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Hingham 375th Anniversary Committee

Committees: Hingham 375th Anniversary Committee

375th Anniversary Yearbook

Opening Reception
September 13, 2009

Hingham’s year-long celebration of the 375th anniversary of the town’s founding got under way on Sunday, September 13, with an opening reception and garden party at the Old Ordinary. The party was a day late, having been postponed from Saturday due to inclement weather, but more than 200 local citizens turned up to enjoy refreshments provided by members of the 375th Anniversary Committee, to hear welcoming remarks by local dignitaries and to enjoy period music played by the Bartholomew, Waynen & Cappers folk trio.

Relaxing following their participation the Hingham Historical Society's "vintage" baseball game on Sunday Are (left to right) Glenn "Crazy Legs" Vinton, Dave "Babe" Green, Dana "Salt" Baxter and "Pistol" Pete Dickason	The Bartholomew, Waynen & Cappers folk trio performing period music from four centuries at Sunday's garden party
Photos courtesy of Ralph Granata .Visit Ralph’s website or write rgranata@mac.com if you would like reprints of any of these photos.

Golf and Tennis Tournament
September 18th and 19th, 2009

Congratulations to the winners of the 375th Anniversary Golf and Tennis Tournaments held at the South Shore Country Club.

Team Hersey Farm, winners of the 375th Anniversary Golf Tournament at South Shore Country Club: Sean Parnell, Bill Harkins ,Danny Ciccolo,and Al Parnell (photo by Susan Haley)	Tennis tournament winners John Loupos & Paul Kormann, of Hull and Braintree respectively, shown with Paul and Alicia Stansbury of Hingham and 375th Tennis Tournament director, volunteer Bill Litwin of Hingham (photo by Susan Haley)

Celebration tour of historic Hingham Cemetery
October 3, 2009

Lucinda Day led a “Celebration tour” of historic Hingham Cemetery

Madam Derby
October 3, 2009

Derby Academy hosted a one-woman play by Donna Milani Luther portraying the life of Madam Sarah Derby, who founded the school in Hingham in 1784. Derby is the oldest coeducational educational institution in New England and one of the first to be established in America.

Colonial Times at Derby Street
October 17, 2009

The Derby Street Shoppes hosted “Colonial Times at Derby Street,” a colonial harvest market featuring hay rides, a petting zoo and costumed re-enactors portraying important people from Hingham’s past.

Characters from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries took part in “Colonial Times at Derby Street”.	A petting zoo was provided by Penniman Hill Farm	Children (of all ages!) enjoyed the hay ride at the Derby Street Shoppes colonial market day.

Service at St. John the Evangelist
November 8, 2009

As its contribution to the 375th anniversary year, the Parish of St. John the Evangelist held a special service of thanksgiving, recreating the commemorative service held at the Washington National Cathedral at the end of World War I in 1918.

The service at St. John’s Church commemorated the end of World War I in 1918.	Congregants fill the sanctuary of St. John’s Church for the special commemorative service of thanksgiving.

Gala Costume Ball
November 14, 2009

A Gala Costume Ball was held at the Old Ship Parish House with period music, dancing demonstration and instruction and a grand march led by personalities from Hingham’s colonial past.

The members of the Hingham Militia provide “security” at the 375th Gala ball.	The Old Ship parish house provides the setting for the 375th anniversary Gala ball.
Photos courtesy of Ralph Granata .Visit Ralph’s website or write rgranata@mac.com if you would like reprints of any of these photos.

Early American Gravestone Carvings
December 5, 2009

Professor Vincent Luti of UMass-Dartmouth gave a lecture at the Hingham Public Library on early American gravestone carvings. Professor Luti has written books and articles on the subject and is closely connected to the Association of Gravestone Studies. The lecture was funded by the Hingham Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Lincoln Day
February 6, 2010

The traditional Lincoln Day observances featured a talk at Old Ship Church, preceded by gun salutes in Hingham Cemetery at the graves of Benjamin Lincoln and Governor John A. Andrew. After the talk, there was a military procession to Fountain Square to lay wreaths and fire a salute at the Abraham Lincoln statue and the Benjamin Lincoln stone marker. A reception Old Derby sponsored by the Hingham Community Center followed.

Honor guard fires salutes to Abraham and Benjamin Lincoln on Lincoln Street with the New North Church in the background.	Military color guard forming on Main Street for the march to Fountain Square and the Lincoln statue and marker.
Riflemen of the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteers fire a salute in Hingham Cemetery.	The annual Lincoln Day talk was given to a large audience in Hingham’s historic Old Ship Church.
Photos courtesy of Ralph Granata .Visit Ralph’s website or write rgranata@mac.com if you would like reprints of any of these photos.

