Beverly Historical Society Open House

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It's opening day at the Balch and Hale Houses!  

Admission is free to all, including guided tours at all locations.

Cabot House
117 Cabot Street, Beverly
 
Built for merchant and privateer owner John Cabot in 1781, this house reflects the life of an affluent Beverly resident around the time of the American Revolution.  Headquarters of the Beverly Historical Society since 1892, it contains three floors of exhibits and a research facility. 
   
Masters of Deception: The Ghost Army of World War II
War, deception and art come together in “The Ghost Army of WWII – Artists of Deception,” a unique one-month exhibit that opens on Saturday June 2. The exhibit tells the story of American G.I.s who duped Hitler’s army with rubber tanks, sound effects and trickery during the Second World War. Many were artists, some of whom went on to became famous—such as fashion designer Bill Blass and painter/sculptor Ellsworth Kelly. The exhibit includes wartime artifacts, “Top Secret” military training film footage, photos and original artworks by Ghost Army soldiers, and video from an in-progress documentary on the unit. It is being curated by Lexington filmmaker and author Rick Beyer, and Beverly Historical Society member Martha Gavin.  
 
Balch House
448 Cabot Street, Beverly
 
Our special spring yard sale.
Find a unique treasure, and tour the historic Balch House 
with one of our wonderful volunteers! 
Old Planter John Balch was one of Beverly's first settlers, and was on this site in the 1630s.  The original part of the house evokes the life of early European residents, including  a large walk-in fireplace.
 
Hale Farm
39 Hale Street, Beverly
 
Spring Sculpture Show
The Bear Gallery of Montserrat College of Art exhibits selected student works on the lawn. 
 
The 1694 Hale House was originally built for John Hale, first minister in Beverly and a key figure in the Salem witchcraft hysteria.  His descendants later used it as a summer residence, and the changes to the house reflect the evolution of Beverly from farming village to vacation getaway for the affluent.