Numerous articles have been written about Winslow Homer and his connection to Townsend. Materials located in the THS Vault attest to the research and writings of local historian Lee McTighe. Lee has written extensively on the Homers and has given talks including one given in New Ipswich, NH at the Historical Society’s annual meeting in 2016. Lonna Thiem wrote at least one article on the Homer family that was published in the Nashoba Valley Voice on March 10, 2006 and Kate Walsh also wrote about the Homer Townsend connection. Townsend historian Richard N. Smith refers to the Homer family in his book “Divinity and Dust: A History of Townsend, Massachusetts 1676-1978.” (Available for purchase at the THS store.) Anna Kirwan’s young adult historical novel “Of Flowers and Shadows” is based on Winslow’s painting ”Girl and Laurel”. It is thought “Girl and Laurel” was painted by Winslow in 1879 in Townsend and that the girl was a local West Townsend girl, fourteen-year old Fannie Sanders. 

The connection between American artist and illustrator Winslow Homer and Townsend was Family! Winslow Homer’s older brother Charles Savage Homer Jr., lived in West Townsend in the lovely brick house on the corner of Main St and Canal Street, today the home of John and Barbara Delaney. Charles had married a Townsend girl, Martha “Mattie” French and they had a home in Townsend as well as a residence in New York City. Winslow would often come out to Townsend to summer with his brother and sister-in-law. He and his brother enjoyed bass fishing in the Squannacook River and also at Willard Brook. Townsend is thought to have been a retreat for Winslow. 

Winslow Homer traveled extensively painting and studying as he explored his paining styles – New England, New York, Florida, Canada, Cuba, the Bahamas, England and France etc, but his visits to West Townsend were a time for family and relaxation and Townsend provided a connection to nature and rural New England life. There were many walks taken in the area and it is believed that some of Winslow’s paintings from around 1878 -1879 are of scenes from around West Townsend and the local area. Paintings such as The Swing (1879), which is now in the collection of the Worcester Art Museum and Girl and Laurel, now in the Detroit Institute of Art, are thought to have been painted in West Townsend. Rural scenes of children berry picking and lying on the summer grass are also thought to have been inspired by Winslow’s visits to Townsend. 

The Card Game, a 1878 pencil and wash drawing was made on July 5, 1878 and shows four male friends playing cards on the veranda of Mattie’s house. 

“Mattie” French Homer 

Winslow’s sister-in-law, Mrs Martha “Mattie” French Homer was born in Townsend, the daughter of a well to do merchant. Charles and Martha supposedly met at a school dance in Cambridge. Charles, a graduate of Lawrence Scientific School of Cambridge, was a chemist and made his fortune developing improved varnishes for the Valentine Varnish Company in Brooklyn, New York. Their love flourished and Charles and Martha married in 1866 in Townsend. Charles was quite successful and they were able to maintain a winter home in Manhattan, a summer house in Prout’s Neck, Maine and the brick home in West Townsend, MA.

Charles and Mattie were married more than 50 years. They lost a child early in their marriage and never had another, but both were active in Townsend’s social life and cared deeply about improving educational opportunities for Townsend’s children. West Townsend didn’t have a library and children often had to walk to the Center, to Memorial Hall and to the public library to pick up their books- no short walk. Martha was touched after seeing a young boy struggling with his arms full of books. Mattie had a solution. In 1901 she arranged for books to be brought weekly from the Center library to the Brick Store across from her home. In 1910 she established the West Townsend Reading Room on the corner of Bridge Street and Dudley Road. Books were delivered weekly and folks could gather at the Reading Room to read, borrow books and hold discussions. The building was free to all clubs and social groups wishing to gather.

Charles and Martha having no children of their own, would give the neighborhood children .25 cents to purchase a Christmas gift at the Brick Store and on July 4th to purchase some fire works!

Charles Homer passed away in 1917, and Mattie French Homer lived another 20 years continuing her rounds of travel, visiting friends in NY, Maine and of course, Townsend. In the early 1930 she closed the Reading Room “with regret”. The new Hart Library had opened in the center of town, as well as the new Spaulding Memorial School having all the grades under one roof. It was now a common sight to see folks in automobiles driving around town. Her little West Townsend free library was no longer needed. The Reading Room continued for meetings and gatherings. Martha’s died on September 18, 1937 just shy of her 91st birthday. In her Will she bequeathed to the town of Townsend the West Townsend Reading Room to enrich the lives of future Townsend citizens. The building and its benefit to the town continues today thanks to the generous spirit of Mrs Martha “Mattie” French Homer.

Winslow Homer was born in Boston on February 24, 1836 and lived in Cambridge and Belmont. He had a studio in New York City but later in life in 1883 he relocated his studio to Prout’s Neck, Maine where he lived until his death in 1910. He is buried in Mt Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA along side his brother Charles and his closest female friend, his sister-in-law Martha French Homer. Martha French Homer’s Townsend relatives and some descendants of the Homers are buried in Riverside Cemetery in West Townsend.

Notes:

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston currently has an exhibition of Winslow Homer’s watercolors Of Light & Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor.<mfa.org> November 2, 2025-January 19, 2026.

The Homer House in Belmont, MA where Homer lived before setting up his studio in New York City is now owned by the Belmont Women’s Club. The house is open for public tours. <belmontwomansclub.com>

Homer’s Studio in Prout’s Neck, Maine is now a National Historic Landmark. It is owned by the Portland Museum of Art and is open to the public for tours – Winslow Homer Studio Tours <portlandmuseum.org>