Tag Archives: Christmas

Holiday Open House

The Groton History Center invites all our neighbors, friends and first time visitors to the Holiday Open House at the Governor George Boutwell House on Sunday, December 11th, from 2-4 pm. We are so excited by the wonderful changes to this historic 1851 home. Rooms are painted in striking colors, new wallpaper has been hung, and period lighting and carpeting installed. The furniture has been restored and polished and along with our paintings, rearranged to make the house a new experience

This event will be our traditional Holiday Open House with homemade cookies and hot spiced cider. The Groton Garden Club will provide arrangements to enhance the beauty of the season. Music by Indian Hill students will be played as you stroll the rooms. See our antique sampler collection. Visit the President Ulysses S. Grant bedroom and Governor Boutwell’s office on the second floor, which has not been on view for several years.

The Groton History Center is so grateful to the volunteers, members and generous benefactors, who have made this renovation possible. Please stop by and see a part of Groton’s history in living color.

Clara Silverstein speaks about "Ginger to Jello: an Unexpected Christmas History" in a December 2015 program.

Ginger to Jello: an Unexpected Christmas History

On December 1, the Groton Historical Society welcomed sixty people to the beautiful Boutwell House for a program about the history of Christmas celebrations through popular foods of the 1770’s, 1850’s and 1930’s thanks to the Groton Commissioners of Trust Funds.

The presenter, Clara Silverstein, is the Community Engagement Manager for Historic Newton and a former food writer at the Boston Herald. She has published three cookbooks, including The New England Soup Factory. Clara blogs about historic recipes at heritagerecipes.com.

Participants were treated to samples of Sarah Boutwell’s Cider cake and hot cider prepared by Bobbie Spieglman, President of GHS, Bonnie Carter and Liz Strachan. The Boutwell House was decorated with festive greens, fruit, popcorn and cookies. These were provided by Penny Hommeyer, Lynne Kavanaugh and Linda Andelman. Outdoor planters were decorated by Ann White and Laura Semple. The Woman’s Club provided a decorative swag for the front door and the Nashoba Board of Trade donated poinsettias. Special recognition goes to the GHS program committee members, who did the prep work to bring this program to Groton, Nancy Barringer and Judith Adams.

3 Centuries of Holiday Celebrations in New England from John Ellenberger on Vimeo.