Past Speakers & Webinars

The Annual Ben Fisher Memorial Lecture
Tales of the People behind those Dedham Street Signs
May 21st, 2025, 7:00 p.m. The talk was preceded by the Annual Meeting at 6:15

FIRE! The History of Firefighting in Dedham, Part II

Part II of the documentary on the history of firefighting in Dedham: The Modern Era. Presented by Jack Hoell, author of the film.

The final presentation of our Fall 2024 Speaker Series focuses on the modern era from the 1920s to the present. Introduced by Jack Hoell, author of the film, the documentary includes retired Fire Lieutenant Mike Lessard discussing, with moderator Dan Hart, past events before and during his thirty-seven years of service.

Click here to watch Part II of the documentary, recorded by DedhamTV.

Click here to view Part I, presented as our May 2024 Speaker Series program.

Caption: Central Fire Station, 1950s, corner of Washington and Bryant Streets. Built in 1951 and razed in 2023.

Welcome to the Graveyard: Art, History, and Symbolism of Gravestones

“Welcome to the Graveyard!” was an illustrated "virtual tour" chronicling cemetery art, history, and symbolism. From colonial New England burial grounds of the 1600s and 1700s, through the nation-wide rural cemetery movement of the 19th century, and into 21st-century locations, the program examines why we have cemeteries and gravestones, why they look like they do, and how styles and art have evolved through almost 400 years. 

The presentation included photographs of original gravestones and burial grounds from cemeteries visited through many years. Images from Dedham cemeteries and tombstones comprised many of the images, from the Old Village Cemetery to Brookdale Cemetery.

This talk was given by Brenda Sullivan of Graveyard Girls.

If you would like to watch DedhamTV's recording of the talk, click here

A House Restored: The Tragedies and Triumphs of Saving a New England Colonial Home

Old houses share their secrets only if they survive. In the first talk of our Fall Speaker Series, architectural conservator Lee McColgan will share the story of his preservation of a ramshackle house built in 1702. Trading the corporate ladder for a stepladder, he used period materials and methods to tackle the challenges of an old building while under a deadline of visitors for the holidays. McColgan’s journey examines our relationship to history through the homes we inhabit, articulating the philosophy of preserving the past to find purpose for the future.

Watch the video of this talk 
Recorded by DedhamTV