Sherborn Historical Society
Welcome
Clark’s store in the 1880’s. Located near the junction of routes 16 and 27, it served as the town’s store, post o ffice, and information center from 1809 to c.1905
The Sherborn Historical Society, founded in 1911 and incorporated in 1913, has been preserving the town’s remarkable history and artifacts for over a century. Our extraordinary collection will soon have a bright new display space where the community will once again be able to study and interact with these objects and the stories they tell. Among the items of interest are letters, diaries, and journals from the 17th century onward. Our historic artifacts tell many stories and include a cup and saucer used by George Washington, the sign originally painted for the Clark store, as well as examples of 19th century clothing, furniture, tools and toys. Our research collection includes local histories, genealogy, architectural history and more than a thousand historic photographs.
While most of the collection has been in storage, some highlights continue to be featured in cases located throughout the Town Offices. These are but a tantalizing sample of the many treasures awaiting the new display space, and in the meantime they serve as a reminder of the collection’s value to the town.
The coming year promises to hold not one but two major events to celebrate – in addition to the opening of the History Center we are also looking forward to the publication of the long-awaited History of Sherborn by Town Historian Betsy Johnson! We hope you will continue to support our efforts to preserve and promote Sherborn’s heritage by becoming a member.
Doug Brown, President
In the late 18th and early 19th century Sherborn was a farm town characterized by cottage industries such as leather dressing, gun-making, cider-making and willow basketry.
News and Events
-
The Sherborn Historical Society will host a table at the Sherborn Holiday Market, where we will be selling treasures including candle holders crafted from the Dowse sycamore tree (made by our very own Kevin Delaney). Stop by and say hi! SATURDAY,
From the Curator
Planning for the new History Center is now the focus of all our efforts. The architect’s plans include a secure, climate-controlled archival storage area, a study area, and a large display space where our collection of historic town artifacts, documents, books, and articles of everyday life will once more be on view. One section of the display will be dedicated to rotating exhibits of current interest to the community. We hope to engage local history enthusiasts in curating temporary displays from the collections. Among other plans we look forward to hosting student tours, workshops, and special events in collaboration with the library. Watch this site for updates on the construction project!
Martha Mahard
Curator
@SherbornHistoryCenter
History Center Update
The designs and specifications are complete and the bidding process is underway for the new quarters for the Sherborn History Center to be located on the lower level of the 1971 portion of the Sherborn Library. Construction is expected to begin in early 2026. For regular news and updates you can sign up here to receive our monthly newsletter and special progress bulletins. Become a member and receive updates automatically.
Members
You can be engaged with Sherborn's preservation of history in many ways; including donations to support the completion of the History Center. Once the new space opens, we will have many opportunities for volunteers and special programming. If you're interested in membership, click the ``Become a Member`` button below.
