The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

history

Efforts move ahead to highlight importance of Battle Road Byway

A new regional website, www.battleroadbyway.org, highlights the history and activities along the Battle Road — the path that British troops followed during the battles that started the American Revolution on April 19, 1775.

The route runs along 15 miles of roads in Arlington, Lexington, Lincoln, Concord, and the Minuteman National Historical Park, with an additional loop in Lincoln that traverses Bedford Road to Baker Bridge Road and back up Route 126 to Route 2A that highlights Lincoln’s special historical, cultural, and architectural landmarks.

The Battle Road Byway website provides an integrated overview of iconic sites and events such as Paul Revere’s ride and his capture by the British in Lincoln, the battles at Lexington Common and the Old North Bridge (“the shot heard ’round the world”), and other skirmishes between British troops and Minute Men along the route, including at Bloody Angle in Lincoln and the Jason Russell House in Arlington, where 12 colonists and two British soldiers died — the bloodiest encounter associated with any house during the Revolutionary War.

The byway’s theme is “Roads to Revolution” because it touches on other revolutionary developments that occurred along the famous route. Accordingly, the site has information on Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walden Pond, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the deCordova Museum, and over 200 other points of interest.

There are pages for each of the four towns as well as on architecture, history, literature, and nature, all of which are cross-linked. Another section highlights opportunities for activities including hiking, biking, canoeing, and nature exploration.

The Battle Road Byway Committee is a joint venture by the four towns and National Park Service that partners with Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, MassDOT, and other organizations to provide stewardship to the byway’s resources. Lincoln’s liaison is Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie, assistant director of planning and land use.

Congress is expected to vote this fall on reinstating the Federal Program for Scenic Byways. If passed, the legislation could qualify the four towns for federal money, and the committee would apply to have the route designated as a National Scenic Byway.

Last year, Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney and Town Administrator approached MassDOT with a request for pedestrian and bicycle improvements along Route 2A in Lincoln, which comprises part of the byway. The agency responded by assembling a stakeholder group with representatives from Lincoln, Lexington, Concord, Hanscom Field, Massport, Minute Man National Historical Park, and the Battle Road Byway Committee.

MassDOT and consultant Toole Design are working on concepts ideas based on site visits, discussions, and review all past studies, traffic counts, etc., Burney said. The stakeholder group will reconvene in late summer to discuss concepts ideas and solicit feedback.

The Battle Road Byway Committee will hold a public meeting on October 15 at the Minute Man National Historical Park Visitors Center from 6–8 p.m.to review what it’s done to date and invite comments as well as suggestions for future initiatives.

Historic but dilapidated Flint homestead plans public event to raise awareness

The Flint homestead on Lexington Road.

By Alice Waugh

One of Lincoln’s founding families is hoping to maintain their centuries-old farmstead for years to come by raising money to turn it into a museum and education center — an effort that will launch with a public event in September.

A few years ago, Tom Flint and his sisters — the 12th generation of Flints who’ve farmed and lived in Lincoln — inherited the original Flint home on Lexington Road, along with about $125,000 earmarked for that building’s property taxes and maintenance. They’re direct descendants of Thomas Flint, who arrived in 1636 as one of the first European settlers in what would later become Lincoln. Some time around 1700, Ephraim Flint built the house on the west side of Lexington Road next to Flint’s Field. Tom and his wife Eri and young daughter, together with his mother Margaret and sisters Sarah and Sue and Sue’s husband Corey, live in a larger 100-year-old farmhouse across the road.

Over the last 400 years, Flints have been central to Lincoln’s history. But now the original home is in dire need of repairs. A study done five years ago said it would cost about $300,000 to get the house and barn (which dates from about 1750) to “a maintainable minimum level to keep it surviving,” said Flint, a filmmaker and educator. “This is not to renovate or restore it for modern living — just repairs and maintenance.”

Meanwhile, after a few of the most urgent repairs were done, the estate’s maintenance fund had dwindled to about $60,000, and rental income covers only about half of the building’s annual costs. “By this time it’s become pretty much a white elephant, unusable and virtually uninhabitable,” said Rick Wiggin, a Lincoln historian who has spoken at events outlining the homestead’s past and possible future.

