The Somerville Museum is proud to present History on the Line: a map, exhibit, and event series running through June 2025, exploring the untold stories of Somerville’s revolutionary past. Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 grant program, this dynamic initiative brings history to life in new and meaningful ways. The excitement begins on Patriot’s Day, April 21, 2025, with a free community event at Foss Park – an opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate Somerville’s rich heritage together.

Stephanie Marlin-Curiel, Executive Director of the Somerville Museum, comments: “The 250th Anniversary of the colonists’ fight for liberation from British rule is a momentous milestone, and we are thrilled to amplify this story with diverse voices and perspectives. Somerville’s rich history has shaped the vibrant community we know today, and how we tell that history will help define the future we want to create. This is an incredible opportunity to engage, reflect, and inspire – history is truly ‘on the line.'”

History on the Line offers visitors a chance to experience the history of the American Revolution through the key sites, stories, and firsts local to Somerville. The official History on the Line Map and Exhibit pinpoints spaces, places, and people that helped shape the course of the war, while trolley tours and park events set those stories in motion. Across all programming, attendees have a chance to learn about the Revolution through personal, site-based, and event-based lenses, which help capture the nuances and localized meaning of a complex period of American history.

“By focusing on Somerville’s Revolutionary past, we get a richer and more honest account of what the war meant to different people,” said Dr. Paul Polgar, a lecturer in Tufts University History Department. “The Revolution was not a single, unified movement; it was a series of overlapping struggles, full of ambiguity. Some fought for self-government, others for personal freedom. Some saw economic opportunity, others faced ruin. Looking at history from this local perspective challenges us to move beyond mythologized versions of the past and reckon with the Revolution in all its complexity.”

For over a century, the Somerville Museum has held space for the stories that shape collective history. On the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, History on the Line programming channels a national story into a locally meaningful, community-minded experience. From family-friendly events in the park to fascinating historical deep dives, the wide-ranging and dynamic programming provides something for everyone to enjoy.

“As a former mayor and a museum trustee of 40 years, I consider the museum to be the gem of our city. Given Somerville’s rich history, it is only right, and our duty, to preserve it for citizens young and old to take advantage of and enjoy,” Former Mayor and veteran, Gene Brune said.

EVENTS:

April 10 | Tavern Talk | Tavern Culture and the Road Through Somerville to Lexington

Join us at Aeronaut Brewery in Union Square for a drink and a lecture on New England’s tavern culture and its relevance to the Revolutionary War. Tickets are available here.

April 21 | History in the Park | Patriot’s Day

Join us in partnership with the City of Somerville for the annual Patriots’ Day celebration at Foss Park! Play colonial games and activities, enjoy refreshments, and greet Paul Revere. This event is free to attend, no RSVP necessary. More information at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-revolution-on-tap-tavern-culture-and-the-road-through-somerville-tickets-1284449094819?aff=oddtdtcreator

April 25-27 | Trolley Tour | Revolutionary Line

Join us for an hour-long tour of critical revolutionary sites such as Paul Revere’s ride through town and the marching route of the Redcoats! Tickets are available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trolley-tour-revolutionary-line-registration-1292791517229?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

May 1 | History on the Line | Exhibition Opening

Join us for the opening reception of the History on the Line exhibition at the Somerville Museum, which showcases Somerville’s history as seen through lines of evolution. This exhibit showcases the special objects and artifacts that helped shape Somerville into the community it is today. More information at: https://www.somervillemuseum.org/historyontgheline-eventslist/event-four-cj77c

May 17-19 | Trolley Tour | Industrial Line

Join us for an hour-long trolley tour of the brick alleys, workers’ cottages, and railroad-side factories that shaped the city. Tickets link coming soon!

June 22 | History in the Park | Blessing of the Bay

Details coming soon! This event is free to attend, no RSVP necessary.

About the Somerville Museum

Located in the heart of the city at the intersection of Central Street and Westwood Road, the Somerville Museum has served as the community’s cultural institution for nearly a century. The Museum’s Federal Revival building was constructed in the 1920’s to house the growing collection of the Somerville Historical Society. In the 1980’s, with a changing demographic and the need to expand the mission of the Society, a handful of committed individuals raised the funds to fully renovate and restore the building. The result was the newly consecrated Somerville Museum, which officially reopened in 1988.

While specializing in the visual arts — including many exhibits with both historical and local significance – the Museum also offers musical and lecture series, a number carried out in collaboration with Somerville’s public schools. An important meeting place for local historical and cultural organizations, the Museum has a long tradition of encouraging hands-on learning projects for young and old alike.

As the only membership-supported, non-profit, volunteer-run, community-based cultural institution of its kind in Somerville, members and volunteers