About Us

The Boxborough Historical Society was founded in 1961 by a group of residents interested in preserving Boxborough's history and passing it along to the next generation. Our motto is “Preserve the Past for the Future.” Since 2005 we are an incorporated non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. 

Our logo depicts the original meetinghouse, shown above, which was Harvard’s Puritan Meetinghouse. It was purchased from Harvard in 1775, and taken apart and re-built at the top of the hill on Hill Road, where Middle Road intersects. It was used for our Town Meetings from the creation of Boxborough in 1783 until 1835. It was used as a Universalist Church from 1784 to 1842, when the Great Awakening occurred; as the Town Hall from 1870 to 1901, when the present Town Hall was built on Middle Road; and as the Town Library from 1908 until 1953 when it, with its bell from the Holbrook foundry in East Medway Massachusetts, and all the contents, burned to the ground in a disastrous fire in January, 1953, shown below. The remnant of the bell sits on a granite post at the site, and the foundation of the original Meetinghouse contains the Herb Garden, lovingly cared for by the Boxborough Garden Club.”

Unlike the Historical Commission, which is created by the Town pursuant to a State mandate, is limited by State and local regulations, and is appointed by the Selectmen, the Historical Society is a private, non-profit all-volunteer organization. It elects its officers and can accept artifacts, donations and contributions that can be tax deductible. 

Working together with the Historical Commission and other Town groups, the Historical Society is dedicated to recording of local history, identifying and preserving local historical sites, cataloging and collecting historical documents and artifacts, and presenting information to the public on Boxborough's history.

The Boxborough Historical Society provides a wide variety of programs at no charge for the community. Many speakers are residents of the town who are willing to share a wealth of information. You can find some of the programs that have been presented over the years and other historical information in binders in the Local History Room at Boxborough’s Sargent Memorial Library. 

Meetinghouse, during the 1953 fire

We are sad to announce the passing of Jeanne  Steele Kangas in January 2023.  She was the president of the Boxborough Historical Society for many years, a Boxborough native, and made numerous contributions to the town.  She will be sorely missed...