WORKSHOP

Historical Sewing Workshop

2:00pm – 5:00pm · Buttonwoods Museum

Price · $12

Step into the world of eighteenth-century dressmaking through the stitches that shaped it.

Drawing on years of research, garment reproduction, and museum work, costume historian and dressmaker Carrie Midura will introduce participants to the traditional hand-sewing techniques used by dressmakers during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Through demonstrations and guided practice, students will learn several essential period stitches while gaining insight into how historic garments were constructed before the invention of the sewing machine.

Held at Buttonwoods Museum in Haverhill, Massachusetts, this workshop complements the museum’s recent recreation of an eighteenth-century gown. Participants will explore the craftsmanship behind garments like this while practicing the same types of stitches found in original clothing.

Whether you are interested in historical costuming, museum collections, or simply developing fine hand-sewing skills, this workshop offers a practical introduction to the techniques that formed the foundation of dressmaking for generations. No prior sewing experience is required.

DEMONSTRATION

Hearth Cooking Demonstration

10:00am – 4:00pm · John Ward House

Price · Free

Step back in time and experience the sights, smells, and flavors of colonial cooking! Join us for a drop-in Hearth Cooking Demonstration at the Historic John Ward House, where the past comes alive around an open fire. This demonstration brings traditional hearth cooking techniques out of the history books and into the fireplace. Watch as period-appropriate recipes are prepared using the tools and methods that households relied on for centuries!

Trails and Sails website: HERE

LECTURE

Haunted Essex County

7:00pm – 8:30pm · Visitor Center

Price · Free

No matter what city or town you live in, there are stories about things that go bump in the night. Join Essex County Ghost Project at Buttonwoods Museum to talk about UFO sightings, Big Foot sightings, and ghostly sightings, here in Essex County.

Trails and Sails website: HERE

WALKING TOUR

Bella Buildings

10:00am – 11:00am · Meet at Buttonwoods Museum

Price · Free

Join Local Historian Tom Spitalere for a guided tour of Haverhill’s Little Italy as seen on “Chronicle”. We will explore Haverhill’s rich Italian past and the legacy they left the city. This tour includes parts of River Street, lower Mt. Washington and Washington Street.

Trails and Sails website: HERE

LECTURE

Haverhill in the Revolutionary War

7:00am – 8:30pm · Visitor Center

Price · Free

Join us at the Buttonwoods for a Reprise talk on Haverhill in the Battles of Lexington and Concord! This talk explores how Haverhill’s citizens responded to the first shots of the American Revolutionary War – who they were, how they mobilized, and the journey they made toward the fighting in Lexington and Concord. If you missed this talk in the Spring now is your chance to catch it!

Trails and Sails website: HERE

WALKING TOUR

Bradford Center Walking Tour

10:00am – 12:00pm · 10 Church St. Bradford, MA 01835

Price · Free

Explore Bradford Center on foot! Join us for a 2-hour guided walking tour through the neighborhood’s rich history. Along the way, discover the stories behind the area’s remarkable historic houses. A perfect outing for history lovers and curious explorers alike. Drop in and walk with us!

Trails and Sails website: HERE