Revolutionary Valley Regional Tourism Council

Lowell Walks: Portuguese in Lowell
2024-09-14 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Portuguese American Civic League of Lowell, Central Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01852, United States
Join researchers and archivists from the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Portuguese American Digital Archive, Nikki Tantum, Gray Fitzsimons, and Nicole Catarino on a walk around the Back Central neighborhood. In the late 1800s, increasing demands for cotton cloth production provided jobs and opportunity for the first Portuguese immigrants arriving in Lowell. In the decades that followed more Portuguese immigrants moved to the city and wove their lives and cultures into the neighborhood of Back Central, creating a new community that still exists today.
This walk will highlight these stories just as the photography exhibit “The Portuguese in Lowell: The Familiar and the New” does, but through a different lens. This exhibit highlighting photographs captured by Pedro Letria is on display at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum through February 2025.
Join us for this upcoming Lowell Walks event, a guided walking tour. Tours are about 90 minutes, are free, and include a moderate amount of walking. No reservations are necessary, and tours are conducted rain or shine.
Free parking is available where the tour meets: Portuguese American Civic League of Lowell, 512 Central Street.

1774 and All That: Reflections on a Long Year of Revolution
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Concord Museum, Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Tpke, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
On September 19, 2024, the Concord Museum will commence its highly anticipated fall forum series with a special discussion featuring Mary Beth Norton, renowned historian and award winning author of the landmark text 1774: The Long Year of Revolution. This exciting event marks the beginning of a series of programs hosted by the Concord Museum leading up to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Norton will explore the pivotal period leading up to the American Revolution and the dramatic events that occurred between December 1773 through April 1775, including the Boston Tea Party and the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
In 1774: The Long Year of the Revolution, Mary Beth Norton chronicles the 16 months, during which colonists loyal to King George III began discordant “discussions” that led to their acceptance of the inevitability of war. Norton will be joined in conversation by the Society of Colonial Wars of Massachusetts to discuss this transformative era and its impact on American history, highlighting its significance in leadup to the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.

In Conversation: Kay WalkingStick and Wendy Nālani E. Ikemoto
2024-09-22 13:00 - 14:15 | Addison Gallery of American Art, Chapel Avenue, Andover, Massachusetts, 01810, United States
Join artist Kay WalkingStick and exhibition curator Wendy Nālani E. Ikemoto, Vice President and Chief Curator of the New-York Historical Society, for an engaging, informal conversation about the themes presented in Kay WalkingStick / Hudson River School. The exhibition, organized by New-York Historical Society, places landscape paintings by WalkingStick in conversation with 19th-century Hudson River School paintings, celebrating a shared reverence for nature while engaging crucial questions about land dispossession and its reclamation by Indigenous peoples and nations. This program is free but space is limited and registration is required. Event will be held in Kemper Auditorium, adjacent to the Addison.
Image: Kay WalkingStick, Wampanoag Coast, Variation II, 2018. Oil on panel in two parts. Collection of Agnes Hsu-Tang, Ph.D., and Oscar Tang. © Kay WalkingStick

Lafayette Redux: Exploring the Man and the Mania
2024-09-26 19:00 - 20:30 | The Depot
How does it happen that Americans are still staging rituals of adulation for Lafayette, cheering him on Broadway, 190 years after his death? It’s entirely fitting, as it turns out, because if anyone is suitable for immortality, it’s the Marquis. Come explore why the man may well have been even greater than his myth, with one of the nation’s leading Lafayette aficionados, Alan Hoffman. He’ll talk us through Lafayette’s triumphs and setbacks, his astonishing accomplishments, and the lessons his life holds for each one of us and for our society.
Doors open at 6:30 for refreshments.
$10 members, $15 nonmembers