The Flints hope that future includes a new life for the homestead and barn as a nonprofit entity devoted to educational programs on history, agriculture, and land conservation that includes a museum and antiques shop, and might also serve as a destination for weddings and other events. The family hopes to maintain its direct connection to the property, perhaps with a long-term lease arrangement, but the legal and fundraising issues are complex.

“There are a lot of pieces for this, and frankly we’re still trying to fit them all together,” Wiggin said.

Last October, the Flints hosted a pumpkin-picking event at the farm as a way to “strengthen our connection to the community, a growing portion of which is unaware of the unique history that has helped mold the town into what it is today,” Flint said. The success of that venture inspired them to move forward with bigger plans for making the property more accessible.

On September 15, the family will open up the homestead, barns, and fields for free public tours and attractions, including a reenactment by the Lincoln Minute Men. There will be an antiques market in the barn selling some of the thousands of family belongings that have accumulated over the centuries, ranging from farm equipment and furniture to alligator purses and top hats. There may also be an auction, but the Flints will keep a selection of historic items for future public display and as “props” for use by groups that rent the property for events.

Flint envisions a museum that will illustrate the evolution of a house, farm, and family over hundreds of years by exposing structural elements, furnishings, and even layers of wallpaper from many different historical periods (with echoes of the Tenement Museum in New York’s Lower East Side), as well as pointing out features that need repairs. “I want to preserve this historical and cultural relic for both my family and the town of Lincoln,” Flint said.

“We believe the Flint Farm is the oldest farm in New England and perhaps anywhere in the nation that has been continuously farmed and owned by the same family dating back to the 1600s land grants,” Wiggin said. “This property and the family that’s farmed it represent the heart and soul of the town of Lincoln — the living link between the town’s origins and the modern day.”

The Flints through the centuries in Lincoln

1636 — Thomas Flint arrives in America and settles in Concord in 1640s on about 1,000 acres of land that would eventually become Lincoln’s town center (now Five Corners), as well as Flint’s Pond.

About 1700 — Ephraim Flint builds the farmhouse near the end of the North Field, west of Lexington Road.

1745 — Edward Flint donates land for a meeting house. Shortly thereafter, his nephew Ephraim Flint donates land for a village cemetery next to what is now Bemis Hall.

1754 — The town of Lincoln is incorporated from parts of Concord, Weston and Lexington. Ephraim Flint is elected town clerk, selectman, and treasurer at the first Town Meeting that year.

1775 (April 19) — Mary Flint Hartwell (wife of Samuel Hartwell, a farmer and Lincoln Minute Man) plays a crucial role in passing the word about the British troops marching from Boston. Ephraim Flint and his son John march from their homestead to fight the British and return at end of the day with a British prisoner of war. Five dead British soldiers are buried in Lincoln’s cemetery.

19th century — The Flint farm grows and sells produce for the Boston market.

Early 20th century — The Flints are still farming and serving in leadership roles in Lincoln. They build four greenhouses to expand the growing season, but two are destroyed in the Hurricane of 1938 and a third by another hurricane in the 1940s.

1960s — Faced with development pressures and the economic decline of family farms, Warren Flint Sr. and the town create the Rural Land Foundation, selling some of the Flint land to the town to preserve it for agriculture and conservation. Ten lots are also sold privately

1989 — Two parcels now known as Flint Field are donated or sold to the town.

2003 — The Flint homestead is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the family agrees to preservation restrictions on the homestead property. The original home is occupied by Henry Flint, who continues to live there and farm the land until some time before his death in 2012 at the age of 95.

2014 — A study funded by the town’s Community Preservation Act produces a large maintenance and repair to-do list with cost estimates. Using some of the money left for this purpose by Henry Flint, a few of the most urgent repairs are made, including the roof of the 1750 barn. Still high on the triage list: $184,000 for basic repairs to the homestead and $155,000 for the barn, whose floors are unstable. If the homestead is opened to the public as a nonprofit, it will need lead paint removal, new wiring and other work costing more than $1 million.

2019 — The Flint family looks into turning the homestead and barn into a nonprofit entity that would serve as a museum and historical education site, an antiques market, and a location for weddings and other events.

