Maynard Historical Society

09/14/2026

A nice story about a local home/landmark that has received national attention as part of the "Widow's Bay" horror-comedy series that was filmed in Massachusetts -- including Maynard.

Key takeaways:A Massachusetts home featured as the inn in the Emmy-nominated Apple TV series “Widow’s Bay” was built for the operator of a

07/12/2026

Summer Camp Season is starting... This is a photo of Girl Scouts at Camp Jethro in August 1962. "Camp Jethro" was a day camp created in Maynard on the Dettling Hill lot off of Parker Street which operated from 1960-1962.

The reverse of the photo has a hand-written list of who was in the photograph. Our best attempt at transcription is below (corrections welcome):

First Row: Mary Kane, Lumina Maglione, Novice Carey, Laurie Lovell, Wendy Pringell, Nancy Nevela, Barbara O'Brien, Denise Hanson, Diane Torppa, Peggy Sheridan

Middle Row: Iris Popienick, ???, Carol Novick, Sandra Piceiwicz, Julia Goglin, Karen Autio, Ellen Hains, Diane Kulcher, Chris O'Brien, Linda Bemis, Carol Novick, Barbara Novick, Songe Patopawicz, Dawn Bemis Debbie Raynes, Lydia Kuchern, Dale Alipande

Last Row (inside): Marie Sevenson, Lois Michelson, Mrs. Michelson, Mrs. George O'Brien, Jeanne Maglione, Maveha Alto, Mrs. Frank Alto, Mrs. James Wheeler (Camp Director), Susan Levin, Patty Novick

https://collection.maynardhistory.org/items/show/8909

07/03/2026

We received this photograph last year and it quickly became one of our favorite images of Maynard's history.

On July 4, 1919 Maynard organized a Welcome Home Celebration honoring the soldiers and sailors who had recently returned from Europe in World War I.

We have a handful of photographs from that event but this photograph of a parade float sponsored by the American Woolen Company is above the others.

According to a newspaper account of the parade the float had "a loom in operation weaving cloth, a feature presented by the Assabet mills, with John Graham as fixer, Everett Marchant in charge of a portable motor, and Sam Ayotte in the act of weaving." Sadly they failed to make note of the badass cigar-smoking woman on the float. We did some digging and we speculate that she was Rose Ayotte who was a weaver at the mill (and Sam's wife).

We have not yet identified on what street this photo was taken. The parade route was long and ambiguous as described in the newspaper articles. We welcome ideas of where that house in the background might be.

https://collection.maynardhistory.org/items/show/10356

06/24/2026

The Maynard Community Band is a living tradition in town, having been performing since 1947. See them tonight or check other Wednesdays for performances downtown.

Here are two photos from 1979 and one from the 1960s... quite the change in character, no?

Here are some names from the 1979 photographs:

Full band photo - l to r
Front Row: Grelsula, Boothroyd, Reiniger, M. Clapp, M. Karpeichick, A. DeGrappo (conductor in white coat), F. Miller, Kunelius, Dubie, J.Fava

Center Row: Coughlin, Marshall, S. Schultz (behind bell of horn), R. Pimolehto, F. Grelsuka, L. Trumpolt, D. Clapp, H. Reed,

Back Row: Fardy, C. DeGrappo, D. Fava, Murphy, Rutanen, M. Niemi, Weckstrom, P. Erlskinen, Ed. Brennan

Partial band photo - l to r
Front Row: F. Miller, O. Kunelius, Dubie, J. Fava

Center Row: S. Schultz, R. Pinolehto, J. Grelsula, L. Frumpolt, D. Clapp, H. Reed

Back Row: J. Murphy, P. Rutane, M. Niemi, L. Weckstrom, P. Erkkinen, Ed. Brennan

(Before anyone asks, the 1979 photo was taken in Acton prior to a fireworks show there.)

https://collection.maynardhistory.org/items/show/6611

https://maynardcommunityband.com

06/10/2026

100 Years ago - The Maynard High School Class of 1926

Class Officers:
President, George Elson
Vice-President, Andrew Fardy
Secretary, Helen Jamieson
Treasurer, Harland Larkin

Class Colors: Green and Gold
Class Flower: Yellow Rose
Class Motto: "Labor Omnia Vincit" ("Work Conquers All")

We have some identifications... As always we welcome additions/corrections:

https://collection.maynardhistory.org/items/show/10253

06/04/2026

Caps flying... it's Graduation season! We have almost two dozen Maynard High School graduation programs going back as far as 1905. We don't have a Class of '76 program (50 year anniversary), but we do have one from 1966.

Feel free to check out our programs and other graduation-related items:

https://collection.maynardhistory.org/items/show/9785

05/24/2026

Memorial Day at the turn of the century, 1899, in Maynard. Please take time to peruse this article recounting the Decoration Day (Memorial Day) observances that spanned 3 days at the end of the 19th century... (you'll have to zoom in and pan around)

The 1941 Chicago Tribune Headline "History May Not Repeat, But It Looks Alike" rings loud in various parts of the article which begins with:

"The close of the War of the Rebellion has bronght us to the last Memorial Diy of this century. Our fathers and grandfathers, looking backward, beheld the sacrifices, suffer-ings, sorrows, glorious deeds and grand victories of the Revolution, and they revered the memory of the men engaged in that war.

Those now living, who have the spirit of patriotism in their souls, stand as it were, with uncovered heads, as the gray haired and tottering remnant of the grand army of veterans of the Rebellion, pass by, to lay floral tributes on the green mounds that mark the resting places of their dead comrades.

Although thousands of monuments mark these places, our country has no actual need of granite shaft, gilded ban-ner, tender ballad or solemu anthem, to keep green and fragrant the deeds of her dead and living heroes, as long as there exists a fragment of a shell, a tattered battle flag, an empty sleeve, an anguished heart, or a veteran soldier, so long will these be suggestive of deadly fever. in Southern swamps, of physical collapse, of prison pens, of long aud exhaustive marches, of tempests, of iron and leaden hail, and the cause that made these things inevitable."

05/06/2026

Spring ushers in baseball season. We have lots of baseball photos from the early 20th century, but we thought one a bit more contemporary would be fun: this is the Avalon Baseball Team. We believe it is circa 1965, but would welcome a better date.

We have some (preliminary) identifications. Additions and corrections are most welcome...

Bottom Row: Tookie Laskowski, ?, Jon Armour, ?, ?.

Top Row: ?, ?, Ed Beals, ?, Owen Duggan, Don Hatch, ?.

https://collection.maynardhistory.org/items/show/4388

Let us know if you want to see more baseball teams from Maynard's history....