Stone Walls of New England with Kevin Gardner
2024-09-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Moses Greeley Parker Memorial Library, Dracut, Arlington Street, Dracut, MA, 01826, United States
Kevin Gardner is a lifelong resident of Hopkinton, NH. Like a lot of independent rural Yankees, he’s been a jack of many trades, a builder, logger, writer, teacher, radio voice, even an actor and director.
For more than forty years he has been a stone wall builder in a family business widely known for traditional New England stonework, particularly for historic restoration of antique structures. In 2001 Kevin published The Granite Kiss: Traditions and Techniques of Building New England Stone Walls. His second book, Stone Building: How To Make New England Style Walls and Other Structures the Old Way, was published in May of 2017. He has also published poetry, songs, and essays, including “Land of Stone”, an examination of several historic sites in the Monadnock Region, in the 2006 anthology Where The Mountain Stands Alone.
From 1985 to 2010, Kevin was also an award-winning performance critic, feature writer, and producer for NH Public Radio. His pieces on arts, history and culture have aired on National Public Radio and the Christian Science Monitor broadcast network. In 2004, Kevin was a co-host of the nationally syndicated radio series Storylines New England, an interview and call-in program about our regional literature. He has written and produced other special programming for NHPR as well, including a 45-minute radio drama adapted by NH poet Julia Older from her own long poem, Tales of the Francois Vase.
Kevin is also a longtime professional actor, director, and teacher of theatre. He has taught at the New Hampton School, the NH Institute of Art, and at St. Paul’s School. Since 1999 he has been the Master Teacher of the course Shakespeare for Performance in St. Paul’s summer Advanced Studies Program. He is also a regular Guest Director at Plymouth State University, a former performance evaluator for the NH State Council on the Arts, and a frequent adjudicator of local, regional, and national theatre festivals. New Hampshire Magazine named him the state’s Best Theatre Critic in 2008.
Register at www.dracutlibrary.org/events if you want the Zoom link to attend remotely.

Sounds of Labor in Lowell: Agriculture and Early Industry
2024-10-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, 246 Market St, Lowell, MA, United States
What does the history of work in Lowell sound like, and how can you tell that story through music? Come be part of the musical composition process in the first of a series of workshops on the soundscape of Lowell through its many eras! Join contemporary composers working on new pieces specifically for Lowell National Historical Park as they explore the labor of the Agriculture and Early Industry eras. Attend a ranger-led talk, attempt hands-on activities, and have a chance to discuss the compositions in progress. No musical knowledge necessary!
Participants can plan to meet at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center (246 Market Street). A guided tour will walk to the Boott Cotton Mills Museum (115 John Street) and attendees can expect about half a mile of walking.
Lowell National Historical Park visitors may park at the Hamilton Canal Innovation District parking garage at 350 Dutton St., Lowell. Parking in this garage (only) is available to National Park visitors at no cost provided they obtain a valid parking voucher at either the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center at 246 Market Street, or at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum at 115 John Street.
This program is made possible through a grant from the National Park Foundation through generous support from the Mellon Foundation, and with our programming partner, Mosaic Lowell. For more information on this project, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/lowe/getinvolved/supportyourpark/the-measure-of-work-sounds-of-labor-in-lowell-project.htm

Admiral Gilday Returns to Lowell for Special Parker Lecture Series
2024-10-23 18:30 - 20:00 | UMass Lowell Comley-Lane Theatre, Broadway Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01854, United States
The City of Lowell, in collaboration with the Parker Lecture Series and UMass Lowell, is proud to present Admiral Michael Gilday, a distinguished native of Lowell, on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 6:30PM, at UMass Lowell’s Comley-Lane Theatre, located at 870 Broadway St. This special event is free and open to the public, with no tickets required.
Admiral Gilday, who served as the 32nd Chief of Naval Operations from August 22, 2019, to August 17, 2023, returns to his hometown to share insights from his remarkable military career. His service includes positions of great distinction, such as Naval Aide to the President. Among his many accolades, Admiral Gilday is a recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (four awards), Legion of Merit (three awards), Bronze Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V,” and the Combat Action Ribbon.
The evening will feature a keynote address by Admiral Gilday, along with a panel discussion moderated by City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. Panelists include Mayor Daniel P. Rourke and Parker Lecture Series Chair John Carson. Following the panel and presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with Admiral Gilday.