 

Council on Aging activities in June

Free wellness clinics for all ages
June 4 at 10 a.m.
Place: Lincoln Woods
Meet with a nurse at 50 Wells Road in Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, June 4 (note new day this month only) from 10 a.m.–noon or Bemis Hall on Tuesday, June 18 from 9–11 a.m. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Services provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. The Bemis Hall clinic is supported by the Pierce House.

Noticing walk with John Calabria
June 4 at 1 p.m.
Place: TBA
Come for a gently paced walk through nature guided by John Calabria on June 4 from 1–2:30 p.m. at a location posted at lincolnconservation.org. Bring walking sticks or walking poles if you like. If the weather is bad, call 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. the morning of the walk for an update. Co-sponsored by the COA and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust.

Improving communication between you and your parents as they get older
June 5 at 7 p.m.
As your parents age it can be hard to navigate the issues that arise. There can be tension between wanting to respect their autonomy in decision-making but also wanting to voice your concerns for their safety and well-being. Additionally, it can be difficult to know how to raise concerns and discuss sensitive planning issues. If you would like to learn some tips and strategies as well as have a chance to discuss your situation and concerns, come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, June 5 at 7 p.m. when Claire Gerstein, LICSW, will present information and then lead a discussion. Claire has many years of experience helping caregivers and elders work together to create the best experience for each. Caregiving is a journey and good communication can only make it better.

Musical jazz lunch
June 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Celebrate the end of the week by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with familiar good old tunes. Bring old friends and make new ones. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert. Friday June 7,  at noon for an hour or until everyone has had enough.

Piano performance with Abla Shocair and her grandchildren
June 7 at 3 p.m.
All ages are invited to a piano concert with Abla Shocair and her grandchildren, Nooreddeen and Zaineddeen Kawaf, at Bemis Hall on Friday, June 7 at 3 p.m. Abla will play works by Beethoven, Bartok, Chopin and the boys will play pieces by Mozart. All ages are welcome. This year’s concert is dedicated to the memory of Abla’s beloved companion and husband, Fawaz Kawaf, who passed away this year and who had attended all her concerts since they met. He was a very bright civil engineer and outstanding project manager with exceptional math skills and was always kind and honest in his relationships with everybody. Abla started her piano lessons at the age of four and is a civil/structural engineer. Born in Amman, she has given many concerts in different venues.

What are your rights as a tenant or landlord?
June 10 at 10 a.m.
Whether you are a tenant in rented housing or a landlord renting housing, knowing your rights and responsibilities can help make sure everything goes well. Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, June 10 at 10 a.m. when Tim Depin, program manager in the Office of Attorney General Maura Healey, will explain tenancy based on a lease versus tenancy at will, obligations of both landlord and tenant, what information must be in the rental agreement, payments at the start of the tenancy, security deposit laws, the sanitary code, the eviction process, housing discrimination, and what to do if you have a problem. Bring your questions and concerns.

Free elder law clinic
June 10 at 3 p.m.
Got a question about issues such as estate planning, MassHealth, protecting assets for a loved one with a serious disability, guardianship, conservatorship or probate? The COA is pleased to provide a monthly legal clinic with elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden on Monday, June 10, from 3–4 p.m. at Bemis Hall. There is no charge for the thirty-minute consultation, but please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

“Oklahoma!” trip
June 12 at 10:30 a.m.
Place: bus leaves from Mall parking lot 
On Wednesday, June 12, the COA is going to the North Shore Music Theatre for the matinee performance of Rodgers And Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” The legendary score including, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,” “The Surry With the Fringe on Top,” “I Cain’t Say No!” and the rousing title tune will put a smile on your face. The air-conditioned air-ride bus will be in the Donelan’s parking lot at 10:15 a.m., departure is 10:30 a.m. The trip will return at approximately 6 p.m. Before the show you will have lunch at the Danvers Yacht Club. You’ll have your choice of three entrees, salad and dessert. There are just 27 Inner Circle tickets, so don’t delay as this show will sell out. The final count must be given by May 12. The trip is rated easy for physical ability and entails only a moderate amount of walking. There are no steps. The price is $59 including lunch, and is non-refundable. To reserve a space, send a check made out to FLCOA/Trips to Virginia O’Brien, 4 Linway Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Be sure to include your phone number and email address. Your reservation is complete when your check is received. Questions? Contact Virginia at 781-259-1291 or vobrien39@yahoo.com.

