Nahant Historical Society

The Nahant Historical Society presents 2005 Paterson Lecture: Nahant's Native Americans and their 17th Century New England World by David Stewart-Smith, PhD. Sunday afternoon, October 2, 2005 at 2:00 pm Serenity Room, Nahant Community Center 41 Valley Road, Nahant, Massachusetts Speaker: David Stewart-Smith, PhD

This lecture is held annually in memory of the Society's late president, Stanley C. Paterson, author and leader in historic preservation in Massachusetts.

This year's speaker is an ethno-historian with Vermont College, in Montpelier, Vermont. Dr. Stewart-Smith is author of ”Pennacook-Pawtucket Relations: the Cycles of Family Alliance on the Merrimack River,“ and Ancient and Modern Quarry Techniques and ”Pennacook Indians and the New England Frontier.“ He has been recently awarded a Peabody-Essex Museum fellowship to do more research for his forthcoming book.

Poquanum's image may grace our town seal; but few people know anything about the Sachem of Nahant, called Black William by early European colonists or his people. Come and learn about Nahant's Native Americans and their family and inter-tribal relationships. Find out what really happened to this fascinating people just before and during European colonization.

Members may certainly bring guests. The general public is welcome. This lecture is free but donations are gladly accepted.

Please remember that parking is limited at the Community Center, 41 Valley Road in Nahant. We encourage carpooling, walking and biking. Also shuttle van service will be available from St. Thomas Aquinas church parking lot at 248 Nahant Road between 1:30pm and 4:30pm.