Natick Historical Society

06/20/2026

🚒The Natick Fire Department hand tub “Mazeppa,” shown in Natick Center with Natick Common, the Soldiers’ Monument, and the Middlesex Block visible in the background. The handwritten mount inscription identifies the engine as “Natick’s Fire Dept Hand Tub” and notes “Mazeppa at Felchville, 1869,” though the pictured location is Natick Center rather than Felchville.🚒

Learn more about Natick’s early fire history in our article, Two Devastating Natick Fires https://www.natickhistoricalsociety.org/two-natick-fires

06/18/2026

Work is still underway on the fence surrounding the Bacon Free Library. A big thank-you to Cassidy Bros. Forge, Inc. for their hard work restoring this historic fence section by section!

The land remains today, as it has long been, Nipmuc homelands and a sacred site for descendants of the Nipmucs, Massachusetts, and Praying Indians who lived here in the 1600s and early 1700s. The alternating cross-and-arrow motifs on the fence reference the history of the Praying Town of Natick, established in 1651.
We’re glad to see this important local landmark being cared for, and we look forward to seeing the completed restoration. This fence dates back to the 1840s, and it was last restored in 1970.

For more fascinating Natick history, visit: https://www.natickhistoricalsociety.org

06/17/2026

On this day, 251 years ago, local patriots nearly defended Bunker (or Breed's) Hill. The British suffered disastrous casualties to take the hill in a Pyrrhic victory. Many Natick men fought in that battle and at least 41 of them are on the muster roll pictured here. Thanks to Natick's CPA funds this muster roll has been brilliantly conserved and will be at the Natick Historical Society for local residents to admire for generations to come.

Read more about the muster roll here: https://www.natickreport.com/2026/04/a-revolutionary-war-treasure-conserved-captain-james-manns-natick-muster-roll/

Read more about Natick's Traveling Memorial to Revolutionary War Soldiers:
https://www.natickreport.com/2026/06/revolutionary-war-traveling-memorial-comes-to-morse-institute-library-research-roundtable-set-for-june-10/

06/15/2026

Join us to hear Douglass' words spoken aloud again on Friday, June 19 @ 10:30am on Natick Common. Thanks to The Bagel Table, we'll be offering complimentary coffee while you listen to the reading. And there's still time to sign up to read!




https://www.facebook.com/events/1737743214342967

https://www.natickhistoricalsociety.org/events/2025/6/19/reading-frederick-douglass-juneteenth-5jntn

06/12/2026

Do you remember Jack Hayes and Champy?
Champy and Jack Hayes performed at parades, shows, rodeos, and charity events throughout New England — but here they are riding through downtown Natick during a 1958 parade.

For more of Natick's history, we invite you to explore our website here: https://www.natickhistoricalsociety.org

06/09/2026

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Did you know that 249 men with ties to Natick fought in the American Revolutionary War? Or that 44 of them were Indigenous and/or Black? Join us to hear from our Research Team at our Revolutionary War Research Roundtable @ Morse Institute Library Wednesday night - 7pm! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/revolutionary-war-research-roundtable-tickets-1990019198994?aff=oddtdtcreator

Read more about our Traveling Memorial here: https://www.natickreport.com/2026/06/revolutionary-war-traveling-memorial-comes-to-morse-institute-library-research-roundtable-set-for-june-10/

Thank you to Mass Humanities, Mass Cultural Council, and the Frank and Sheila Magullion Foundation for their support.

Our mission is to build community by inspiring connections to local history. The Natick Historical Society is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit that receives no municipal funds. We extend a warm welcome to all.

06/05/2026

We’re looking forward to Reading Frederick Douglass and celebrating Juneteenth! Sign up to read today or join us to listen!

https://www.natickhistoricalsociety.org/events/2025/6/19/reading-frederick-douglass-juneteenth-5jntn

Join us on Natick Common on June 19 and June 20 for a Juneteenth weekend!

On June 19, 2026, at 10:30 AM, attend Reading Frederick Douglass Together, organized by the Natick Historical Society and Natick Is United. Scan the QR code to sign up as a reader or visit the Natick Historical Society website.

On June 20, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, join the Natick Center Cultural District in a Juneteenth Celebration with music by the Drum Nomads and Izii Is Real & Elita StaRR, food by Let Mig Cater 2 U, and speaker Kadian James to start the event.

05/31/2026

A view toward Lake Cochituate from Mr. H. Harwood’s residence, likely ca. 1900.

This historic photograph shows Natick and Lake Cochituate from a hillside near Mr. H. Harwood’s home, offering a sweeping view of rooftops, trees, and the lake. Notice how open the landscape once was — and how closely Natick’s neighborhoods were tied to the lake.

Mr. Harwood also has a fascinating connection to Natick’s baseball history. Learn more here:
https://www.natickhistoricalsociety.org/harwood-baseball-factory?rq=harwood

05/30/2026

🚓 Remember this building? 🚓

For decades, this building at East Central and Park streets was part of everyday life in downtown Natick. Opened in 1938 as the new police station, it also housed the District Court upstairs.

Three images from the NHS photograph collection show the former Natick Police Station and District Court building at East Central and Park streets, from a 1938 postcard view to later 20th-century color photographs.

What memories do you have of this municipal building?

Natick Police Department

05/25/2026

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 It was an honor to debut our Revolutionary War Traveling Memorial with the names of 249 Natick soldiers - 44 of whom were Indigenous and/or Black - at today's Memorial Day Ceremony. You can read all of their names in the Honor Roll and even find out where some of them lived on a 1750 Map of Natick. The Traveling Memorial will be at the Morse Instititue Library this week and will travel around Natick over the course of this year.

Coming soon: a new website where you can read biographies of some of these soldiers and learn more about Natick during the Revolutionary War.

Thank you to Natick's veterans - and all veterans - past and present.

Thanks to Mass Humanities, Mass Cultural Council, and the Frank and Sheila Magullion Foundation for supporting the Natick in the American Revolution project. And congrats to our Research Team for all their hard work! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