Strawberry & ice cream social
June 13 at 12 p.m.
Celebrate this special time of year at the annual strawberry ice cream social which will be held at Bemis Hall on Thursday, June 13 at noon. The Social is sponsored by the COA and the Friends of the COA. Bring a bag lunch at noon or just come for dessert. Make your own ice cream sundae with luscious ice cream topped with strawberries, chocolate, and more. Then share conversation with friends old and new. Please RSVP to the COA by calling 781-259-8811. Tell them when you call if you’ll need a ride.

Public safety cookout
June 14 at 11 a.m.
Place: Pierce House
Join Public Safety on Friday, June 14 at 11 a.m. for a cookout at the Pierce House. You’ll start off by finding out more about current trends in frauds and scams and how to avoid being a victim, home safety from both police and fire perspectives, and services offered by Public Safety. At noon, Public Safety will be cooking up hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers with all the fixin’s. Because the event will be under the tent, the cookout will go on rain or shine. Please sign up by June 8 by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Fireside chat: what are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the past 5, 10 or 50 years?
June 15 at 10 a.m.
Place: Lincoln Woods
The world is much different from the one many of us grew up in, or is it? What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the past decades, whether social, economic, political, cultural, spiritual, or other? Have they made life better or worse? Or are the basics of life – love of family, the need for community, human nature – still much the same? Come from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 15 in the Community Room at Lincoln Woods, 50 Wells Rd., for a friendly discussion facilitated by Sharon Antia. Remember to park in unmarked spaces.

All in the family: communication with your adult children
June 17 at 1 p.m.
Communicating with your adult children in later life brings unique challenges as it may feel at times like they want to take control of decision making and planning. It can be hard to bring up certain issues that are of concern for you, and also to listen to their worries for you. This will be an opportunity to think about the conflicts that may arise in even the most loving and well-intentioned relationships. Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, June 17 at 1 p.m. when Claire Gerstein, LICSW, gives tips and strategies for keeping the relationship positive and communication open and offers you an opportunity to share stories and ideas.

Taking care of your family treasures
June 19 at 1 p.m.
Join Kathleen Fahey for a presentation on how to care for your family treasures on Wednesday, June 19 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. You will learn how to clean, polish, store, and display your treasured heirlooms including books, furniture, ceramics, paintings, silver, and textiles. Bring your questions and any items you want to learn more about (or a photo of larger items). Kathleen is the Executive Director of the Bedford Historical Society and has over 20 years of experience as a curator at local historical sites.

VA health system benefits overview
June 20 at 10:15 a.m.
Join Lincoln’s Veterans Services Officer Peter Harvell on Thursday, June 20 at 10:15 a.m. for an overview of the VA’s Health Benefits system. Get an overview of the system and how it works and what benefits it offers and find out if you or a family member might be eligible. Whether you are interested for yourself or a family member, come on down.

Improve your urinary health for overall wellness
June 20 at 2 p.m.
Problems with your urinary tract, such as a urinary tract infection or incontinence, can create major problems with your overall wellness and quality of life. You can take steps to prevent problems or manage those that you already have. Come find out more when Trish McGean comes to Bemis Hall on Thursday, June 20 at 2 p.m. She will let you know some of the basics of urinary health as well as updates on how you can make sure your urinary tract is as healthy as it can be.

Celebrate LGBT Pride Month
June 21 at 11 a.m.
June is LGBT Pride Month and you are invited to celebrate! Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, June 21 at 11 a.m. for delicious refreshments and great conversation! Come share your thoughts, ideas, life experiences. All are welcome.

Get your MBTA Senior CharlieCard
June 21 at 1 p.m.
If you are 65 or older and need to get a Senior CharlieCard for the first time, come to the COA’s Senior CharlieCard event on June 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Bemis Hall. You will need to bring your driver’s license or ID or your passport. They will take your photo, have you fill out an application, copy your license, ID, or passport, and you’re done. The MBTA will mail your Senior CharlieCard in 4 to 6 weeks. No need to sign up. If you need to replace your card, call the MBTA at 617-222-3200 as the COA cannot provide this service.

