New Book Release Announced: Arlington’s Cultural Heights: 1900-1925

The Cyrus Dallin Art Museum and the Arlington Historical Society are proud to announce the completion of a joint research project and the publication of a new local history book titled, Arlington’s Cultural Heights: 1900-1925. The project was supported in part by a grant from the Arlington Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. A presentation by the authors will be hosted by the Robbins Library on Tuesday April 22 at 7:00 P.M. in the library’s Community Room. Books will be available for purchase at the program.

A companion event--a walking tour of sites described in the book--is scheduled for May 18 from 9:00 – 11:00 A.M. The tour group will meet at the Arlington Heights water tower at Park Circle and depart promptly at 9:15 A.M. A donation of $10 is requested. The tour is expected to last approximately 1.5 hours and will cover hilly terrain. Attendees should wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. The tour will take place rain or shine. The tour will highlight the people, places, and history of the Arlington Heights development on the south side of Massachusetts Avenue.

Cyrus and Vittoria Colonna Dallin were residents of the Heights. Arlington’s Cultural Heights documents their leadership in the arts community and examines the many and varied contributions of their contemporaries and neighbors in the fields of fine art, literature, design, music, and drama. Living on the same block of Oakland Avenue as the Dallins were Edward F. Burns, editor of the Boston Globe, and Nixon Waterman, a popular poet. The social and professional interactions between the individuals who are profiled in the book was a fascinating aspect of the research for the project.

Beginning in the 1870s, two distinctive residential neighborhoods developed in the western end of Arlington. These new suburban enclaves, Arlington Heights and Crescent Hill, were both marketed as commuter-friendly, with the railroad and later streetcars providing frequent and direct access to Boston. Arlington’s Cultural Heights describes the original goals of the founders of the two developments and highlights the lives and work of the many remarkable and gifted individuals who settled there.

The publication compiles the biographies of over 40 men and women who lived and worked in Arlington Heights and Crescent Hill between 1900 and 1925. It is the story of Arlington’s “Cultural Heights,” a creative, middle-class community shaped by an influential assortment of reformers, educators, writers, artists, craftsmen, musicians, actors, playwrights, and architects. Close to three years were spent in the research, writing and editing of the manuscript.

The book’s co-authors, Doreen Stevens, Aimee Taberner, and Sarah Burks represent the Arlington Historical Society and the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum. The two organizations were awarded a grant from the Arlington Cultural Council, which helped to pay for printing. Many individuals assisted the authors with research, editing, and locating images for the book. Graphic design was completed by Bill Coale of Coalescence. The book is available for $15 at the Book Rack in Arlington Center, Firefly Moon in Arlington Heights, and on the museum's website at http://dallin.org/?page_id=674.

Doreen Stevens is the former Museum Director of the Arlington Historical Society. She currently serves on the board of Arlington’s Old Schwamb Mill.  Aimee Taberner is co-chair of the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum and is the Assistant Director of Academic Administration at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Sarah Burks is the Preservation Planner at the Cambridge Historical Commission and a co-chair of the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum.

The Cyrus Dallin Art Museum is the leading center for the study and enjoyment of Dallin’s work. The mission of the Museum is to advance the legacy of the celebrated American sculptor who lived and worked in Arlington, Massachusetts, by collecting, preserving and exhibiting items related to his life and work, and by serving as an educational resource. The museum, located at 611 Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington Center, is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 12:00-4:00 P.M. Visit dallin.org for more information.

The Arlington Historical Society is a dynamic organization, devoted to the discovery, interpretation, sharing, and celebration of Arlington’s rich and diverse heritage. The society operates the Smith Museum and the Colonial era Jason Russell House, site of the bloodiest battle of April 19, 1775.  For more information, visit http://www.arlingtonhistorical.org.