Press Release: Announcing the Reed & Barton Virtual Archive

 MEDIA CONTACT:
Katie MacDonald  OCHM – Executive Director
66 Church Green – Taunton MA 02780
(508) 822-1622 • info@oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Old Colony History Museum Launches Reed & Barton Virtual Archive, Bringing Taunton’s Silver Legacy to the Digital Age

[Taunton, MA] – February 11, 2025 – The Old Colony History Museum (OCHM) is proud to announce the launch of the Reed & Barton Virtual Archive, an exciting new online resource that brings the rich history of Taunton’s famed silver industry to audiences worldwide. This groundbreaking project digitally connects the history of Reed & Barton which physically exists in museum collections and archives all around the country, making these materials freely accessible for historians, researchers, educators, and history enthusiasts alike.

Reed & Barton was one of America’s most significant silver manufacturers and a landmark company in the history of Taunton, Massachusetts. For over 190 years, Reed & Barton played a pivotal role in American craftsmanship, helping to develop and define manufacturing in the United States. When the company closed, business records were donated to Harvard, design drawings to the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Old Colony History Museum has the largest museum collection in the world. Now, thanks to support from Mass Humanities and the Taunton-South Shore Foundation, these invaluable documents, designs, and records have been united in one virtual space, along with many others, and shared in an interactive, easy-to-navigate website: ReedAndBartonVirtualArchive.org.

“This project is a major step in preserving and sharing the industrial heritage of Taunton,” said Katie MacDonald, Executive Director of the Old Colony History Museum. “We are so appreciative of the work of project curator Matthew Bird and the organizations who supported this project. By making these materials available online, we’re not only ensuring their long-term preservation but also opening them up to a global audience eager to explore this fascinating chapter of local history.”

The website features:

• Links to museum and archive collections of Reed and Barton materials around the country
• Hundreds of digitized records, including catalogs, photographs, and company documents.
• Engaging video histories of the company, highlighting Reed & Barton’s craftsmanship and legacy, with over 2,500 views in just two months.
• Coming soon: educational resources, designed for students and teachers to integrate this history into learning.

The launch of this virtual archive was celebrated with a public presentation on January 25, 2025, where design historian, curator, educator, and project lead Matthew Bird shared insights into the project’s creation and some of the more amazing discoveries he found along the way. Thanks to the efforts of Taunton Community Access and Media, it was recorded and is available for viewing here.

The Reed & Barton Virtual Archive is now live and accessible to the public at ReedAndBartonVirtualArchive.org. Explore the history, artistry, and innovation of Reed & Barton like never before!

About the Old Colony History Museum:

The Old Colony History Museum houses significant collections which chronicle lives lived, wars waged, fortunes won and ingenuity rewarded.  We encourage visitors to walk among our exhibits and discover regional history. The Museum’s parent organization is the Old Colony Historical Society, one of the oldest organizations of its kind in New England. Founded in 1853, it serves the region of southeastern Massachusetts that was once part of the Plymouth Colony.

The Old Colony History Museum is located on historic Church Green in Taunton. The Museum has its headquarters in the former Bristol Academy, designed in 1852 by the New York architect Richard Upjohn. Regular Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Admission to the Museum is $5 and free for Museum members.