AMBESBURY TREASURE

The John Greenleaf Whittier Home Museum opens weekly for guided tours on Saturdays May 3, through October 25, 2014.  In addition, special tours and groups can be accommodated by calling 978-388-1337 or 978-465-5964. Saturday tours run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The last tour begins at 3:30 p.m.

If you are interested in conducting research, an interview, or any other activity that is time sensitive, please contact us and we will make every effort to accommodate you.

The Whittier Home, one of the “Amesbury Treasures” located at 86 Friend Street in Amesbury, is the home where John Greenleaf Whittier lived with his sister, Elizabeth, also a poet, his mother Abigail and Aunt Mercy from 1836 until his death in 1892. As a committed Abolitionist, faithful Quaker, creative thinker, environmentalist and freedom lover, Whittier published inspired poetry most of his life and is famed for his poem “Snowbound,” and especially his anti-slavery activism.

Visit the home and see the family furnishings, artifacts and memorabilia, along with the gift shop’s publications of John Greenleaf Whittier’s works and his history.  One can also take an online virtual tour by visiting the website www.whittierhome.org  

Relatively new on the website is the J.G. Whittier Curriculum Guide, a valuable teaching and research tool resulting from an IMLS (Institute of Museum Library Sciences) grant.  It is a free download.

For over 100 years volunteers of the Whittier Home Association have been stewards of this historic house museum, maintaining the property and collections, and striving to educate others about the life, legacy and works of J.G. Whittier.

Admission is adults $6; Students (age 7 – 17) and seniors $5, and children under 7 free. Group rates on request. Proceeds help toward upkeep and maintenance of museum and garden where public teas are held each summer. The teas this summer will be held on July 17 and Aug. 21. The major annual fundraiser is Celebrating Whittier on Saturday Sept. 13. An updated calendar of events is on our Web site www.whittierhome.org