Question: What do the largest dairy farm in Massachusetts, the first female veterinarian in the state, a 7,960 pound elephant named Tillie, and the first Himalayan kitten have in common? Answer: At one time they were all found in Newton. "Four-Legged Newton" is a family-oriented exhibition looking at connections between people and animals throughout the history of Newton. From the dairy cows and horses once relied upon by early residents to the pets well cherished today, animals have assisted and inspired Newton residents for centuries.

Rather than present a chronological history, the exhibit will highlight ten stories of famous and not-so-famous Newton animals -- dairy cows, work horses, cats, dogs, elephants, and zoo critters. The purpose of the exhibit is to use these animal stories as a way for families to explore history.

Finding historical evidence for the animals in "Four-Legged Newton" wasn't easy. Carefully looking through family photo albums turned up images of pets, sometimes with their names written on the back. Examining stray animal notices, pedigree certificates, dairy bottles, and advertisements identified the many dairy farms that were once part of Newton.

One story in the exhibit started with a bad photocopy. It was of a 1911 advertisement for a small animal hospital in Newtonville. We soon discovered it was run by Florence Kimball, the first woman to practice veterinarian medicine in Massachusetts.

Another story began with a series of Newton kennel photographs. It wasn’t until we looked at the trophy case in one of the pictures with a magnifying glass that we found evidence for one of the earliest Boston Terrier breeders in the country.

Some of the stories in the exhibit have been in our collections for years, waiting to be told. A photocopy of picture of a Siamese cat led to Virginia Cobb’s Newton Cattery. She was one of the first owners and breeders of Himalayan, Burmese, and Abyssinian cats in this country. A collection of photographs from Norumbega Park included images of performing elephants. After a bit of research, we knew we were looking at Robinson’s Military elephants, in Newton for the summer of 1928. The star of the show, Tillie, was once considered one of the greatest animal actors.

In addition to the displays, the exhibit will have hands-on exploration stations. A series of public and education programs will complement the exhibit.

Historic Newton/The Jackson Homestead and Museum Historic Newton is a public-private partnership between the City of Newton and the Newton Historical Society, Inc, a non-profit organization Questions or comments: Email © 2010 Historic Newton