Free vacation fun: Colonial Crafts afternoon! Make your own colonial hat, pomander ball, pewter plate, silhouette, and more. Try old-time toys, hear some Bedford stories, see colonial muskets and the cape of 'The Witch of the Shawsheen.' Drop by any time between 1 and 5 p.m., Monday, February 15, Bedford Police Station building. Info: 781-275-7276.

Lecture series, 2009-10

Our annual series of talks on Bedford and local history begins each September. Meetings are held at the First Church of Christ, Congregational, 25 The Great Road. Parking is in the street and in the municipal lot on Mudge Way. Building is accessible to the handicapped. Unless as noted, all meetings are on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:30 PM. All are free and open to the public. Come one, come all!

February: Kenneth Gloss, Brattle Book Shop

Wednesday, February 24, 2010, 7:30 PM

The world-famous Brattle Book Shop in Boston, one of America’s oldest and largest antiquarian bookstores, was founded in 1825 and has about 150,000 volumes in stock covering a very wide variety of subjects. Proprietor Kenneth Gloss will present his popular lecture, “Is there value in your old and rare books?” Following his talk, he will take questions. The audience is encouraged to bring books to the meeting for evaluation.

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March: Local History – Show & Tell

Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 7:30 PM

Recognizing the growing interest in family histories, our speakers will include a number of Bedford Historical Society members who have traced their ancestry back to the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower, to the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlers who arrived on the Arbella and other ships, or to other early immigrants. Were any of your ancestors among these groups? You may have cousins that you never knew!

We will also talk about sources of information to help you pursue your family’s genealogy.

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April: Thoreau’s Cape Cod

SUNDAY, April 25, 2010, 2:00 PM

Henry David Thoreau rambled over the great sandy peninsula of Massachusetts in the 1840s and 1850s and then wrote Cape Cod, which has been called his “sunniest, happiest book.” A few years ago professional photographer Dan Tobyne asked himself, “What would Thoreau see today if he walked the same routes?” The result of his questioning is a new edition of Thoreau’s book, beautifully illustrated with Tobyne’s photographs. At this meeting Dan Tobyne will share some of his photographs of the Cape and his thoughts on Thoreau’s journeys there. NOTE: This meeting will be held on a Sunday afternoon (not Wednesday evening as usual.)

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May: Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner

Wednesday, May 26, 2010, 6:30 PM

Whether you know him as a hard-working Selectman, as a writer of delightful profiles of Bedford people, as a colleague or as a friend, you know that Mike Rosenberg is always an engaging speaker. After our famous annual Potluck Dinner, Mike will give us some of his thoughts on our favorite little town.

NOTE: This meeting will begin at 6:30 (not 7:30 as usual).