Join us for our Second Annual Repair Fair on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00p.m. This free community event coincides with the Earth Day celebrations on the Common!

Our goal is to share knowledge, reduce waste, and foster community connections by helping repair and restore treasured items rather than throwing them away.

Our skilled volunteers will be on hand to provide guidance, demonstrate repair techniques, and assist with the following services:

• Welding, small engine, and small tractor repair

• Houseplant service and rescue, with demonstrations every half hour

• Wiring repairs (lamps and plugs) and small furniture touch-ups/light repairs

• Knife and tool sharpening (limit two items per person)

• Ceramics repair — bring chipped or cracked vases, plates, or bowls

• Bicycle spring tune-ups and repairs

• Jewelry cleaning and minor repair

• Sewing repairs for clothing, stuffed animals, blankets, and more (two-item limit if others are waiting)

• Watchmaker estimates for vintage mechanical wrist and pocket watches

Enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee while you’re here and spend the day celebrating sustainability and community spirit with us.

Join us as Joseph Goldstein, co-founder of Insight Meditation Center and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, presents “Buddhism Comes to Barre.” This program aligns with the 50th Anniversary of Insight Meditation and will be held at Woods Memorial Library, 19 Pleasant St.

Light refreshments will be available before the program, beginning at 6 p.m., with the presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. Come early to grab a seat and a sweet treat.

Please revisit this page for more information as details are solidified.

Join us for a hands-on opportunity to learn the art and science of fruit tree pruning on Saturday, February 14th at Felton Field on Old Coldbrook Road in Barre. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, this event will help you give your fruit trees the care they need to thrive.

Local resident and experienced grower Karl Erickson will lead the demonstration, sharing practical guidance on proper pruning techniques for fruit trees in our region. While it may seem surprising, late winter—just before spring growth begins—is the ideal time for pruning. During this window, trees can be shaped and strengthened by removing dead, damaged, or diseased branches and thoughtfully thinning the canopy.

Karl will demonstrate where and how to make clean cuts at the branch collar to improve air circulation and sunlight penetration. Participants will also learn how to identify and manage water sprouts, maintain structural balance, and follow best practices—such as never removing more than 25–30% of a tree’s canopy in a single year.

All are welcome. Come learn how to show your fruit trees a little love this winter—and set them up for a healthy, productive growing season.

Join fellow members from area historical societies and commissions for a festive afternoon celebrating the holiday season and our shared love of history! This special gathering will bring together neighboring groups from around Barre and the Quabbin Reservoir region for good food, great company, and some friendly competition.

Event Schedule

• 1:00 p.m. – Arrival & Social Hour (cash bar)

• 2:00 p.m. – Dinner

• 2:45 p.m. – Brief highlights from society presidents and chairs

• 3:00 p.m. – Local & national trivia game (trophy and bragging rights awarded!)

Tickets are $30 per person.
Payments are now being accepted by Venmo, using the QR code to the right, or by check. Payment must be received by November 22. Please make checks payable to "Barre Historical Society" and include "Holiday Party" in the memo line. Along with your payment, be sure to include the names of all attendees, any dietary restrictions, and the town you represent.

Payments should be mailed to: Barre Historical Society, P.O. Box 755, Barre, MA 01005-0755.

We look forward to celebrating with our fellow history enthusiasts as we head toward our nation’s 250th anniversary year!

Please join us for an ideal October program highlighting local gravestone art, presented by Lisa Marselle. We will explore the history, artistry, and meaning of cemetery art in New England.

This free, 60-minute program offers a fascinating and educational look at the history and symbolism found in local gravestones. It’s the perfect event for history buffs, art lovers, and anyone interested in New England culture and heritage.

Light refreshments will be available before the program, beginning at 2:30 p.m., with the presentation starting at 3:00 p.m.

It’s time for our annual yard sale fundraiser! There will be something for everyone, including dish sets, pans, utensils, games, winter sleds, electronics, and, of course, collectibles! You’ll find unique vintage treasures like jewelry, old medicine bottles, tins, and more.

For many of the offerings, we ask for you to determine your donation for the treasures you want! As we are a non-profit, self-sustaining organization, we depend on the generosity of our community. Your support help us offer year-round programming and ongoing upkeep of our collections (which fill three buildings!).

Come by, find something special, and help support this major fundraiser. We’d love to see you there!

MEMBER PERK: Members enjoy early bird shopping at 8 a.m. with a free coffee!

Rain Date: Sunday, September 21.

Authors Christie Higginbottom and Bruce Craven will present their book Finding William Lewis about an 18th Century farmer.

William and Abby Lewis moved to a farm on West Street in Barre, on April 1, 1861. The presentation will focus on aspects of William's meticulous records that offer interesting details of Barre history. Books will be available for purchase.

Light refreshments will be available before the program, beginning at 2:30 p.m., with the presentation starting at 3:00 p.m.

Enjoy lemonade and popcorn concessions as the Concerts return to Barre Common. View photos albums and memorabilia while enjoying the concert.

MEMBER PERK: Popcorn is free for members!

Enjoy lemonade and popcorn concessions as the Concerts return to Barre Common. View photos albums and memorabilia while enjoying the concert.

MEMBER PERK: Popcorn is free for members!

Special Note: Historian Lucy Allen will offer a program in conjunction with the Quabbin Community Band! This will surely be a special event not to be missed!

