MAKE HISTORY
Founded in 1910
by William Sumner Appleton,
Historic New England is the largest and most comprehensive independent preservation organization in the United States.
38 History Museums
1,284 acres of farmland, fields, forests, and gardens
125 privately owned properties protected in preservation easement program
125,000 collections objects
1.5 million archival documents
The Historic New England Patron Program
brings together our most engaged and philanthropic friends and supporters to celebrate our dynamic history and our creative future. This passionate group of donors share a love of New England —its architecture, art, antiques, landscapes, people, and much more.
Patrons join this vibrant community by giving generously to the Historic New England Fund and providing essential flexible support that is critically needed to ensure our continued growth and sustainability. The philanthropy of our Patrons makes a profound difference and is a catalyst for our bright future.
Whether you are a prospective Patron considering joining or have supported us for many years, we look forward to welcoming you warmly. We hope you will explore the many Patron Program benefits and take advantage of exceptional experiences to connect deeply to our mission and to each other. Join us to make history and enjoy creating some of your own.
On behalf of all of us at Historic New England, we are grateful for your support.
Vin Cipolla President and CEO
Boots, Massachusetts, 1860. Gift of Albert C. Frothingham, 1961.11AB. This pair of girls’ button boots was worn by the donor’s mother, Elixa Hussey Goodwin, who was born in 1841. Photograph by Joel Benjamin.
The Lyman Estate, Waltham, Massachusetts. Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Photograph by Eric Roth.
“Front Elevation” of an unidentified townhouse. Signed: “Nath J. Bradlee, architect.” 1858. Bequest of Dorothy S. F. M. Codman.
Visionary Circle
$50,000 or more
President’s Circle
$25,000 to $49,999
1910 Founders Society
$10,000 to $24,999
Preservation Champions
$5,000 to $9,999
Appleton Circle
$2,500 to $4,999
Patrons celebrate
New England makers
Silk Taffeta Dress, Boston, 1876-77.
Gift of Elizabeth E. Sears, 1942.308AB.
Stamped at waistband:
H.C. Jeffrey, Modes et Robes, 300 Columbus Ave. Boston, Mass. Photographs by Joel Benjamin.
Patron Benefits
Visionary Circle
$50,000 or more
• Opportunity to host an intimate dinner party for up to twelve guests at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts (pictured below) with the Historic New England expert of your choice (Dinner not included)
• All benefits at the President’s Circle level
President’s Circle
$25,000 to $49,999
• Opportunity to host a cocktail party for up to twenty guests at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, Massachusetts with the Historic New England expert of your choice (Refreshments not included)
• A second exclusive curated experience with our most prominent experts or leaders in the field for a party of eight (See offerings to choose from on pages 8-9. Refreshments not included)
• All benefits at the 1910 Founders Society level
1910 Founders Society
$10,000 to $24,999
• An exclusive curated experience with our most prominent experts and leaders in the field for a party of eight (See offerings to choose from on pages 8-9. Refreshments not included)
• Advance registration for travel opportunities with fellow donors on Patron Trips
• All benefits at the Preservation Champions level
Preservation Champions
$5,000 to $9,999
• A private tour for a party of four at any of our historic sites or at our collections facility (See offerings to choose from on pages 10-11)
• 20% discount on a rental of one of Historic New England’s functions properties
• All benefits at the Appleton Circle level
Appleton Circle
$2,500 to $4,999
• Exclusive programs throughout the year that include behind-the-scenes experiences, fascinating lectures, access to private homes, and tours with curatorial staff
• Travel opportunities with fellow donors on Patron Trips
• Personalized support and answers to your old-house questions All Patron Program members receive: Unlimited free admission for six adults plus children under eighteen to all Historic New England sites, Library and Archives, and the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History Reciprocal admission to 1,000+ North American museums and cultural institutions through the North American Reciprocal Museum Association
Patrons share a love of New England history, culture and architecture
Eustis Estate, Milton, Massachusetts.
