Keep Homestead Museum

Dairy Farming in Monson
2022-05-01 13:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
History, stories, and artifacts will be shared during an informal get-together with several members of the oldest dairy farm families in Monson.
The Keep Homestead Museum will present ”Dairy Farming in Monson“ on Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. in the barn. We will be visiting with some of the descendants of dairy farms past and present. At one time, Monson had twenty-seven (27) farms related to the dairy business. Today there is only one farm that is still producing milk.
In addition to a descendant of one of Monson’s oldest dairy farms that is still producing milk, descendants from other farms will relate the history of their farm as to how and when it was acquired, size of herd, milk routes, etc. For those farms whose descendants cannot be present, we will speak for them as their history was related to us. Additionally, the Museum will have on display several items used in the early milk operation and delivery business.
At one time, the Keep Homestead Museum property was a very prosperous dairy farm. Upon her death, Myra Keep Lovell Moulton donated all this property to the Town of Monson. The Museum is located at 35 Ely Road in Monson, Massachusetts. The house and gift shop will be open from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. for touring. Admission is free. Donations are accepted.

Open House
2022-05-01 13:00 - 15:30 | Keep Homestead Museum, 35 Ely Road, Monson, 01057, United States
Our Open Houses are the first Sunday of every month from 1:00–3:30 during the season. They are free and open to the public.

Friends of the Keep Homestead Museum Meeting
2022-04-03 15:30 - 16:00

Life Aboard a Whaling Ship with Anne Barrett
2022-04-03 13:30 - 14:30 | Keep Homestead Museum, 35 Ely Road, Monson, 01057, United States
Keep Museum Open Houses are the first Sunday of every month during the season from 1 – 3:30 pm and are open to the public free of charge.
Our first Open House kicks off with the “Life Aboard a Whaling Ship” performance featuring Anne Barrett with the story of Mary Lawrence, a whaling wife who sailed aboard the Addison.
Anne is an actress, historian, re-enactor and performer specializing in portraying women in history. In this performance as Mary Lawrence, she will bring forth the joys and tribulations of life at sea for three and a half years with her husband Captain Samuel Lawrence and their daughter Minnie.
Stay tuned for additional information.

December Keep Museum Holiday Sing-Along
2021-12-05 13:00 - 15:00 | Keep Homestead Museum, 35 Ely Road, Monson, 01057, United States
The public is invited to tour the Keep Homestead Museum at 35 Ely Road in Monson from 1:00–3:00 pm on Sunday, December 5 to enjoy special button exhibits and a Holiday Sing-along led by Gay Paluch, pianist, and Joe Wholley, flutist. Join voices to celebrate the holiday season and learn about the history of carols and seasonal songs. Discover the beauty of buttons hailing from around the world.
An exhibit entitled “Christmas Buttons” features several special collections of Myra Keep’s heirloom buttons. Superimposed on a music staff are black glass buttons, each one representing a note in the carol “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” Among the Bethlehem Mother of Pearl hand-carved shell buttons are an angel with spread wings, Madonna and child, and a delicate carving of Mary and Joseph en route to Bethlehem. Buttons in all shades of red and green and symbols of Christmas, including candles, holly, poinsettia, and wreaths, will delight those who explore the historic collection at the museum.
This festive afternoon at the Keep Homestead Museum is free of charge. Light refreshments will be served.

November Keep Museum Reopening & Open House
2021-11-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Keep Homestead Museum, 35 Ely Road, Monson, 01057, United States
We will celebrate our reopening with an open house on Sunday, November 7 from 1–3:00 pm. A new exhibit of Belle Epoque buttons is displayed with copies of original pen and ink drawings executed by Monson art teacher and button collector W. Louise Larson.
Very often the designs resemble work from the Art Nouveau Era (1890–1910) when interest in Egyptian design was inspired by the discovery of King Tut’s tomb.
Other new exhibits are glass buttons of various colors, designs and ages plus a display of Christmas-themed buttons.
We look forward to welcoming you once again to the museum!

Zoo on the Go
2021-10-03 13:30 - 14:30 | Keep Homestead Museum, 35 Ely Road, Monson, 01057, United States
Forest Park’s “Zoo on the Go” program is coming to the Keep Homestead Museum in Monson on Sunday, October 3, at 1:30 pm.
It is a FREE educational outreach program that will bring seven ambassador animals to the museum. Information will be provided on the animals’ special adaptions, habitats, behavior, diets, and status in the wild. A question and answer period will follow the presentation.
The program will be held on the lawn, weather permitting. Bring a blanket or chair for viewing. If there is inclement weather, it will take place in the barn.
Water will be available. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Hope to see you there!

Concert on the lawn featuring Livestock
2021-08-01 13:30 - 15:30 | Keep Homestead Museum, 35 Ely Road, Monson, 01057, United States
Livestock is a group who use traditional bluegrass instrumentation to interpret a somewhat wider musical collection, reaching out into blues, folk, country, and rock ‘n roll for their confirmed label of Bluegrass & Americana. The members often play in a number of other formats, as well as share the singing responsibilities. They use old-school ambient miking on stage, rather than mounted pickups, for a particularly natural wooden-instrument sound, to seem similar to their favorite settings, which are kitchens, barns, and porches. Their casual approach to a show makes them favorites in social settings like pubs, town commons, and the burgeoning music/microbrewery scene.
Members of the band include:

Jim Lamothe, Brimfield—Guitar player with Livestock and also local country favorites Radio Ranch.
Dave Richardson, Warren—Mandolin player and home improvement contractor, often collaborating with the bass player,
Chet Fairchild, Holland—Chet also plays bass for the progressive jazz string band Rhythm Junction and the Sturbridge hippie jam band Burnpile, where Dave Richardson also takes up his drumsticks.
John Cloutier—Resonator guitar player for Livestock. John spends his working days as a commercial artist at his Southbridge-based sign and screen printing shop, Globe Sign Co.

The band has the benefit of two excellent fiddlers, Remi Lamothe of the Jim Lamothe household, who is a student at Tufts University, and Rob Griffin of Belchertown, who works in educational publishing from the Amherst area. Both are solid improvisational fiddlers with strong early styles, and can really raise the roof on the occasional night when the band can wrangle them both for a show.
The concert will be held rain or shine as it can move into the barn. Bring a lawn chair or blanket—and a picnic lunch. Guests are asked to observe social distancing. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted. Refreshments will be served.
The audience will be surrounded by the Alan Robert Phillips Sculpture Garden. For more information, call 413-267-4137 or fill out our contact form.

Museum closed on July Fourth
2021-07-04

There are no events until further notice.
2021-04-04
