The Jackson Homestead is closed for renovations until early 2026. When it reopens, there will be a brand new Newton history exhibit on the first floor, with rotating displays about different aspects of Newton history from the American revolution to 20^th century activism.

“We can’t wait for people to begin to see the improvements,” said Lisa Dady, director of Historic Newton.

In the meantime, Newtonians will still be able to enjoy Hayfest, a day of 19^th century fall activities, on the Jackson Homestead grounds on Sept. 28. The Durant-Kenrick house will remain open.

The Jackson Homestead is an 1809 house that was donated to the city in 1950, and is one of Historic Newton’s two properties. For the 75^th anniversary, the staff knew it was time for some upgrades, both interior and exterior.

“Water was getting trapped behind the porches,” said Dady. The porches will be temporarily pulled away from the house to allow for modern drainage improvements, and the gutters will also be redone. “We think it’s a treasure for the city, and we take stewardship of it very seriously.”

The water damage was primarily to the basement, which is also where the current Newton history exhibit is. It’s been largely unchanged since the 1980s.

“It doesn’t do much to make the objects compelling,” said Curator Sara Lundberg.

Historic Newton thought that since the building had to close no matter what to renovate the drainage system, now would also be the ideal time to finally update the history exhibit.

“I’m excited to bring more objects out,” said Lundberg.

Their first display will have American Revolutionary-related items, appropriate for the 250^th anniversary year. But there will be rotating displays to allow more items from the collection to be viewed.

Lundberg really enjoys an embroidery project of the Statue of Liberty from 1936 created by Jean Birnbaum, the daughter of Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants. Historic Newton wants to get people thinking about what it means to be a Newtonian right now, and what it meant in the past.

Another area they’re excited about is Suitcase Stories, which will display objects from the 19^th century through the end of the 20^th century related to people’s journey to Newton. One of the objects will be the cardboard boxes Newton School Committee member Anping Shen used to bring his belongings when he moved here for school in the 1980s. Lundberg wanted to be able to share the Asian-American stories of Newton, which haven’t always been well documented to the same degree as Newton’s 19^th century past.

That 19^th century past necessarily involves talking about abolition. The Jackson Homestead was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad, and that will always be a part of the museum even as other sections may rotate in and out. But one thing they’re hoping to change is not to have it be solely focused on white abolitionists like William Jackson and also talk about the black abolitionists who played a role, often at great potential risk to themselves.

Another thing they want to emphasize is that Newton is the way it is today because of choices people made. “It didn’t happen by accident,” said Dady. There will be displays on the importance of the river and the mills, and on the factors leading to suburbanization.

And, thinking back further, why Waban—the Nipmuc leader who became a Christian in the 1640s—made the choices he did.

The site gets a lot of K-12 school groups, so keeping children in mind is important to them, and there will be several interactive displays.

This is also why they’re planning to have a pop-up museum that can travel around the city.

“We’re also cognizant of the fact that not everyone wants to come into the museum,” said Dady.