Patron Trips
The Patron Program offers national and international travel opportunities featuring behind-the-scenes tours, curator talks, private receptions and dinners, and special access to private homes and collections. To enjoy customized travel with a small philanthropic group, visit HistoricNewEngland.org/Patron for current offerings.
Patrons enjoy amazing travel experiences
Previous Patron Trips
Stockholm, Sweden: Venice of the North, 2024
The City Revisited: Culture as Catalyst in Milan, Italy, 2023
California Modern: Mid-Century Masterpieces of Palm Springs and Los Angeles, 2023
Houses, History, and Culture in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland, 2022
Schedule a Private Patron Event
Visionary Circle, President’s Circle, 1910 Founders Society Contributing $10,000 to $50,000 or more
History comes to life with a special private experience for you and your guests. Visionary Circle and President’s Circle can choose two of these private experiences and 1910 Founders Society can choose one. If you choose to include refreshments, they are provided by you and we will coordinate your selections with one of our preferred caterers. Although these events are planned for parties of eight, dates and number of guests are flexible for each experience.
Entertain at Otis House
Don’t miss this limited opportunity to host friends in the parlor at Otis House in Boston. Entertain in the stately home of the prominent young socialite Sally Foster Otis and Harrison Gray Otis, a lawyer who was instrumental in developing nearby Beacon Hill, served in Congress, and was a mayor of Boston. Architect Charles Bulfinch designed the house in 1796 with entertaining in mind. A property expert will be on hand to help you relive the history.
Hip Sips
Host an evening of comestibles and cocktails à la hip ‘60s mode at Walter and Ise Gropius’s innovative Gropius House, their internationally renowned home in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Founder of the German design school known as the Bauhaus, Walter and his wife, Ise, entertained twentieth-century notables in their home including Alexander Calder, Igor Stravinsky, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Riverside Retreat
Bring your friends to the picturesque setting at Hamilton House in South Berwick, Maine, overlooking the Salmon Falls River. Marvel at the exquisite wallpapers throughout the house and wander through the scenic gardens with your private guide. The informal cottage is yours to relax in while taking in the reflective river view with your guests.
Additional opportunities can be curated to your interests.
Cottage at Hamilton House, South Berwick, Maine. Gropius House, Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Schedule a Private Patron Event
Preservation Champions
$5,000 to $9,999
Enjoy a private tour at one of our exciting properties for you and your guests. Visionary Circle, President’s Circle, 1910 Founders Society, and Preservation Champions can choose one of these private experiences. Although these events are planned for parties of four, dates and number of guests are flexible.
Take a Deep Dive at Roseland Cottage
Travel back in time at the Bowens’ summer retreat in Woodstock, Connecticut. Instantly recognizable for its pink exterior—dubbed a “brilliant crushed strawberry” by the New York Times in 1887—Roseland Cottage has equally unique features hidden from the public’s view. Is there really a swimming pool in the cellar? Explore the little-seen areas of Roseland Cottage from attic to cellar, solarium to stalls on this revealing special tour of Woodstock’s Pink House.
Indigenous Origins of Casey Farm
For more than 10,000 years the Narragansett people cultivated the land now known as Saunderstown, Rhode Island. Experience Casey Farm and see cultural objects found through archaeology, as well as art created by living Narragansett artists. Learn about our current partnership with the Tomaquag Museum and how Historic New England has incorporated Indigenous history, stories, culture, and art into the story of Casey Farm.
Haverhill Center Tour
Learn more about the bold vision for the Haverhill Center. Explore living archives, state-of-the-art storytelling, and a vast collection of New England artifacts. Join the curatorial and conservation staff for an exclusive look inside the Center for Preservation and Collections in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Learn the stories behind some of the extraordinary paintings, needlework, costume, ceramics, and furniture, and see ongoing conservation treatment projects and our state-of-the-art controlled atmosphere treatment system (the Bubble). Handle objects and learn tips for caring for your own treasures.
Beauport in the Evening
Experience Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House in the evening as the sun sets over Gloucester Harbor in Massachusetts. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Henry Davis Sleeper’s summer retreat. A National Historic Landmark, this was the summer home of one of America’s first professional interior designers, and in the evening the house sparkles.