Admiral Gilday Returns to Lowell for Special Parker Lecture Series
2024-10-23 18:30 - 20:00 | UMass Lowell Comley-Lane Theatre, Broadway Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01854, United States
The City of Lowell, in collaboration with the Parker Lecture Series and UMass Lowell, is proud to present Admiral Michael Gilday, a distinguished native of Lowell.
Admiral Gilday, who served as the 32nd Chief of Naval Operations from August 22, 2019, to August 17, 2023, returns to his hometown to share insights from his remarkable military career. His service includes positions of great distinction, such as Naval Aide to the President. Among his many accolades, Admiral Gilday is a recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (four awards), Legion of Merit (three awards), Bronze Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V,” and the Combat Action Ribbon.
The evening will feature a keynote address by Admiral Gilday, along with a panel discussion moderated by City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. Panelists include Mayor Daniel P. Rourke and Parker Lecture Series Chair John Carson. Following the panel and presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with Admiral Gilday.
This event is free, and no tickets are required.

Book Chat on The Revolutionary Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff
2024-11-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Munroe Tavern, 1332 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
The Revolution is coming! New for 2024-25, our Book Chat series will examine books and biographies that explore the people and legacy of the American Revolution – just in time for 250th anniversary celebrations.
Stacy Schiff’s latest book explores one of the most pivotal figures in the Battle of Lexington – who was not even from Lexington! When Paul Revere rode into town on the night of April 18th, 1775, his mission was to alert Adams and John Hancock – two of the most radical and well-connected revolutionaries in Massachusetts – that the British raid on military supplies in Concord may include their arrest for treason. The need for the leader of the Revolution to hide in a sleepy suburban town initiated a chain of events that would change American history forever. But how did a man from an affluent family become the fiery politician we know today, who orchestrated some of the most important events of the Revolution? Join us for a discussion on Schiff’s book and Adams’s life to find out!
Please note that due to construction at the Depot, Book Chats for the 2024-25 season will take place in the archives and Research Center at Munroe Tavern.
$10 members, $15 nonmembers

Discovery Museum Speaker Series: Does Parenting Have To Be This Hard? What Babies Can Teach Us
2024-11-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Museum, Discovery Museum, 177 Main St, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Discovery Museum Speaker Series event with Dr. J. Kevin Nugent, Founder and Director Emeritus of the Brazelton Institute in the Division of Developmental Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital
American parents are finding parenting much harder than they expected. Over 80% of parents use internet search engines to look for parenting advice, but less than 50% of them found the results to be trustworthy. Almost 70% of parents say they would use more positive parenting strategies if only they knew them. So, where do we find these more positive parenting strategies that go beyond the prescriptive expert-driven “how to” approach of the internet? Our research suggests that the baby can teach us most of what we need to know as parents, since children influence the way their parents behave as much as parents influence their children. In fact, much of what looks like the effect of genes may really be the result of the way genes feed back on the environment. Event is free, advance registration is required.

Voices on the Green: Better Together
2024-11-22 19:00 - 20:30 | First Parish Church, Lexington Road, Concord, Massachusetts, 01742, United States
In Celebration of Lexington 250, Voices on the Green will present 4 special shows of storytelling and music with themes that reflect the events of 250 years ago at First Parish in Lexington, 7 Harrington Road.
The First Show—November 22, 2024—will center on the theme “Better Together,” focusing on stories and songs of interdependence.
The Second Show—April 4, 2025—will center on the theme “On Our Own” and will focus on stories and songs of independence.
The Third and Fourth Shows—November 11, 2025 and April 11, 2026—will focus on themes that will emerge during the upcoming celebrations. We invite everyone to attend in person and have sought a grant to make each program available online.
What is Voices on the Green?
Voices on the Green presents unique evenings of true, personal stories, complementary music, and the opportunity to meet those who make up our community. Since 2017 Voices on the Green has held these evenings at our historic First Parish Church on the Lexington Battle Green. Each one knits the strands of diverse individuals and experiences into a unifying theme. We share the proceeds of each show with a local organization whose values and mission serve Lexington and the surrounding communities.
What will the First Show—on November 22, 2024—be about?
Reflecting the events of 1775, when disparate militia and community groups were gathering together to better prepare themselves for what might lie ahead, this show centers on the theme “Better Together.” We will invite people who live or work in Lexington to share their stories about being better together to celebrate or protest, to build or dissolve, to remember or forget, to invent or recover, to find joy or escape trauma, to combat injustice or work for peace.
If you have a story to share, please contact us.

