Pepperell Historical Commission

Pepperell Historical Commission Ever since 1974 the Pepperell Historical Commission has contributed the promotion, preservation, and protection of the town's historical assets and resources.

Established under state law 1974, the Pepperell Historical
Commission has responsibility for the preservation, protection, and development of the Town's historical assets and seeks to identify and promote the town's historical resources. Current members:
Ronald Karr - Chair
Eileen Fedorchuk - Clerk
Casey Campetti - Board Member
Robert Cataldo - Board Member
Diane Cronin - Board Member

The commis

sion has no paid staff or phone. All work is commission done by the members or by volunteers. The commission consists of five unpaid members appointed for one year terms by the Board of Selectmen. Meetings are held bi-monthly at the Town Hall and are always open to the public.

02/20/2026

February 20th marks the 300th birthday of Colonel William Prescott, commander of the militia at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolution and the pride of Pepperell Massachusetts, where he called home. Prescott was born in Groton Massachusetts in 1726 and later dedicated his time and....

Special thanks to Kenny English of Pepperell for the donation of his personal collection of original Lyman Robbins newsp...
02/12/2026

Special thanks to Kenny English of Pepperell for the donation of his personal collection of original Lyman Robbins newspaper articles. This collection is the most complete compilation of Lyman’s articles so far and it helps to complete the collection of original copies in Pepperell. Thanks, Ken, for your generous gift which will be preserved by the Historical Society and can be appreciated for generations to come. Here’s a copy of the postcard Lyman sent in 1918 as an invitation to the Rally Day in town, which were community events connected to the WWI war effort.

251 years ago today, our Pepperell ancestors raised the first municipal Liberty Flag at the seat of government in front ...
08/29/2025

251 years ago today, our Pepperell ancestors raised the first municipal Liberty Flag at the seat of government in front of the town’s Meetinghouse. This statement of intolerance with British oppression was a unifying moment that almost every citizen of the town rallied around. The town’s first flag provided the impetus for strong will and collective strength in the face of adversity. Let’s remember this and other acts of bravery and how essential they were to the freedom, liberty and prosperity we enjoy today. The Pepperell Liberty flag belongs to the townspeople so what better place to store it than our beloved Lawrence Library, to be managed by the Pepperell Historical Commission who is chartered with preserving historic resources for our town. Thank you to everyone who helped to bring the Liberty Flag to life starting with the patriotic acts of our ancestors, the Historical Commissions work beginning in 2012, the DARs continued efforts to promote our history, the talented work of local seamstress Susan Thomson and others. This level of collaboration made it possible for future generations to continue spreading this important message. The Historical Commission has also made custom Liberty Flags in various sizes available to the public to purchase at no profit to the town, only to the benefit of spreading this important message of liberty and unity to our citizens and to all. People can see the Liberty Flags that are available as it proudly flies at the Library and the town field.

Happy 250th Anniversary Pepperell! Imagine the memories through the years. All the townspeople, life events, and special...
08/23/2025

Happy 250th Anniversary Pepperell! Imagine the memories through the years. All the townspeople, life events, and special places that have shaped the town into a very nice place to live. Today we celebrate Pepperell's impressive past and wish our town and all of its citizens, past and present, a very joyous and prosperous future!

This month marks the anniversary of when Pepperell’s colonial ancestors raised the Liberty Flag on August 29, 1774. The ...
08/06/2025

This month marks the anniversary of when Pepperell’s colonial ancestors raised the Liberty Flag on August 29, 1774. The Lawrence Library has raised a larger version of the 3x5 foot Liberty Flag that is available for the public to purchase online. The Library's display looks great and it was also modeled after the wool 2025 recreated version of the flag, which is now safely stored in a custom cabinet in the History Room in the Library to preserve it for future generations. What honorable ways to show our gratitude!

