Medfield Historical Society Gets a New Face; Reopens Its Doors Thursday

The will reopen its doors on Thursday, April 5, after a busy couple of months.

In the 40 years the society has occupied the old bank building it has added substantially to its collections and materials that document the history of Medfield since its founding in 1649. Admittedly, much of it has been difficult to get to, and some of the storage and display methods that served us well 40 years ago no longer worked as well in 2012.

Curator/Librarian Cheryl O’Malley has taken a fresh look at how people use the building and its resources. Because most visitors come to research a Medfield house or family, it makes sense to locate those records front and center in a research area. O'Malley put together a plan, which the board approved, to create a comfortable research and technology area in the front room of the building and to house the museum in the back room, and has been leading the almost-completed implementation effort.

Because the plan called for moving cabinets, bookcases and other furniture, it seemed like the perfect time to give the society building a much-needed face lift. The water-damaged ceiling has been repaired and the building received its first interior paint job in 20-some years. The inside windows are sparkling, the woodwork is being cleaned and restored and the furniture will soon be glowing with a new coat of beeswax.

At the same time, curator Jo Ellen Collins, a former high-tech marketing VP, has taken a fresh look at how the society markets and presents itself and how it serves the public. As a result, there is a soon-to-be-unveiled new website complete with an online store. Another will be the historical society’s active participation in Medfield’s new cultural district that’s in the works – which is symbolized by its re-opening on First Thursday. Third is a new e-newsletter that enables the society to more closely keep in touch with society members and the public.

The society is also updating, at a very low cost, its computer system and is implementing PastPerfect Museum Management software. Curator Bob Luttman has taken the lead on this project. Putting this technology in place represents the first step in what will be a monumental project to digitize and catalog our entire collection. Through this endeavor the society will not only protect its original photographs and documents, but will, at the same time, make them more accessible to researchers.

"This has been a great team effort," said Jo Ellen Collins, Medfield Historical Society curator. "Curators Debbie Gaines, Jack Downing, Alice Crawley and Dan Bibel, along with president David Temple, have all contributed many hours helping with packing, moving, sorting, culling and cleaning."  

Beginning in April, the society is opening its doors every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and on the first Thursday of the month from 5 to 8 p.m. to provide visitors with more access. So whether you are researching King Philip's war, the early settlement of Medfield, famous Medfield people, Medfield industry, your family genealogy or the history of "your" old house – or are just curious to see, perhaps for the first time, what is inside – the society is offering you more chances to visit. Who knows what you might discover?

Admission is free and open to the public. However, donations to help defray preservation and curation costs are always appreciated.