Enjoy lemonade and popcorn concessions as the Concerts return to Barre Common. View photos albums and memorabilia while enjoying the concert.

MEMBER PERK: Popcorn is free for members!

Enjoy lemonade and popcorn concessions as the Concerts return to Barre Common. View photos albums and memorabilia while enjoying the concert.

MEMBER PERK: Popcorn is free for members!

Enjoy lemonade and popcorn concessions as the Concerts return to Barre Common. View photos albums and memorabilia while enjoying the concert.

MEMBER PERK: Popcorn is free for members!

Join us in celebrating "Quock Walker Day," a holiday honoring the Barre man whose actions were instrumental in freeing all enslaved persons in Massachusetts in 1783.

Prince Walker was Quock's much younger brother. While Quock's actions were beneficial to most enslaved people in Massachusetts, Prince, only 9 years old, was sold into slavery in Connecticut. Lucy Allen, Historian, highlights Prince’s long life (1774-1858) and journey from enslavement to becoming a landowner in Barre.

Please note: The location and time of this event is still being determined. Please check back for more information.

Enjoy lemonade and popcorn concessions as the Concerts return to Barre Common. View photos albums and memorabilia while enjoying the concert.

MEMBER PERK: Popcorn is free for members!

Lucy Allen, Historian, and Nancy Huntington, Program Coordinator for the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will be co-hosting a hike to the Prince Walker Burial Ground and the nearby homesite of Prince Walker. Prince Walker was born June 24, 1774, so this hike will commemorate the 251st anniversary of his birth.

The Prince Walker Burial Ground is the only African-American burial ground in Barre, and one of few in Central Massachusetts. Prince Walker was born enslaved in Barre in 1774 and died at his homesite near the burial ground in 1858. He built a burial ground on his property after his first wife died in 1809, and several children are buried there as well as Prince Walker himself. He gave the burial ground to the Town of Barre before his death. The small, remote burial ground is surrounded by Ware River Watershed land. 

Lucy Allen will describe Prince Walker’s life from his childhood in Barre, his sale into slavery in Connecticut when he was only nine years old, and his escape to Barre before his 21st birthday. Here he purchased property, farmed, and was a registered voter and respected citizen. Nancy Huntington will describe the history of the Ware River Watershed and the management of the area.

The walk to the Prince Walker Burial Ground is about 1/3 mile uphill on a wooded trail. Please wear solid footwear. Insect repellent is advised. Because June has been so rainy, the walk to the Homesite is tentative as it requires going through a wet area. If heavy wind, rain, or thunderstorms appear likely, we will reschedule the hike at a time to be determined.

Those wishing to participate should meet at the Barre Historical Society headquarters at 18 Common Street in the center of Barre at 9:45 a.m., from which we will carpool to the trailhead because of limited parking there. The Burial Ground is located off Gilbert Road, a dirt road that leads left off Route 62 East near the Hubbardston Town Line. There is no address for the meeting place and no sign, thus best planning is to meet at 18 Common Street. We will start the program at the Gilbert Road site at 10 a.m. 

This event is for members only.

Join us on the grounds of the Society as we celebrate another year and welcome the summer season! Featuring light refreshments from local businesses, along with The Evening Standard jazz ensemble, this outdoor lawn party overlooking the beautiful Barre Common, is THE way to begin the new season!

THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER.
We will announce a new date at a later time. Please check back for updates.

Please stop by to support this major fundraiser.

MEMBER PERK: Members enjoy early bird shopping at 8 a.m. with a free coffee!

The fifth installment in our traditional arts series, this class will be held by Director Kellee Murphy. Attendees will be given the basics of bookmaking.

All materials will be provided for this free class fit for ages 4-104!

After we complete the annual business meeting, we will gather to share and discuss favorite tools. Bring yours from the kitchen, sewing room, garage or elsewhere and view tools from the collections.

This is a free community event focused on repairing items where a person with expertise in fixing various household items, like electronics, clothing, stuffed animals, small furniture, small engines/farm tractor, houseplants, knife sharpening, etc., volunteer their time teaching/offering repair skills and reducing waste while fostering a sense of community.

Join us for a presentation by Historian Lucy Allen on Thursday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Barre Town Hall, 2 Exchange St.

The year was 1783. A long-running legal dispute that featured an enslaved man from Barre, Massachusetts—Quock Walker—and his would-be enslaver, Nathaniel Jennison—was finally settled by Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice William Cushing. In the end, slavery was abolished in Massachusetts, the first state to fully eliminate slavery.

What started in 1781 as a seemingly routine “personal freedom” lawsuit by Quock Walker against his alleged enslaver changed over the course of years into an important legal argument heard before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. It was no longer a question of whether Quock was “owned” by Nathaniel Jennison, but whether any person in Massachusetts could be owned by another human being. In evaluating all the evidence, in 1783, Chief Justice William Cushing found that “the idea of slavery is inconsistent with our own conduct and Constitution.” Quock Walker was now a free man and because of these legal actions, all other enslaved persons in Massachusetts were also freed. This program that will focus on the exciting times of 240 years ago and will discuss how the enslaved people of Barre lived before their emancipation, and the changes in their lives that came about in 1783 when they were freed. The lives of Quock Walker, his family members, and other important characters in this story will be described.

Light refreshments will be available before the program, beginning at 6 p.m.  with the presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. Come early to grab a seat and a sweet treat.