Natick Days Trivia Quiz!
Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table at Natick Days last weekend, especially those who took the Natick Historical Trivia Quiz challenge! Congratulations to Mike Linehan, who won the drawing for a free copy of one of our historical maps. See the answers to the trivia questions below:
1. Where was the Worcester Turnpike?
A: Present-day Route 9
2. What stands on the site of the Natick Drive-In?
A: Cloverleaf Mall, mostly (and part of the Hampton Inn)
3. What man, son of a Natick Indian mother, was one of the first casualties of the American Revolution?
A: Crispus Attucks, who was killed in the Boston Massacre
4. How did Natick get its nickname "Home of Champions"?
A: From the Natick Union Hook & Ladder Co's 1891 victory in a "world championship" among fire companies in a series of contests, including hooking up hoses and erecting ladders*
5. What author made Natick famous with the book "Oldtown Folks"?
A: Harriet Beecher Stowe
BONUS QUESTION: What year did Natick's now-famous July 4 parade begin?
A: 1955
*Learn more about the history of the Natick Fire Department at our fall event on Oct. 30th!
Edward Rodino is the 2019 Natick Historical Society Scholarship Recipient
Congratulations to Edward Rodino, recipient of this year’s Natick Historical Society Scholarship and a graduate of Natick High School class of 2019. At Natick High School, Rodino was deeply involved in varsity athletics and ROTC. He also served as Vice President of the Key Club and led multiple community service events. Teachers describe Edward as “passionate” about history. Edward plans to major in history at Stonehill College in the fall of 2019. Good luck, Edward!
Edward Rodino is the fourth recipient of the Natick Historical Society Scholarship Award, established in 2016.
Play Ball! Channel 5's Chronicle Features Natick's Baseball History
On April 2, 2019, Natick and the birthplace of modern baseball were featured in an episode of Chronicle on WCVB Channel 5. Natick Historical Society director Niki Lefebvre told the story and showed some baseball artifacts in the Natick History Museum. To see the feature, CLICK HERE.
The artifacts pictured in the feature are currently displayed at the Natick Historical Society.
Remembering Bancroft "Bats" Wheeler
We are saddened to announce the passing of Natick Historical Society board member Bancroft “Bats” Wheeler on March 21. Bats joined the NHS board in 2012 and served as its treasurer from 2012 to earlier this year. As treasurer, he led the effort to ensure the society's sound financial footing, and as a member of the board, he was a thoughtful and certain voice guiding the organization.
In addition to his contributions to the Historical Society, Bats was active in Natick, serving on the Advisory Board of Broadmoor, Massachusetts Audubon’s wildlife sanctuary, as a Town Meeting member, and as a member of Natick’s Open Space Advisory Committee.
A memorial service will be held in the Eliot Church of Natick on Friday, April 12, at 2:00 PM, followed by a reception at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at Elm Bank. Instead of flowers, Bats’ family has asked that donations be made to the Natick Historical Society, Metrowest Legal Services, or Broadmoor.
A complete remembrance can be viewed here.
Natick Historical Society Receives Grant from MutualOne Charitable Foundation
The Natick Historical Society has received a $5,000 grant from the MutualOne Charitable Foundation to revise, deliver, evaluate, and expand the reach of its field-trip program for third-grade students. The new program, On this Land: Algonquian and English People in Early Natick, will allow students to learn about how different people lived in the local area in the century before and after the town’s founding in 1651.
“Much like present-day New England, early Natick was home to many different people with many different experiences,” said Niki Lefebvre, Director of the Natick Historical Society. “By learning about the different languages spoken, the variations in how Algonquian and English people used the Charles River, and their differing burial practices, students will be able to see that there was more than one way to live in early New England.”
On this Land will be offered annually to all third-grade students in Natick public schools at no cost to the town. In 2020, the Natick Historical Society will begin offering the field trip for a fee to private schools, summer camps, scouting troops, and other youth organizations.
Valentine-Making Workshop Draws a Crowd
The Natick History Museum was filled on Saturday, February 2, as crafters of all ages gathered to make lovely, old-fashioned valentines from paper, lace, and ribbon. Check out the gallery below for event photos.
Valentine Workshop: View the photo gallery
You can view more photos, including many of the finished valentines, on our Facebook page.