Historic Boxford

Discover Boxford’s History

Historic Boxford is a collaborative partnership between Boxford’s two unique historical organizations: The Boxford Historical Society and the Boxford Historic Document Center.

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Winterfest
Dec 6
Winterfest

The Document Center will be holding an open house during West Boxford’s annual Winterfest celebration. This year we will be featuring a display of interesting and unique antique holiday cards from our collection (all holidays - not just Christmas!). All of our cards were collected by past Boxford residents, and include those made by hand and also photo cards.

The Grand Illumination
Dec 21
The Grand Illumination

Step into a winter wonderland and celebrate a beloved Boxford tradition. Our journey begins with heartwarming carols at the Congregational rectory, winding down Elm Street amidst the glow of lighted homes.

The evening’s highlight? The dazzling “Grand Illumination” of the Holyoke-French house!

Conclude this enchanting evening with us, savoring hot drinks and delightful refreshments inside the historic house. Don’t miss this blend of history, tradition, and holiday cheer!

Join us in making this season truly memorable.

Boxford Historic Document Center

The Boxford Historic Document Center is Boxford’s research archive, located at 173A Washington Street. We are a research center with a climate-controlled storage area for Boxford’s historic documents, books, and photographs. The Document Center offers research services and educational programming. Email or visit us for all questions related to Boxford history!

Boxford Historic Document Center

Boxford Historical Society

The Boxford Historical Society owns and maintains the 1760 Holyoke-French House at 2 Topsfield Road. We also preserve a large collection of historic objects from Boxford families. The Historical Society hosts many fun community events, including the Apple Festival and the Grand Illumination. Email or visit us to learn more about the Holyoke-French House or to inquire about participating in the Apple Festival as a vendor or volunteer.