Daniel O’Donnell Cary Memorial Hall
2024-11-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Lexington’s Cary Memorial Hall, 1605 Mass Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
Daniel O’Donnell’s remarkable career has moved on to a new level with his success as a TV presenter, just another facet to his ever-expanding list of entertainment achievements.
The Donegal based singer, who is one of the most prolific and successful recording artists in the UK charts, is the only artist in the world to score a hit in the UK album charts every year since 1988, an unprecedented and unbroken 35-year span, and in doing so, he has outshone everyone from Michael Jackson and Madonna, to U2 and the Rolling Stones.
Daniel’s latest “I Wish You Well’ released on 4 Nov ’22, entered the official UK Album Charts at #16, a great achievement in itself In a very competitive week, especially when you take into account that the main chart is collated from CD, Vinyl and Digital/Streaming sales, but not only that, in the CD-only Chart, Daniel entered at #5, ahead of Taylor Swift and The Beatles !! and entered the Independent Albums chart at #2.
Including this latest release, Daniel has now amassed 48 Top 75 albums, including 42 Top 40 albums, 30 Top 30 & 20 Top 10 albums, with 18 of the latter being this century, a feat that has not been achieved by any other recording artist, and has now sold well in excess of 15 million worldwide.
He has sold more than 4.6 million albums & videos / DVDs in the UK alone since the start of this millennium, and more than 6.6 million units since The Official Charts Company/Chart Information Network took over the running of the charts in 1994.
‘Daniel O’Donnell 60’, released in celebration of his 60th birthday in 2021, shot straight into the chart at #4, keeping good company with the likes of The Beatles, Adele and Coldplay. As with the ‘Daniel’ album before it, this recording was produced by legendary record producer Nigel Wright, who co-produced the recordings of many of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals, including the film versions of Evita and The Phantom of the Opera, along with many artist albums and TV music shows.
Daniel has also achieved eight number one hits in the UK music video/DVD charts over the length of his career, makes regular appearances in the Billboard World Music Chart, received an honorary MBE from Queen Elizabeth, appeared on Top of the Pops, had his life celebrated on This Is Your Life, been given the Freedom of Donegal, has been inducted into Ireland’s Music Hall of Fame, and received multiple Entertainer of the Year/Person of the Year Awards in Ireland and the UK – to mention but a few of the many accolades.
Daniel also burst into superstardom in the USA & Canada back in 2002 with his first ever PBS special – The Daniel O’Donnell Show. That began a special relationship between Daniel and PBS that has now lasted some 20 years. Since that first airing, Daniel has had fifteen more specials, with ‘Daniel O’Donnell & Special Guests’ being his record breaking sixteenth, which was filmed at the Millennium Forum in Derry and which is currently still airing on many PBS channels throughout the USA. Daniel’s seventeenth special, is in he planning stages and should be aired sometime in the spring of 2023.
Daniel has always had very high viewership ratings in pledge drives across the USA for public service television, and as a result of this and his many other activities in America, his popularity there has grown substantially over the years.

