A conversation led by William Hosley, Terra Firma Northeast

Most of our 351 towns have a community-based historical organization. Many are volunteer-run. Collectively, they present and preserve the stuff and stories that make up our history - usually with an emphasis on local art, industries, and material culture. William Hosley has criss-crossed Massachusetts visiting them in every corner of the state, from Adams to Andover, Northampton to Nantucket. We will hear from three of what he calls gems - house museums and historicals with amazing stuff and stories, that fly a bit under the radar. They too are grappling with the usual challenges of audience engagement, preservation, and interpretation.