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    • Hosmer House >
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    • Events & Exhibits
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    • Photographs
  • Resources
    • Online Content
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Acton History Online

Explore Acton's history wherever you are.  The Acton Historical Society has been at work making its collections and Acton stories available online.  We will be adding more over the coming months; please check back.

Video Content
Acton Map
Overview of Acton History
Zoom Presentation
April 11, 2021

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Minuteman Statue
The Battle Over the North Bridge
Zoom presentation
February 7, 2021
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Scenes of ice harvesting from Ice House Pond in East Acton, c. 1950

Flyer, Acton Chinese Residents' Experiences
Experience of Acton's Chinese Residents, with Acton Chinese American Civic Society and ActonTV
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Flyer, Acton Indian-American Residents' Experiences
Experience of Acton's Indian-American Residents, with Acton Memorial Library, NiskamTV and ActonTV
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Ice House
Ice Harvesting
Zoom Presentation
Jan. 10, 2021

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Flyer, Acton Indian-American Residents' Experiences
Vivian Kobusingye Birchall and Bill Klauer discuss Acton History on ActonTV

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South Acton Railroad Depot
Railroads in Acton
Zoom presentation
March 7, 2021

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Stories from Acton
Acton Center Postcard
Schoolteacher Ella Miller's commute to work involved evolving challenges.
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Acton Center Postcard
A group of Civil War veterans waited more than two decades for a promise to be honored.
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The Breakers, Newport
Architectural plans from a West Acton attic led us to Newport in the Gilded Age.
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Acton Center Postcard
A look back at how Acton residents spent the summer months one hundred years ago.
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Women's Rights Float, South Acton
After decades of struggle, Acton women were finally allowed full voting rights in 1920.

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Pelton's High School Program
F. W. Pelton ran a private high school in Acton in 1852 and put on quite a show of students' work.
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Harriet (Hosmer) Jones
Profiles of the six South Acton women who were the first female voters registered in Acton.
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Handbill, N.L. Merrill, photographer
The Miller family of North Acton left behind a treasure trove of information & photos.
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Handbill, N.L. Merrill, photographer
N. L. Merrill brought his “daguerreotype saloon” to South Acton in early 1856. 
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Old South Acton Post Office
An 1880s dispute over who would be postmaster involved politics and charges of fraud.
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SAR Marker
Research into African-American Revolutionary War soldier Titus "Hayward."
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Parlin House
A question about Samuel Parlin led us to discover more about him at our own archives.

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Coffee
George C. Wright,  Acton benefactor, was president of the largest coffee and spice company in New England. 
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Acton Football Team 1897-1898
An overlooked slide gave us a picture of the Acton football team of 1897-98 with identified players.
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Ice Storm, Acton
Context of photographs of an Acton ice storm came from entries in an Acton diary.
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Parade Float 1935
Acton's 1935 Bicentennial celebration brought crowds and unexpected excitement.
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North Acton School
Overcoming problems is nothing new in Acton education.
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Map Boxboro & Acton
In 1868-69, West Acton residents tried to secede and join with Boxborough.
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Snippets from Old Records
A project to identify early Black and mixed race Acton residents from 1735 through the Civil War.
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Minuteman Statue, Concord
Minuteman Thomas Darby survived the battle of Concord but died at White Plains.

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Charles L. Heywood
Charles Heywood, railroad executive, inventor and owner of 2 Acton mills, and wife Ann were philanthropists.
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More Stories from Acton
Resources for Acton Historical Research
Quimby Sign
Acton's Markers and Monuments - locations, stories, photos & sources.
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Old Postcard, Acton Town Hall
Acton History Subject and Reference Lists

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Hayward Family
Acton Family History Index & Reference Lists

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Online Exhibits
Sawmill Unit
Some highlights from our collections, expanding on our November 1918 exhibit commemorating the end of World War 1. 
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Hat Exhibit
Revisit our exhibit featuring hats and head-coverings in our collection and others lent by generous individuals. 
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Open Hours

Jenks Library:
Due to COVID-19 concerns, our usual open hours have been suspended.  Please contact us for an appointment or to ask  your research questions.

Hosmer House Museum:
Open for special events.

Contact

Phone: 978-264-0690
Email: jenkslibrary@verizon.net
Mailing Address: PO Box 2389, Acton, MA 01720


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