Bullet Strikes from the First Day of the American Revolution
2025-01-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
The Acton 250 Committee presents Joel Bohy, a historic arms & militaria specialist at Blackstone Valley Auctions and Estates. Joel will discuss the arms and ammunition used by both British and provincial forces on April 19, 1775, as well as the battle damage that remain. Using modern shooting incident reconstruction, archaeology, live fire studies, and new research, we can shed new light on the heavy fighting along the route of the British retreat back to Boston.
Joel Bohy is a historic arms & militaria specialist at Blackstone Valley Auctions and Estates and a frequent appraiser of arms & militaria on the PBS series Antiques Roadshow. He is an active member of the American Society of Arms Collectors, the Company of Military Historians, The Colonial Society of Massachusetts, an instructor for Advanced Metal Detecting for the Archaeologist, and an advisory board member of American Veterans Archaeological Recovery.
Remote Participation: You can watch live at Acton TV http://tinyurl.com/Acton-TV. Recordings will be available at Acton TV https://actontv.org/ and on our website https://www.actonma.gov/250 where you’ll find all programming information and a link to our commemorative store.
Sponsored by the Acton Lions Club

Westford REV 250: Bartering, Currency, and the American Economy in Colonial Times
2025-02-09 13:30 - 15:00 | MA
The issue of money, particularly its scarcity, loomed large in colonial America. Under the constraints of British rule, gold and silver served as the official legal tender; however, these precious metals were rarely found circulating within the colonies. Lacking a stable and trusted commodity to function as currency, colonial governments in the eighteenth century turned to paper money, creating a new avenue for economic exchange.
In this enlightening program, you will explore the complex world of currency in colonial America, exploring its value and significance. The presentation will showcase a historical array of images, providing visual context as it unfolds the story of money in this era. It will begin by examining the currency of the United Kingdom, delineating its application in the colonies, and clarifying the notion of “legal money,” including the various “Tenors” that defined its worth. Furthermore, it will delineate the primary mediums that facilitated business transactions and the exchange of goods in the vibrant marketplace of pre-revolutionary America.
About the Speaker: Matthew Mees, a dedicated Living Historian, specializes in the rich tapestry of colonial life during the late 18th century. His expertise spans the transition from British dominance to the nascent years of American independence, offering invaluable insights into this transformative period.
Program Donation: $10 per person
Westford REV 250 Program series is sponsored by Enterprise Bank

A Snapshot of Acton's Early Black Residents
2025-02-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Acton, 472 Main Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Acton Town Hall, Room 204 from 7-8:30 PM.
A Snapshot of Acton’s Early Black Residents (1730-1830)Please join local historians Bob Pion, Bill Klauer, and Anne Forbes discussing recent learnings of Acton’s Black residents. Black citizens were among the residents here when Acton first became a town in 1735 and several fought in the Revolution at the Concord Bridge and other New England battles.

A Snapshot of Acton’s Early Black Residents (1730-1830)
2025-02-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Acton, 472 Main Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
The Acton 250 Committee presents Acton’s celebrated historians Anne Forbes, Bill Klauer and Bob Pion who will discuss recent learnings of Acton’s Black residents in honor African American History Month. Black citizens were among the residents here when Acton first became a Town in 1735, and several fought in the Revolution at the Concord Bridge and other New England battles.
Remote Participation: You can watch live at Acton TV http://tinyurl.com/Acton-TV. Recordings will be available at Acton TV https://actontv.org/ and on our website https://www.actonma.gov/250 where you’ll find all programming information and a link to our commemorative store.
Sponsored by the Acton Lions Club

"A Sculptor Speaks for Her Statues" with Meredith Bergmann
2025-03-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Acton, 472 Main Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Nationally renowned sculptor Meredith Bergmann, an Acton resident, has created inspiring monuments to great Americans: FDR, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Abigail Adams, and many more. Her artistic process includes learning about each figure as she creates each bronze statue. Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753 – December 5, 1784), whose bronze statue appears in the Boston Women’s Memorial in Boston, is one such monument. She is considered the first African American author of a published book of poetry. Come learn about Phillis and Meredith’s other subjects. You can see more photos of Meredith’s work at https://meredithbergmann.com/.
Remote Participation: You can watch live at Acton TV http://tinyurl.com/Acton-TV. Recordings will be available at Acton TV https://actontv.org/ and on our website https://www.actonma.gov/250 where you’ll find all programming information and a link to our commemorative store.
Sponsored by the Acton Lions Club

