The Duxbury Rural and Historical Society (DRHS) is a non-profit organization in

Duxbury, Massachusetts Duxbury (alternative older spelling: "Duxborough") is a historic seaside town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb located on the South Shore (Massachusetts), South Shore approximately to t ...

founded in 1883. Its mission is to "preserve and promote the heritage and rural character of the town of Duxbury and its environs." The DRHS owns several historic buildings, operates a library and

archive An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...

s, and maintains approximately 140 acres of

conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and manageme ...

land in Duxbury.Duxbury Rural and Historical Society, Inc.
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History

The DRHS, originally known as the Duxbury Rural Society, was founded on November 14, 1883 by a group of individuals concerned about the deteriorating condition of their community. During the early 19th century, Duxbury had been a prosperous center of wooden

shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...

. However, with the advent of

rail transport Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a p ...

clipper ships A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century Merchant ship, merchant Sailing ship, sailing vessel, designed for speed. Clippers were generally narrow for their length, small by later 19th century standards, could carry limited bulk freight, and had ...

and

steamships A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ca ...

, Duxbury shipyards soon became obsolete. Most local shipyards closed or relocated during the 1840s and 1850s. This resulted in a decline of population and the economic condition of the town. The original mission of the organization was to "improve and ornament the town." Early projects included installing street lamps, planting trees, building fences and erecting road signs. The DRHS soon acquired conservation land in an effort to preserve the "rural character" of the town. In the first decades of the 20th century, the group began to collect and exhibit artifacts relating to Duxbury's history. As activities of the organization increasingly came to encompass the

preservation Preservation may refer to: Heritage and conservation * Preservation (library and archival science), activities aimed at prolonging the life of a record while making as few changes as possible * ''Preservation'' (magazine), published by the Nat ...

of Duxbury’s heritage, its name was changed in 1936 to the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society.Hale et al., 218.

Facilities

The DRHS currently maintains several facilities in Duxbury. The headquarters and main office, open year-round, is located in the

Nathaniel Winsor Jr. House The Nathaniel Winsor Jr. House is a historic house located at 479 Washington Street Duxbury, Massachusetts. It currently serves as the headquarters of the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society. The house is a contributing property in Duxbury's O ...

, a historic building built in 1807. The

King Caesar House The King Caesar House is a historic house located at 120 King Caesar Road, Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is operated as a non-profit museum by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society. The Federal architecture, Federal style house, completed in 18 ...

, built in 1809 for merchant

Ezra Weston II Ezra Weston II (November 30, 1772 – August 15, 1842), also known as King Caesar, was a prominent shipbuilder and merchant who operated a large maritime industry based in Duxbury and Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Ezra Weston I, began small ...

, is operated as a museum in the summer months and features rotating exhibits. The 1808

Capt. Gershom Bradford House The Capt. Gershom Bradford House is an historic house in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The two-story wood-frame house was built in 1807 by Captain Gershom Bradford. The main block has a side-gable roof, and is five bays wide and two deep. A two-sto ...

is also operated as a museum in the summer months. The organization's newest facility, the Drew Archival Library, contains the Society's collection of historic documents and photographs, is located in the 1909

Wright Memorial Library Wright Memorial Library, more commonly known as the "Wright Building," is a historic library at 147 St. George Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Historic significance The Wright Building was donated to the Town of Duxbury by Georgianna Wright (1 ...

and is open to researchers year-round. All four of these buildings are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

References

Sources

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External links

Duxbury Rural and Historical SocietyDrew Archival Library
{{Authority control Duxbury, Massachusetts Historical societies in Massachusetts 1883 establishments in Massachusetts