The Ipswich Historical Society (IHS) in Ipswich, Massachusetts was founded by Reverend Thomas Franklin Waters in 1890. The Society initially had no headquarters, and met in the studio of artist Arthur Wesley Dow. They eventually found a better place to meet in the Odd Fellows Hall. The Society's first major project would be to restore the John Whipple House, and make part of it their headquarters.
The Whipple house has gone through four major changes since its construction in 1677. It has been added on to, altered to fit the taste of one Whipple owner, redone by the Ipswich Historical Society in Colonial Revival style, then later restored to its original appearance by the Ipswich Historic Society.
The house was moved across town to its current location, across from the John Heard House. Although it is no longer the headquarters for the IHS, one of the rooms is used to show where the members under Rev. Franklin Waters met.
The Heard house (1795-1800) was sold to the IHS in 1936 by Alice Leeds Heard, also known as Elsie. She sold the house under the agreement that she could live in it for the rest of her life. Upon her death in 1953 a plaque was installed in the house to commemorate her. The Heard house now features many collections ,such as the China Trade Collection, the Arthur Wesley Dow Collection, and the Ipswich Painters Collection.
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