“The Light of Seven Days”: An author event with Mass Book Award-Honoree River Adams
2025-03-12 18:00 - 19:30 | Chelmsford Public Library, Chelmsford Public Library, 25 Boston Rd, Chelmsford, MA, 01824, United States
Join the Chelmsford Public Library for a special event with Mass Book Award-honoree River Adams! River will share their acclaimed and richly textured novel, The Light of Seven Days.
Living with her Babby after her parents’ death, 10-year-old Dinah Ash is invited to train at Leningrad’s legendary Vaganova Ballet School. In the world of elite dance, she works hard, falls in love, and weathers the Soviet Union’s ubiquitous antisemitism, but despite an impressive talent, she quickly learns that dancers of her “profile” don’t make prima ballerinas. Love of Leningrad, ballet, friends, family, and books sustain Dinah until history intervenes.
The Soviet war in Afghanistan, the rise of perestroika, and a re-emergence of Nazism leave her vulnerable and exposed. Realizing escape is her only option, she applies for refugee status in America. Dinah’s adjustment to life in the US is a test as much of her identity as of her perseverance. Is who she is something Dinah can forge on her own? Or is identity imposed by upbringing, public opinion, and the myths of our cultures? As Dinah struggles with the questions of religion, race, and worth, her choices and the people she encounters will determine whether the dream of a better life can survive the weight of the past.
This program is sponsored by the Mass Book Awards Speakers Bureau and is presented in collaboration with the Massachusetts Center for the Book.
River Adams (they/them) grew up in late Soviet Russia, pursuing a career as a concert pianist, and came to America at the age of 19 as a Jewish refugee. They graduated from Delaware County Community College in Pennsylvania, earned their BA at Rosemont College and their MTS at Harvard Divinity School, then returned to Philadelphia to teach religious studies and work as a medical interpreter for Russian-speaking patients. Today, having earned an MFA from Emerson College, they live in Massachusetts; care for their noisy family of eight humans, two dogs, and a cat; and write. They are the author of many published short stories and essays and a biography of Leonard Swidler, There Must Be YOU (Resource Publications, 2014). Their debut novel, The Light of Seven Days (Delphinium Books, 2023) was named finalist by the National Jewish Book Awards and an honor title by the Massachusetts Book Awards.
For more information, visit their website: riveradamsauthor.weebly.com

Gallery Talk with Guest Speaker, Dr. Sabine Stanley
2025-03-15 11:00 - 13:00 | New England Quilt Museum, New England Quilt Museum, 18 Shattuck St, Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
In conjunction with the Fierce Planets exhibition, the NEQM welcomes special guest speaker Dr. Sabine Stanley, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in Planetary Science at Johns Hopkins University. The artists featured in Fierce Planets drew inspiration from Dr. Stanley’s work in planetary science at Johns Hopkins University, the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), and NASA, as well as her recent book, What’s Hidden Inside Planets?

