Royall House Receives Historic Preservation Grant

The Royall House and Slave Quarters of Medford was selected as the only Massachusetts recipient of Historic New England’s new Community Preservation Grants program with a grant to support their new “Learning for the Landscape” exhibit in the Slave Quarters building.

A representative of Historic New England presented the check at the Royall House and Slave Quarters’ annual meeting on site, Saturday, May 21. Pictured at right: Royall House and Slave Quarters Co-President Penny Outlaw accepting the grant check from Benjamin Haavik, Team Leader for Property Care at Historic New England, where he manages the preservation of more than 100 buildings at 36 sites across New England.

Historic New England launched its first grant program this year, awarding $1,000 to an affiliate member in each of the six New England states. A major historic preservation and public history organization headquartered in Boston, “Historic New England is a museum of cultural history that collects and preserves buildings, landscapes, and objects dating from the seventeenth century to the present and uses them to keep history alive and to help people develop a deeper understanding and enjoyment of New England life and appreciation for its preservation.”

The Royall House and Slave Quarters, a National Historic Landmark museum, focuses on the oft-ignored history of enslaved people in New England. The grant funds will be used toward a new exhibit about the physical and social landscape of the Royall estate in the mid 18th century. Two important and unique artifacts, a lawn roller and a rare statue of the Roman god Mercury, will be displayed along with architectural fragments of the Summer House that once stood on the property. Gracelaw Simmons, a Board member at the recipient organization, noted, “This is the first time since 1887 that Mercury will be on public view!” The Medford Arts Council also funded this exhibit.

“The support of Historic New England greatly advances our ability to tell the stories of the Royalls and the enslaved Africans who lived here. We are deeply appreciative,” noted Royall House Association
Co-President Penny Outlaw.

The Royall House and Slave Quarters is located at 15 George Street in Medford, Massachusetts. The museum is open for public tours on weekends starting May 22, with tours at 1, 2, 3, and 4 p.m. A modest admission is charged, with discounts for groups and families. More information is available at www.royallhouse.org, e-mail to Director@RoyallHouse.org or by calling 781-396-9032.

– Information and photo from the Royall House and Slave Quarters.