The History of the Masons and Eastern Star in Williamstown

On Saturday, March 25th, 2016 at the Williams Masonic Lodge a lecture about the history of the Masons and Easter Star was presented. Attendees questions were answered by members of these storied organizations. View the lecture here:Masons and Eastern Star Lecture

The lecturers included:

Martha J Stohlmann

Martha was encouraged to join the Rainbow Assembly in North Adams as a young girl. She became a Past Worth Advisor and received the Grand Cross of Colors from the Grand Assembly. She became Worthy Matron of Franklin Chapter and also of Naomi Chapter. In 1996 Martha was chosen to be Grand Esther of the Grand Chapter of Mass., and in 2007 was chosen to be a Deputy Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter.

Worshipful Sir Knight Eric Chenaille

Eric has been a mason for almost nine years. He is a 32^nd degree of the Knights Templar of Bennington, VT. Eric is currently the Master of Williams Lodge, serving in his fourth consecutive year. He is a Dad advisor in Demoly and was Chapter Advisor for four years. Eric is also the Membership Chairman for the 30^th Masonic District of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.

Right Worshipful Craig A. Pedercini

Chief Pedercini has been a Mason for 14 years. Craig is a Past Master of Williams Lodge (2011 and 2012). He is currently serving as the District Deputy Grand Master for the 30^th Masonic District of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. Craig is a Shriner with the Melha of Springfield and the Berkshire Shriners. He is also the Fire Chief for the Williamstown Fire District.

Join the 2017 WHM Capital Campaign!

We invite you to join the

2017 WHM Capital Campaign

to support our move to the

South Center School!

Click here to donate today!

In 1994 the Williamstown Historical Museum (at that time The House of Local History) was designated “the official custodian of town artifacts” at a Special Town Meeting. In order to continue to fulfill this mission, the Museum is now taking an important step. Grateful to have been housed in the town library since our inception in 1941, now that our lease is not renewable we will occupy our own space at the South Center School building (most recently The Little Red Schoolhouse) in South Williamstown.

This move will allow us to maximize our effectiveness in protecting and promoting the history of the Williamstown area. Our five primary activities are:

Maintaining, conserving and cataloging the valuable materials in our collection
Presenting permanent and changing exhibitions
Developing and sponsoring free public programs
Welcoming additional historic artifacts and documents from the town and townspeople
Facilitating and carrying out research

The Museum has leased the premises for 50 years from the town, and in order to prepare the building for occupancy both the town and the Museum have been making numerous improvements. We are securing the building envelope and installing energy efficient climate control and a high-quality security system. Aesthetic improvements are being made, including painting, flooring, and window treatments. Other changes will involve creating permanent exhibit space and making improvements that will enhance our temporary exhibits, children’s and research facilities.

We estimate our share of the cost of all renovations to be roughly $75,000. In an early phase of our campaign we have reached more than half our goal. We ask your help now to complete the task. Your generous one-time support (beyond a normal membership contribution) will assure a long-term, museum-quality environment for preserving our town’s history. We look forward to welcoming you to our new space at the Grand Opening in June, 2017. If you have questions or would like to tour the renovation site, please contact us at 413-458-2160 or info@williamstownhistoricalmuseum.org.

You can contribute online to the Williamstown Historical Museum’s 2017 Capital Campaign by clicking here: Donate!

Checks may be sent to:
Williamstown Historical Museum
32 New Ashford Road
Williamstown, MA 01267

Thank you for your support!

We are moving ahead to our new location at the South Center School at 32 New Ashford Road!

We are moving ahead!

We are so very grateful for your membership, friendship, and support while we enter a new phase of growth. Starting in January, we will be closed at our Milne Library location at 1095 Main Street in order to move to our new location at the South Center School, located at 32 New Ashford Road. We are excited about our move and look forward to being a vibrant history center for the entire community to enjoy for years to come. We invite you to make an appointment to visit the WHM at our Milne Library location over the next several weeks to get a final look at our current galleries and research area. Our phased move will take several months. Our collection will move first, followed by our research room and office areas, and our permanent exhibit will be moved last. You are invited to call or email during during our move to make an appointment to use our research materials or visit before the exhibit is moved. In the spring we will officially open at our new location, though you may drop by earlier or make an appointment to look around as we move in and organize ourselves.

As we are proceeding with the renovations at South Center School, we have also begun to raise funds for the project and are making good progress toward our $75,000 goal. We will launch our campaign to our general membership and other townspeople very soon. If you would would like to make a donation now, please contact our office at 413-458-2160 or go to our donations webpage by following this link https://www.williamstownhistoricalmuseum.org/membership-2/join-us/.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

South Center School Class, 1907-1908, Teacher: E. Belle Smith