About the Lincoln Historical Society

The Lincoln Historical Society acknowledges and appreciates that the land we now call Lincoln is unceded land from Indigenous peoples, including the Agawam, Nipmuc, Pawtucket, and Massachusett (Massaadchu-es-et). Their histories of stewarding this land go back at least 13,000 years, and we acknowledge and celebrate their ongoing presence here today. We express our respect for the Indigenous groups—past, present, and future—whose histories, cultural practices, and lives are bound to this town.

The LHS is committed to researching, exploring and sharing the stories of previously unheard voices that make up our community, past and present.

The Lincoln Historical Society was founded in 1961 with the mission to preserve the town’s rich history.  In recent years education has become an additional focus for the Society.  Much of the Society’s efforts are aimed at the development and presentation of educational programs for the public each year.  The programs cover a range of historical topics, and often emphasize how the town has evolved from a rural, agricultural town to the unique community it is today.

In addition, the Society creates engaging exhibits on local history displayed at the Lincoln Library.  The Society has also sought to convey local historical knowledge through the installation of commemorative plaques at various historically significant sites throughout the town

Preservation continues to be a major focus of the Society.  Many items of historical import that have been bequeathed by townspeople are displayed and stored in the Lincoln Historical Society Room at the Pierce House, as well as in the vault in the Public Library.  Other preservation efforts have included professional restoration of significant publicly owned artifacts.  The Society’s most important recent preservation effort has been to financially support the Lincoln Library in the project to professionally archive invaluable historical items in the library vault

Over the decades the Society has expanded its mission to include the vigorous development of a collection of historical articles.

To commemorate the Town’s 250th anniversary in 2004, the Society published an extensive photographic history of Lincoln, entitled Lincoln, published by Arcadia Press.  The Society has also embarked on the production of audiovisual publications to document town history.  In addition to lending financial support to local filmmakers, the Society produced its own video, “Townies – The Living History Project,” capturing for future generations the vivid memories of 26 lifelong town residents born before 1940

Finally, the Society is a regular participant in several traditional Town celebrations: The New Year’s Day Open House at the Pierce House; hosting the annual ceremonies commemorating the events of April 19, 1775, with the Lincoln Minute Men; the production of festive floats in the yearly 4th of July parade.

The many projects and events sponsored by the Lincoln Historical Society are funded by the sales of the Society’s publications and by generous contributions from its members.