The Old Colony History Museum (OCHM) is located at 66
Church Green in
Taunton
Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
,
Bristol County,
, United States.
Since 1926, the museum has occupied the historic former Bristol Academy school building. The building was designed in 1852 by
Richard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn (22 January 1802 – 16 August 1878) was a British-born American architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to su ...
, architect of New York City's Trinity Church, and is 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 ...
as part of the
Church Green Historic District. The museum was previously located in the former
Union Mission Chapel on Cedar Street.
The Old Colony History Museum is home to an extensive collection of regional objects and archives and a research library specializing in local history and genealogy. Its parent organization, the Old Colony Historical Society, was founded on May 4, 1853, making it one of New England's oldest historical societies.
The organization maintains a research library specializing in genealogy of Southeastern
and local history, a museum of objects associated with the history of the Taunton area, and hosts many public programs.
The OCHM is open year-round Tuesday–Saturday, 10–4. Admission fees apply.
See also
*
First Parish Church (Taunton, Massachusetts)
First Parish Church is an historic church located within the Church Green Historic District in Taunton, Massachusetts. It is the fourth meetinghouse since 1647 to be located on what was the original town common. The current church building was bui ...
*
Taunton City Hall
Taunton City Hall is an historic city hall containing the offices of the municipal government for the city of Taunton, Massachusetts, including the office of the mayor and the city council chambers. The building was originally constructed in 184 ...
*
*
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was, from 1620 to 1691, the British America, first permanent English colony in New England and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony. It was first settled by the pa ...
References
External links
Old Colony History Museum (OCHM)'s websiteTHE NEW OLD COLONY: Taunton's history museum gets a reboot44 Things: Displays at Old Colony History Museum offer a trip back in time
Taunton, Massachusetts
Richard Upjohn buildings
Historical societies in Massachusetts
History museums in Massachusetts
Museums in Bristol County, Massachusetts
Italianate architecture in Massachusetts
School buildings completed in 1852
Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Taunton, Massachusetts
1852 establishments in Massachusetts
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