METHUEN
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Our Annual Raffle tickets are now available online until July 2!
Tickets will be available at our Fourth of July event on July 4.
Support the Methuen Museum of History by purchasing your raffle tickets. You could be this year's lucky winner of one hundred, $10-dollar Massachusetts State Lottery scratch tickets. Only 500 tickets will be sold.
Raffle ticket orders were available online until July 2. But don't worry, you may purchase your raffle ticket at the event on July 4!
See our home page for additional event information. We hope to see you there!
Happy Fourth of July!
Join Us!
Annual Fourth of July Reading of the Declaration of Independence at Meeting House Hill Cemetery
Event starts at 10 am
The fourth annual reading of the Declaration of Independence will take place on July 4, 2023. Join the Methuen Historical Society as we celebrate our nation’s 247th birthday!
In 1776, the Continental Congress mandated that every town read the Declaration of Independence at their various Meeting Houses. In addition, every town had to print the Declaration in the official records of the community. In Methuen, the Declaration of Independence was entered into our records on July 17, 1776.
All are invited to come to Methuen’s Meetinghouse Hill (located across from the entrance to Holy Family Hospital) to participate in the reading of the Declaration of Independence. On a first-come basis, people will be given a brief passage of the Declaration to read. People may also sign up to read by e-mailing the Historical Society at info@methuenhistoricalsociety.org The participation of children is encouraged.
Following the reading of the Declaration of Independence, Meeting House Hill Cemetery, Methuen’s oldest, will be open for browsing and tours. Forty-seven Revolutionary Minutemen and soldiers are buried there, four soldiers from the earlier French and Indian War, and two soldiers from the War of 1812.
The Historical Society organized an enthusiastic group of volunteers to clean and catalog the graves in this cemetery. Many of the old gravestones were not legible, but after careful cleaning, some look almost new! The project was funded by a grant from the Festival of Trees. In addition to the cleaning project, many of the broken stones will be restored by a professional firm. The cemetery will be open from 10:30 to 1:00 pm following the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Check out this searchable map of the cemetery on our website!
The Historical Society will also draw the winner of their annual lottery fundraiser. The $20 tickets may be purchased online until July 2 and at the event on July 4 prior to the drawing at 12:00 pm. Thank you for your much-appreciated support. We hope to see you there!
Raffle ticket orders were available online until July 2. But don't worry, you may purchase your raffle ticket at the event on July 4!
See our home page for additional event information. We hope to see you there!
Happy Fourth of July!