History of the Northampton Historical Society now known as Historic Northampton
Origins to Incorporation: 1860s to 1905
The origins of the Northampton Historical Society lay in three commemorations: the Civil War, the 1876 centennial anniversary of the United States and a city-wide commemoration held in 1904.
The end of the Civil War and the country’s centennial sparked an interest both in honoring town citizens who had died in battle and in collecting and displaying objects of Northampton history. In pursuit of this goal, Northampton initiated plans in 1869 to construct Memorial Hall in the heart of downtown. The hall would commemorate the war dead as well as house a public library and museum displaying war memorabilia. Built with both public and private funding, the building opened in 1874.
Around the same time, as the country commemorated its centennial in 1876, a group of local citizens began collecting historical objects and documents related to the history of Northampton. These artifacts were displayed in public buildings around town until 1884, when they were moved to the third floor of Memorial Hall. Many residents had other items they wished to donate, but the ability of the museum to display them didn’t come until 1887 with the installation of custom-built display cases.
In 1903, 340 residents petitioned the city to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the European settlement of Northampton in 1654. In addition to a parade and other events, the occasion was marked with an exhibition of hundreds of loaned objects, filling seven rooms in the James House on Gothic Street. In 1904, the Northampton Historical Society was formed to “preserve and exhibit objects of historical value and interest.” The society incorporated the following year in 1905 as a private, non-profit organization.
In and Out of Memorial Hall
In 1915, the historical society sought to establish permanent headquarters in the third floor of Memorial Hall. They had barely settled in when the Exemption (Draft) Board took over the rooms, followed by the City Engineer and Board of Public Works, who were displaced due to renovations in City Hall. During World War I, the Hampshire County Chapter of the Red Cross occupied the main part of Memorial Hall and stored stretchers and other supplies in the third floor museum space. Throughout this period, the historical society voiced their desire to return the historic objects to Memorial Hall, but this move was delayed due to roof leaks and the occupancy of the rooms by other groups. Renovations to the building were carried out in 1923. In 1924, the exhibitions were back in place in Memorial Hall.
Thomas Munroe Shepherd, chair of the historical collections for the 1904 anniversary, died in 1923. In his will, he left his estate – the house at 66 Bridge Street, his personal and family belongings and financial assets - towards the formation of a historical museum he called the Shepherd Memorial Museum. He envisioned a museum located in a classical Greek building to be built on the Shepherd House property behind the house, but visible from the street. His wife of nine years, Edith Carpenter Shepherd, became closely associated with the Northampton Historical Society and in the 1940s convinced her two neighbors - Anna Catherine Bliss, co-owner of the Parsons House and Jane Damon Smith, co-owner of the Damon House - to donate their family homes. Edith Shepherd also worked to acquire items of historical value from local families, in particular historic clothing belonging to local residents. When she died in 1969, the money in the estate was not sufficient to construct the new building. The court directed the trustees to use the house as a museum and establish the Shepherd Trusts to fund the activities of the Northampton Historical Society.
Relocating to Bridge Street
By the 1960s, the space in Memorial Hall was no longer accessible and the museum collection was moved out of Memorial Hall to the Bridge Street properties. The Shepherd Trusts helped fund museum staff, who with volunteers, organized and exhibited collections. This generation unpacked trunks of clothing, catalogued furniture, paintings, toys and household items; organized and catalogued photographs, ephemera and archival documents; and set in place professional museum procedures. The museum’s clothing and textile collection became nationally recognized. In the mid-1980s, the Damon Education Center was built as a modern addition to the Damon House to provide space for exhibitions and events. Historic Northampton continues to operate as a professional museum with research programs, exhibits and programs to engage the public.
Origins to Incorporation: 1860s to 1905
The origins of the Northampton Historical Society lay in three commemorations: the Civil War, the 1876 centennial anniversary of the United States and a city-wide commemoration held in 1904.
The end of the Civil War and the country’s centennial sparked an interest both in honoring town citizens who had died in battle and in collecting and displaying objects of Northampton history. In pursuit of this goal, Northampton initiated plans in 1869 to construct Memorial Hall in the heart of downtown. The hall would commemorate the war dead as well as house a public library and museum displaying war memorabilia. Built with both public and private funding, the building opened in 1874.
Around the same time, as the country commemorated its centennial in 1876, a group of local citizens began collecting historical objects and documents related to the history of Northampton. These artifacts were displayed in public buildings around town until 1884, when they were moved to the third floor of Memorial Hall. Many residents had other items they wished to donate, but the ability of the museum to display them didn’t come until 1887 with the installation of custom-built display cases.
In 1903, 340 residents petitioned the city to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the European settlement of Northampton in 1654. In addition to a parade and other events, the occasion was marked with an exhibition of hundreds of loaned objects, filling seven rooms in the James House on Gothic Street. In 1904, the Northampton Historical Society was formed to “preserve and exhibit objects of historical value and interest.” The society incorporated the following year in 1905 as a private, non-profit organization.
In and Out of Memorial Hall
In 1915, the historical society sought to establish permanent headquarters in the third floor of Memorial Hall. They had barely settled in when the Exemption (Draft) Board took over the rooms, followed by the City Engineer and Board of Public Works, who were displaced due to renovations in City Hall. During World War I, the Hampshire County Chapter of the Red Cross occupied the main part of Memorial Hall and stored stretchers and other supplies in the third floor museum space. Throughout this period, the historical society voiced their desire to return the historic objects to Memorial Hall, but this move was delayed due to roof leaks and the occupancy of the rooms by other groups. Renovations to the building were carried out in 1923. In 1924, the exhibitions were back in place in Memorial Hall.
Thomas Munroe Shepherd, chair of the historical collections for the 1904 anniversary, died in 1923. In his will, he left his estate – the house at 66 Bridge Street, his personal and family belongings and financial assets - towards the formation of a historical museum he called the Shepherd Memorial Museum. He envisioned a museum located in a classical Greek building to be built on the Shepherd House property behind the house, but visible from the street. His wife of nine years, Edith Carpenter Shepherd, became closely associated with the Northampton Historical Society and in the 1940s convinced her two neighbors - Anna Catherine Bliss, co-owner of the Parsons House and Jane Damon Smith, co-owner of the Damon House - to donate their family homes. Edith Shepherd also worked to acquire items of historical value from local families, in particular historic clothing belonging to local residents. When she died in 1969, the money in the estate was not sufficient to construct the new building. The court directed the trustees to use the house as a museum and establish the Shepherd Trusts to fund the activities of the Northampton Historical Society.
Relocating to Bridge Street
By the 1960s, the space in Memorial Hall was no longer accessible and the museum collection was moved out of Memorial Hall to the Bridge Street properties. The Shepherd Trusts helped fund museum staff, who with volunteers, organized and exhibited collections. This generation unpacked trunks of clothing, catalogued furniture, paintings, toys and household items; organized and catalogued photographs, ephemera and archival documents; and set in place professional museum procedures. The museum’s clothing and textile collection became nationally recognized. In the mid-1980s, the Damon Education Center was built as a modern addition to the Damon House to provide space for exhibitions and events. Historic Northampton continues to operate as a professional museum with research programs, exhibits and programs to engage the public.