Curious about the Princeton Historical Society? So was I. I’ve lived in Princeton, MA since 2016 (about 20% of my life at this point), and I’m only now getting to know its historical society. In a recent impromptu conversation, Phil Salerni, PHS Membership Coordinator, said something that stuck with me: history can be lost in just one generation.
Think about that for a minute. It’s true. History can be lost in just one generation.
Say you’re tasked with cleaning out a family member’s home. There’s so much stuff, and what do you do with it all? A lot of people go straight for the dumpster. I get it. You can’t keep everything, and you probably don’t want to. But before the old photos, letters, and papers go, consider contacting the historical society. They may want to add something to their collection, or simply scan it and give it back to you. You might be holding a nugget they don’t already have documented. PHS has an online form for becoming a member, making a one-time donation, or offering an item or historical document, and they make it pretty easy.
Where to find the Princeton Historical Society
The Princeton Historical Society is based in the Anita Chapman Woodward Local History Room, a research room inside the Princeton Public Library at 2 Town Hall Drive. In 2019 they added a storage and work space at Post Office Place on Worcester Road. The Woodward Room is staffed by volunteers. Its current hours are Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and you can email princetonmahistory@gmail.com to set up an appointment for another time. Check the PHS website before you go, just in case you’re reading this far in the future.
Then & Now
PHS started Then & Now in 2020, during the pandemic, and it’s still going. It’s a monthly email to members and friends, and each one looks at a particular Princeton place, person, or event. If you have any interest in the town at all, the old stories and photos are a fascinating read. I’ve linked a few of my favorites at the bottom, and you can browse the full Then & Now library.
What membership supports
PHS is an all-volunteer organization. Membership helps them:
- Preserve and digitize historic collections, including photographs, postcards, maps, records, manuscripts, and other irreplaceable materials
- Maintain the Princeton House File, which helps residents research the history of their homes through photos, ownership records, and maps
- Support the Woodward Local History Room, online archives, exhibits, and educational programs
- Keep the Then & Now stories coming
- Record oral histories and family recollections before they disappear
A discarded photograph. A demolished building. A story no one wrote down. Once those pieces are gone, they may be gone for good.
As of this writing, only about 1% of Princeton residents are PHS members, and they’d like to change that. Membership is reasonably priced:
- Student/Senior (65+): $20
- Individual: $35
- Family: $50
- Friend: $80
- Patron: $150
- Benefactor: $500
I’m joining today. Become a member here and join me.
If you have more time and curiosity than money, PHS also welcomes volunteers willing to share their time, talents, and knowledge with staff and visitors. They also run an online shop with historical items and reproductions, and all proceeds go back to the society.
From the Then & Now series
- Mountain House, Grand View, and the Bowling Alley Tea House on Mountain Road
- Antique Auto Museum, Worcester Road
- “The Fire” by Ken Davis (originally published 1979)
- Famous Princeton Inventor: Daniel Davis Jr.
You can even watch recorded in-person and Zoom presentations from the comfort of your own home. Curious and want to know more? I sure am! There’s so much historical gold on the Princeton Historical Society website.
Photo of 26 Goodnow Road courtesy of the Princeton Historical Society. Read The Fire to learn more about this home.
