Despite the pandemic, the Dover Historical Society has been moving forward. Although its two museums, Caryl Farm and the Sawin Museum, are closed, the Society is planning for the day when they can once again be open to visitors.

The museums have undergone a reorganization of their collections and new exhibits are being planned.

The Society has just announced that it has acquired an extremely rare 18^th Century tax record book for the Fourth Precinct of Dedham. The handwritten 150 page record lists real estate, personal property, and poll taxes paid by the residents of what is now Dover during the period between 1755 and 1773.

Many of the town’s early records are believed to have been destroyed and the acquisition represented an opportunity to acquire what may be the only existing copy of these records. In addition to their scarcity, the records are significant because the comparison of one year’s record to another can reveal when people moved in or out, when they died, and their relative wealth.

The Society’s President, Elisha Lee, observed that “this was essentially a once in a lifetime opportunity and was funded entirely through the generosity of Board members. Our ability to make this happen is in itself a remarkable testimony to our Board’s commitment in these challenging times.”