The following announcement was provided by Historic New England:
On Saturday, June 1, all 38 Historic New England historic properties are open free to the public, including the Lyman Estate in Waltham and Browne House in Watertown. Join us for a fun day of fantastic storytelling!
At the Lyman Estate you’ll see rooms used in the Greta Gerwig’s film adaptation of Little Women and the veranda where Jo and Laurie exuberantly danced during the ball. Also enjoy the grounds of this National Historic Landmark and visit one of the oldest greenhouses in the United States.Hear the story of the Lyman family at the mansion, which is also used today as a venue for weddings and corporate events.
The Lyman Estate is located at 185 Lyman Street in Waltham and open 10:00-1:00 on June 1. There is ample on-site parking for cars in the large lot past the mansion.
The Browne House is a 1698 home built for a farming family and contains rare surviving architectural features from the late 1600s. In a near ruinous state when it was acquired by Historic New England founder William Sumner Appleton in 1919, the house was painstakingly restored in what is acknowledged to be the first fully documented restoration in America. Visitors can explore the modest “one-over-one” dwelling.
Browne House is located at 562 Main St. in Watertown and open 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on June 1. Parking for the museum is limited but additional parking is available on Main Street and in the upper parking area of the adjacent Watertown Police Station.
I remember this historical home so much. I walked by it everyday going to and from school. To think of the history behind and within it always touched the inner me. It was then that WWII and this home made me realize how important history is.