Historic New England

05/28/2026

Historic New England’s sites may span centuries, but the experiences visitors have today are shaped by the people who care for them right now.

As we count down to Open House on Saturday, June 6, we hope you’ve enjoyed our Meet Your Site Managers series and get to know the faces behind the places you love—and the ones you’re about to discover.

Meet Peggy Konitzky, Midcoast Maine Site Manager at Historic New England. She oversees Bowman House, Castle Tucker, Marrett House, and Nickels-Sortwell House.

This season, Peggy is especially looking forward to programs exploring how families connected to these sites experienced the American Revolution—from firsthand impacts to lasting legacies. →

As we prepare to welcome visitors to for the open season, we invite you to get to know the people who make our tours and events so special.

05/28/2026

Take family and friends out to the ballgame nineteenth century style. Our teams play using 1864 rules. At these fun & historically accurate games, gloves are not allowed, players pitch underhand and a ball caught on one bounce is an out.

Opening Day / Bud Fowler Cup
Lowell Nine vs. Portsmouth Rockinghams 11am
Newburyport Clamdiggers vs. Lynn Live Oaks ~ 12:30pm
Championship Game ~ 2pm

Historic New England Members - free
Nonmembers - $5

Grass field seating; bring blankets and lawn chairs. No reserved seating.

Games are weather permitting. Any day of weather decisions will be posted on Facebook & Instagram.

05/27/2026

As climate change intensifies along New England’s coast, preservation work must evolve alongside it. At Sayward-Wheeler House in York Harbor, Maine, Historic New England recently completed a thoughtful restoration of the site’s riverside porch, balancing historic character with climate resilience.

Read more about the restoration and our approach to preservation in a changing climate:

At Sayward-Wheeler House in Maine, our Property Care team has made clever alterations to a porch to make it more climat-resilient.

05/26/2026

As we near the end of our Meet Your Site Managers series and get closer to Open House on June 6, we’re excited to introduce more of the people helping bring Historic New England’s sites to life for today’s visitors.

Meet Melissa Kershaw, Regional Site Administrator for Northern New England. She welcomes visitors to five New Hampshire sites and is especially excited for Revolutionary-era walking tours in Portsmouth and Exeter, a Regency-themed tea party and dance at Barrett House, and a new series of performance art salons at Langdon House.

Meet Melissa →

As we prepare to welcome visitors to for the open season, we invite you to get to know the people who make our tours and events so special.

05/22/2026

Join us for the Annual Hosta and Perennial Sale on May 30, May 31, and June 6!

Shop hundreds of beautiful plants for sun and shade in our lawn sales area behind the historic greenhouses, and browse a wonderful selection of herbs if you missed our earlier herb sale. Whether you’re refreshing garden beds, filling containers, or adding something new to your landscape, there’s plenty to discover.

The historic greenhouses will also be open during the sale. Rain or shine — we look forward to seeing you there! → https://my.historicnewengland.org/27553/hosta-perennial

05/22/2026

The time is almost here! Join us Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 29, 30, and 31, from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. as we plant the garden for the season.

Be a horticultural hero and dig into our historic soil! Stop by for an hour or stay for the day — every helping hand makes a difference. When the work is done, you’ll know you played a part in creating one of Connecticut’s most beautiful historic gardens.

05/21/2026

Spring cleaning can be more than a seasonal ritual—it’s also an opportunity to live more sustainably. In the latest installment of Sustaining Our Past, Historic New England’s Director of Sustainability, Joie Grandbois, shares practical ways to reduce your environmental impact while refreshing your home this spring.
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Spring Into It! →

Spring is here, and our Director of Sustainability offers spring cleaning tips to help you lessen your environmental impact.

05/20/2026

No two Historic New England sites are exactly alike—and neither are the people who care for them. From working farms to historic homes and meeting houses, our site managers help shape the experiences that bring these places to life.

Between now and June, follow along with our Meet Your Site Managers series and get to know the faces behind the places you love (and the ones you’re about to discover).

Meet Sheila Reardon Spalding, our Newbury Site Manager. Across five very different sites, Sheila looks for creative ways to help visitors connect with history. This season, she’s excited for music from the American Revolution, Vintage Base Ball games, and opportunities for quiet reflection. →

As we prepare to welcome visitors to for the open season, we invite you to get to know the people who make our tours and events so special.

05/19/2026

Behind every Historic New England property is someone making sure history feels welcoming, relevant, and alive for today’s visitors.

Between now and June, follow along with our Meet Your Site Managers series and get to know the faces behind the places you love—and the ones you’re about to discover.

Meet Alyssa Sweet, Southern Maine Site Manager at Historic New England. For the past two years, she has overseen Sarah Orne Jewett House, Hamilton House, and Sayward-Wheeler House. This season, look for collaborative programs, live music, and new tours exploring the Road to Revolution. →

As we prepare to welcome visitors to for the open season, we invite you to get to know the people who make our tours and events so special.

05/18/2026

Before women were allowed to serve in the military, Deborah Sampson enlisted in the Continental Army disguised as “Robert Shurtleff.” After the American Revolution, she spent decades fighting for the veteran benefits denied to her as a woman. Historic New England is honoring her legacy during Deborah Sampson Day at the Eustis Estate on May 23.

Deborah Sampson, Veterans’ Rights Activist →

In 1982, the Massachusetts legislature declared May 23 Deborah Sampson Day, and a year later, Governor Michael Dukakis declared her the “Official Heroine of the Commonwealth.” The first woman veteran from Massachusetts, Sampson enlisted in the Continental Army in 1782, at a time when women were ...