* We are delighted to welcome our new House Residents, Dan and Leah Hancock! Both Dan and Leah grew up in Wakefield and graduated from Wakefield High School -- we are so happy to welcome them to the Hartshorne House family. We know they will do a great job caring for the House, welcoming our visitors and facilitating our rentals.

*Thanks to all who supported the annual Hartshorne House Breakfast, which was this year held at the West Side Social Club! We appreciate everyone's continued support of the House, and this year we send our thanks also to the WSSC for their hospitality!

* See your Hartshorne House dues and donations at work! Steve Roberto (right), of Roberto Bros. Landscaping, and his assistant Carlos Erasos (left) work on a drainage project for the Hartshorne House this November. They are getting the water away from the front perimeter of the historic building using crushed stones, straightening out the front door landing, laying an elevated  brick walkway and restoring the plants and shrubs with an improved drainage system. Co-chairs of the House Committee, Ralph Pisaturo and Mike Salvatore, are aided in their restoration endeavors by Hartshorne House Directors Nancy Bertrand, Carole Curran, Merry Eldridge and Cheryl Knott and the House Residents.

*The Hartshorne House has recently undergone some much needed repairs to its chimneys. The Hartshorne House Association had contracted to repair one chimney, only to find that both chimneys were in need of serious repair. The total cost of the repair/reconstruction of the chimneys approaches $5,000. To make a donation toward the construction, scroll down to our PayPal link, or send a donation directly to the Col. James Hartshorne House Association. Below, the work in progress.

*The Hartshorne House Breakfast, held in June of 2010, was a great success. Lois DeViller, Cindy Stone and Jay Landers co-chaired the annual fundraiser, and enjoyed the help of many members of the Board of Directors and the general public. Below, House Calls Catering staff serve Gina Jones (center) and Joyce Grasso (right) at the Hartshorne House Breakfast.

*Past president of the Hartshorne House Association Merry Eldridge(far right), aided by the Association's Educational Outreach Committee Chair Martha Philbrick (standing, left)  hands out U.S. Savings Bonds to the three winners of the Hartshorne House's essay contest for Wakefield fourth graders: The winners are (left to right) Michael Leven (tied for second, $50 bond), Allison Lee (first place, $100 bond), and William Holman (tied for second place,  $50 bond). The presentation, which attracted many proud family members of the winners, was made in the living room of the historic home on Church Street.

*Wakefield fifth grade students recently took a trip back into the past as they visited the town's historic Hartshorne House. Below, teacher Mary Sullivan looks on as students sign the house's guest book.

* The 2009 Hartshorne House Breakfast was a great success thanks to the efforts of many, most notably the event chairs. In the photo below, Ann Merry Orifice, a director of the Hartshorne House Association, displays the exquisite buffet table floral centerpiece she crafted for the Hartshorne House Breakfast.

* John McCaul (left), a Wakefield resident and owner of the Carpet & Rug Outlet Store, Rt. 28, Reading, displays one of the two rugs he recently donated to the Wakefield's Hartshorne House. Accepting the generous donation on behalf of the Col. James Hartshorne House Association are the home's current residents, Rich and Jen Metropolis. Rich was a valued employee of John's for 17 years, and John and his son wanted to show appreciation to Rich for his many years of dedicated service. One rug is a multi-colored, handcrafted, 100% wool rug, and the other is a green braided oval rug, both of which will be put to good use in the historic Church Street home.

* Historical News! Eighteenth Century Deed to the House discovered in donation to the Wakefield Historical Society. Click here for details!

* This old house needs your help!

* The Hartshorne House can now accept donations through PayPal. To make a donation, click the image below and you will be taken to a secure page where you can make a donation with PayPal or any credit card. Thank you for your support of Wakefield's beloved old house.

* The Col. James Hartshorne House Association has engaged the services of John Leeke (see his website, here.) to examine the structure of the venerable house in order to pinpoint problems or issues of concern. Below, former House Resident Rob Hagerty and John Leeke examine one of the house's chimneys.

The House received a new coat of paint last year, chosen from among the palette of historic colors offered by California Paints, and greeted the holiday season with festive decorations. At right, see a photograph of Rob Hagerty decking the door frame with holiday greens. The photo at right is shown with the compliments of wakefieldworld.com.

One of the loveliest traditions of the Wakefield holiday season is the annual Hartshorne House Christmas Tea. Below, we share some photographs of the house in its holiday finery. As the first snow of the season gracefully descended (just enough to set the scene for the event), hundreds of friends of the Hartshorne House came to share the hospitality and the spirit of the season.