Memory Café
June 27 at 9:30 a.m.
The Commons in Lincoln, Right-at-Home In Home Care and Assistance, and the Lincoln Council on Aging invite those with dementia and their family, friends, and caregivers to the free Lincoln Memory Café on Thursday, June 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the main building of The Commons in Lincoln. This month, the Café presents guitarist and singer Rick Maida. Future Cafés will be held on the fourth Thursday of each month from 9:30–11 a.m. at The Commons. Contact a.m.y Gagne of Right at Home In Home Care and Assistance, 781-275-1400 or amy@rightathomecare.com or the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811 for more information.

Save the date:

Save the Isles of Shoals
Come sail away with the COA on July 25 aboard the Victorian style M/V Thomas Laighton to experience the fascinating legends of the legendary New Hampshire & Maine Seacoast. The Isles of Shoals, located 9 miles off of the coast, are an intriguing archipelago of nine islands steeped with history. You’ll stop for lunch at Warren’s Lobster House in Kittery, Maine. The bus will depart Donelan’s parking lot at 9:45 a.m. and return about 6:30 p.m. The cost of the trip is $59 and is non-refundable. Questions? Contact Donna at 781-257-5050. To reserve a space please make check payable to FLCOA/Trips and mail to: Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Deadline to reserve is July 5.

Tai chi in the park, and sign up for next fall’s tai chi classes

Sign up now for tai chi in the park, which will meet Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. with tai chi form practice at 10:30 a.m. at Pierce Park from July 9 to August 6 at a cost of $5 per day. Bring a water bottle, lawn chair and a hat. In bad weather, we will meet under the tent. We may use the Pierce House restroom. The class is for continuing students only.

 

New students may also sign up for fall beginning classes, to be held for 13 weeks starting September 16:

  • Mondays, 2:15– 3:15 p.m.
  • Wednesdays, 1– 2 p.m.
  • Thursdays, 9:15–10:15

$60 for one class per week, $80 for two classes per week, and $100 for three classes per week. For info, contact Jane Moss at 781-259-9822 or mindbodyjm@comcast.net.

Council on Aging activities in May

Musical jazz lunch
May 3 at 12:30 p.m.
Celebrate the end of the week by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with familiar good old tunes. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert.

Watercolor class with Jane
May 6 and 20 at 9 a.m.
Rediscover your joyful soul through art and nature in Jane Cooper’s watercolor class. Two classes of four sessions each will be offered on Mondays and Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. beginning Mondays, May 6 and 20. The cost is $30 for each class of four sessions, materials included. Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up.

Lincoln Academy with Timothy Johnson, MD: The future of medicine
May 6 at 12:30 p.m.
Dr. Johnson will review current problems with American health care and propose possible solutions for each. He will also predict what will happen in the next ten years. Johnson was the chief medical correspondent for ABC News, giving medical information to millions of Americans in a way that was accurate yet accessible. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Noticing walks with John Calabria
May 7 at 1 p.m.
Location: TBD
Enjoy a gently paced walk through nature guided by John Calabria on May 7 from 1–2:30 p.m. at a location posted at lincolnconservation.org. Bring walking sticks or walking poles if you like. Another walk will be held June 4. If the weather is bad, call 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. the morning of the walk for an update. Co-sponsored by the COA and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in May

Boy Scouts retrace 1775 Minute Men march through Lincoln

Don Hafner answers Boy Scouts’ questions as Captain William Smith, Commander of the Lincoln Minute Men.

Shortly after sunrise on Friday, April 19, some 60 Boy Scouts and adult leaders met to hike in the historic pathway of American Revolution events of April 19, 1775. They were following the Minutemen’s Pursuit Trail, a National Historic Trail of the Boy Scouts of America that was created by the Spirit of Adventure Council and Concord Scout House.

As the militia-hikers crossed into Lincoln from Concord on the Battle Road trail and approached the Bloody Angle within the Minute Man National Park, they could hear fife music played by Lincoln’s Don Hafner, who portrayed Lincoln Minute Men Commander Captain William Smith and answered hikers’ questions. The music had the same intended effect on this group as it would have in 1775 — reviving tired souls five miles into the 20-mile pursuit. 

