Local Voices Family Day to take place May 13 at the Eustis Estate
Saturday, May 13, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Eustis Estate, 1424 Canton Avenue, Milton, MA 02186
Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum, 1465 Brush Hill Road, Milton, MA 02186
Forbes House Museum, 1424 Canton Avenue, Milton, MA 02186
Three Milton historic sites will open their doors to engage the public in an immersive exploration of local history titled “Local Voices.” This collaborative project will highlight individuals who not only played a significant role in shaping the history of each particular site, but also the larger Milton community. Each site will feature a Story Walk as well as activities for the whole family. The Milton Public Library will have Reading Dogs, trained therapy dogs who love to listen to young readers, at each of the historic sites from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. on the day of the event. Bring your own book to read or choose one from the Library’s on-hand selection to share with a furry friend. The event will be held from 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. concurrently at three sites: The Eustis Estate, Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum, and Forbes House Museum.
Historic New England’s Eustis Estate, located at 1424 Canton Avenue, will focus on the stories of the children who grew up on the estate; not only the children who grew up in the big house, but also the children of the many staff who helped run the property over the years. Explore the estate with a Story Walk about Paul Johnson, the son of the landscape gardener from the early 1900s who spent his days exploring and helping his father on the property. Visitors can play games from the era, see demonstrations of old-fashioned ice-cream making, and celebrate May Day with a maypole and traditional May Day basket.
At the Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum, located at 1465 Brush Hill Road, the event will focus on two stories, one told by a human, the other told by trees. The first will be a self-guided tour of the arboretum following a Story Walk written in the voice of the arboretum’s creator, Mary “Polly” Wakefield. Following the walk through the gardens, Polly will explain the evolution of her garden and how she designed and created her arboretum over 50 years, from a simple hayfield in 1950 to a certified arboretum that features hundreds of different trees and plants. The second story will be told by trees—and more specifically the stories they tell through their growth rings. Participants will be able to learn from these stories by using cut pieces of trees to create block print images that artfully reveal a tree’s story. Lastly, participants will be invited to paint a mural depicting the flora and fauna of the arboretum.
At the Forbes House Museum, located at 215 Adams Street, enjoy artwork by winners of the 2023 Lincoln Drawing Contest and “Our Favorite Things,” a house-wide exhibit highlighting collections objects through the eyes of community members, visitors and volunteers. The museum’s Story Walk will feature excerpts from the letters and stories of Robert Bennet (1804-1889), John Murray (1813-1898), and Mary Bowditch Forbes (1878-1962). Histories of the indigenous people who were the original stewards of this land will also be included.
Tickets are $15 for adult members of Historic New England, Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum and Forbes House Museum; $20 for adult non-members and children under 18 are free. Ticket includes admission to each site. Please call 617-994-5914 for more information
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