Lecture Series

2007 - 2008 Program

Tuesday evening lectures begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Pleasant Street Congregational Church, located at 75 Pleasant Street in Arlington Center.

Old Homes, New Foundations:
Relocated Buildings in Arlington

An Illustrated Lecture by
Robert Fredieu, President of the Society

A surprising number of historic structures in Arlington have moved from their original sites. Learn of moves ranging from the 1800's to the 21st century—including a first-hand account of a well-remembered "double-move."

For more information, including directions, see our events page.

Patriot's Day at Arlington Historical Society

Jason Russell House battle re-enactment is April 20 at 12:30 on the grounds of the Jason Russell House.

Arlington's Patriot's Day parade will start at 2pm. After the re-enactment the Jason Russell House will be open for tours from 1:30-5pm. It will also be open Monday, April 21, from 1-4pm.

Jason Russell House Open for the Season

The 2008 season hours for the Jason Russell House are Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 pm. More information.

Events at other historical societies

A Magnificent History of New England Stone Walls

Sunday, April 13, 2-4 PM

First Church of Christ, Congregational
25 The Great Road, Bedford

With Robert M. Thorson, author of Stone by Stone and Exploring Stone Walls: A Field Guide to New England's Stone Walls. The leading authority shares his surprising insights into the origins, construction methods, and uses of New England's most distinctive and enduring manmade landform. Free and open to all. Details are on the Bedford Historical Society Website.

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.

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.