Nahant Historical Society

06/01/2026

Fifty years of preserving our stories, sharing our history, and building community.

To honor this incredible milestone, we are thrilled to launch our very first official commemorative t-shirt! Featuring our signature logo, this limited-edition apparel is the perfect way to show your love for our history while supporting our mission.

Why Support This Campaign?
As a verified non-profit organization, 100% of the proceeds from every single purchase go directly toward funding our upcoming events, preserving vital local artifacts, and ensuring our history is protected for the next 50 years.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Grab yours today, wear it with pride, and help us celebrate half a century of community!

Fifty years of preserving out stories, sharing our history, and building community!. To honor this incredible milestone, we are thrilled to launch our very first official...

04/18/2026

Please mark your calendars to join us on Sunday, April 26, 2026, Exhibit opens at 1PM, lecture at 2PM.

Nahant Historical Society

Do you have memories of sailing or racing Town Class boats? We would love to hear from you and add these memories to our upcoming History of the Town Class in Nahant exhibit and lecture at the Nahant Historical Society.

Exhibit opening on Sunday April 26th at 1pm. Lecture at 2pm.

Email your memories to: [email protected]. Feel free to include a photo.

04/09/2026

Do you have memories of sailing or racing Town Class boats? We would love to hear from you and add these memories to our upcoming History of the Town Class in Nahant exhibit and lecture at the Nahant Historical Society.

Exhibit opening on Sunday April 26th at 1pm. Lecture at 2pm.

Email your memories to: [email protected]. Feel free to include a photo.

04/02/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN CLASS IN NAHANT

Join us on Sunday, April 26, 2026 from 2pm to 4pm to learn more about the history of the Town Class boat, from its creation in 1932 by Pert Lowell Company of Newbury, MA , through the first ever Town Class Nationals Regatta (held in Nahant), to today’s Town Class sailors. Hear the personal stories and memories of Nahant sailing enthusiasts AND THEIR Town Class boats.

Presented by Nahant residents Rex Antrim and Robert Wilson
Community Center, Serenity Room
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

LIGHT REFRESHMENTS
LIMITED PARKING IN OUR LOT

For more information call:
781-581-2727

12/11/2025

Our new 2026 wall calendars are now available with gorgeous photos of our beautiful tombolo. Purchase price is $20.00. We accept Cash, Check, Venmo or credit card. For Venmo, please search for -HistoricalSociety

09/20/2025

Join us tomorrow to hear a recent example of Stewardship and Historic Preservation in Nahant as developer Ricky Beliveau of Volnay Capital has meticulously restored a Nahant landmark that has stood watch over Short Beach for over 140 years.

Sunday, September 21 @ Nahant Town Hall

2:00 PM - Julie Tarmy, Executive Director of the Nahant Historical Society "History of the Howe Estate"

2:15 PM - Paul Chiampa "1950's playground for 11 Grandchildren"

2:30 PM - Ricky Beliveau "The Restoration"

Free and open to the public

This is an Essex National Heritage Area Trails and Sails Event https://trailsandsails.org/events/stewardship-and-historic-preservation-exhibit-lecture/

09/15/2025

This Sunday, September 21 , The Nahant Historical Society will be hosting a lecture on the renovation and revitalization of the Howe Estate. Current owner and developer, Ricky Beliveau, has done a remarkable job in bringing life back into this historic property. As part of our Essex National Heritage Area Trails and Sails event, Mr. Beliveau has offered to present a lecture showing the long and arduous adventure that went into this huge undertaking.

Free and open to the public

Details: https://nahanthistory.org/events/presentation-of-the-restoration-of-the-howe-estate

09/06/2025

Thank you to all who attended our fundraiser in celebration of our 50th Anniversary last night.

And a heartfelt thank you to our members, volunteers and our wonderful community who continually support the Nahant Historical Society in our mission to acquire, preserve and interpret artifacts of Nahant, Massachusetts, illustrating its history, prehistory and that of people associated with it, for the enjoyment, education and enrichment of the public.

NAHANT — Community members gathered at the Costin Family Home on Nahant Road Friday evening to celebrate a historic milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Nahant Historical Society (NHS). Attendees poured onto the residence overlooking Egg Rock to recognize how far the society has come, with a spe...

08/29/2025

Don’t miss out on a fun evening of music and wine to support the Nahant Historical Society. On Sept 5th, the Nahant Historical Society is hosting a fundraiser at 374 Nahant Road from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

To purchase tickets, you can mail or drop off a check payable to Nahant Historical Society at 41 Valley Road, Nahant - or you can visit our website, click on ‘Support Us’, scroll down to donations, and write Sept 5th Gala in the comments section.

Ticket prices:

• $125 for a single ticket
• $300 for 2 tickets plus a hard copy of "Nahant on the Rocks"
• $500 for 3 tickets plus 3 tickets to a second event featuring Longfellow poetry, date and venue TBD

Your generosity makes it possible for the Society to collect, preserve, and share Nahant’s unique history.

08/19/2025

Our volunteers have been transcribing entries from the Egg Rock Lighthouse Lightkeepers journals. Pictured here is George L. Lyon who was the keeper of the second lighthouse (after the first one burned down in 1897). He was the longest serving keeper of the light from 1889 through 1911.

A few entries from Lightkeeper George Lyon:

• July 4, 1906 - Hot air balloon landed in water near Little Nahant and drifted to Spouting Horn.

• March 11, 1907 - Northern Lights giving a great display, “E to W” and “nearly over head”.

• Aug 18, 1907 - Picked up a dory with intoxicated men and took them to shore.