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President George Washington’s Morning Ride Through Natick – Natick Report

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President George Washington’s Morning Ride Through Natick – Natick Report


Special to Natick Report by Jennifer Tys Richards, Research and Archives Manager, Natick Historical Society

Want to learn more? Watch “Along the Indifferent Road” and learn more about Washington’s travel through Natick, Sherborn, and Holliston.


On November 3, 1789, George Washington, the newly-elected and first President of the United States, traveled right through what is now South Natick. He was accompanied by a team of four horses, two advisors (Tobias Lear and William Jackson), a baggage wagon and driver, six servants, and his white charger, Prescott. A celebrated Revolutionary War hero, President Washington and all Americans faced an uncertain future. After all, it had only been five months since the Constitution’s ratification, and many considered the document controversial. As he prepared to lead the new nation, Washington set out on a sixty-town tour of New England. Perhaps a few fortunate Natick residents gained a glimpse of their new President as he passed through.

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In October 1789, Washington left the temporary capital, then New York City, and traveled through Connecticut and Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Rhode Island had yet to ratify the Constitution, so it was not included on this tour. During the one-month journey, Washington stayed in local taverns, visited farms and businesses, and observed the Sabbath by attending churches of different denominations. In his diary, Washington noted his sometimes critical views of the local room, board, food, and general travel conditions. But these discomforts did not deter him from his goal of getting to know the people and terrain of New England.

Natick was not part of Washington’s route at first, but a snowstorm in Albany forced a change of plans, and the entourage traveled through Natick, Sherborn, and Holliston. Because of the last-minute change, none of the towns had time to prepare festivities or ceremonial parades.

So what did Washington see that early fall morning as he rode into Natick unexpectedly and unannounced? The entourage entered Natick through Needham (now Wellesley). There would have been a crisp chill in the air; winter was approaching. His first impression of Natick would have been shaped by a house that still stands today: 3 Eliot Street.

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 Caption: The Morse-Dana-Leach House at 3 Eliot Street. The structure appears close to the dirt road in this photograph, perhaps as it would have been during Washington’s time. The Morse-Dana-Leach House at 3 Eliot Street. The structure appears close to the dirt road in this photograph, perhaps as it would have been during Washington’s time (photo courtesy of Natick Historical Society)

 

A glimpse into an early Natick family

Among the oldest homes in Natick, 3 Eliot Street still stands proudly today. It was built by David Morse in 1759 and purchased by Lieutenant Ephraim Dana on April 27, 1779. The Dana family would likely have been home when President Washington’s carriage passed by the house in the early morning. Lieutenant Ephraim Dana (1744-1792) served in several capacities as a soldier, a member of the town council, and a blacksmith. At that time, Ephraim Dana and his second wife Tabitha Jones, daughter of Esq. John Jones of Dedham, had four children. They were Rebecca (born in 1781), twins Ephraim and Tabitha (born in 1783), and Nathaniel (born in 1787). (The youngest son, Luther, arrived in 1892.) This home was in the family’s possession for over 100 years until Tabitha Dana Leach died in 1869.

While the Dana brothers lived mainly in Portland, Maine, where they engaged in mercantile pursuits, Ephriam (son), a merchant, lived in Boston. In the years before their marriage, daughters Rebecca and Tabitha built an extension of the house for a store, which they ran for many years.

In a paper read at a meeting of the Natick Historical Society on May 1, 1883, Ephraim Dana was noted as “a man of character and influence, and patriotic answering to the call of the Lexington alarm April 19, 1775.” The house “has associations of loved relatives, and congenial friends, where the good and true have lived to brighten, cheer and help.” We would love to imagine that Washington and his entourage sensed something good and true about Natick as he passed through that early morning in 1789.