Boxford Historical Society

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Where is it Wednesday! This photo from the Document Center collection was taken in 1983. Bonus points if you know what was happening here! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #WhereIsItWednesday
Where is it Wednesday! This photo from the Document Center collection was taken in 1983. Bonus points if you know what was happening here! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #WhereIsItWednesday
My latest project is cleaning up the Chadwick Shoe Shop, which is located behind the Holyoke-French House. The squirrels have been evicted, and you will be able to visit it next year! Here are a few photos of fun and weird details found inside. One w
My latest project is cleaning up the Chadwick Shoe Shop, which is located behind the Holyoke-French House. The squirrels have been evicted, and you will be able to visit it next year! Here are a few photos of fun and weird details found inside. One window frame is signed, "George H. Chadwick 1854," which is probably from the year it was built. #boxfordma #boxfordhistory #boxfordmass #boxford #shoeshop #cobbler
Thank you so much to everyone who came to the Mt. Vernon Cemetery walking tour yesterday! If you missed it, you can join us next Saturday, October 11, at 10:00am. RSVP by email to Boxforddocs@gmail.com or at https://www.boxfordhistory.org/events/even
Thank you so much to everyone who came to the Mt. Vernon Cemetery walking tour yesterday! If you missed it, you can join us next Saturday, October 11, at 10:00am. RSVP by email to Boxforddocs@gmail.com or at https://www.boxfordhistory.org/events/event-registration. This is a free event sponsored by the Boxford Cultural Council.
Did you miss the Holyoke-French house tour during the Apple Festival? We will have a regular schedule for tours this spring, but in the meantime I will be working at the newly renovated house on Fridays from 8-4. Email me at boxforddocs@gmail.com if
Did you miss the Holyoke-French house tour during the Apple Festival? We will have a regular schedule for tours this spring, but in the meantime I will be working at the newly renovated house on Fridays from 8-4. Email me at boxforddocs@gmail.com if you'd like to schedule a Friday visit! #Boxford #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #oldhouse # housetour #HolyokeFrenchHouse
Where is it Wednesday! This house hasn't changed a whole lot, can you guess it? #boxford ##boxfordma ##boxfordhistory ##boxfordmass #whereisitwednesday
Where is it Wednesday! This house hasn't changed a whole lot, can you guess it? #boxford ##boxfordma ##boxfordhistory ##boxfordmass #whereisitwednesday
Okay this is a *true* where is it Wednesday! We've been working on identifying a batch of slides of Boxford houses that were taken in 1966, and we have no idea which house this is. Can you help? #boxfordhistory #boxford #boxfordma #boxfordmass #Wher
Okay this is a *true* where is it Wednesday! We've been working on identifying a batch of slides of Boxford houses that were taken in 1966, and we have no idea which house this is. Can you help? #boxfordhistory #boxford #boxfordma #boxfordmass #WhereIsItWednesday
Register for our Mt. Vernon Cemetery Walking Tour next month at www.boxfordhistory.org/events
Register for our Mt. Vernon Cemetery Walking Tour next month at www.boxfordhistory.org/events
Excited for fall? The Boxford Apple Festival is THIS Saturday from 10-3 (rain date Sunday 9/21). Come enjoy food, drinks, vendors, and live music! A highlight this year will be free tours of the 1760 Holyoke-French house at 2 Topsfield Road, which ha
Excited for fall? The Boxford Apple Festival is THIS Saturday from 10-3 (rain date Sunday 9/21). Come enjoy food, drinks, vendors, and live music! A highlight this year will be free tours of the 1760 Holyoke-French house at 2 Topsfield Road, which has been newly renovated top to bottom. This event is sponsored by the Boxford Historical Society. This photograph shows Rosamond Ingalls Price selling apples at Ingaldsby Farm from the trunk of her car in 1949 (photo from the Boxford Historic Document Center collection). #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxford #boxfordmass #apples #appleseason #boxfordapplefestival #boxfordapplefestival2025 @ingaldsby_farm
Some big news in the Boxford history world! As some of you may know, I (Robin Siegel) have been working as the Director/Archivist at the Document Center for the past 6 years, but I've also now been working for the Boxford Historical Society since the
Some big news in the Boxford history world! As some of you may know, I (Robin Siegel) have been working as the Director/Archivist at the Document Center for the past 6 years, but I've also now been working for the Boxford Historical Society since the end of last year, and we are forming an umbrella organization that will be known as "Historic Boxford" which will present one unified social media stream and website, and we will be working together to bring lots of new historical programming and fun events to Boxford. We are still separate organizations, but it will be a lot easier to share our news, events, and interesting Boxford facts and photos with everyone who wants to see them. Check out our new website to learn more! Social media will change over to the new name early this week. https://www.historicboxford.org #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxford
Love love LOVE this photo that was just donated to our collection! It William Gemmell's milk delivery wagon with what we are guessing is a new paint job by Spofford's Carriage Paint Shop. The shop was in Groveland but it was owned by Frank Spofford o
Love love LOVE this photo that was just donated to our collection! It William Gemmell's milk delivery wagon with what we are guessing is a new paint job by Spofford's Carriage Paint Shop. The shop was in Groveland but it was owned by Frank Spofford of West Boxford. Gemmell's Hillside Farm was located at the end of Brook Road. #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #milkdelivery #horseandcarriage #freshpaint
This is a letter Nellie Spofford wrote in backwards "mirror" script to her sister Mary in 1920. You would think she was about 12, but the sisters were actually 48 and 45! Nellie is writing with news from Boxford about their brother's recove
This is a letter Nellie Spofford wrote in backwards "mirror" script to her sister Mary in 1920. You would think she was about 12, but the sisters were actually 48 and 45! Nellie is writing with news from Boxford about their brother's recovery from a recent illness. #boxfordhistory #boxford #boxfordma #boxfordmass #mirrorwriting
Where is it Wednesday! The house is still standing at this interesection, so technically, this should be an easy one, but i think it is actually pretty hard! #boxfordhistory ##boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #WhereIsItWednesday
Where is it Wednesday! The house is still standing at this interesection, so technically, this should be an easy one, but i think it is actually pretty hard! #boxfordhistory ##boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #WhereIsItWednesday
Taking a break from harvesting apples at Morss farm on Lake Shore Road in the early 1900s. #boxfordmass #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxford #appleseason #applepicking
Taking a break from harvesting apples at Morss farm on Lake Shore Road in the early 1900s. #boxfordmass #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxford #appleseason #applepicking
These photographs were taken in 1964 as land was cleared for the "Mast Hill development," which is now Silvermine Road. This location was known as Mast Hill for the large trees that once grew here which were cut down and sold to the shipyar
