Sails and Trails Tours Continue Saturday at Mary Baker Eddy House

Swampscott Historical Society opened the Sir John Humphrey House Friday, Sept. 27, as an event of Essex National Heritage Trails & Sails program. Trails & Sails is an extensive program involving 30 towns and over 150 events in towns north of Boston to the New Hampshire border.

Before we opened for visitors, a new flag donated in memory of the parents of the Mailand brothers was  raised in the front yard of the Sir John Humphrey House by Molly Conner, President of the Swampscott Historical Society, and assisted by the Douglas and Duncan Maitland.

Nearly 30 visitors enjoyed the five tours of the Sir John Humphrey House led by Lou Gallo, our town historian and assisted by both Maitlands. The historic house has a collection of  Swampscott memorabilia, artifacts, and documents.  It was perfect weather to visit the historic house, for all three floors stayed a comfortable temperature.

Visitors came from New Hampshire, Woburn, Andover, Peabody, as well as Lynn, Saugus, Marblehead and Swampscott. One woman, a Russian immigrant enjoyed her visit and then went out to the bus stop and took the bus home, as the Humphrey House is right on the bus route.

Quite a few of the visitors liked the new 2014 Historical Society calendar, which includes more than a dozen vintage Swampscott pictures. Betty Holmes was kept busy with sales.

Several people commented they had always wanted to visit the Humphrey House, and were happy it was open on a weekday.

On Saturday, Sept. 28,  the Mary Baker Eddy house is open for tours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Douglas and Duncan Maitland will be hosting other Trails & Sails events, at Goldfish Pond and the GAR Civil War Museum in Lynn