Tabitha Dana Leach (1783-1863) in the doorway of the Ephraim Dana House at 3 Eliot Street. Natick Historical Society Collections.
Tabitha Dana Leach (1783-1863) in the doorway of the Ephraim Dana House at 3 Eliot Street. Natick Historical Society Collections. Tabitha Dana Leach (1783-1863) in the doorway of the Ephraim Dana House at 3 Eliot Street. (Natick Historical Society Collections)

 

Tabitha Dana Leach foot stove circa 1811. Natick Historical Society Collections.
Tabitha Dana Leach foot stove circa 1811. Natick Historical Society Collections. Tabitha Dana Leach foot stove circa 1811. (Natick Historical Society Collections)

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19-Year-Old Transgender University of Washington Student Fatally Stabbed

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19-Year-Old Transgender University of Washington Student Fatally Stabbed


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This story contains descriptions of fatal violence against a transgender person.

The Seattle Police Department are searching for a suspect after a 19-year-old University of Washington student was stabbed to death in an off-campus student apartment complex on May 10.

Seattle Police Department Detective Eric Muñoz told NBC News that the victim is “believed to be a 19-year-old transgender female” who was enrolled at the university. The victim has not yet been publicly identified by name. She was found in the housing complex laundry room shortly after 10 p.m. on Sunday night.

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The housing complex, Nordheim Court, is privately managed but affiliated with the university, located near an upscale shopping center in Seattle’s U-Village neighborhood. According to NBC News, residents received an official alert from UW to stay inside their homes and lock all windows and doors — an alert that was lifted around 1 a.m. with the acknowledgment that “a death investigation remains ongoing.”

According to SPD detective Eric Muñoz, police and the fire department attempted lifesaving measures but ultimately “pronounced the victim deceased at the scene.”

“Officers are actively searching for the suspect, believed to be a black male with a beard, 5’6-8” tall, wearing a vest with button up shirt, and blue jeans,” Muñoz wrote in a blotter report.

Muñoz noted that the victim would be identified by the medical examiner’s office in “the coming days.” The SPD did not immediately respond to Them’s request for comment.

This is the seventh known trans person to be violently killed in 2026. In mid-April, 39-year-old transmasculine farmer Luca RedBeard was fatally shot in rural New Mexico. Last week, police in Marion County, Florida opened a homicide investigation into the shooting death of a 29-year-old who went by multiple names and referred to “transitioning” on social media. In Kentucky, an investigation into the disappearance of 22-year-old trans college student Murry Foust remains ongoing.

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Police are asking anyone with information about the University of Washington case to call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000, emphasizing that anonymous tips are accepted.

This is a developing story.

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How the Sea Mar Museum Is Preserving Latino History in Washington

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How the Sea Mar Museum Is Preserving Latino History in Washington


On a quiet stretch of Des Moines Memorial Drive in South Seattle, the Sea Mar Museum of Chicano/a/Latino/a Culture rises like a long‑overdue acknowledgment. Its brick exterior doesn’t shout; it invites. Inside, the rooms hum with the stories of families who crossed borders, harvested fields, organized classrooms, and built communities across Washington state—often without seeing their histories reflected anywhere on a museum wall.

For Rogelio Riojas, founder and CEO of Sea Mar Community Health Centers, the museum is a promise kept. “We wanted to make sure the contributions of Latinos in Washington state are recognized and preserved for future generations,” he told The Seattle Times when the museum opened in 2019. It was a simple statement, but one that captured decades of work—both visible and invisible—by the region’s Latino communities.


Walking through the galleries feels like stepping into a living archive. One of the most arresting sights is a pair of original farmworker cabins, transported from Eastern Washington. Their narrow wooden frames and sparse interiors speak volumes about the migrant families who once slept inside after long days in the fields. The cabins are not replicas or artistic interpretations; they are the real thing, weathered by sun, dust, and time. They anchor the museum’s narrative in the physical realities of labor that shaped the state’s agricultural economy.

