Visit the Dorchester Historical Society on May 16th between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to tour their newly-installed exhibits on: the famous Baker Chocolate Factory > where, in 1780, James Baker took over chocolate manufacturing at the Neponset River mills. Over the next 150 years the company grew to Dorchester’s most famous company. Today the well-constructed mill buildings house Lower Mills residents.
< the Huebener Bricks, collected by the eccentric Edward Huebener (1851-1936) who immortalized the fine, early Dorchester houses being torn down during his lifetime by gathering a brick from each demolished house. Huebner had local artists paint a picture of the house onto its remaining brick - a folk art record of architectural history of Dorchester. Some of Dorchester’s early homes are known only from the brick paintings in the 100+ collection.
Dorchester Pottery > founded in 1895 by George Henderon, successfully produced commercial and industrial stoneware until the 1970s. Dorchester Pottery's wares evolved over the years from primarily agricultural products, like chicken fountains, to decorated tablewares. Acid pots and dipping baskets were in demand by manufacturers, and Henderson's popular foot warmer was known as a "porcelain pig." In 1914, Mr. Henderson built an enormous beehive kiln 28-feet in diameter of his own design made of unmortared bricks, still standing inside the historic building at 101 Victory Road. The Dorchester Pottery Works operated as a family-run business on this site until its closing in 1979.
and a < Roswell Gleason Pewter exhibit. Gleason began as a tinsmith in the 1820s, and, with the encouragement of Daniel Webster, opened the first silver-plating establishment in America. At one time he employed 125 men at his factory on Washington Street. By 1851 Gleason was wealthy and his home on Washington Street, Lilacs, built in 1837, had become one of the show places in the neighborhood. Gleason's property of 25 acres with 1,000 foot frontage on Washington Street between what is now Park Street and Dakota Streets, encompassed his house and 15 other structures including stables, outbuildings and factory buildings. During demolition in the 1970s, portions of the Lilacs house were taken for safekeeping by the Museum of Fine Arts.
The Society’s Annual Meeting will begin at 2 PM and will include a slide lecture by Robert Severy on the subject of Diverse Dorchester. 195 Boston Street.
