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Old Planters Reunion

September 29, 2022 - October 2, 2022

Free – $375.00

Looking forward to seeing everyone in person this year, for our biennial gathering of descendants of Beverly’s early settlers and everyone that loves colonial history.

Final program and registration form

Thursday, September 29

7:00 pm
New Wayfinding Map of Abbott Street Cemetery
Audrey Aristeo spent a year constructing an accurate, up-to-date inventory and new wayfinding map of the Abbott Street Cemetery through field research, online investigation and research within the Historic Beverly files and vital records of Massachusetts. She will discuss the steps she took and resources used to understand the burial ground, its inhabitants, and how the landscape has changed over time, and to create a map to navigate a site that has historically been disorganized and undocumented to the point of desecration.

Friday, September 30

Balch House open 11am – 3pm
Cabot House Museum and Library/archive open 9:30 – 4
Registration open at Cabot House 9:30 – 4

10:00 am
Balch Family Longcase Clock
Antique clock restorer and scholar Bob Frishman, owner of Bell-Time Clocks will present a fully-illustrated lecture about the clock, about his and Alfred Adam’s comprehensive restoration work on it, and about timekeeping in New England during the Colonial and Federal periods. There were Balch-family clockmakers at the time, but the makers of this clock movement, painted dial, and wood case are unknown but they are fine examples of the clockmaking being done in this area in the early 1800s.

1:00 pm
Researching the History of Your House
Learn ways to research Beverly’s older homes, many of which were once owned by the Old Planters or their descendants. These skills are also useful for other locations.
Advance registration required

2:30 pm Tour of Abbot Street Cemetery
Sometimes called the Ancient Cemetery, recent research has uncovered a lot more about this important place. Names include Woodberry, Herrick, and Trask; it is also the site of the Hale family plot.

6:00 pm “Ten Footers – History and Living Traditions”
Networking Dinner
Bootmaker and Artist Sarah Madeleine T. Guerin will discuss her work as an artisanal Keeper of Tradition in Massachusetts and a working artist. With a thorough knowledge of traditional Western bootmaking, Sarah researches and analyses the connections between evolving methods of footwear making craft of the 1800s in Massachusetts – with an architectural focus on vernacular Ten Footer Shoe Shops – to the stability of a contemporary art practice heavily based in handmade footwear techniques and skills.
$45 register by 9/23, includes 1 drink ticket. Cash bar

Saturday, October 1

9:00 am Conant Street Walking Tour
Conant Street is rich in history with the Conant Street Burial Ground, the North Meeting House and dozens of homes of the Batchelder, Dodge, Conant, and Woodberry families all in the mix. This brand new, short but dense walking tour will take you back over 300 years to explore an area of the city that has deep roots in the growth and history of Beverly.

11:00 am Balch and Woodbury Family Meeting
Balch Family Associates, descendants of Woodbury and other Old Planter families, and friends will gather for the biennial meeting.
Join us for:
Tribute to Nancy Peabody Hood
Updates on continuing preservation work at our properties
News from Robin Balch Hodgkins, author of Descendants of John Balch.

Balch House, 448 Cabot Street and online

2:30 pm Step Back in Time
Visit a privately-owned First Period residence. (Limited capacity) Choose one of the following:

Jeffrey Thissell house, c. 1668
Deacon Samuel Balch House c. 1685

Sunday, October 2

Hale Farm open by appointment

10:00 am Boat Tour of Beverly’s Coast
Experience the coastline the way the early settlers did, including views of the shoreline that are impossible to see from land. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a sweater/coat. Boat departs from Glover’s Wharf promptly, returning at noon. $50/$40 members

Members $100
Nonmembers $140
Virtual $75*

*Virtual registration includes real-time remote access to the following:
Thursday: New Wayfinding Map
Friday: Balch Clock, Researching House History
Saturday: Family Meetings
AND a link to the virtual walking tour of Conant Street when available

Details

Start:
September 29, 2022
End:
October 2, 2022
Cost:
Free – $375.00
Event Categories:
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Organizer

Historic Beverly
Phone
978-922-1186
Email
info@historicbeverly.net
View Organizer Website

Venue

Cabot House
117 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915 United States
+ Google Map
Phone
978-922-1186