Wood Type Use, History, and Identification with James Grieshaber
2025-03-15 13:00 - 16:00 | Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, 01832, United States
Title: Wood Type Use, History, and Identification lecture and workshop, 1 pm
Event leader: James Grieshaber
Cost: Free with Museum admission
Date: Saturday March 15
Start time: 1 pm
This lecture will cover aspects of wood type history, as seen through the lens of the historic Wood Type Pattern Library of Virgin Wood Type. James Grieshaber, who wrote The Virgin Wood Type Bible, is a
noted type historian and type designer who will also speak to some of the uses of wood type printing historic broadsides. He will be in residence at the Museum of Printing for a week prior to the lecture helping identify and organize the museum’s wood type collection, and will be presenting on what he’s found there.
Virgin Wood Type produces twentieth-century wood fonts using original patterns from historic wood type manufacturers, as well as developing revivals of Victorian-era wood type classics. They also issue new designs from contemporary type designers, produced in the traditional manner, using a vintage pantograph router, originally owned by American Wood Type Mfg. Co.
The Virgin Wood Type Bible enables the reader to gain insight into the history of, and be able to identify, over 500 historic wood type designs. To accomplish this, Grieshaber has located and researched all of the known printed catalogs from the makers, as well as considered physical clues on the over 300 fonts represented in the Virgin Wood Type Pattern Library. These include patterns from American, Acme, Allied, Empire, and some from Stephenson, Blake who had a US distribution agreement with American Wood Type. Also included are new fonts manufactured by Virgin Wood Type, designed by the Grieshaber and others, which often draw on historical models.
James Grieshaber has been a designer for newspaper and advertising agencies, and a type designer for P22 Type Foundry, Typeco, and others. James is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and has taught Typography at RIT. While working as a wood type designer and cutter for Virgin Wood Type, Grieshaber cleaned, cataloged, and identified all the historic wood type patterns in their collection, which led him to create this book.
Funding by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) Massachusetts 250 Grant Program. Supporting the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution with projects that highlight historic themes of revolution and independence, celebrate significant “firsts” in Massachusetts history, or take a creative or innovative approach to commemorating the state’s past 250 years.

South Acton Walking Tour with Tour Guide Amy Cole
2025-03-22 12:55 - 14:30 | Faulkner House, 5 High Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Faulkner House, 5 High Street, Acton starting at 1 PM (Arrival time is 12:55 PM)
Join tour guide Amy Cole to visit the Iron Work Farm sites and walk South Acton’s historic Mill Corner. You will learn about Acton’s earliest colonial settlement. Important Details: Registration is required. Details on parking and where to meet will be sent via email closer to the walk date. Register at tinyurl.com/Acton250-March22
Tour leader Amy Cole is an accomplished professional tour leader. She grew up near Acton Center and knows the town well. She has a wide- ranging interest in Acton’s unique history. This tour is sponsored by the Acton 250 Committee and the Iron Work Farm.

Lowell Women Building Independence
2025-03-29 13:00 - 14:00 | Lowell National Historical Park – Boott Cotton Mills Event Center, John Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01852, United States
The passage of the 19th amendment earned women the right to vote in the United States. Before passed in 1920, women in Lowell worked together to help earn the right to vote. This 45-minute talk will explore the impact that Lowell women had on the national movement. This event is free and open to all.
This event is being co-produced by the Pollard Memorial Library
Paid parking is available in the Joseph Downes city parking garage, located at 75 John Street, one block from the Boott Cotton Mills Museum.
Image: “Suffrage parade, May 1914,” from Palmer family photograph album, 1911-1917, photo 1693147, Massachusetts Historical Society.

"Spies and Military Intelligence" with John Bell
2025-03-31 19:00 - 20:30 | Acton Town Hall, 472 Main Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Acton Town Hall, Room 204 from 7-8:30 PM
Spies and Military Intelligence with John Bell Book Cover
Noted author and historian J. L. Bell will discuss the key role of military intelligence and spies before the momentous battle at Concord and how the Colonials also effectively disseminated news of the outcome. Besides his writing, John maintains the Boston 1775 blog, boston1775.blogspot.com/ which offers daily helpings of history, analysis, and unabashed gossip about Revolutionary New England.

South Acton Tour with Amy Cole
2025-04-05 12:55 - 14:30 | Faulkner House, 5 High Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Faulkner House, 5 High Street, Acton starting at 1 PM (Arrival time is 12:55 PM)
Join tour guide Amy Cole to visit the Iron Work Farm sites and walk South Acton’s historic Mill Corner. You will learn about Acton’s earliest colonial settlement. Important Details: Registration is required. Details on parking and where to meet will be sent via email closer to the walk date. Register at tinyurl.com/Acton250-April5
Tour leader Amy Cole is an accomplished professional tour leader. She grew up near Acton Center and knows the town well. She has a wide- ranging interest in Acton’s unique history. This tour is sponsored by the Acton 250 Committee and the Iron Work Farm.

