Ships and Shipwrecks of Ipswich Bay

Join town historian, Gordon Harris, who will talk about the long history of tragic shipwrecks due to dangerous storms and limited navigation. There were over 3,000 shipwrecks off the Massachusetts coast. In the early 20th century coal schooners sailed up the river to town wharf, and sand schooners became stranded on the beaches, but Ipswich […]

The Early Voyages of Augustine Heard

Join Robert Gray, Heard descendant as he talks about his recent research on his family. During the late 1830s Augustine Heard of Ipswich composed a list of his early voyages […]

Stop and Smell the Thyme at the Whipple House 17th Century Housewife’s Garden

Joe Carlin, Food historian, will review the contributions of landscape architects Arthur and Sidney Shurcliff who designed in 1955 the original Whipple House Garden.  In the 1960s Isadore Smith (pseudonym Ann Leighton), author of Early American Gardens, provided leadership to make the garden historically accurate with authentic medicinal and culinary herbs known to have been […]

Women in Ipswich History

Gordon Harris, town historian will share stories of women in Ipswich from the first settlement to the present century. Learn about Ann Dudley Bradstreet, the first published poet, Emma Jane […]

Eating Well, Living Well: Cook and Be Free

Join Chef Sarah Naugler for ideas on how to eliminate kitchen nightmares and make cooking fun. She is a graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and spent ten […]

Loom Demonstration

Come listen to a talk and demonstration on weaving. Diane Howe, weaver will explain techniques and tools used in this process.  There will be a small pop-up exhibit downstairs in […]

After the Party

Ipswich’s Bob Waite, Professor, Seneca Polytechnic College  and author brings his wit to the topic of politics, drawn on his experience serving as Press Secretary to Senator Ed Brooke (R-MA), […]

Remembering September 11th

Join Stephanie Gaskins, Dow Curator as she takes us down memory lane to encourage a conversation on where you were on that very sad day and what memories do you […]

Meet Abigail Adams, America’s First Second Lady

Since 2003, Sheryl Faye, actor has been presenting Historical Women to inspire adults and children about history.  Her one man show will leave you spell-bound and inspired. Her performances are […]

Gems from the Archives

Heidi Horner, archivist at the Ipswich Public Library, will introduce us to special items from the Ipswich Public Library’s archival collections focused on local history.  Heidi studied archives management and […]