The Art of Decoy Making Workshop

Brooks Academy 1887

Brooks Academy in 1887. Four men on the steps out front, and a high-wheel bicycle leaning on the column.

Elmer Crowell Painting a Decoy

Taken in 1938. Elmer Crowell painting one of his duck decoys, surrounded by his work.

Cranberry Bog During Picking

View of cranberry bog during picking with boxes stacked on right and wagons and horses on left. Ralph U Brett Collection.

John H. Paine 1899 HHS Graduating Class

Black & white photo of Harwich High School graduating Class of 1899, with 31 people identified.

Harwich Goes to School

The Brooks Academy building is 175 years old!  We celebrate with a new exhibit about the history of Harwich's schools, from colonial days through the 1960s.

 

Brooks Academy Museum and the A. Elmer Crowell Barn are closed for the season.

 We look forward to reopening after construction has been completed on the Brooks Academy building's foundation! The Barn will reopen in the spring of 2023!

Click here to learn more about our upcoming Decoy Making Workshops

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The Society is no longer open for in-person research appointments.

To contact our researchers, email research@HarwichHistoricalSociety.org or call the Museum at 508-432-8089.

 

Brooks Academy

Sidney Brooks built Harwich's first high school in 1844. Subjects taught were the typical high school curriculum and included surveying and navigation.

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Crowell Barn Museum

Explore the story of the Harwich bird carver A. E. Crowell and see examples of his work in the reconstructed Crowell Barn on the grounds of 80 Parallel St in Harwich.

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Cranberry Culture

Cape Cod’s largest exhibit dedicated to interpreting and presenting the history of Cranberry Culture on Cape Cod is here at the Brooks Academy Museum.

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John H. Paine Collection

A collection of historical documents, it preserves much local history. Collected by Josiah Paine, who was born in Harwich in 1836, and had interest in history and genealogy.

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Are you ready to get into some great history?

We have the collections, and the experts to help you find it!

Learn

Dick Moore

Dick Moore, past president of The Magic Lantern Society, demonstrates the special effects of a late 19th-century Magic Lantern. Come visit the Museum to see our exhibit of photos from the 1930s, originally shown on a "magic lantern," and now digitized through a grant from Community Preservation.

Have fun

3 girls

Three Harwich youngsters show off the sandpiper models they painted at Paul Phillips's workshop at the Elmer Crowell Barn. Stay tuned for announcement of additional carving and painting workshops in 2020.

Help out

Albert_CV

Volunteer Albert Raneo  talks to Monomoy High School students about Cape Verdean culture and history in our Cape Verdean Outreach program. Albert was the HHS 2016  Claire Kenny Volunteer of the Year for his work with HHS.

Stop in, call or email

We would love to hear from you!

508-432-8089
e info@HarwichHistoricalSociety.org