Mission
The mission of the Winchester Historical Society is to promote an awareness of Winchester’s rich history and share it with the community. The Society achieves its mission by collecting and preserving historic records and artifacts related to Winchester; by its educational programs, exhibitions, and publications; and through its stewardship of the Sanborn Historical and Cultural Center, which serves as the home for the Society and is open to the community for exhibits, meetings, and events.
The Winchester Historical Society is a volunteer organization of over 200 members working to promote an awareness of Winchester’s rich history and culture. Founded in 1933 as successor to the Winchester Historical and Genealogical Society which flourished from 1884 to 1898, the Society is one of the oldest historical organizations in New England. It is incorporated as 501 (c) 3 nonprofit and contributions are tax deductible.
About the Society: Officers and Directors
Officers
Board of Directors
-Electra Govoni
Vice President/Facilities:
-Susan Turpin
Secretary/Clerk:
-Linda Doucette
Treasurer:
-Erni Ravanis
Past President:
Tom Sevigny
Fund Raising:
-Ron Latansion
Facilities:
-Bill Swanton
Legacy Winchester:
-Joyce Westner
Programs:
-Hilda Wong-Doo
About the Society: Hours and Directions
Hours
The Sanborn House is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to 12 pm and by appointment.
You can also contact us online, or leave a message at (781) 721-0135.
Directions
About the Society: Pledge to Support Racial Equality
Dear Winchester Historical Society Members and Friends,
To quote Martin Luther King Jr, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
As the Board of Directors for the Winchester Historical Society, we pledge to support racial equality. We will not be silent.
Our commitment to diversity, inclusion and racial equality is not new. In the last couple of years, we have presented a broad range of topics highlighting the history of Blacks, Asians, Indigenous People, and the Suffragette Movement. These programs have been a result of both independent as well as joint efforts with organizations across our town such as the Network of Social Justice, the League of Women Voters, Winchester Archives and the Friends of Winchester Public Library. Since our founding in 1884, the Society has collected the papers, photographs, and artifacts that document the history of Winchester, from stone tools of the Massachusett tribe to historic textiles. We work with the Archival Center to collect photographs and papers through community programs like the Winchester Mass Memories Road Show and the Winchester during COVID project. With these programs and our collections, we seek to inform, educate and encourage meaningful interactions while preserving a historic collection of our community.
Today, more than ever, we need to learn about our history through a diverse lens. Discussions on racial equity are not always comfortable. We cannot change our past but we can use it to be better allies, to shift from allies to anti-racists, and to become a better community. As William Wordsworth so eloquently wrote – “Let us learn from the past to profit by the present and from the present, to live better in the future.” – for everyone.
We commit to our continued emphasis on diverse programming both independently and in conjunction with partners across our community.
We also commit to dialogue with you – our members. Attendees of our programs are always ready with insightful questions. As we adjust to a COVID-safe online format, we need to find new ways to enable our continued conversations. Join us in this important ever evolving dialogue and help us build a better future for our children and beyond.
Together we can make a difference.
Winchester Historical Society Board of Directors