Sheryl Faye Presents: Anne Frank
2025-04-28 18:30 - 19:30 | Industrial History Center, Upper Millyard, Amesbury, MA, 01913, United States
Experience the moving story of Anne Frank, the courageous Jewish teenager whose diary remains a testament to the power of hope and resilience during the Holocaust. In a gripping one-woman performance, acclaimed actress Sheryl Faye brings Anne’s story to life, reminding us of the universal quest for freedom and security.
Recommended for ages 10+
$20 Nonmembers, $15 Members

Happy Accident Broadsides Workshop
2025-05-24 10:00 - 16:00 | Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, 01832, United States
Join letterpress artist Mitch Cohen and Museum of Printing Director Operations Mitch Ahern as
they put on a workshop combining experimental letterpress monoprint techniques with printing customized
broadsides. This is a unique printing workshop using everyday items to create unique backgrounds —
including, but not limited to, bathmats, pool covers and other items. You have to do it to believe it. The session
will conclude with a letterpress printed keepsake on the background you created.
We can then take those backgrounds and use them to print broadsides on the Columbian iron hand press.
Visitors can pull their own print, and can even customize a print with their own name.
The Happy Accident Broadsides Workshop is free to the public with Museum Admission, thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts
Office of Travel and Tourism.
Mitch Cohen is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of letterpress printing and a long-time practitioner
of the “black arts.” He is the co founder of the Printmaking and Book Arts Center in Rochester, New York, a
division of Flower City Arts Center and has taught letterpress printing since 2005. He has a BS in Printing
Education from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Mitchel Ahern is the Director of Operations at the Museum of Printing, where he teaches workshops, manages
printing equipment donations, and serves on the board. He also has his own shop Mitchelka Show Card Press
in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Printing Paul Revere
2025-06-07 11:00 - 15:00 | Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, 01832, United States
Andy Volpe will print some of his Paul Revere replica copperplates, including his latest 250th commemorative print project: 3 Promissory Notes (paper money) that Revere secretly engraved & printed for the Massachusetts patriots in May 1775. He plans on having some other prints, plates, tools and other visuals to discuss the work of Revere leading up to the American Revolution.
This event is funded in part by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) through the Massachusetts 250 Grant Program. This program supports the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution through programs that highlight historic themes of revolution and independence, celebrate significant ‘firsts’ in Massachusetts and commemorate the state’s past 250 years.

UMass Lowell | 2025 Women's Leadership Conference
2025-06-12 | Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, 115 Merrimack St, Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
Welcome to the home of the UMass Lowell Women’s Leadership Conference. We are gearing up for a day of engaging, thoughtful, and high-impact discussions. Please join us!
You Don’t Want to Miss:
A keynote with Amy Waryas, EVP/Chief People & Culture Officer for the Red Sox
A keynote panel with C-level leaders in government, higher education, and industry on leading in tough times
A lunchtime session exploring the latest in AI
Speakers from such organizations as Warner Bros., Draper, Boston Fleet PWHL team, Boston Legacy pro soccer team, UKG, NetScout and many more.
Come learn and get inspired at sessions on everything from the art of negotiating to career advancement strategies.

UMass Lowell | 2025 Women's Leadership Conference
2025-06-12 | Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, 115 Merrimack St, Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
Get ready to be inspired at the 2025 UMass Lowell Women’s Leadership Conference—an empowering one-day, in-person event designed to ignite ideas, spark meaningful connections, and fuel your leadership journey. Join us for dynamic programming, influential speakers, and networking opportunities that will leave you motivated and ready to make an impact!
Morning Keynote Panel
Leading in Tough Times: A candid conversation with leaders in government, higher ed, and industry
– Jennifer Santos, vice president and chief strategy officer, Draper
– Julie Chen, chancellor, UMass Lowell
– Lauren Knausenberger, executive vice president & chief innovation officer, SAIC
Afternoon Keynote Speaker
– Amy Waryas, executive vice president/chief people & culture officer, Boston Red Sox
Moderator: Lynn Coutts, director of athletics, UMass Lowell
