Saturday, April 18, 4:00 pm -THE KENRICK NURSERIES AND AMERICA’S ROMANCE WITH THE ENGLISH GARDEN

At the beginning of the modern garden industry in the 1890s, mass advertising, faster printing, national magazines, and free rural mail delivery made it possible to publish seed and nursery catalogs and send them across the country. The catalogs encouraged the romantic English garden style in essays, illustrations, and ads. Come listen as Tom Mickey, author of America’s Romance with the English Garden, describes the principal elements of that English garden, why it grabbed the imagination of Americans from California to Maine, and the role that nurseries like the Kenricks’ (one of the largest in New England) played in supplying the craze. At the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue. Free.

Wednesday, April 22, 2:00 pm – WEAVING WORKSHOP
A Vacation Week Family Program
Have you ever wondered how people made cloth at home before store-bought cloth was available? Want to try weaving your own cloth? Join Beth Guertin, a weaver and teacher of weaving for over twenty-five years, in this hands-on workshop. Watch a demonstration of loom-weaving techniques, and then give it a try yourself! Cost: $25 per family ($20 for members) includes museum admission and materials. Prepaid registration is required, limit 25; call 617-796-1450 to register. At the Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street.

Sunday, April 26, Noon-4:00 pm – NEWTON SERVES–HISTORIC BURYING GROUNDS CLEAN-UP
Join community members in Newton’s day of service by cleaning up Newton’s historic Burying Grounds. Register online to volunteer at East Parish, West Parish, or South Burying Ground.

Thursday, April 30, 7:00 pm – A CITY OF VILLAGES–THE 2015 NEWTON HISTORY SERIES
The Village of Waban and Albert Angier’s Changing World
A memorial plaque honoring World War I soldier Albert Edgar Angier at the school named in his honor opened a door into Waban history for Ann O’Halloran and Lauren Comando. Join them in tracing this unique village’s history through the lens provided by this resident and his life. Co-Sponsored by Historic Newton and the Newton Free Library. At the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street. Free.

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS AT…
DURANT-KENRICK HOUSE AND GROUNDS:
Not your typical historic house! Step back in time with fun games, multimedia and audio programs, hands-on activities, and 100-year-old specimen trees. Gain insight into today’s issues of equality, sustainability, politics and protest.

Built in 1734, the site explores the lives and contributions of three families over three centuries. The Durant story investigates colonial life and the events leading up to the American Revolution. The Kenricks were leaders in the horticultural revolution in the nineteenth century. And the Dewings were pioneers in historic preservation. The tranquil grounds showcase remnants from the Kenrick’s booming 19th-century nursery, which introduced fruit and ornamental tree varieties still enjoyed today.

The Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds is open noon to 4:00 pm Wednesday through Friday, and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday and Sunday. If you need special assistance, please call 617-641-9142.

JACKSON HOMESTEAD AND MUSEUM:
Confronting Our Legacy: Slavery and Antislavery in the North: Learn about colonial slavery, the Underground Railroad, and local abolitionists in our three-dimensional learning center with hands-on activities.

An Architect Ahead of Her Time: Annie Cobb (1830-1911): Starting in the 1870s, Annie Cobb built 16 homes in Newton Highlands and exhibited at the World’s Fair of 1893 in Chicago. She was arguably the first woman architect in America, and she succeeded in fashioning a career for herself in the male world of building in a time when women’s work was mainly limited to the home.

Newton and the Civil War: In celebration of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, Historic Newton features a changing exhibit showcasing Newton residents in the Civil War. Also be sure to visit our Women’s Fashions of the Civil War Era exhibit.

Peeking into Newton’s Toy Chest: The values and lessons toys teach us, as shown by the Historic Newton collection, are explored in this exhibit. Children’s attractions include hands-on toys and a model train.

The Jackson Homestead: The First 200 Years: The Jackson Homestead has changed greatly over its lifespan as it has adapted to the times and its residents. Discover these changes throughout the house, and learn more about how the house was built, used, and altered.

Newton Salutes! Newton’s Historic Burying Grounds
Newton’s three historic burying grounds contain some of the finest examples of early American gravestone art-slate and marble monuments embellished with skulls, cherubs, urns, willows, and other motifs of mourning in an irreplaceable outdoor “gallery.” Come see some examples of these 18th century art pieces in our indoor gallery, and learn about our efforts to restore these historic spaces.

The Newton History Gallery: Featuring tools, furniture, clothing, and toys that illustrate the Newton of the past.

The Jackson Homestead and Museum is open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Tuesday through Friday, and Noon to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday. If you need special assistance, please call 617-796-1450.