In the final post in her series on nineteenth-century women medical practitioners in Boston’s West End, Rebecca Lo Presti writes about Harriot Kezia Hunt—an Otis House tenant and the first woman admitted to Harvard Medical School—who once celebrated her “wedding” to her medical degree.
For Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting architect Eleanor Raymond, whose work bridged New England’s traditional architecture and emerging Modern design. Explore articles from HNE magazine and our blog to learn more about her pioneering career. → www.historicnewengland.org/revisiting-e...
In 1834, women across Boston sought care at Otis House from Elizabeth Mott. When U.S. medical schools admitted no women, she built a thriving practice treating women and children—helping carve out space for women in medicine decades before the profession opened its doors.
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The Ladies' Oracle →
Over three decades, she produced 10,000+ cartoons. In honor of Women’s History Month, her nephew and biographer, Robert Davison, reflects on the legacy of his “Aunt Edee.”
Edith Stevens was a pioneering Jazz Age cartoonist who made her mark in the male-dominated newspaper world. In the late 1920s, she launched 𝘜𝘴 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 at 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘵—a witty series created by a woman for women.
Let's Hit the Road! →
Historic New England is growing & we’d love to grow with you. We’re looking for curious, creative, and driven people to help shape what’s next. Whether you’re searching for a new role, an internship, or a volunteer opportunity, there’s a place for you here → historicnewengland.bamboohr.com/careers
In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first Black woman in the U.S. to earn an MD. In Part I of our series, Rebecca Lo Presti revisits her life and legacy in Boston’s 19th-century Black community.
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Boston’s Doctress of Medicine → www.historicnewengland.org/bostons-doct...
𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺: 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 opens May 15, 2026, at the Eustis Estate in Milton, MA. → ne250.org/myth-and-mem...
Behind the Exhibition looks at how needlework reveals changing identities during the American Revolution. Sarah Sevey and Martha Tufts stitched samplers that hint at how young people experienced the shift from British subject to American citizens. → www.historicnewengland.org/behind-the-e...
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 at Historic New England!
Summer 2026 applications open Mon, Feb 23 at 10 a.m. ET and close Sun, Mar 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applications are only accepted during this window.
Help spread the word: www.historicnewengland.org/get-involved...
From Boston to Los Angeles, our collections were on the move in 2025. In this post, Julia Foster, Registrar, shares how key loans helped tell powerful stories of queer history, childhood, and community—from Old North Church to the Getty Center.
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Sharing History →
Applications are now open for the 2026 Edward F. Gerber Urban Preservation Fund! Grants up to $10K support owner-occupants of historic homes (up to 4 units) in 10 Connecticut cities.
Learn more & apply: HistoricNewEngland.org/GerberFund2026
Stopping Stones are micro-monuments marking sites where enslaved people lived and labored. For Black History Month, Mikayla Harden reflects on the power of these quiet memorials, which invite contemplation rather than awe.
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What is a Stopping Stone? → www.historicnewengland.org/what-is-a-st...
Educators! Join Historic New England + the Smithsonian for a hands-on workshop on Creating Portraits of Community—using photography + oral history to help students document their communities.
March 21 | 9–3
Haverhill, MA
Details: bit.ly/4aymNxf
Register: www.historicnewengland.org/creating-por...
Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. TODAY 2/6!
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More information → gropiuscompetition.info
𝘊𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 & 𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘺, 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩: 𝘋𝘳. 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘎. 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮,” 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 2021.
This February, we mark the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. We’re starting by revisiting a 2021 post by Erica Ciallela on the origins of Black History Month and its founder, Carter G. Woodson.
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Black History Month at 100 → www.historicnewengland.org/celebrating-...
Finalists will be celebrated at the grand opening of Historic New England’s new Welcome & Exhibition Center in Haverhill in June 2026—home to 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴: 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦
Competition Guidelines → bit.ly/4toT9Cj
To Apply → www.historicnewengland.org/hne-teen-shoe/
Historic New England & world-renowned designer Stuart Weitzman invite 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 to design an original shoe inspired by a cause that matters to you. Two students will win $10,000 scholarships, & four additional finalists will each receive $1,000
Do you love shoes? Have a story to tell? Want to make a difference in your community? This is your chance to let your creativity shine— and step into your future.
𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺: 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 opens May 15 at the Eustis Estate in Milton, MA.
Did George Washington’s hair really end up in a 19th-century brooch? Our curator, Erica Lome, unravels the story behind this intriguing object in Historic New England’s collection—where myth, memory, and material culture collide.
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Whose hair? → www.historicnewengland.org/behind-the-e...
The blog is back with a new post from our Director of Sustainability, @joiegrandbois.bsky.social , exploring how common New Year’s resolutions can also benefit the environment. Recommitting to personal goals or building planet-friendly habits? This is a great place to start. →
Read more about the Tuckers' impressive vehicles and keep an eye out for new blog posts later this month.
Final installment in our Collection Stories series—and it's making us want to get outside to enjoy the New England winter! This sleigh, part of the collection at Castle Tucker in Wiscasset, ME, was the "sporty red convertible" of its day.
Major sleigh → www.historicnewengland.org/collection-s...
With the end of the year just around the corner, @joiegrandbois.bsky.social looks back at 2025 & finds good news about climate action in each New England state. From renewable energy projects to urban farming programs, efforts in our communities are making a difference. Look back to move forward →
Ati Gropius taught us that “modern” isn’t a style, it's a way of thinking. In part two of our blog series marking what would have been her 100th birthday, Peter Gittleman reflects on her lessons—and explains why you'll never see HNE using the terms “modernist” or “modernism.”
Today would have been Ati's 100th birthday, and to mark the occasion, Peter Gittleman looks back on his first encounter with the formidable daughter of Walter and Ise Gropius.
How should a Modern house museum look and feel? Ati Gropius transformed how Historic New England presented her childhood home, Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
In 1895, a turning point in Haverhill’s industrial past opened the door to a growing Jewish community that has thrived for more than a century.
Eleanor Martinez-Proctor shares her research about their experiences in today's blog post → www.historicnewengland.org/storefront-s...