Around sunset, with the Boston skyline in the background and the Grand Union Flag hoisted above the tired but proud Scouts atop Prospect Hill Tower, they recognized the heroic actions of those who inspired the creation of this hike. Next year, April 19 will be on a weekend, making it an opportunity for even more Scouts to better understand what happened that day in 1775.

News acorns

Learn about natural burial

There will be an informational session about natural burial on Saturday, April 27 from 3-5 p.m. at the Ryan Estate facilitated by Lincoln resident Carol DiGianni, a former candidate for the Lincoln Cemetery Commission. Participants can learn and ask questions about the benefits of natural burials, which offer an alternative to the expense and environmental toxicity of traditional burial practices.

Spring cleanup at Codman

Some of the volunteers at a previous year’s Codman Community Farm spring cleanup.

Come volunteer at Farms Spring Cleanup Day at Codman Community Farms on Sunday, April 28 from 1-5 p.m. Bring gloves, work clothes, and a sense of fun; the farm will provide snacks and gardening tools. For more info and to RSVP, click here.

Event covers Mughal period in India

The next seminar in the India Discovery Center’s series on the history of India in Bemis Hall takes place on Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will cover 1500–1800 AD, when Mughals ruled the country and established Islam and imposed the Persian language. Lincoln’s Bijoy Mishra will be one of the presenters. The organization is asking for a $25 donation but is offering 10 complimentary admissions for Lincoln residents. Click here for more information and registration.

Taraz performs at next open mic night

Diane Taraz

Diane Taraz is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, May 13 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Taraz will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. She directs the Lexington Historical Society’s Colonial Singers and draws inspiration from Celtic, British, French-Canadian, and American folk traditions. Click here for a video of the title cut from her 2014 CD release “Let’s Do It.” Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

“35 Shots of Rum” film screening

The Lincoln Library Film Society presents “35 Shots of Rum” (2008, unrated) directed by Claire Denis on Thursday, May 2 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. The movie is an intimate family study centering on a widower and his adult daughter in Paris.

Patriots’ Day observances include Boy Scout hikes

Each year in mid-April, thousands of people flock to historic Lexington and Concord and Minute Man National Historical Park to celebrate Patriots’ Day, which falls on Monday, April 15 this year. Observances began on April 6 and the entire Patriots’ Day week is celebrated with parades, reenactments, and commemorative ceremonies.

Click here for details on all the events sponsored by  Minute Man National historical Park, including the Captain William Smith House and the Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln, as well as sites in Concord and Lexington. Admission to all events is free except where noted. For more information, please call 978-396-6993.

Boy Scout troops from Maine, Cape Cod, and greater Boston will follow the historic trail of April 19, 1775 when the Minute Men pursued the British from Concord to Boston. They’ll trade in their troop numbers for “militia” names representing the towns along the route.

Not only is the hike an opportunity to learn more about this historic day, it fulfills a requirement of the Hiking Merit Badge. There is a 10-mile and a 20-mile option, both of which qualify for the badge. Scouts who wear their uniform and complete a questionnaire while at historic stops along the way can earn the Minute Men’s Pursuit Trail patch and/or medal after completing the trip.

Lincoln Cultural Council awards grants

Ms. G, official groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, makes her annual prediction at Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary as part of the Climate Action Day festivities sponsored by the Lincoln Cultural Council.

The Lincoln Cultural Council has announced ten grants totaling $4,700 to support cultural programs in Lincoln, Acton, Concord, and Sudbury.

The Lincoln Cultural Council (LCC) is part of a network of 329 local cultural councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth that will distribute more than $3.3 million in 2019. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community.

This year’s grant awardees are:

Decisions about which activities to support are made at the community level by a board of town-appointed volunteers. Lincoln Cultural Council members are Melinda Bruno-Smith, Catherine Coleman, Patrick Greene, Wendy Hubbard, Chris Loschen, Renata Pomponi, Diana Rich-Sheahan, and Meg Ramsey.

