no tence to cover ous and we are weat a most all the time our tents are coming & I Hope will son be Here.

I am as well as usal. the Smoll pox is not aloud or in this Incampment. theare Has Som brock out whith it sence I came Hear but are amediatly Carried to fort gorge we are Building a Large & Long Brest work on the South Side of the Lack right weare to Stay Hear I do not no the Enemy are at St. Jones and They are Strongly fortified.

I wont to Se you and Children very much. I would Have you send me a Later as Soon as you receive this from me. Sende it to Cap pepodyes and the post that brenges this to you will bring yours to me. I Could Right this our but have not time nor paper.

Give my Duty to Farther and mother. Love to my Sister and Complyments to all friends and Relatives that ask after me.
So I Remain your most affectionnate & loving Companyon and Husband till Death

Thomas Killam

09/30/2026

Lots of you got this one! This is the Witham-Price house at 38 Washington Street. Believe it or not, the house was already over 100 years old when this photo was taken in 1955! It was recently renovated by Smallman Builders and is now ready for its next 175 years! The photo is part of the Ingalls-Price Collection at the Boxford Historic Document Center.

Where is it Wednesday! This photo was taken in 1955. Hint: This is in West Boxford!