Cream Silk Damask Dress, New England, 1879-80. Gift of George Woodman, 1932.2459. Photograph by Joel Benjamin. Roseland Cottage, Woodstock, Connecticut. Casey Farm, Saunderstown, Rhode Island.
Patron Member Events
Appleton Circle
$2,500 to $4,999
All Patron members receive invitations to these events and more. For more information please visit HistoricNewEngland.org/Patron.
Holiday Party
December 5, 2024
Celebrate the season together at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Winter Show Patron Reception
January 2025
Join us to kick-off the Winter Show & New York Antiques Week in New York City.
Wonderland Walks
Spring/Fall 2025
Enjoy a magical walk at one of our many sites throughout the region to talk about history and design, conservation, the arts, and the extraordinary diversity of the New England experience.
Historic New England Medal Gala
March 15, 2025
Join us at the Fairmont Copley Plaza for an elegant evening in support of the Historic New England Fund and celebrate The Historic New England Medal recipients.
The Historic New England Summit Fall 2025
Join us at New England’s largest conference to discuss our collective roles in creating livable and resilient communities. The annual Summit brings together experts and philanthropists for two days of exciting conversations.
The Night of Prizes Late Fall 2025
Join this year’s winners of the Historic New England Book Prize and Prize for Collecting Works on Paper for a presentation about their books and collections.
Shoe-related photographs and ephemera, some of the 1.5 million archival documents in Historic New England’s Library and Archives.
Photograph by Joel Benjamin.
Woven Purses and Boxes, New England, Canada, and New York, 1850-1930.
Gift of Judith Johnson, 2023.63.3; Fowler House Estate, 1934.2998; Bequest of Dorothy S. F. M. Codman, 1969.19159AB; Gift of Miss Margaret Jewell, 1944.110.
Photograph by Joel Benjamin.
To make a donation, you can use a credit card online at HistoricNewEngland.org/Patron or call the Development Office at 617-994-5951, or mail your check to Historic New England, 151 Essex Street, Haverhill, MA 01832. Transfer information for gifts of stock and appreciated securities is available upon request. You may also give through your donor advised fund or private foundation.
Historic New England is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and donations are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. There are no Patron Program benefits provided with taxable value. Invitations to events and travel opportunities will indicate when there are program charges or related fees to cover food, entertainment, or transportation costs. Patron donations are directed to the Historic New England Fund, our greatest need.
For more information or to take advantage of any of these benefits, please contact the Events Office at 617-994-5934 or Events@HistoricNewEngland.org.
Historic New England, founded as The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in 1910, is the oldest, largest and most comprehensive independent preservation organization in the United States, and welcomes the public to thirty-eight exceptional museums and landscapes, including several coastal farms. The organization operates a major collections and archives center in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and has the world’s largest collection of New England artifacts, comprising more than 125,000 decorative arts and objects, and 1.5 million archival documents including photographs, architectural drawings, manuscripts, and ephemera. Engaging education programs for youth, adults, and preservation professionals, and award-winning exhibitions and publications are offered in person and virtually. The Historic New England Preservation Easement program is a national leader and protects 125 privately owned historic properties throughout the region.
HistoricNewEngland.org
Crazy Quilt, Helen E. Endicott (1868-1930), Canton, Massachusetts, 1892. Gift of Katherine Mierzwa, 2022.46.2. Photograph by Joel Benjamin.
Front cover: Mr. Seymour’s Shoes, ca. 1950-60. Museum purchase, 2024.11.1A-C. Mr. Seymour Shoes, the prominent twentieth-century footwear company, was once located in Historic New England’s Lang Building in Haverhill, Massachusetts. In the mid-twentieth century, the company rented out four floors of the building. It was here, under the tutelage of his father, the company’s owner, that the influential American shoe designer, Stuart Weitzman, got his start. In fact, Stuart’s earliest designs were under the label: “Stuart Weitzman for Mr. Seymour.” Photograph by Joel Benjamin.
