Historic House Interpretation | African American History | Living Exhibition
This project transformed a small colonial-era African American house into a vessel for reawakening history. Relocated and restored, the house itself became the primary artifact—telling the intertwined stories of the Robbins and Garrison families and illuminating the largely untold presence of early Black communities in Concord. Working closely with the Board, TRACE Design Group moved beyond traditional period-room reconstruction to develop a contemporary, research-driven interpretive framework. An evergreen exhibition system—using visible storage, modular displays, and accessible materials—supports ongoing scholarship and public engagement, allowing guides and self-directed visitors alike to curate encounters with evolving research. The result is a living historic site rooted in inquiry, relevance, and shared authorship.
Graphics by Lorell Gifford Ambrose; interactive media by Trivium; Civil Rights steel sculpture fabricated by Autodesk; interior structure by North River Builders.
