When Framingham’s Molly Evans headed down route 84 toward Hartford in her station wagon several years ago, she figured her wagon would be full of plants upon her return home. Instead, after a side trip to see her cousins, it held the large, completely furnished, hand-crafted Victorian doll house she had played with as a child.

Years and many memories ago, Molly’s parents commissioned a carpenter to make the doll house for her. After Molly grew up, it changed hands within the family, and for a time was in the collection at the Connecticut Historical Society, before finally ending up at a garage sale at her cousins house the day Molly dropped in. Fortunately, it hadn’t sold. Molly made a quick call to the Framingham Historical Society curator who assured her that indeed the society would love the doll house. Another gift made it’s way to the Framingham’s Historical Society Museum.

During the holiday season, giving assumes a major role. For a historical society, however, major gifts can come at any time of year. Roger Heinen, long time volunteer for the society, states that “In reality, the society only has what people have given to it.” Framingham’s Historical Society may just be the only organization in town that defines itself exclusively by the gifts that it has been given.

One of the first actions of the newly formed society in 1888 was to “receive the case in the Selectman’s room at Framingham Centre.” As a group, our selectmen probably aren’t handing out many holiday gifts this year, but their first one, to the historical society in 1888, started a trend. One hundred ten years later, the three floors of the Old Academy on the common with additional space in Old Edgell Library, burst with gifts in what can accurately be described as Framingham’s attic. Long time volunteer curator Bonnie Bryant said that because the society has not moved since 1916, it has retained treasures that might have been lost otherwise.

Gifts come from far and wide and are usually a surprise. Long time volunteer Jemie Miceli recalled the day that a gentleman came in clutching a rolled up map which turned out to be an early original 1800’s map of South Framingham - one that the society did not have. From Wallace Nutting furniture and photos, to Dennison memorabilia, the gifts keep coming - and not just for the holidays. One of the most exciting gifts, Jemie shared, were early trade union papers written by women who worked in a Lowell textile factory. Recognizing that these papers were a significant find, but did not necessarily belong in Framingham, they were in turn gifted to the museum which would treasure them most - the Museum of American Textile History in Lowell. Steve Herring, town historian, added that the society often gives artifacts to other museums or historical societies when these placements seem more appropriate.

Society volunteer Ralph Maish’s favorite gift was given by Miss Partridge, a relative of Josiah Temple, Framingham historian and author of the 1887 book “History of Framingham.” She gave Temple’s own personal copy of the book with all his notes intact. A recent gift from an Ashland woman included a book case with records kept by Framingham’s first Town Clerk.

Volunteer Bruce Brown shares that several years ago, notice came of an auction in a private home off Maple Street featuring Shaker items and colonial artifacts - among them Framingham resident Moses Edgell’s fire bucket. Dealers came from far and wide. Bruce had instructions to bid on the bucket, but the bidding quickly surpassed his pre-determined budget. A dealer walked away with the fire bucket, only to face eager society members Lorna Johnson, Penny Wortham, and others who asked just what price would make him sell the bucket to the society. A price was agreed upon; Lorna Johnson made the purchase; and later, a fund raiser was held to “Save the Bucket.” This bucket is one of the few purchased gifts that society members have given to eachother.

Before the R. H. Long Company made cars and became a dealership, it made shoes in it’s Fountain Street factory under the name of Waldorf shoes. The historical society owns a shoe box but not one pair of Waldorf shoes. Check your attic, Framingham residents, your old pair of shoes just might make Bonnie Bryant’s day!

Volunteers are urgently needed to interview seniors for our Oral History Project. A training session will be held on January 9, 1999 from 10am to 12 noon. Volunteers are also needed to be interviewed about their memories of Framingham in the 20’s and 30’s. Call Anita at 875-2072 to register. Through the We Are History Project , we hope to fill the society archives with stories from Framingham’s neighborhoods - A Common View of the past.

The Framingham Historical Society Museum is in the Old Academy at the corner of Vernon and Grove Streets. Hours are Wednesday, Thursday 10am to 4pm, and Saturday 10am to 1pm. Donation $2, under 12 FREE. (508-872-3780)