2011/2012 Programs

Tuesday evening lectures begin at 7:30 p.m. at Arlington Heights Nursery School (formerly St. James School) 10 Acton St. (off Appleton Street). Entrance is at the rear, on the ground floor. Google Maps link.

For a listing of all events and links to prior events see our Events Page.

Please note: Program fliers are no longer being mailed so check this website for details on Lecture Series talks.

Our Next Lecture

Vignettes of Roman Catholic History in Arlington

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Richard A. Duffy, Author and Historian

The Roman Catholic Church was the first "immigrant" religion to formally establish itselfin Arlington, taking its place among four decidedly Yankee Protestant churches. It would grow to become the town's predominant faith group. Discover little-understood aspects of its integration into Arlington's life, in ways that are likely to challenge old assumptions.

Sunday Stories Book Club

2:00-3:30 p.m. At the Smith Museum, 7 Jason Street. Handicap accessible.

Sunday Stories is a book discussion group, free for Arlington Historical Society Members. Please call 781-648-4300 to reserve a spot. For more information and directions see our Events Page.

Of course you may come even if you haven't read the book! And, this year we're adding a new feature: slides! So come, look at pictures, drink a cup of coffee and learn about these fascinating subjects. Books are available at the library, may be ordered from bookstores, or try websites for bargains.

Our Next Book Club Meeting

Sargent's Daughters: The Biography of a Painting, Erica E. Hirschler.

May 6, 2012. Slides and Discussion by Doris Birmingham.

Sign up for our Newsletter

We announce our events in our electronic newsletter. If you'd like to be added to our electronic newsletter mailing list, please send us an email at Cloaking . You can opt out at any time.

The Society

The Arlington Historical Society, with offices in the Smith Museum, hosts a yearly lecture series as well as offering individual and group tours of the historic Jason Russell House.

Through its education and outreach program, the Arlington Historical Society welcomes school classes and scout groups to explore life in colonial America. Society Programs.

Membership

Membership in the Society includes: Free admission to the Jason Russell House, Smith Museum, and the Historical Lecture Series; a discount on items purchased at The Museum Shop; a subscription to our newsletter "Menotomy Minutes". For information on joining the Arlington Historical Society, see our Membership Page.

Interested in History?

Want to learn more about Arlington?

The Arlington Historical Society needs volunteers to give tours of the Jason Russell House. See our Volunteer information page.

George A. Smith Museum

Currently on exhibit in the attached Smith Museum is "Family Ties: 200 Years of Arlington Town Life".

In 1807 West Cambridge (now Arlington) separated from Cambridge, and the new exhibit celebrates the old Puritan-era settlers and the vibrant immigrant families of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

More information.

Jason Russell House

The Jason Russell House, built in 1740, still bears bullet holes as the site of bloody fighting on the first day of the American Revolution. British soldiers, in retreat from Lexington and Concord, shot and bayoneted Jason Russell on his own doorstep. Eleven other area Minute Men, who had gathered in Arlington, due to its strategic location, also lost their lives here in the April 19, 1775 skirmish. Take the tour.

Prince Hall Cemetery

Prince Hall Cemetery, located on Gardner Street in Arlington is overseen by The Prince Hall Mystic Arlington Cemetery Association, formed by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge located in Dorchester and the Arlington Historical Society. The cemetery was restored through donations from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge and by the generosity of the town of Arlington. In 1998, the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

More information.