Our First Recipient

“The Oakes Ames Memorial Hall Association is honored to have been the first recipient of a Legacy Fund grant. The $3,000 award will be used to replace worn stage curtains on the upstairs stage. As the Easton Shovel Town Cultural District’s performance and event center. Our stage is very important to us and the Legacy Fund’s generous donation has sparked our fundraising campaign to raise $15,000 for improvements to the stage. On behalf of the board, thank you.”

 Fred Ames, President

Fred Ames (center) with daughter Susannah & her husband Patrick.

Description of Project:  The Oakes Ames Memorial Hall is a national historic landmark building built in 1881 and located in the Ames Historic District of North Easton Village. Primarily the Hall serves as a function hall for social gatherings, business and non-profit organization meetings, the Town of Easton needs (at no charge), nonprofit fundraisers, and as the performance and event center for the Easton Shovel Town Cultural District (ESTCD). 

Our goal is to modernize the stage to make it suitable for different types of performances whether music, drama, choral, film, or lecture. The Stonehill drama department has worked with us in analyzing our needs and developing plans for the project. Stonehill and the Easton public schools have expressed interest in using the renovated stage. In addition to this grant, we are soliciting private donors and using social media to raise the balance needed