Visit the Marilyn P. Curry History room at the Agawam Historical & Fire House Museum. Admission is free.

Sometimes considered a founder of the REPUBLIC, Abigail Adams is now designated the FIRST second lady and the SECOND FIRST lady of the UNITED STATES. She is remembered for her many letters to her husband, John Adams, who frequently sought her advice. Filled with intellectual discussions on government and politics, these letters also serve as eyewitness accounts of the American Revolutionary War home front.

Since 2003, Sheryl Faye has masterfully brought to life important historical women in performances across the United States. Her captivating one-woman shows immerse audiences in a multimedia experience that inspires viewers and sparks their interest to explore more.

This event is free and open to the public.

Learn about Jake the Fire Dog at the Agawam Historical & Fire House Museum. Admission is free.

Join us as we dedicate Agawam’s Liberty Tree!

In remembrance of Boston’s original Liberty Tree – and those found throughout the colonies in the years leading up to, and during, the war for independence – and in recognition of the UNITED STATES SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL, the Agawam Historical Association will dedicate an American Elm on the grounds of the Thomas Smith House, so that it may inspire future generations of patriots as we endeavor toward a MORE PERFECT UNION.

dedication | house tours | refreshments

ADDITIONAL DETAILS WILL BE LISTED AS THEY ARE CONFIRMED.

The c. 1757 Thomas Smith House and 1920 Delmore Hawthorne Garage will also be open for tours that afternoon.

Special thanks to Cascio Company for generously donating and planting our Liberty Tree.

This event is free and open to the public.

Illustration of The Liberty Tree in Boston. From A History of Boston, the metropolis of Massachusetts, from its origin to the present period, by Caleb H. Snow. Published in Boston by Abel Bowen; printed by Munroe and Francis, 1825. Houghton Library, Harvard University

May 2026 open house at the Thomas Smith House from 12-3pm.
General & Mrs. Grant will arrive with the General’s horse, Egypt, at 1 pm, with presentation to follow.

The Agawam Garden Club returns to the grounds of the historic Thomas Smith House for their annual Plant Sale!

The sale will include many annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetable starts, and shrubs, all from members’ gardens, and all priced to sell. Because the plants are grown locally, they are well acclimated to the area’s growing conditions.

Proceeds from the sale help fund the Garden Club’s annual scholarship and other educational programs throughout the year.

Arrive early for the best selection!

The c. 1757 Thomas Smith House and 1920 Delmore Hawthorne Garage will also be open for tours.

10 Steps to Researching the History of Your House
by Marian Pierre-Louis, Northeast House Historian

Co-sponsored with the Agawam Public Library & Agawam Historical Commission

Learn how to uncover the past of any home—whether it’s 20 years old or 200. House historian Marian Pierre-Louis will introduce where to find the deeds to your house, how to chain a deed, and locate other sources of information such as the US Federal Census records, maps and tax records.

You’ll learn how to find the stories that bring the history of your house alive.

Come learn 10 steps to get you started on your house history research.

This talk is appropriate for both beginners and those who have research experience.

Please register with the Agawam Public Library for this event beginning 18 May 2026.

Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime event as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

• Community picnic - BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket)

• Reading of the Declaration of Independence

• Participate in an archeological dig at the Thomas Smith House

• Dedication of time capsule

• Bell ringing at 2 pm - BYOB (Bring Your Own Bell)

WE HAVE MORE PLANNED - DETAILS WILL BE POSTED AS THEY ARE CONFIRMED!

The c. 1757 Thomas Smith House and 1920 Delmore Hawthorne Garage will also be open for tours that afternoon.

During the winter of 1775-76, Henry Knox’s “Noble Train of Artillery” passed through several nearby towns en route from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. There, the 59-pieces of captured British ordinance, hauled 300 miles over frozen rivers and snow-covered mountains by oxen and horse, played a crucial role in forcing the British evacuation of the city in the Spring of 1776.

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Knox’s remarkable achievement, this extraordinary feat will come to life on the grounds of the historic Thomas Smith House as costumed educators from Fort Ticonderoga, with (non-firing) cannon and live oxen, present engaging oratory and dramatic demonstrations.

This fascinating living history event is perfect for the whole family!

The c. 1757 Thomas Smith House and 1920 Delmore Hawthorne Garage will also be open for tours that afternoon.

This event is free and open to the public.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Agawam Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Join us for a fun day of old-fashioned fun as we celebrate Thomas Smith’s 301st birthday! (3 October 1725)

• Apple Pie Contest.

• Performance by the Agawam High School Marching Band

• Antique car show

WE’VE GOT MORE PLANNED - DETAILS WILL BE POSTED AS THEY ARE CONFIRMED

The Agawam Historical Association’s c. 1757 Thomas Smith House and 1920 Delmore Hawthorne Garage will also be open for tours. This event is free and open to the public.

Drawing from his latest book, Keeping Memory Alive in Western Massachusetts - A Regional Guide to Gravestone Carvers and Their Work, ca. 1720 to 1850, Bob Drinkwater will discuss their work as it appears in Agawam’s historic cemeteries, where nearly five dozen Revolutionary War veterans are buried.

An historical archaeologist with an MA in Anthropology from UMass Amherst, Drinkwater has recorded, photographed, and reported on the eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century gravestones and stonecutters of western Massachusetts for over four decades, and he has identified a number of Connecticut River Valley carvers. A charter member of the Association for Gravestone Studies, he has been active in nearly every aspect of the organization, contributing scholarly articles to its journals, organizing and presenting at its conferences, and serving terms as President and Trustee.

This event is free and open to the public.

Located in the heart of the Agawam Center National Register Historic District, the Agawam Historical & Fire House Museum house antique firefighting equipment in the Chief Russell "Rusty" Jenks Apparatus Room and historical papers, artifacts, and the association’s archives in the Marilyn P. Curry History Room.

Learn about the Agawam fire Department, Jake the Fire Dog, and Captain Noburn and view exhibits on the Agawam woolen mill, Calla Shasta, the Porter Distillery and Agawam Gin, Riverside Park.

Celebrate the exploits of Agawam athletes Harlan Atwood, Leonard "Buddy” Johnson, and the 2013 Massachusetts State Champion Agawam High School Boys Volleyball team.

Also on display are 18th century town meeting warrants and tax lists, original documents pertaining to the 1855 incorporation of Agawam, dozens of postcards depicting the Agawam and Feeding Hills of yesteryear, and maps of Agawam from 1795-1912, including a pair of 1855 wall maps that depict the pre- and post-incorporation town boundaries of Agawam and West Springfield.

Admission to the museum is free.