Write History Class

Learn proper research and documentation techniques to:

  • define a research question

  • create a narrative argument

  • learn about primary and secondary sources

  • learn to correctly verify sources to support an historical claim

This class is overseen by the generosity of curator Tom Kelleher of Sturbridge Village with support from R. Poza M.Ed

Bringing Bluebirds Back: A Community Conservation Project

The Ashburnham Historical Society is proud to support community projects that connect our youth with history, nature, and conservation. In collaboration with Eagle Scout Kai, a resident of Ashburnham, and a dedicated Cushing Academy student, we are excited to install six bluebird houses on Cushing Academy’s property behind the Ashburnham Police Department. This location a designated bird sanctuary, provides the perfect habitat for these vibrant native birds, whose populations have faces challenges due to habitat loss. By fostering this project, we not only help restore an essential species to our local environment but also promote youth involvement in meaningful, hands-on conservation efforts. This partnership between the Historical Society, our local Scouts, and Cushing Academy exemplifies the power of community collaboration, ensuring that Ashburnham remains a place where history, education, and nature thrive together.

Authentic Historical Recipes Committee

Many recipes listed as early American include local ingredients mixed with spices and items that simply were not available to our forebears. It may be that they knew some culinary secrets that we have lost with our access to all things international. This group aims to put a tasty spin on research- in a town where farm to table is local- really local. Here in Ashburnham we have mycologists, cattle farms, dairy farms, goat farms, chickens (everywhere- even on Main St.!) herbs, maple syrup and sheep farms as well as seasonal vegetables. Let’s figure out how our ancestors did things and then we can add a little ginger or a few nuts.

If you have an interest in cooking and history please contact us at:

ashburnhamhistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Ongoing Research and Other Projects

Collection Archiving

Selections of the 1791 Meeting House Museum collection are currently being photographed, numbered, inventoried and catalogued in an Excel digital data base and to assess the value of the collection and to provide information to the public for general interest and for research. If you are interested in helping out with this, especially if you have experience in conservation and preservation please contact Christine Eddy at ashburnhamhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.

Visit our Flickr page for historic pictures of Ashburnham.

WHOA! Women’s History Of Ashburnham

The Ashburnham Historical Society, is currently working to uncover the stories of the bold brilliant, and trailblazing women who helped shape our town. From entrepreneurs to activists, teachers to rebels, their hard work has long been waiting to be recognized and celebrated. With the help of community researchers, we’re diving into the archives to piece together a fascinating exhibit that looks at the work of Bette Davis, Louisa Morton Green ( Willard) at the Meeting House Museum. Stay tuned for a summer celebration of Ashburnham’s spirited women!

Louisa Morton Greene was a 19th-century social reformer and activist known for her work in abolition, women’s rights, and education. She had a meaningful connection to Ashburnham, Massachusetts, where she lived for a significant part of her life.

Louisa Morton Greene

Louisa Morton Greene was born in 1819. Her early years were shaped by the reformist movements of the time, particularly the abolitionist cause. She became deeply involved in social justice work and was known for her strong moral convictions and willingness to speak out on controversial issues.

Louisa and her husband, Jonas Greene, moved to Ashburnham in the mid-1800s. Their home in Ashburnham became a kind of informal center for progressive thought in the region. Louisa’s time in Ashburnham is most noted for her role in hosting lectures, meetings, and organizing efforts around abolition and women’s suffrage.

She was an associate of many well-known reformers of the time and used her home as a platform to continue the work of social change. There is evidence to suggest that the Greene home may have been part of the Underground Railroad, offering shelter and aid to enslaved people fleeing the South, though historical confirmation is limited.

Bette Davis

Legendary actress Bette Davis had a personal connection to Ashburnham, Massachusetts, through her time as a student at Cushing Academy, a prestigious private preparatory school located in the town. She attended the school in the 1920s, and it was during her time there that she began to nurture her passion for acting and the performing arts. Davis later credited Cushing with helping to shape her confidence and discipline, both of which became hallmarks of her iconic Hollywood career. Today, her connection to Ashburnham remains a point of local pride, and her legacy is still recognized by the Cushing Academy community.

Unearthing the location of
“The Children of the Woods Tavern”
Local student works with the Historical Society

Ashburnham’s Children of the Woods Tavern:

The developer and proprietor of the Children of the Woods Tavern was Nathan Melven, born June 1729 in Concord, Massachusetts. He married Anna Foster in 1752 and went on to have at least 3 sons and 6 daughters with her.

In 1760, in what was then called Dorchester Canada, Nathan Melven acquired a piece of land from Moses Foster. Dorchester became the town of Ashburnham in 1765. In 1767, Nathan acquired his tavern license, and within seven years of acquiring the property, he built the tavern and got it into operation. This was the 3rd licensed tavern in this area and the first tavern licensed under the town name of Ashburnham. The tavern sat along Northfield Road, the first to run through Dorchester. The location of cellar holes indicates that within half a mile, 7 houses and a schoolhouse were located. In 1865, the tavern was destroyed, likely due to a fire. All other taverns in the area burned in 1911 from a great fire. After that, all that was left was a massive forest.

Behind the name Children of the Woods Tavern:

An old story goes that a family was traveling west on Northfield Road in a stagecoach and stopped at the tavern for the night. The children ran off to play in the woods but never returned.

Today:

The tavern foundation sits near where Stowell Road meets Old Pierce Road. A roughly 50-meter trail leads into the site, which in a recent project, was cleared out and made more accessible. The site is in great condition and shows a stone kitchen foundation, cellar hole, indoor well, and chimney foundation.