The Bidwell House Museum in Monterey, MA | Museums and Galleries

The Bidwell House Museum
The Bidwell House was built c. 1750 by the early settlers of Township No. 1 (today's Monterey and Tyringham) for their first minister Rev. Adonijah Bidwell (1716-1784). The home and almost 60 acres were given to Rev. Bidwell. The house and property stayed in the Bidwell family through three generations and the architecture reflects all three: the ell on the north side was built by the son in 1790, and the wing to the east was built by the grandson in 1836. The house was sold out of the family in 1858.
Today the museum has 196 acres which includes the original house lot given to Reverend Bidwell. Although it now appears isolated, in 1750 the home was built on the Royal Hemlock Road, the main road connecting the two settlements of Township No. 1, close to the intersection with the Boston Albany Post Road. The original meeting house was located just south of The Bidwell House.
The museum opened in 1990 thanks to the generosity of two men, Jack Hargis and David Brush. They bought the house in 1960, restored it to its original appearance, and furnished it with 18th and early 19th century decorative arts. Mr. Hargis and Mr. Brush used Rev. Bidwell's 1784 death inventory as a guide for furnishing the home.
Program
In preparation for 2006 season, please review our new programs for children, families and school groups developed by Michelle Cuevas under the leadership of Martha Dailey, Executive Director. Choose Education in the left menu.
Education, Families and Schools.
PIONEER POETRY!
Children take pencil and paper with them around the museum and make a list of words that they hear on a tour or that they feel while at the Bidwell property. After the list is finished, the words are placed in random boxes on an attached sheet to make a modern Bidwell-themed poem.
BIDWELL WORD GAME!
Children receive a piece of paper with several numbered blanks to fill in for things such as adjectives, nouns, name of a friend, body part, etc. Attached is a fun story about the Bidwell House. After filling in the blanks, the students enter the words into the story making a wacky tale of Reverend Bidwell’s adventures in Colonial America! Similar to Mad-Libs®.
(Interactive and Imaginative learning. Grades 4-8 and Families.)
LET’S GO SCAVENGER HUNTING!
Children are given a list of questions and items to find at the Bidwell House and on the Grounds. Usually the questions are of the “Find something used for...” fashion to promote creative thinking. The hints are given in rhyming-riddle form and the hunt takes place in every room of the house.
(A great activity while parents take a tour. Great for all ages, especially K-5)
See activity sheet
A COLONIAL BOARD GAME: BLIND MEN’S MORRICE
Blind Men’s Morrice was a board game that could be played on a board such as the one we provide or drawn in the dirt. Simple markers such as stones, corn, or beans could be used for play. Today, coins work fine also. Morrice is a game for two players. Each player gets nine markers that must be different for each opponent (e.g. beans and stones). The object of the game is to make rows of three markers in a line and to prevent the other player from doing the same.
(Great for all ages, especially K-5)
Activities for School Groups
TEAM TEACHING!
Students are broken into three groups; Food, Shelter, and Clothing. Each group is taught be a member of the Bidwell staff about their particular topic. The students then brainstorm what they found the most interesting and what they would like to share with the rest of their class. After about 20 minutes, all groups convene and students tell each other their favorite points about what they learned and answer the questions of fellow students.
(Teaches cooperation and students receive information that their peers have already found stimulating. Grades 4-8)
Gardens & Grounds
The Bidwell House celebrated its 250th anniversary and 10th as a museum in 2000. The house was originally built circa 1750 as the parsonage for the first minister to the area of what are today the towns of Monterey and Tyringham.
Surrounding the house are terraced stone walls brimming with perennial beds. Installed in the 20th century when the house was restored, these provide a fabulous setting for this gem of a Georgian saltbox. The remaining acreage is woodlands laced with hiking trails and foot paths leading to historical landmarks throughout the property.