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Recent News

POSTPONED due to weather - July Summer Garden Music 7/17 Features Abby Vail

Friday, 21 June 2019 19:16

ATTENTION: This event is postponed until September due to the forecast of inclement weather. Details to follow.

Join us for a delightful and relaxing evening in the garden with the kickoff of the Wakefield Estate’s 2019 Summer Garden Music series on Wednesday, July 17th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Wakefield Estate. This month's evening of garden splendor, music and refreshments will feature an accomplished young local singer/songwriter Abby Vail. About Vail, one reviewer stated "“Using romantic and picturesque imagery, listening to Abigail can stir the imagination and touch the heart...a much needed combination for any songwriter musing on the human condition.”
The Garden Music series offers visitors an opportunity to stroll the gardens, enjoy light refreshments, and hear great music in a casual format. Tickets are $10; RSVPs are appreciated by calling 617-333-0924. This event is subject to cancellation due to weather.
The Wakefield Estate is located at 1465 Brush Hill Road. Save this date, Wednesday, August 21, for the next event in the series featuring Milton's own Eric Martin. Rain or shine; $10 suggested donation. Please call to RSVP: 617-333-0924.

The Sun Has Set on Dogwood Days 2019! It was one of the best!

Thursday, 20 June 2019 12:38

Well, the sun has set on Dogwood Days 2019 and it was extraordinary, with a smorgasbord of activities ranging from fun to awe inspiring to enlighting and informative.

The Garden Party kicked things off in spectacular style. It was a wonderful gathering full of good company, delicious food, lively jazz, and all surrounded by hundreds of flowering dogwood trees. It could not have been a more beautiful evening.

Guests heard from a variety of speakers that evening about how this annual fundraiser to celebrates the amazing legacy of Polly Wakefield left. They heard the excitement of young Sergenio, a second-grader who read to us of his experience walking in the woods for the very first time and learned how members of the Massachusetts Master Gardeners use Polly’s landscape as a outdoor classroom and chance to share their knowledge.

One highlight of this year's Dogwood Days was the "unveiling" of our new dwarf conifer garden and on opening day, a trio of experts shared their talents with visitors at "pop-up" sessions relating to dwarf and standard conifers. Thanks to Christie Dustman of Christie Dustman & Company and Jeff Thompson, faculty member at Norfolk Agrigulture High School for their outstanding session and donating their time. Once again, our Wine, Cheese, and Trees Trivia event was a big hit with participants on Wednesday. On closing day, we reved up our "Dogs and Dogwoods Day," pairing it with our Dogwood Beer Garden which featured craft beer, live music by Electric Standard and a wood-turning demo by Central New England Woodturners.

Thanks to all our generous patrons, donors, volunteers, garden clubs, and visitors for making this year's Dogwood Days one for the record books! Enjoy these photos capturing the spectacular beauty of this year's Dogwood Days. If you missed it, come visit soon!

Hot off the press! Read the latest issue of our Quarterly, Dogwood Lane

Thursday, 20 June 2019 12:21

Our spring issue of Dogwood Lane is hot off the press! We hope you will take some time to read this latest edition of our quarterly journal aimed at giving readers a greater appreciation of the ten generations of one inter-related family that fashioned this land from wooded hillsides 300 years ago to the historic estate and grounds that it is today. In 2018, the estate was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places as the Davenport Estate Historic District. In addition, this journal provides a deeper understanding of the larger social and political context in which these families lived their daily lives. This historical and biographical overview is based on the scholarly research by students and professionals who combed through the archives of the estate, tax documents and census records to learn of those who called the estate home. To read Vol. 1, Issue Three, click here.

Click here to read Dogwood Lane Vol. 1, Issue One - Wakefield Estate's educational programs.

Click here to read Dogwood Lane Vol. 1, Issue Two - Horticultural Research at the Wakefield Estate.

Registration now open for 2019 Summer Archaeology Institute

Tuesday, 19 March 2019 13:04

Registration open for 2019 Summer Archaeology Institute

The Wakefield Estate's Summer Archaeology Institute is a hands-on archaeological excavation at the historic Wakefield Estate in Milton, MA. It is one of only a few programs of its type in the country. The institute is specifically designed for high school and college students interested in learning about local history and archaeology. Participants will work side by side with graduate archaeology students from UMass Boston. Each two-week session offers students a hands-on introduction to the field of archaeology through participation in an actual excavation on site at the estate. To read about some of the past discoveries, check the news archive on here on our website.

2019 Dates & Schedule

Session I: July 8 – July 19; Monday-Friday 9 am-3:00 pm

Session II: July 22 – August 2; Monday-Friday, 9 am-3:00 pm

Program Description

In each two-week session, participants will work closely with archaeologists to conduct survey work and learn how to set up an archaeological dig. Students will gain excavation experience and the methods and techniques involved in conducting archaeology. Possible field trips and special events include visiting the Boston City Archaeology Lab and meeting specialists from nearby archaeological museums. Participants will also gain experience in identifying artifacts and the behind-the-scenes activities that occur after the fieldwork has been conducted.

Requirements:

Willingness to work outdoors in all kinds of weather.

Enthusiasm for hard work and getting dirty -- this is an archaeological dig!

Commitment to teamwork and respect for others.

Ability to work independently as well as with others.

Cost:

$300 per session; $450 for both sessions
Scholarships available based on need. Please call 617-333-0924 for more information.

Application Process and Deadline

To obtain a copy of our application, call 617-333-0924 or click here for a downloadable pdf.

Send completed application to address below.
Space is limited; applicants will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

Send or fax(call 617-333-0924 before faxing) completed application to:

Erica Max, Program Director

Wakefield Charitable Trust

1465 Brush Hill Road

Milton, MA 02186