Myth and Memory

Stories of the American Revolution

Myth and Memory:
Stories of the American Revolution

Eustis Estate, Milton, Mass.
May 15 – November 15, 2026

Myth and Memory: Stories of the American Revolution brings together material from Historic New England’s vast permanent collection of objects and archival materials to explore the multifaceted history of the American Revolution as it played out in New England. These objects tell the stories of everyday people whose lives were linked by the shared experience of revolution. This exhibition engages with the memories and mythologies embedded in this collection, calling attention to how we remember the American Revolution and reckon with its legacy. Myth and Memory spotlights the deeply personal experiences of individuals, families, and communities caught up in extraordinary circumstances, organized around the themes of Resistance, Loyalty, Liberty, and Memory. This intimacy invites audiences to consider what it was like to live through these historic events and to contribute in small and not-so-small ways to the shaping of a new nation.

 

Exhibition highlights include:

  • A teapot with a history of ownership by Crispus Attucks, a sailor of mixed African and Indigenous ancestry who was the first casualty of the Boston Massacre.
  • A dress worn by Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the Continental Army.
  • A journal kept by Col. Samuel Pierce, who observed and recorded the major events leading up to the outbreak of war from his home in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
  • A mourning ring, sword, and window pane etching saved by members of the Quincy family in memory of Josiah Quincy, Jr. who died at sea at the age of thirty-one on his way back from pleading the patriots’ cause in England.
  • A quilt top claimed to be made from the discarded uniforms of fallen British soldiers at Bunker Hill.
  • A powder horn inscribed by a Provincial soldier who fought in the Siege of Boston.

This exhibition will also draw attention to individuals who have been, until recently, silenced or overlooked in the historical record, such as:

  • Cicero, a young Black man who ran away from his enslaver in 1775 to join the fight for independence – and earn his own freedom.
  • Dinah, a free Black woman in York Harbor who “Signed with her mark” a testimonial to gain a pension as the widow of Prince Sayward, who served in the Continental Army.
  • The Abenaki soldiers who allied with the British Army in a raid against American forces in Royalton, Vermont, in a bid to protect their homelands and sovereignty in the midst of war.

About the Curator:

Erica Lome is the Curator of Collections at Historic New England. She specializes in American decorative arts and material culture. She previously curated “American by Craft: The Furniture of Olof Althin” and “Alive with Birds: William Brewster in Concord.”

Exhibitions are only possible through the generosity of members and friends.
Please consider supporting this remarkable exhibition.

Other Ways to Give

Historic New England is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization, whose legal name is the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. Historic New England’s Tax ID number is 04-2104937.

Please contact the Development Office at (617) 994-5951 or Development@HistoricNewEngland.org to learn more about this exciting exhibition and how you can get involved.

Checks may be sent to:

Historic New England
Attn: Development Office
151 Essex Street
Haverhill, MA 01832

Historic New England is excited to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. We’ll share the stories of New Englanders’ domestic life – whether young or old, patriots or loyalists, enslaved or free – through exhibitions, special events, virtual tours, new research, and revamped site experiences. Let’s make history come alive together!