Pepperell’s historical roots are firmly planted in the Town Common across from Town Hall, as another symbol of our ances...
06/27/2025

Pepperell’s historical roots are firmly planted in the Town Common across from Town Hall, as another symbol of our ancestor’s fight for independence and self-governance is placed in this spot. The Liberty Tree, a symbol of resistance to British oppression and the interpretive plaque recently installed by the Native Plant Advisory Committee will also be a lasting testament of our ancestors’ actions that led to the start of the nation. Nearby is an artifact from the stone foundation of the first Meetinghouse, the Bunker Hill Memorial Bench listing men from Pepperell who fell at the battle and the Liberty Pole where the townspeople raised a Liberty Flag in 1774. Not far away in Walton Cemetery is the final resting place of some of Pepperell’s most famous and historic citizens, like Colonel Prescott, Prudence Wright, Reverend Emerson and many others tracing back to the Revolutionary War and before. Thank you to the committee, Cemetery & Parks and everyone who helped to bring the Pepperell Liberty Tree to life.

06/24/2025

In honor of the 250th Anniversary of the Town of Pepperell, the Historical Commission is inviting the townspeople to assist the Town in identifying future historical initiatives. Please take a moment to respond to 6 brief questions on the Historic Preservation Survey and share your opinions on funding projects, planning events, scheduling resources and more. Find the survey on the Town's homepage, or this website URL, https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D7379G6 or use the QR code on the promotional flyers around town. As we look forward to the next 250 years, we thank you for helping us plan the Town's future historical goals together.

Spectacular 250th commemoration of the Battle of Bunker Hill at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester. So well done by the reena...
06/24/2025

Spectacular 250th commemoration of the Battle of Bunker Hill at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester. So well done by the reenactors and with great historical accuracy depicting the phases of the conflict. Wonderful historical setting recreated by the sea with a hilly landscape to simulate a redoubt at Breed’s Hill and the British charge on foot. The event appeared very well managed in every way. Many emotive narrations covering the key historical aspects of the conflict. Vendors displayed Revolutionary War era merchandise with textiles for colonial costuming, accoutrements for reenactors and more. There were many opportunities to speak with specialists to see items from the era, learn and ask questions. Thank you for taking us back in time to such a pivotal moment in this region’s history and for reinforcing the connection of exactly how these events led the way to the start of the nation. Huzzah!

Today marks the 250th anniversary of the historic Battle of Bunker Hill and a time to recognize the bravery and sacrific...
06/17/2025

Today marks the 250th anniversary of the historic Battle of Bunker Hill and a time to recognize the bravery and sacrifices from Pepperell's ancestors and all who fought for liberty. Sunday, June 15th Pepperell marched in Charlestown's Bunker Hill Parade in a bigger than ever commemoration for the 250th anniversary of the Battle. The Pepperell Historical Commission represented our town and proudly displayed the Prescott banner listing the men from Pepperell who died in the battle. This year we were met with cheers and shouts for Pepperell throughout the 4-mile parade route through the city, including a special mention by the Parade Commentator. What a wonderful response and recognition for our town and our hometown hero, Colonel William Prescott!

In honor of our noble Pepperell ancestors and in recognition of the 250th Anniversary of the Town of Pepperell, the Hist...
05/20/2025

In honor of our noble Pepperell ancestors and in recognition of the 250th Anniversary of the Town of Pepperell, the Historical Commission is making Pepperell's first flag, the Pepperell Liberty Flag, available to the public. Order your 3x5 foot polyester flag online at www.Anley.com and follow the instructions on the flyer. The price is $28.94 plus shipping and is subject to change. Enter order #169671 on the check out page in the notes section. Own an important symbol of Pepperell's history, originally flown by the District of Pepperell to promote the future of an independent nation, on August 29, 1774.

The Historical Commission would like to announce an opening on the Commission. Residents with an interest in working on:...
05/09/2025

The Historical Commission would like to announce an opening on the Commission. Residents with an interest in working on: preserving historic resources, meeting the historic goals in Pepperell’s Master Plan, Community Preservation Act project funding, zoning revisions, digitizing old records, cemetery restoration, contributing to the creation of local by-laws and more, should send questions or a letter of interest to [email protected].

Address

1 Main Street
Pepperell, MA
01463

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 12:30pm

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