Saturday, December 6th, the Station will be open from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Bake sale, raffle, food drive. New Mary Bodio glass ornaments, Blanche Ames prints, trivets available for purchase. We will also have a table at Oakes Ames Memorial Hall on Saturday.

Saturday, December 6th, Easton Garden Club Greens Sale at the Station, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.

Sunday, December 7th, the Station will be open from 1-5 P.M. Raffle, food drive. Mary Bodio will be here at 2 P.M. to sign your ornaments.

Sunday, December 14th, Open House at the Station, 1-5 P.M. Last chance for your historic holiday shopping! Prize drawings for raffle, door prize, Where's the Shovel contest.

Sunday, December 21st, Hanukkah Begins. First day of Winter. Happy Birthday to Easton, 283 years old!

Thursday, December 25th,Christmas Day!

Thursday, January 1st, 2009, Happy New Year!

Sunday, January 11th, Open House at the Station, 1-5 P.M.

Sunday, February 8th, Open House at the Station, 1-5 P.M.

Winter open houses are held weather permitting. In case of slippery roads or extreme cold, we may not open. If you are not sure, please call before visiting

SAVE THE DATE!
Chowder and Chatter, sponsored by Lee and Kevin Williams, March 26th, 2009.

In Memoriam - Jon Gilmore

The Society lost a good friend and supporter recently with the unexpected passing of Jon Gilmore of North Easton on October 4th. Jon was a member of a family that can trace its roots to the early days of Easton. He was keenly aware of his family’s role in Easton’s history. His ancestors ran the toll gate on the old Taunton and Boston Turnpike (Route 138) after the town was forced to extend the road through the swamp into Raynham. More recently, many of you may remember his grandparents Wallace and Anna Gilmore, or Jon's father and mother Robert and Janet.

Jon was a graduate of Oliver Ames High School Class of 1973. He then attended Sylvania Tech and RCA Broadcast Tech. Jon worked as a broadcast editor and producer who worked on many national and local TV productions such as ABC News, NBC Sports, and 20/20. He also had a secret security clearance with the Federal Government to work on films about several wars. He was awarded the Clio Award in Broadcast Editing.

Jon Gilmore continued his family's legacy of philanthropy. He supported the Society in a number of ways. It was through his generosity and urging that our website was established. Jon also funded it for the first year. He volunteered his time and professional editing talents to film an interview with Hazel Varella. In recent years, he donated a number of items to the Society. Included in these were various papers from his grandparents, magazines and books of historical interest. Perhaps most importantly, he gave an exceptional oil painting of his great-great grandfather, the industrialist E. W. Gilmore. The Society, with the help of a donation from Jon, had the painting restored and reframed. Jon had an opportunity to show it to some of his family during a recent visit. He felt very strongly that these items should go where they would be appreciated and shared with others. The Society is honored to have been his choice.

The Society extends sincere sympathy to Jon's wife Sheryl and sons Matthew and Benjamin, as well as his large extended family. Our wish for them can best be expressed in Jon’s favorite way to end his emails, an ending that uniquely captures the essence of this humble, gentle man: peace.

Early Easton...

In 1694, the first settler, Clement Briggs established his home near the Easton Green. In 1711, the Taunton North Purchase area became Norton, and in 1713, the twenty-six families settled in Easton and hired Elder William Pratt as their first minister. There was no legal parish in Easton until 1722 when the East Precinct of Norton was recognized. In 1725, the area was incorporated as the Town of Easton; it was so named because it was formerly called the "East End" of the Taunton North Purchase and was shortened by pronunciation to Easton.