Applications and more information about the Local Cultural Council Program are available online at Applications for the next round of grants are due in October; go to www.mass-culture.org for details, or contact LCC Chair Meg Ramsey at meg.ramsey@verizon.net. The LCC strongly encourages anyone interested in supporting and promoting cultural events in Lincoln to volunteer to serve as a member of the LCC, and they welcome input and ideas.

News acorns

Town seeks tax work-off program coordinator

The town of Lincoln seeks qualified applicants for a stipend position of Work-Off Programs Coordinator. Under the direction of the Council on Aging director, this position will oversee implementation of the town’s Senior and Veterans’ Tax Work-Off Programs. Duties include assisting participants with applications and other forms, matching applicants and positions, and preparing and submitting administrative forms to the town. Excellent administrative, organizational, and verbal and written communication skills required. Annual $1,500 stipend. The Work-Off Coordinator may not participate in either work-off program while serving in this role. Please submit a cover letter and resume to Mary Day, Town Office Building, 16 Lincoln Road, Lincoln MA 01773 or jobs@lincolntown.org by Friday, April 19. The position begins July 1, 2019.

Survivor to speak at Domestic Violence Roundtable

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Round Table will present  “A Survivor’s Story” on Tuesday, April 9 at at 3 p.m. in the Community Safety Building (38 Cochituate Rd., Wayland). The speaker will share her journey of survival, recovery, and the reclamation of her strength and power. For more information or to volunteer for Roundtable events, please visit www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org.

Household hazardous waste collection dates announced

Pre-registered Lincoln residents may bring materials to the Minuteman Household Hazardous Products Regional Facility at 60 Hartwell Ave. in Lexington on one of eight dates in April through November. Choose a date that’s convenient and contact the Board of Health to obtain a registration form, which you must bring with you to the facility. You may visit the Board of Health in the Town Office Building Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on Fridays in the summer), or call Elaine Carroll at 781-259-2613. You will receive directions to the site and information about acceptable materials and how to dispose of unacceptable materials.

The site is open on the following days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

  • April 20
  • May 18
  • June 15
  • July 20
  • August 17
  • September 15 (Sunday)
  • October 19
  • November 2

Wedding showcase at Pierce House

​The Pierce House and Boston Event Divas invite you to a wedding showcase on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 from noon–4 p.m. at the Pierce House. Vendors including wedding planners, caterers, florists, and photographers and more will be on hand. There will be door prizes, and during the April 28 event, the Lincoln Minutemen and His Majesty’s Troops of the Boston Garrison muster at the Pierce House. Tickets on both days are $10 for groups up to four people; click here to register.

Talk on Codman and Edith Wharton

Historic New England is hosting a brown bag lunch and slide talk on “Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman: A Creative Kinship Talk and Tour” on Wednesday, April 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall, followed by a special access tour of Codman House from 1:30–2:30 p.m. (a single exception to the closure for construction; see News Acorns, March 26). Ogden Codman, Jr. and Edith Wharton wrote the 1897 classic The Decoration of Houses. Using original letters from Historic New England’s Codman collection, this illustrated talk offers an inside peek into their artistic friendship, which spanned more than 40 years.

Free to Lincoln residents, $10 for Historic New England members, $15 for nonmembers. Registration recommended; please call 617-994-6690 or buy tickets online. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lincoln Cultural council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Krzysztof Wodiczko

Lecture features artist Krzysztof Wodiczko

The 2019 Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture featuring acclaimed artist Krzysztof Wodiczko takes place on Friday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. Wodiczko is renowned for his large-scale slide and video projections on architectural facades and monuments that address themes of trauma, collective memory, and the power of mass media to disseminate and manipulate information. $5 for members and students; $10 for nonmembers; click here to register. Come early for a casual reception starting at 6 p.m. with wine, beer, and nonalcoholic beverages. Your lecture ticket includes one complementary drink ticket; additional alcoholic drink tickets will be available for $5 each.

Pastel painting workshop at library

Have you ever wanted to do a landscape, portrait, or special project in pastels? Bring a simple photo or just come to participate in an art workshop, lecture and demonstration with award-winning pastel painter Gregory John Maichack on Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Participants will receive an engaging hands-on experience of basic pastel painting as well as advanced techniques. Everyone will receive help tailored to their projects, whether landscape, still-life or portraiture.