Sea Mar describes the museum as “dedicated to sharing the history, struggles, and successes of the Latino community in Washington state,” a mission that plays out in photographs, letters, student newspapers, and oral histories contributed by community members themselves. These aren’t artifacts chosen from afar—they’re family treasures, personal archives, and memories entrusted to the museum so they can live beyond the kitchen tables and shoeboxes where they were once kept.

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The story extends beyond the museum walls. Just steps away is the Sea Mar Community Center, a sweeping, light‑filled gathering space designed for celebrations, performances, workshops, and community events. With room for nearly 500 people, a full stage, a movie‑theater‑sized screen, and a catering kitchen, the center was built with one purpose: to give the community a place to see itself, gather, and grow. Sea Mar describes it as “a welcoming space for families, organizations, and community groups to gather, celebrate, and learn,” and on any given weekend, it lives up to that promise.

Together, the museum and community center form a cultural campus—part historical archive, part living room for the region’s Latino communities. Students come to learn about the Chicano activists who reshaped the University of Washington in the late 1960s. Families come to see their own histories reflected in the exhibits. Visitors come to understand a story that has long been present in Washington, even if it wasn’t always visible.

The Sea Mar Museum is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., offering free admission to anyone who walks through its doors. For many, it’s more than a museum—it’s a recognition, a gathering place, and a testament to the people who helped shape the Pacific Northwest.

Preserving Latino History and Community Life in Washington was first published on Washington Latino News (WALN) and republished with permission.



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Mother’s Day Bunch at Lady Madison | Washington DC

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Mother’s Day Bunch at Lady Madison | Washington DC


Celebrate Mother’s Day with à la carte brunch at Lady Madison featuring seafood, entrées, desserts, and premium beverage options.

Celebrate Mother’s Day in sophisticated style at Lady Madison, located inside Le Méridien Washington, DC, The Madison. Join us on Sunday, May 10, 2026, from 12:00–3:00 PM for an elevated à la carte brunch experience in downtown Washington, DC.

Enjoy a refined selection of chef-driven brunch classics, fresh seafood, seasonal salads, and elegant entrées. Highlights include a Build Your Own Omelette, Crab Benedict with lime hollandaise, Chilled Seafood Trio, and signature mains such as Roasted Rack of Lamb, Cedar Plank Sea Bass, and Marinated New York Strip Loin.

End on a sweet note with classic desserts including Crème Brûlée Cheesecake, Fruit Tart, Strawberry Shortcake, and Passion Fruit Cake.

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Enhance your experience with beverage offerings, including bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys for $30 with house selections. Piper-Heidsieck Champagne is also available by the glass for $16 or by the bottle for $49.

Reserve on OpenTable:
https://www.opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=1426987&restref=1426987&experienceId=695240&utm_source=external&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=shared

À La Carte Menu

Les Œufs & Brunch
Egg White Frittata — $24
spinach, tomato, mushrooms, green onion
Served with pommes de terre rissolées or seasonal fruit

Build Your Own Omelette — $24
ham, smoked salmon, vegetables, cheeses (choose up to 3)
Served with pommes de terre rissolées or seasonal fruit

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Crab Benedict — $24
lime hollandaise, salsa cruda
Served with pommes de terre rissolées or seasonal fruit

Brioche French Toast — $17
berry compote, whipped butter, maple syrup

Les Froids & Salades
Chilled Seafood Trio — $28
Jonah crab claws, shrimp, cocktail sauce

Spring Berry Salad — $17
brie, berries, champagne vinaigrette

Golden & Crimson Beet Salad — $18
red wine vinaigrette
Add protein: shrimp, salmon, skirt steak +18 | chicken +16

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Les Plats Principaux
Roasted Rack of Lamb — $42
mint sauce, huckleberry reduction, sweet potato purée, asparagus

Cedar Plank Sea Bass — $49
saffron rice, spring vegetables

New York Strip Loin — $42
mushroom sauce, truffle croquette potatoes, haricots verts

Les Desserts — $14
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Fruit Tart
Strawberry Shortcake
Passion Fruit Cake

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