What Life Was Like in Lexington: The COVID-19 History Project

Right now, Lexington, along with the rest of the world, is in the midst of a challenging time in its history. As a society and as individuals, these challenges of daily life are being met in unique and often highly creative ways. For the benefit of future generations, it’s imperative that we capture this moment in Lexington’s history as fully as we can, thereby creating a compilation of “What Life Was Like” during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
 
Lexington Historical Society is pleased to launch our newest collecting initiative: “What Life Was Like in Lexington: The COVID-19 Project.” We hope to document this period in Lexington’s history so that future generations can better understand the scenario that we find ourselves in and how it will continue to shape us, both as a community and as individuals. One day, future researchers will look to us to learn more about this time in history and how Lexington residents experienced and were impacted by it.
 
We are seeking perspectives on a variety of topics, including:

  • the impact of schools and non-essential businesses being closed
  • the sacrifice of those still working in the medical field or as essential workers
  • the challenges of those who are working from home or who are not able to work at all
  • the experiences of those who have been isolated, ill, or lost a loved one
  • anything else that might shed insight on the experiences of the individual
 
How has this experience affected YOU, the Lexington resident?
You and your family can participate in this program in a variety of ways as you feel comfortable, and this project is open to Lexington residents of ALL ages. We have some suggestions to get you started, but all thoughts are welcome!

  • Take photographs of yourself and your family during this time to document your daily life while social distancing.
  • Begin a diary or journal outlining the daily or weekly experiences of you and your family.
  • Create a drawing, painting, or piece of artwork to illustrate your emotions.
  • Write an essay or letter discussing your current opinions on social distancing and quarantine, non-essential business closures, and re-opening the economy.
  • Record a short video or voice recording of your thoughts, feelings, or quarantine activities.
  • Collect local mailings, flyers, home school lesson plans, restaurant menus documenting new policies, and other ephemera that offer documentation of this time in Lexington.
  • Document how daily life has been altered for you and your family. How has school changed? How have you adapted to working from home? How have local businesses been affected? How have you been socializing with friends? How have daily activities become more challenging?
  • Record how milestones were acknowledged in alternative and unexpected ways. How were birthdays or anniversaries celebrated? Did you honor a graduate who had a cancelled commencement ceremony? Did you welcome a new baby into your home or family?
  • Identify print or email correspondence that illustrate how your daily life has been altered.
 
Feel free to come up with your own ideas that you feel communicate your COVID-19 pandemic experience!
Guidelines:
  • You must be or have been a Lexington resident at some point during the pandemic (we can only accept donations that relate directly to Lexington, its history, and its citizens).
  • A Donation Form must be completed and must accompany any digital or physical donation.
  • If a minor (under age 18) was the creator of an item being donated or is pictured in a donated photograph, a Donation Release Form must be completed by a parent/legal guardian and must accompany any donation before Lexington Historical Society can assume ownership of the item. Without this completed form, these donations cannot be considered.
  • Please only submit photographs, writings, or audio/video recordings that you own or have created.
  • Please understand that there is no guarantee that any donated items will be accepted into our permanent collections and items cannot be returned to the donor.
 
In addition to your invaluable item donations, financial gifts are greatly appreciated during this difficult time. Lexington Historical Society remains committed to preserving our town’s history for the public, even without our usual sources of income from house tours and programming. Any financial gifts contribute to properly preserving and housing your donations, as well as overall collections operating expenses. Please consider a donation to help us continue our mission into the future!
 
If you have any questions, please contact Archives Manager Elizabeth Mubarek. Please join us in this community project so you can be a part of how this time in history is remembered!
 
Send digital submissions via email (emubarek@lexingtonhistory.org) with “COVID-19 Project” as the subject line. Please be sure to include a completed digital copy of the Donation Form and/or the Donation Release Form with any emailed donations.
 
Mail physical submissions to:
Lexington Historical Society
Attn: COVID-19 Project
P.O. Box 514
Lexington, MA 02420
 
Please be sure to include a completed copy of the Donation Form and/or the Donation Release Form with any mailed donations.