Upper Millyard Walking Tour (museum-guided)
Students will learn the story of generations of workers who, by harnessing the power of the Powow River, created work and community from the 17th century into the 20th. The museum staff and volunteers will engage students with the following:
A guided tour of Amesbury’s Upper Millyard and Powow River Falls
Hands-on activities and games specific to grade level and curriculum standards
A visit to the Industrial History Center permanent and temporary exhibit
Target audience: Students, Grades 2, 3, 7, 8, High School 9-12
Pricing: $10 per student. Teachers and chaperones are free.
Topics: Harnessing the Powow River for water power, early dams and mills, Jacob Perkins and the Nail Factory, skilled machinists and engineers, unskilled laborers, textile manufacturing, building and retrofitting, labor strikes, comparison of Amesbury to larger mill cities, and Amesbury’s evolution into a small city, industry, maps, and wayfinding.
Curriculum Connection: Teachers are strongly encouraged to take an active role in the tour, connecting what the students are learning in class.
Tour size: 15-20 students per group, with 2 chaperones. ACM recommends splitting larger groups up, and cycling through the Millyard walk, hands-on activities, and visiting the museum exhibits, in those groups. ACM has accommodated groups of up to 150 students, by cycling through activities, and with an appropriate number of chaperones.
Timeframe: 45- 60 minutes (20 minute tour and 20 minutes at two other stations, rotating groups)
Contact us: Email the ACM Museum Education Coordinator, Sheila Spalding at sspalding@amesburycarriagemuseum.org to discuss your curriculum focus. Please be prepared to suggest possible dates and times for the tour.
Millyard Walking Tour (self-guided or teacher-guided)
This Millyard Walking Tour focuses on Amesbury’s historic Upper and Lower Millyards. Students may take the tour as if they are visiting an exhibit, thinking of Amesbury Millyards as a gallery or “a museum without walls.”
Students may do this tour independently, with a small group, or with a teacher’s lead.
Target audience: Students, grades 6 through 12, who are learning about New England and/or Amesbury’s industrial past.
Timeframe: Walking the Upper and Lower Millyards with this self-guided resource may take 30 to 60 minutes.
Supplementary Activities:
The Activities Before and After offers readings and prompts to further explore historical concepts mentioned in the self-guided tour.
Teachers may want to select specific activities that supplement students’ in-class learning.
Mini Millyard Walking Tour
The Mini Millyard Walking Tour is a condensed version of the Millyard Tour, geared toward younger participants and set up as a letterbox hunt with a map. Students may do this tour in small groups, with a teacher’s lead.
Target audience: Students, grades 2 through 5, who are learning about New England and/or Amesbury’s industrial past.
Timeframe: Walking the Upper Millyard 30 minutes.
School PROGRAMS
We offer school programs, visits, and tours for your classroom!
To book your group visit and find out about other school programs, please contact us by email or call 978-834-5058.