Ipswich Historical Society
Encyclopedia
The Ipswich Historical Society (IHS) in Ipswich, Massachusetts
was founded by Reverend Thomas Franklin Waters in 1890. The Society initially had no headquarters, and met in the studio
of artist Arthur Wesley Dow
. They eventually found a better place to meet in the Odd Fellows
Hall. The Society's first major project would be to restore the John Whipple House
, and make part of it their headquarters.
The house was moved across town to its current location, across from the John Heard House. Although it is no longer the headquarters for the IHS, one of the rooms is used to show where the members under Rev. Franklin Waters met.
was installed in the house to commemorate her. The Heard house now features many collections ,such as the China Trade Collection, the Arthur Wesley Dow Collection, and the Ipswich Painters Collection.
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Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
was founded by Reverend Thomas Franklin Waters in 1890. The Society initially had no headquarters, and met in the studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
of artist Arthur Wesley Dow
Arthur Wesley Dow
Arthur Wesley Dow was an American painter, printmaker, photographer, and influential arts educator....
. They eventually found a better place to meet in the Odd Fellows
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows , also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is an altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were...
Hall. The Society's first major project would be to restore the John Whipple House
John Whipple House
The John Whipple House is a historic colonial house and National Historic Landmark in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Built in the seventeenth century, the house has been open to the public as a museum since 1899.-History:...
, and make part of it their headquarters.
Restoring the Whipple house
The Whipple house has gone through four major changes since its construction in 1677. It has been added on to, altered to fit the taste of one Whipple owner, redone by the Ipswich Historical Society in Colonial Revival style, then later restored to its original appearance by the Ipswich Historic Society.The house was moved across town to its current location, across from the John Heard House. Although it is no longer the headquarters for the IHS, one of the rooms is used to show where the members under Rev. Franklin Waters met.
The Heard house
The Heard house (1795-1800) was sold to the IHS in 1936 by Alice Leeds Heard, also known as Elsie. She sold the house under the agreement that she could live in it for the rest of her life. Upon her death in 1953 a plaqueCommemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
was installed in the house to commemorate her. The Heard house now features many collections ,such as the China Trade Collection, the Arthur Wesley Dow Collection, and the Ipswich Painters Collection.
Sources
- http://www.ipswichmuseum.org/
- The Docent Training Manual (Created by the Ipswich Historic Society)
- Ipswich in the Mass. Bay Colony by Rev. Thomas Franklin Waters
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