Historical Museum

Elizabeth Stewart Reed Room

The recently renovated Reed Room holds an exhibit housing artifacts and information about Westfield through the ages. Stop by to learn about Westfield from its colonial beginnings to the late 1900s. The room contains historical books about Westfield, which are available for patrons to browse as they are in the space, as well as a brand new exhibit:

Courage in Action: Two Centuries of Service by Westfield Veterans

The Westfield Athenaeum is proud to announce the opening of a new exhibit on May 27th, titled, Courage in Action: Two Centuries of Service by Westfield Veterans. This exhibit will display more than 130 artifacts documenting Westfield veteran’s military service, dating from the Revolutionary War in the 1770s to Desert Storm in our own time. The items being featured include: metals, uniforms, firearms, gas masks, flags, swords, and various equipment used by veterans during almost every conflict that the United States has been involved throughout our history. 

Artifact highlights include: a Revolutionary War era uniform; the Civil War uniform and sword of Surgeon-Major Dr. James Holland; a Civil War rifle made at the Springfield Armory; several Grand Army of the Republic ribbons; the World War II uniform of Maryann Ochs Douglas, a member of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service); the World War II Marine uniform of Earle J. Marcoullier, who served in the Pacific Theater, banners of various Westfield veterans groups, and the uniform of Darren Tarr, who served in Operation Desert Storm. 

Guy McLain, Executive Director of the Westfield Athenaeum, stated that, “We are honored to bring this exhibit to life in order to honor the service and sacrifice of our Westfield veterans. This is an opportunity to show many of our military artifacts, some on display for the very first time.”

Edwin Smith Historical Museum

The Edwin Smith Museum recently underwent renovations and display renewals. It is open to the public for free on most Saturdays, 10am – 2pm. Please contact the library prior to your visit to verify museum hours.

For a visual and tactile journey through Westfield history, look no further than the Edwin Smith Historical Museum! The museum features a wide range of artifacts, some dating back to Westfield’s colonial settlement in the 1600s. It opened in 1928 and is named in honor of Edwin Smith, co-founder of the H.B. Smith Company, which was a major employer in Westfield making boilers and radiators. William T. Smith, Edwin’s son and a former Westfield Athenaeum director, provided the funds to create the museum space.

Some of the museum’s treasures include:

• A 1904 sewing machine
• Historical toys and dolls
• Photos of Civil War veterans from Westfield
• Technology through the ages
• Intricate ladies’ fans
• Re-creation of a typical kitchen in a colonial home
• A Victorian wreath made of human hair
• An original whip snap making machine
• A wedding dress from 1894