The Feb. 27, 2010 meeting of the Tewksbury Historical Society will feature a PowerPoint picture show and a membership discussion on the Hardy-Pike House. The meeting will be held on Feb. 27, at 1:30pm at the Tewksbury Public Library. This "New Members" meeting is for new and old members of the Historical Society. The public is invited and the event is very affordable - it is FREE! If you have a story about the Pike house please come by and tell us. We have a few artifacts for viewing and the Society Store will be set up for your convienence.

      The Hardy-Pike House was built in 1740. It is currently undergoing restorations and renovations by Marc and Leisa Ginsburg. It is scheduled to open in the summer or fall as an Internet café and bookstore. The Hardy-Pike House is located at 464 Main Street and is the third oldest house in Tewksbury. A discussion among Society members about the Pike house will include a Power Point show about the house. Our "New Members Meeting" is part social and part education about Tewksbury history. It is an opportunity for new members to meet old members.

      The Hardy-Pike house is one of approximately 19 houses built in the 1700's that are still standing. This house was a stop on the stagecoach trail from Boston to Nashua, New Hampshire. It was nicknamed the Half Way House. For their preservation efforts, the Society's Board of Directors has given Marc and Leisa Ginsburg a Complimentary Membership. The Society has invited a relative of Alice Pike and hopes to have at least one couple that was married at the Pike House. If you come to the meeting and you were married at the Pike House, you will receive a free picture of the house. If you have a tale about the Pike House, please come and speak up. Mrs. Pike was the town clerk and conducted Tewksbury business at her residence. Please bring any artifact or picture you have. We would enjoy seeing them. Come on down to the library and enjoy our Annual New Members Meeting.

      The Society is planning a two part Historical Theatrical Series sponsored in part by the Tewksbury and Massachusetts Cultural Council. The first performance is March 11, 2010, 7:00pm at the Tewksbury Senior Center. It is a story about Phebe Emerson, a Concord resident who lived in the Old Manse. Her husband, William Emerson was the minister in Concord. Her grandson was Ralph Waldo Emerson. The old Manse was where they lived and they watched the beginning of the Revolutionary War from their back yard. They witnessed the Battle of old North Bridge on April 19, 1775. Phebe is to be portrayed by Jan Turnquist in this one-person play. Ms. Turnquist is the Executive Director of Orchard House, home of the Alcott family, where Louisa wrote "Little Women". There will be a Tewksbury connection to this performance.

      You may reserve tickets for "Phebe Emerson: Eyewitness to Revolution" by emailing tewksburyhistoricalsociety@msn.com. Please tell us how many tickets to reserve and you may pick them up and pay for them at the "Call Table". The tickets are $6.00 for members and $8.00 for non-members. If you would like tickets for both the March 11th and the June 24th performance, tickets are $10.00 for Society members and $15.00 for non-members. They will also be for sale at the "New Members Meeting".

Sincerely,

Dave Marcus
President
978-388-7262