Events

2026 CALENDAR of EVENTS

All events are open to the public.

  

CURATOR’S CHOICE DAY

September 19th | 10:00am-1:30pm

FREE ADMISSION

The Governor Bellingham-Cary House and the Massachusetts Bay Company

The construction of the Governor Bellingham-Cary House was started when the Massachusetts Bay Company was the governing force in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the area between what are now Boston and Salem. The Governor Bellingham-Cary house is now considered to be an important link to the Massachusetts Bay Company, which promoted and facilitated the colonialization of this area and set the stage for what was to come.  What did this mean for the people whose lives were affected under the company charter?  A few profited financially, some enjoyed the freedom to practice their religion, while many suffered great losses of freedom, religion, land, lives and people. 

On September 19, there will be 3 presentations and a short video that focus on some of the history of the Governor Bellingham-Cary House and the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the time of the Massachusetts Bay Company, and ways in which this history led to events and attitudes over the following centuries, up until today.  Presentations and presenters are listed below. 

10:00am – House Doors Open

10:30am – Introduction – Janet Sartor, Vice President, GBCH

10:45am- A 1659 Hunting Lodge Looking like a Georgian Mansion, followed by A Tour of the Bellingham Cary House – Lee Farrington, Trustee, GBCH

11:30am – The Unseen House-an Intimate Portrait of Rooms Not Offered on Tour – Jordan Hoban, Curator, GBCH  (Includes a break and informal video viewing)

12:00pm- Bound but Unbroken: The Lives, Resistance, and Resilience of Enslaved People in the Massachusetts Bay Colony – Stacey Smith, Member of the Chelsea Black Community, fifth generation Chelsea resident

12:30pm – Out-of-Sight but Not Forgotten: Colonists’ Attempts to Subjugate Native American Peoples – Janet Sartor, Vice President, GBCH

1:00pm – Questions and Discussion

October 31 : Trick or Treat at the GBCH

December 3 : Holiday Open House and Cookie Swap

May 17: 1 pm–Explore Chelsea’s Revolutionary Past with Historian Jeff Pearlman

This engaging talk explores Chelsea’s Revolutionary past through the Rumney Marsh Burial Ground. In conjunction with the 251st anniversary of the Battle of Chelsea Creek and Memorial Day, this talk explores how this historic cemetery—once part of Chelsea—preserves the stories of those who lived through the Revolution and the Cary family who helped shape the community afterward.   Through the lens of this burial ground, the program traces the wartime experience, the return of families like the Carys after the Revolution, and the growth of the community they helped shape. It shares the stories of those who lived through the Revolution and the Cary family who helped shape the community afterward.

Presented by Jeff Pearlman.  Jeff Pearlman is a historian based in Revere, Massachusetts, and a member of the Revere Society for Cultural and Historical Preservation and the Colonial Society of Massachusetts. He serves as historian for the Rumney Marsh Burial Ground Restoration Committee, where he works to preserve and interpret one of the region’s most significant historic cemeteries.

Mr. Pearlman is currently an adjunct professor at Salem State University and previously taught in the Revere public schools for 36 years. Through his research and public engagement, he brings to life the layered histories of local communities and their connections to the broader American story.  

April 11: 11am-3pm– Curator’s Open House and Drop in to Draw!

We will be open to the public for a look inside of the house. Take a self-guided tour of the first floor, pick up some of our drawing materials for anyone who would like to sit and draw any of the furnishings, architectural details or you can choose to draw a still life composed of objects from the collection, which will be arranged for drawing.

Meet our curator, Janet Sartor who will be there to answer questions about the house and our first curatorial intern, Jordan Hoban, who will be happy to show you how to use the drawing materials, or talk about their experience as an intern at the house.

You don’t have to draw; you can just look around if you prefer.  Feel free to bring your favorite art materials you would like to use, such as watercolors or pastels. You may also take photographs, but please be mindful of people who are drawing. 

Kindly refrain from bringing or using permanent markers, sprays of any kind, or oil paints, which can damage the house or collections. 

May 17 : Explore Chelsea’s Revolutionary Past with Historian Jeff Pearlman Chelsea Creek Commemoration

June 4 : GBCH Annual Meeting – 6 pm

June 19 : Juneteenth Celebration (In Washington Park, Prattville)

September 13 : High Tea at the GBCH

September 19 : Curator’s Choice Day ( Details to follow)

October 31 : Trick or Treat at the GBCH

November 4 : Spirit Speaks! A Night of Mediumship

December 3 : Holiday Open House and Cookie Swap