Welcome to WIHAOnline.org



(1894 Drawing by Bert Poole)

History of Winthrop

This historical summary was prepared under the auspices of the
Winthrop Improvement and Historical Association (WIHA)
Text by G. David Hubbard – Historian
Pictures courtesy of Stephen F. Moran

The Winthrop Improvement and Historical Association (WIHA) is pleased to sponsor this website on the history of our Town. Our Association was organized in 1907 and then purchased the 1650 Deane Winthrop House, at 40 Shirley Street, which is open for public viewing by calling 617-846-8606 for an appointment. The Association has continued ever since it’s founding to maintaining the Deane Winthrop Home and preserving the artifacts, documentation, photographs and manuscripts pertaining to the territory now included in the town of Winthrop which may be deemed worthy of preservation as illustrative of the history and customs of the locality.

Our Association has an Educational Committee formed to make available historical information about Winthrop for our residents, especially our school children, to enhance their appreciation of our hometown. To this end we have received a series of grants from Teaching of American History – Project Local, designated to include the preparation of this website which is linked to the main one for the Town of Winthrop. We want to express our appreciation to the following for their kind assistance in implementing this website.

Constance Moore – Winthrop Curriculum Coordinator – Winthrop Public Schools
Michele Karas – Winthrop MIS Director & Website Project Coordinator
Andrew Merola – Tufts University Student for construction of the Website

In conjunction with this Website, the WIHA has published a book “Historical Mapping of Winthrop” which is available for purchase. Also, the series of historical Articles titled “Winthrop Then & Now” that have appeared weekly in the local Winthrop Transcript Newspaper since June 2002, and will continue, have been a product of this committees efforts. These articles feature old and current photographs with historical notes and descriptive text. Selections from these articles will appear periodically in the last section of this website.

Everyone has a hometown and we are fortunate to be able to call Winthrop ours.