Abby Epplett, Historian

While taking a walk around downtown Plymouth, MA , I saw several pieces from the art installation Seal’d with Art: Plymouth Harbor Seals . This is the third time the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce has given the opportunity for local businesses to sponsor artists in creating a themed sculpture, the first two being lobsters and seashells. The seals debuted in Spring 2025 and remain on display through Fall 2027, so you have plenty of time to see this whimsical art. Below are my favorite seals out of the twenty-five in the exhibition.

After spending the morning and early afternoon at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, I took a two-mile, out-and-back walk from the the free public parking at the Plimoth Grist Mill to Fisherman’s Memorial Park. Along the way, I stopped by Plymouth Rock, Mayflower II , Hedge House, and three statues dedicated to immigrant women. As an added bonus, I saw multiple public art displays , including the Plymouth Harbor Seals, which will receive their own post.

For my birthday in October, I visited Plymouth, MA, stopping at Plimoth Patuxet Museums before exploring some of the town. In my first post , I will discuss the Visitor Center, Craft Center, Historic Patuxet Homesite, and the Fort. In this post, I will discuss the 17 th -Century English Village. In the final post, I will describe Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, and the Plymouth Harbor Seals public art display.

For my birthday in October, I visited Plymouth, MA, stopping at Plimoth Patuxet Museums before exploring some of the town. In this post, I will discuss the Visitor Center, Craft Center, Historic Patuxet Homesite, and the Fort. In the next post, I will discuss the 17 th -Century English Village. In the final post, I will describe Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, and the Plymouth Harbor Seals public art display.

On the same day I visited Peak House Heritage Center and Medfield State Hospital National Historic Site , I took several walks in the area, including Shattuck Reservation & Noon Hill managed by the Trustees of Reservations, Medfield Rail Trail, and Kingsbury Pond Grist Mill. The colorful fall leaves made the woods even prettier than usual.

On the same day I visited Peak House Heritage Center , I went down the road to Medfield State Hospital National Historic Site . Established in 1892 as Medfield Insane Asylum, the Queen Anne-style red brick buildings stand at the top of hill near a large field. A family event was going on during my visit, but few people were walking among the shuttered buildings. The grounds have been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1994 .

In October 2025, I went to a special event at Peak House Heritage Center in Medfield, MA. Striking for its early colonial architecture and location on Main Street, Peak House has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975 . Despite being a small property (the parking lot only fits five cars), the combination of a well-trained volunteer group, updated signage, and an easy to navigate website make this destination well worth the trip. This is an ideal house for families on their first historic house tour.

My last stop was Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens owned by the Trustees of Reservations , which I had last visited for Winterlights in 2024 . I have already shared details about the property and the family who lived there, but I was able to take a more extensive tour of the house and see the gardens during this second visit.

On the same day I visited Addison Gallery of American Art and Stevens Estate at Osgood Hill , I took a walk at Weir Hill run by the Trustees of Reservations in North Andover, MA. The 194-acre park is connected to Osgood Hill and part of the former Stevens family estate, along with an Essex National Heritage Site. With free parking an admission, plus clear signage on the four miles of trail, this is a great walk for those in the area, along with a place to learn about often overlooked local history.

In late September, I took a daytrip to Andover, MA. After a relaxing morning at Addison Gallery of American Art , I took a walk at Osgood Hill, a North Andover trail and a partner of Mass Audubon . While there, I saw Stevens Estate , a 1886 building on 143 acres listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1999 .

In late September 2025, I visited Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. Part of a prestigious private school, this small art museum is open to the public. Currently, the museum has more than 29,000 items in its collection and focuses on American art from the 18 th through 21 st centuries. I was impressed by the variety found on display, and the regularly of new exhibits, as those I saw were on the display from the beginning of September to December or January.

The White Council was a name given to wise immortals who protected Middle-earth from Sauron and his vassals. The White Council in The Lord of the Rings that drove the dark forces from Mirkwood was actually the second White Council. The first White Council is described in Unfinished Tales (263) and was formed to remove Sauron from Eriador (northwestern Middle-earth, including the Shire) after he had tortured Celebrimbor to death. The second White Council likely emulated the first White Council and was formed for a similar purpose, this time to drive Sauron from Mordor and be rid of him for good.

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2 , I explored a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses. In Part 3 , I continued my visit to The Countryside by visiting the barn and a pair of workshops before returning to the Common & Center Village. In Part 4 , I stopped in shops around the Common & Center Village, learn about plants, and visited exhibits. In Part 5, I discuss the CowParade art exhibit and conclude my visit with information about open t...

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2 , I explored a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses. In Part 3 , I continued my visit to The Countryside by visiting the barn and a pair of workshops before returning to the Common & Center Village. In Part 4, I stopped in shops around the Common & Center Village, learn about plants, and visited exhibits.

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2 , I explored a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses. In >Part 3, I continue my visit to The Countryside by visiting the barn and a pair of workshops before returning to the Common & Center Village.

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2, I explore a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses.

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists.

Back in September 2025, I took the comprehensive, 2.5-hour “Grand Stairs to Back Stairs” tour of Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA, which is managed by The Trustees of Reservations. Due to the length and breadth of the tour, this is a three-part series, with one post released per day over the next three days. During Part 1 , I focused on the building of the estate, the early history of the Crane family, and the first few stops on the tour. During Part 2 , I described the life of the family and the middle section of the tour. In Part 3, I describe the view from the roof, a snack, behind the scenes, and movies filmed on the property.

Back in September 2025, I took the comprehensive, 2.5-hour “Grand Stairs to Back Stairs” tour of Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA, which is managed by The Trustees of Reservations. Due to the length and breadth of the tour, this is a three-part series, with one post released per day over the next three days. During Part 1 , I focused on the building of the estate, the early history of the Crane family, and the first few stops on the tour. Today, I describe the life of the family and the middle section of the tour.

Back in September 2025, I took the comprehensive, 2.5-hour “Grand Stairs to Back Stairs” tour of Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA, which is managed by The Trustees of Reservations. Due to the length and breadth of the tour, this will be a three-part series, with one post released per day over the next three days. The property comprises of 165 acres and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977 and elevated to a National Historic Landmark in 1998. This section will focus on the building of the estate, the early history of the Crane family, and the first few stops on the tour.