Meeting Marian: A Life in Service, Served Well

Join us for an evening exploring the story and legacy of Marian Clarke Nichols, the focus of Nichols House Museum’s 2024 Linsdell Fellow, Toni Armstrong.

As the middle Nichols sister, Marian’s more bureaucratic efforts have often been overshadowed— in her lifetime and ours — by the artistic and political pursuits of her older and younger sisters. Throughout her lifetime, Marian fought resolutely against government corruption, seeking political office and speaking out as a concerned citizen. One friend remarked that "you are still fighting the old battles against a tireless enemy.”

In 2025, Marian's story is still worth telling: her efforts to reform local government, her commitments to the Beacon Hill neighborhood, and her lifelong interest in art and education expand our understanding of the past and can inform our work in the present.

Toni Armstrong was the 2024 Julie Linsdell and Georgia Linsdell Enders Research Fellow. She spent the summer delving into Marian's rich archives to uncover previously unexplored areas of Marian’s life, including her second political campaign and her relationship with a woman. Toni is a PhD Candidate at Boston University studying late nineteenth and early 20th century women art collectors, queer art history, and alternative curatorial practices.

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