Conquer the Quest
Spring 2010

Larry Corthell, general manager of Noble's Camera Shop on Main Street, presents a Noble's gift certificate to Lucy Nash of Hingham. Lucy's winning ticket was drawn from among the entries submitted by those who completed the Hingham 375th Anniversary Quest during March. Anyone who successfully completes the historical Quests may enter monthly drawings for a Noble's gift certificate now through the end of June, 2010.   The Quest will continue through June

Aidan Costello (center) and his brother, Brendan (right), purchase 375th Anniversary Quest booklets from Larry Corthell, general manager at Noble’s Camera Shop, 29 Main St. The Quest is a fun, informative booklet of maps, photos and text for two self-guided historical tours that enable families and individuals to discover 19th-century Hingham. Quest booklets are $5.00 and may be purchased at Noble’s, the Hingham Public Library, the Hingham Historical gift shop at Old Derby and at 375th commemorative sales locations.

Religious Timeline Display
April 2010

375th Committee member Debbie Ludwig organized a month-long exhibit by the Hingham-Hull Religious Leaders Association featuring a timeline of the town's many houses of worship.	The timeline, depicting Hingham houses of worship both as they looked in the past and as they look today, was on display in the Hingham Public Library throughout April 2010.

Melville Gardens Lecture
April 18, 2010

Hingham 375th Committee member Irene Kane presented an illustrated lecture on Melville Gardens, Hingham's grand Victorian amusement park once located on Crow Point, to a large audience at the Public Library.	Appropriately attired for the job, Ed Bartholomew acted as barker and ticket taker for the Melville Gardens lecture.

Phil Swanson Photo Retrospective
May 2010

The 375th Committee and the family of the late Philip Swanson sponsored a retrospective exhibit at the Hingham Public Library of Mr. Swanson's distinctive photographs of Hingham scenes, capturing the history and natural beauty of the town in the second half of the 20th century.

Frederick Douglass weekend
May 1-2, 2010

The famed Abolitionist Frederick Douglass came to Hingham many times for anti-slavery rallies in the 1830’s and 1840’s. In May 2010, he returned to Hingham in the person of Michael E. Crutcher, Sr., a renowned Douglass interpreter from Kentucky.	Following a talk at First Baptist Church, where Douglass once spoke, citizens joined Mr. Douglass for a “March for Freedom” that took them to the grave of Gov. John A. Andrew in Hingham Cemetery. Andrew established the famous 54th Massachusetts Regiment of free African-American soldiers, in which two of Douglass’s sons served.
Mr. Douglass addressed those attending a 19th-century church supper at New North Church. New North underwrote the Frederick Douglass weekend as its contribution to the 375th celebration with additional funding from the Hingham Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.	The capstone of the weekend was Michael Crutcher’s presentation of “The Spirit of Frederick Douglass” at New North Church.
Photo Credits: Tom Bright

Civil War Encampment
June 26, 2010

Re-enactors of the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry drilled near the Civil War monument in Hingham Cemetery at a Civil War encampment sponsored by the 375th Anniversary Committee and funded in part by grants from the Hingham and Norwell Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.	The regiment, under the command of Capt. Patrick Browne, fired a salute in honor of Peter Ourish, Hingham’s youngest Union soldier who died of wounds sustained in battle.
Re-enactors pitched tents on the lawn of the Old Ship Church and gave demonstrations of Civil War weapons, medical equipment and everyday camp life.	The horses of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry regiment were the object of considerable interest for the hundreds of area residents who came to see the encampment.

Hingham Fourth of July Parade
July, 4, 2010

The 2010 Independence Day parade celebrated the town’s 375th Anniversary. Here, the 375th Committee’s own float – a giant birthday cake – rolls through Hingham Square.	Volunteers assembled the big cake, which was decorated with vintage scenes of Hingham painted by residents of Linden Ponds.
Photo credits: Debbie Ludwig

Student Art Displays At the Library
Throughout the celebration year, student artwork inspired by the 375th anniversary was on display at the Hingham Public Library. Most of the schools in town, from kindergarten through high school, took part in the ongoing exhibition.

Hingham's 375th Anniversary Closing Event – An Old-Fashioned Picnic at the Harbor
Saturday, September 11, 2010

The Bare Cove Fire Museum was on hand with one of its vintage fire trucks.	The Satuit Band and the Rusty Skippers Band provided lively music at the gazebo.
The 375th cake – the 375th Committee's float in the 4th of July parade – was brought back for the celebration's finale. The historic Hingham scenes on the float were painted by residents of Linden Ponds.	There were games for children and free giveaway for all at the 375th sponsors table.
The 375th sign was illuminated at dusk.	Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Hingham and Hull were kept busy cooking burgers and hot dogs for hundreds of picnickers.
As night fell, the Hingham Police and Fire color guard led a dignified ceremony commemorating all who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

October 29, 2010
The 375th Committee and town officials gathered on the lawn of the Hingham Public Library on East Street to seal a 500-gallon time capsule after filling it with photos, records and memorabilia from the 375th anniversary celebration. In 25 years, the time capsule will be opened in preparation for the town's 400th anniversary along with a neighboring capsule buried at the 350th observances in 1985.

375th Committee member Robin Stuart-Tilley climbed into the capsule to fill it with the carefully preserved records from 2009-2010.
Hingham Selectmen Bruce Rabuffo and John Riley tightened the last bolts before the 375th time capsule was covered over. Its location is noted on the library lawn by a vertical granite marker.	Photo by Robin Chan, Hingham Journal

See more photos in the Image Gallery