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WESTFORD — The Westford Historical Society will be hosting the Wild Women of Westford, an Evening of Storytelling and Wine Pairing on Friday August 26, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. This fundraiser will be held at the Westford Museum, 2 Boston Rd, Westford MA.
Every woman has a story to tell and gifts to share with the world. Since 1971, Women’s Equality Day is celebrated every August 26. It commemorates the passage of women’s suffrage in the U.S. and reminds us of the hurdles overcome by these heroic women.
To honor this day, the Westford Historical society would like to remember some of Westford’s heroic women from the past, who despite many difficulties, followed their own path through life.
The first woman we are featuring is May Balch, a native of Westford and an artist. Her talent and enthusiasm for art was put to good use in Westford, as she provided various costumes and wondrous works of writing regarding the first parish church of our town.
At the mere age of nine, Sally Carver entered Westford Academy, making her the youngest child to attend. Sally, an intelligent young girl, later received an award from her teacher, which was a book, “Entertaining Histories”, that we hold within the museum.
The next woman we will be discussing is Olive Prescott, who is most known for creating beautiful textiles, out of wool, linen, and cotton. Prescott’s textiles were so beautiful that they won the first-place prize at the Middlesex County Agricultural Fair in 1824.
Our final notable woman is Marian Francis Winnek, great granddaughter of J.V. Fletcher. After earning her master’s in arts, Marian stayed in an artist colony in Santa Fe, NM, where she wrote Juniper Hall, centering around her family summers in Westford. She later moved back to Westford and lived here until her death.
Through the voices of our program presenters, members of the Westford Historical Society and Museum, Beth Bellemore, Researcher, Leslie Howard, President, Penny Lacroix, Former Director, and Denise Vuilleumier, Treasurer, you’ll be able to hear how the lives of our “Wild Women of Westford” have made a difference in our town and world today, while also enjoying samplings of wines from Aaronap Cellars paired with chocolates and cheeses from Sweet Lydia’s. (non-alcoholic drinks will be provided).
We will also be honoring Penny Lacroix, Former Director of the Westford Museum and a present day “Wild” Westford Woman who has contributed much in preserving the history of our town today.
Tickets are $45 for Non-Members and $30 for WHS Members. No tickets will be sold at the door. You can purchase tickets on the Westford Historical Society’s website (https://museum.westford.org/
The mission of the Westford Historical Society is to promote the understanding and appreciation of Westford’s unique history to the community. By providing programming that features aspects of the daily lives, activities and achievements of Westford residents, we strive to expand and enrich understanding of how our town continues to evolve. We foster an environment of teaching and learning that strengthens our sense of community. We will collect, preserve and exhibit documents, photographs, objects and sites historically significant to Westford, and encourage outside efforts to do the same.
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