This story begins in the winter of 2015. As life-long residents of Newton, Massachusetts, we were well acquainted with "bad" New England winters. But nothing compared to the snow of 2015—over one hundred inches buried our home and driveway. With our boys grown and living their lives, my husband, Jim, was outside with the snowblower valiantly trying to clear us out time and again. Then came February and the ice dams. One day I found Jim on the extension ladder, above the first floor, leaning on the house, over the snow-encased bushes, clearing out ice dams with a pickaxe. My comment to Jim was "This is it. We are done here!"

A friend mentioned we should go see The Pinehills in Plymouth; she had heard about development going on there. We came to check it out and were impressed. I was generally familiar with the area, having grown up summers in Falmouth, so this was not entering the unknown. We were interested in single-family homes; I do need to get my hands in dirt and garden. A builder in The Pinehills was beginning a new neighborhood called Kensington, around Sacrifice Rock Road. We visited the model homes and were interested. To see if a move might be possible, we needed to deal with commuting logistics. With some negotiation, my employer allowed me to split my week between Boston and a local office. Jim was retired and working at the Waltham Home Depot. The Plymouth store welcomed Jim with open arms. So, in July 2015, we took a leap of faith and purchased a dirt pile in Kensington, the first purchase and sale agreement of the neighborhood.

In April we moved to our new home. With Jim working most weekends at Home Depot, the history of Plymouth was a powerful lure. I spent that first summer discovering Plymouth, investigating, attending, volunteering and joining all that Plymouth offered. One event I discovered and attend to this day are the free historical tours held on Burial Hill on the first Saturday of the month, sponsored by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society and Pilgrim Hall Museum. Fascinating stories are presented up on that hill. Soon I began to focus attention on the Antiquarian Society.

Meanwhile, as our neighborhood built out and more homeowners arrived, I fell into becoming the go-to person when neighbors had questions with the builder or The Pinehills Landowners Association. That morphed into being designated the homeowner representative to the builder's board of directors. Then in 2018 the builder announced they would be leaving the community when 72 houses were built and sold. This was news to the neighborhood as we were all told when we purchased our homes that the neighborhood would consist of 202 homes and a clubhouse. That promised buildout was not to happen. The neighborhood formed a Transition Committee; I became the Chair. After a tumultuous year planning for the builder's exit, we solicited nominations to elect a Board of Directors. I became the first President of the Kensington Homeowners Association. A few more very hectic years followed.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined myself in these situations during that snowy winter in Newton. But this is The Pinehills. The Pinehills encourages individual growth and fulfillment. Opportunities abound to become involved: to further your lifelong learning; to stretch and challenge yourself, to form new friendships, to stay physically fit and even to try pickleball!

This story continues but now we go back one hundred and six years. Plymouth was planning the Tercentenary Celebration, the 300th anniversary of the Pilgrims landing in Plymouth. Numerous festivities and events were planned and the Celebration garnered national attention. This was also the perfect time to celebrate the soldiers returning from the World War. The town anticipated huge numbers of people attending. To prepare for the Tercentenary, many houses and the entire waterfront area were demolished. The design of waterfront, as we know it today, dates from this time. However, not everyone in town was thrilled with the demolition of historic buildings.

The town had purchased an 1809 house on Court Street to demolish and build a structure on the site to honor the returning soldiers, Plymouth's Memorial Hall. Eight "preservation-minded women" decided to save the house. They contacted eighty of their closest friends to attend a meeting to figure out how to accomplish this. The Plymouth Antiquarian Society was formed. Remember the year—it is 1919, these women could not even vote yet.

The Society purchased the 1809 house for $1.00 with the agreement that the house would be moved when the town was ready to build Memorial Hall. The ladies held teas, card parties and other events, such as succotash gatherings, a Native American dish, to raise funds to purchase land, build a foundation and move the house. In 1924, the ladies had the funds, and the house and carriage house were moved by horsepower down Memorial Drive to its present location. The Society has been preserving and sharing Plymouth's heritage since that time.

You might wonder how this is relevant to The Pinehills 25th Anniversary. I think it is all about curiosity, timing, location, and opportunity. The Pinehills and the Antiquarian Society have created atmospheres that are inviting, non-judgmental and thought-provoking. Formal introduction is not required, just come, join, do. I am a Trustee at the Society, since 2018. Several years ago, we spent months developing a new Five-Year Strategic Plan, asking questions about who we are, who are our members and what do our members want from us. We also considered issues such as how historic house museums can remain viable and relevant and how this can be accomplished. We are now doing the work.

Today, the Society cares for one of the region's largest and most significant collections of historic clothing, along with artworks and furnishings, that bring the past vividly to life. It is carving out a unique niche offering immersive, dramatized programs that put history center stage, such as productions of Revolutionary Voices, An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe and the highly popular Christmas Carol at the Hedge House. More than a custodian of objects, the Antiquarian Society is a vibrant, forward-looking organization where history isn't just preserved—it's experienced.

The Pinehills and the Antiquarian Society are very much alike, offering numerous opportunities to move forward, be challenged, continue learning and embrace new experiences. It just takes you. – Susan Fessenden

Celebrating 25 Years

...the history of Plymouth was a powerful lure. I spent that first summer discovering Plymouth, investigating, attending, volunteering and joining all that Plymouth offered.

Welcome Center

The Summerhouse

Keep In Touch