‘Historic fair with colonial flair’ paired with new exhibit

Jun 23, 2024

ROCHESTER — From muskets, to an organ, to a ouija board, a wide variety of objects could be found at the Rochester Historical Society on Saturday, June 22.

Two events took place on that same day: the opening of a new exhibit, which teaches about forms of entertainment throughout the last 337 years, and a fair outside the building, the theme of which was “Historic fair with colonial flair.”

For the next year, the inside of the Rochester Historical Society’s museum will be full of forms of entertainment that have been used in recent history, including dolls, games and outdoor equipment like fishing rods and ice skates.

Also lining the walls are excerpts from journal entries written by late Rochester residents, detailing what they would do for fun.

“A lot of things are toys and things that we used to play with,” said Connie Eshbach of the Rochester Historical Society, describing herself and her peers on the society. “It was a little alarming to realize that things we used to play with when we were 10 years old are now antiques.”

Eshbach said that items were donated by the Mattapoisett Historical Museum, members of the Rochester Historical Society and other Rochester residents.

“It's a relief that it is finished,” said Eshbach. “It's nice to see people enjoying it and to have people come and see the museum.”

Just outside, members of the Rochester Historical Society dressed in colonial era outfits and educated guests about how Rochester residents lived day-to-day in the colonial era.

One table featured what a Rochester resident fighting for the colonies would carry in a bag. Another allowed attendees to play a traditional dice-based game.

The event also featured a bake sale, colonial-era music and games for kids.

The Rochester Historical Society typically hosts programs on the third Wednesday of each month.