These photographs were taken in 1964 as land was cleared for the "Mast Hill development," which is now Silvermine Road. This location was known as Mast Hill for the large trees that once grew here which were cut down and sold to the shipyards in Essex to be used as the masts for the ships built there. #Boxford #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass
Our "Boxford in Bloom" photograph exhibit at 10 Elm has come down and the prints are now available for sale! If you see one you like, please email boxforddocs@gmail.com and we can email an invoice and arrange for free in-town drop-off or shipping, or you can stop by the Document Center during our open hours, Wednesdays from 9-4 and the first two Saturdays of the month from 10-3 (September 6th and 13th). We accept cash, credit, paypal and venmo!
Yesterday, David Smallman donated this patch from the Boxford Firemen's Muster Team. After 3 years of consecutive wins, the trophy was retired and kept by the winning team. The Boxford Fire Department still has the trophy won in 1975! #Boxford #box
Yesterday, David Smallman donated this patch from the Boxford Firemen's Muster Team. After 3 years of consecutive wins, the trophy was retired and kept by the winning team. The Boxford Fire Department still has the trophy won in 1975! #Boxford #boxfordhistory #boxfordmass #boxfordma #firefighter
August 1933 - back when dads did their yardwork in collared shirts and ties. You stay classy, Boxford! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #stayclassy @ingaldsby_farm
August 1933 - back when dads did their yardwork in collared shirts and ties. You stay classy, Boxford! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #stayclassy @ingaldsby_farm
Thanks to Holly Lee for letting me scan this and whole pile of 1970s Spofford yearbooks! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #1970s #classphoto Spofford Pond School
Thanks to Holly Lee for letting me scan this and whole pile of 1970s Spofford yearbooks! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #1970s #classphoto Spofford Pond School
This is my favorite grave in Brookside Cemetery. It is very hidden, go visit and see if you can find it! Don't get too close though, that is mostly poison ivy growing down the hillside ☠️ This is the grave of Frank and Betsey Emery. Frank grew up in
This is my favorite grave in Brookside Cemetery. It is very hidden, go visit and see if you can find it! Don't get too close though, that is mostly poison ivy growing down the hillside ☠️ This is the grave of Frank and Betsey Emery. Frank grew up in Lawrence, but Betsey was from Boxford. Her maiden name was Whittier, and while her family moved around from house to house quite a bit, she spent her early childhood on the very far side of town near the Bradford/North Andover line in houses that no longer exist. When she was probably about 6, her father built 50 Lake Shore Road, and she spent the rest of her childhood living there and attending school down the road at the intersection of Main Street and Lake Shore Road. #boxford #boxfordmass #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #cemetery #gravestone #cemeteries #HiddenHistory
Where is it Wednesday!
Where is it Wednesday!
Where is it Wednesday! This photo from the Document Center collection was taken in 1983. Bonus points if you know what was happening here! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #WhereIsItWednesday My latest project is cleaning up the Chadwick Shoe Shop, which is located behind the Holyoke-French House. The squirrels have been evicted, and you will be able to visit it next year! Here are a few photos of fun and weird details found inside. One w Thank you so much to everyone who came to the Mt. Vernon Cemetery walking tour yesterday! If you missed it, you can join us next Saturday, October 11, at 10:00am. RSVP by email to Boxforddocs@gmail.com or at https://www.boxfordhistory.org/events/even Did you miss the Holyoke-French house tour during the Apple Festival? We will have a regular schedule for tours this spring, but in the meantime I will be working at the newly renovated house on Fridays from 8-4. Email me at boxforddocs@gmail.com if Where is it Wednesday! This house hasn't changed a whole lot, can you guess it? #boxford ##boxfordma ##boxfordhistory ##boxfordmass #whereisitwednesday Okay this is a *true* where is it Wednesday! We've been working on identifying a batch of slides of Boxford houses that were taken in 1966, and we have no idea which house this is. Can you help? #boxfordhistory #boxford #boxfordma #boxfordmass #Wher Register for our Mt. Vernon Cemetery Walking Tour next month at www.boxfordhistory.org/events Excited for fall? The Boxford Apple Festival is THIS Saturday from 10-3 (rain date Sunday 9/21). Come enjoy food, drinks, vendors, and live music! A highlight this year will be free tours of the 1760 Holyoke-French house at 2 Topsfield Road, which ha Some big news in the Boxford history world! As some of you may know, I (Robin Siegel) have been working as the Director/Archivist at the Document Center for the past 6 years, but I've also now been working for the Boxford Historical Society since the Love love LOVE this photo that was just donated to our collection! It William Gemmell's milk delivery wagon with what we are guessing is a new paint job by Spofford's Carriage Paint Shop. The shop was in Groveland but it was owned by Frank Spofford o This is a letter Nellie Spofford wrote in backwards "mirror" script to her sister Mary in 1920. You would think she was about 12, but the sisters were actually 48 and 45! Nellie is writing with news from Boxford about their brother's recove Where is it Wednesday! The house is still standing at this interesection, so technically, this should be an easy one, but i think it is actually pretty hard! #boxfordhistory ##boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #WhereIsItWednesday Taking a break from harvesting apples at Morss farm on Lake Shore Road in the early 1900s. #boxfordmass #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxford #appleseason #applepicking These photographs were taken in 1964 as land was cleared for the "Mast Hill development," which is now Silvermine Road. This location was known as Mast Hill for the large trees that once grew here which were cut down and sold to the shipyar
Our "Boxford in Bloom" photograph exhibit at 10 Elm has come down and the prints are now available for sale! If you see one you like, please email boxforddocs@gmail.com and we can email an invoice and arrange for free in-town drop-off or sh
Yesterday, David Smallman donated this patch from the Boxford Firemen's Muster Team. After 3 years of consecutive wins, the trophy was retired and kept by the winning team. The Boxford Fire Department still has the trophy won in 1975! #Boxford #box August 1933 - back when dads did their yardwork in collared shirts and ties. You stay classy, Boxford! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #boxford #stayclassy @ingaldsby_farm Thanks to Holly Lee for letting me scan this and whole pile of 1970s Spofford yearbooks! #boxfordhistory #boxfordma #boxfordmass #1970s #classphoto Spofford Pond School This is my favorite grave in Brookside Cemetery. It is very hidden, go visit and see if you can find it! Don't get too close though, that is mostly poison ivy growing down the hillside ☠️ This is the grave of Frank and Betsey Emery. Frank grew up in Where is it Wednesday!

Contact Us

Have a question or want to learn more? Send us a message using one of the forms below:

For historical research inquiries and questions about educational programming, please contact the Boxford Historic Document Center:

boxforddocs@gmail.com
(978) 352-2733

To learn more about visiting Holyoke-French House or to inquire about participating in the Apple Festival as a vendor or volunteer, please contact the Boxford Historical Society:

boxfordapple@gmail.com