Participants are encouraged to experiment with the artist’s professional-grade hard, soft and super soft pastels, professional pastel paper, etc. However, if you have your own pastels, please bring them. For adults and those over 14 if accompanied by an adult. Class is limited to 30 people and registration is required. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lincoln Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Funding for the workshop was also provided by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library.

One-man play about Herman Melville

Stephen Colins as Herman Melville

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Herman Melville’s birth by enjoying a free performance of “Sailing Towards My Father” by actor Stephen Collins on Sunday, April 28 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The play chronicles the life of Melville (best known for his whaling epic Moby-Dick) from youth to old age, concentrating on his evolution as a writer and his complex relations with God, his parents and siblings, his wife and children, and Nathanial Hawthorne. It was written and directed by Carl A. Rossi. For more information, call the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

News acorns

Celebration of the life of Lucretia Giese

Lucretia Giese

The family of Lucretia Hoover Giese will host a celebration of Lucretia’s life on Thursday, May 23 at 3 p.m. in the Pierce House (see obituary, October 15, 2018). Among her many accomplishments, Lucretia was professor of art history at the Rhode Island School of Design, an expert on the paintings of Winslow Homer, chair of the Lincoln Historical Commission, and co-founder of the Friend of Modern Architecture/Lincoln. Please RSVP by Monday, April 15 to Henry B. Hoover, Jr. (hbhoover@aol.com).

L-S Jazz Night on Thursday

The L-S Music Department presents Jazz Night on Thursday, April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School auditorium. The concert will feature students from L-S and Curtis Middle School; L-S groups include the Symphonic and Concert Jazz Ensembles as well as the Jazz Warriors and Select Jazz Combo. The groups led by Thomas Grandprey, Director of Instrumental Music, will perform jazz literature from the Great American Songbook as well as funk, and Latin genres. The concert is open to the public and admission is free.

Appointee to library board sought

The Lincoln School Committee invites and encourages any town resident with an interest in connecting the schools and the library to submit a short statement of interest as the committee’s appointee to the Lincoln Public Library Board of Directors. The School Committee thanks Martin Dermandy for serving in this capacity for the past six years, during which time he started the Local Heroes program and worked to connect the library and the schools, building on what the librarians had already developed.

The statement of interest for this three-year term should be sent to schoolcomm@lincnet.org by Friday, April 5. There will be interviews of all candidates in an open meeting of the School Committee on Thursday, April 11 at 7:15 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room on the Ballfield Road Campus. Please address questions to schoolcomm@lincnet.org or to Jacquelin Apsler, chair of the Library Board of Trustees, at jgu.lincoln@gmail.com.

Wednesday “Crafternoons” at the library

The Lincoln Public Library is starting a new children’s program called Crafternoons every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Participants will get creative with crafts that emphasize reusing and recycling household items. All materials will be supplied by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library. Intended for grades 1 and up. No registration required. Call the Children’s Room for more information at 781-259-8465 x4.

Lincoln seniors can work off $1,500 in property taxes

Lincoln residents 60 and over who own and occupy property on which they pay taxes and are listed on the title may apply now to be part of the town of Lincoln’s Senior Tax Work-Off Program. Through the program, seniors work for a town department for up to 125 hours at $12/hour and receive an abatement of up to $1,500 on their May property tax bill.

Jobs may include administrative, outdoor, computer, programming, or other work and can be completed in any town department or the schools. Seniors may work fewer than 125 hours if they choose. Their schedule is up to them and the department they work for. For more information or to apply, call the Lincoln Council on Aging at 781-259-8811 and ask for COA Director Carolyn Bottum.

Two-part series on French history

The Friends of the Lincoln Public Library and the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging are offering a two-part presentation on French history on Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, May 15 at 7 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. Retired teacher John Gardella will give an overview of the French Revolution at the first session and the age of Napoleon at the second. The series will serve as a stepping stone to the library’s trip to the Museum of Fine Arts on Saturday, June 8 for a private tour of Toulouse-Lautrec and the stars of Paris (details TBA) Come to one or both sessions; both are free and open to people of all ages and no registration is required.