The Fairbanks House

10/22/2026

A Delicious Addition to our FREE Open House on Dedham Day!

We're excited to announce that Twizted Pickle is joining us for our Dedham Day Open House on Saturday, November 7, from 12-4 PM!

Come explore the historic Fairbanks House Museum, enjoy free short walk-through tours, family-friendly activities, and fall festivities, and grab something delicious from the Twizted Pickle food truck!

Please pre-register for the event: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/fhmddohs2/event/dedhamdayfairbanksopenhouse-free/ or stop by our welcome tent to register when you arrive.

Check out their menu before your visit at https://www.thetwiztedpickle.com

We look forward to welcoming you for a fun-filled afternoon of history, community, and great food!

Fairbanks House Museum | Dedham, MA

10/09/2026

Our museum docents and staff enjoyed a step back in time during a tour of Dedham Village Cemetery led by local author, history reenactor, and Fairbanks House docent Jim Parr.

Jim portrayed Sexton Joel Richards, who died in 1847, bringing the cemetery’s history to life.

Established in 1636 as Dedham’s first burying ground, the cemetery’s oldest surviving gravestone belongs to Hannah Dyer, who died in 1678.

Jim also shared this tour during our reunion and with the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants on October 8.

Thank you, Jim, for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for local history!

10/08/2026

Join us for a fascinating evening at the Dedham Dedham Public Library with Stuart Christie, one of the Fairbanks House Museum’s knowledgeable and talented docents!

Stuart will share the stories and history behind Dedham’s war memorials, offering a deeper appreciation for the people and sacrifices they commemorate.

We encourage everyone interested in local history to attend!

Tuesday, October 20 @ 6:30 PM
Dedham Public Library – Main Library
Registration required.

📜 Join Stuart Christie, Senior Docent at The Fairbanks House Museum, a Dedham resident of over 46 years, a Vietnam War veteran, and an amateur historian, who will share the town’s fascinating history in designing and implementing war memorials.

The Fairbanks House Dedham Square Circle Dedham Public Schools Friends of the Dedham Library Dedham Television Dedham Library Innovation Team

09/25/2026

TOUR CANCELLATION: SEPTEMBER 26 and 27

Due to the incoming nor’easter and expected severe weather, tours of the Fairbanks House Museum scheduled for Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, have been cancelled.

Refunds are currently being processed for all affected reservations. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we put the safety of our visitors, volunteers, and staff first.

We hope you’ll come back and visit us when New England weather cooperates!

Plan your next visit and reserve a tour here:
https://thefairbankshousemuseum.ticketspice.com/2026-fairbanks-house-museum

Thank you for your understanding, and stay safe!

09/22/2026

Thanks for posting about our beloved house.

The oldest surviving timber frame house in America, built circa 1637, offers a fascinating glimpse into early American architecture. Link in comments to find out more. ⬇️

09/15/2026

WE HAVE A NEW DATE!

Due to the weather forecast, Dedham Day has been postponed, and our FREE Fairbanks House Museum Open House is moving with it!

NEW DATE: Saturday, November 7
Rain Date: Sunday, November 8

Fairbanks House Museum, 515 East Street, Dedham
FREE ADMISSION

Already registered? You’re all set! There is no need to register again....we'll carry your registration over to November 7.

If you haven't registered yet, there's still plenty of time:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/fhmddohs2/event/dedhamdayfairbanksopenhouse-free/

We were looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend, but New England weather had other plans!

We hope you'll join us in November to step inside the oldest surviving timber-frame house in North America, meet our docents and volunteers, enjoy special displays and family activities, and learn about the exciting preservation work happening at the Fairbanks House.

Please share our new date with your friends and neighbors!

09/11/2026

September 11, 2001 - September 11, 2026
25 Years. We Remember.

This has been a year of national remembrances and celebrations of life here at the Fairbanks House. In each, we have been reminded of one of history’s most important lessons: remembering is an act of discipline. We must choose not to forget.

Twenty-five years ago, our nation experienced a day of unimaginable loss. Today, the Fairbanks Family in America, together with the staff and volunteers of the Fairbanks House Museum, pause to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001.

We remember the first responders who ran toward danger while others sought safety. We remember the families who lost loved ones, the survivors whose lives were forever changed, and the countless Americans who answered the call to serve in the days, months, and years that followed.

We remember the firefighters, police officers, emergency personnel, members of our Armed Forces, public servants, volunteers, neighbors, and ordinary citizens who demonstrated extraordinary courage.

For an organization devoted to preserving nearly four centuries of American history, remembrance is more than looking backward. It is a responsibility we carry forward.

A nation that remembers understands the sacrifices that shaped it. A nation that remembers honors those who came before. And a nation that remembers teaches the generations that follow why their stories are meaninful.

Twenty-five years later, we remember their lives. We honor their courage. We remain grateful for their service and sacrifice.

We will never forget.

09/08/2026

Hollywood Comes to Dedham, and the Fairbanks House Takes a Starring Role!

Did you know that in the summer of 1919, Hollywood came to Dedham to film Anne of Green Gables, and the Fairbanks House was featured as the title house?

Join our own Fairbanks House Museum docent Jim Parr at the Dedham Public Library on Tuesday, September 15, from 6:30-7:30 PM, as he tells the story of Dedham’s exciting summer of 1919.

A Dedham native, retired teacher, local author, and educator at the Dedham Museum, Jim knows how to bring local history to life. We’re proud to have him as one of our Fairbanks House docents!

Tuesday, September 15 | 6:30–7:30 PM
Dedham Public Library
Registration required

Register through the Dedham Public Library:

https://dedhamlibrary.libnet.info/event/17383027

Space is limited!

09/06/2026

History was not made only by famous names. It was built by working hands.

This Labor Day, the Fairbanks House Museum honors the generations of farmers, craftspeople, laborers, homemakers, caretakers, and others whose skill, perseverance, and daily work built our communities and shaped our nation, including many whose contributions were never fully recorded.

We are also grateful for the staff, volunteers, preservation specialists, and supporters whose work today keeps the Fairbanks House standing and its stories alive for future generations.

From all of us at the Fairbanks House Museum, we wish you a safe and restful Labor Day!

Pictured, the first Labor Day parade passes Union Square in New York City, September 5, 1882. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

09/02/2026

History is better when you can be part of it. ❤️

One of the things that made our 125th Fairbanks Family Reunion so special was seeing generations of Fairbanks descendants, family members and friends gathered at the place where our American family story began nearly 400 years ago.

There were tours, stories, new friendships, old connections — and even a little time travel!

One of our guests (and his wife and granddaughter) arrived wearing a shirt featuring “Lolli & Pops” taking Amelia back to 1637. Amelia was the granddaughter and Lolli & Pops traveled across the country to show little Amelia the family home. We loved seeing our family history celebrated in such a fun and personal way.

For 125 reunions, people have continued to come back to the Fairbanks House — not simply to see an old house, but to connect with the people who lived here, the generations who came after them, and one another.

That’s what keeps history alive.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this milestone year. We hope you’ll bring even more family and friends with you next year.

The 126th Fairbanks Family Reunion awaits! 🏡❤️