There is something about Matthew Swindell that suggests he has just walked off the set of a period film, so perfect is each detail of his person. Surely many of you have noticed him about town. A young man with lively blue eyes, always in a suit and tie, and, if out of doors, a hat (straw from May 15 to September 15 and the rest of the year, felt). He may or may not have a walking stick. Even the way he carries himself seems to be of another era. Dapper. Elegant. And most definitely intriguing.
Matthew Swindell is the 25-year-old associate director of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum (formerly the Manchester Historical Museum), a job for which he is entirely suited—and not just his clothing. Since his arrival at the museum over three years ago, he has risen from intern to associate director. And rightly so. In his time there —starting as part of a team helmed by two former directors Beth Welin and Bob Booth before stepping into his current role—the museum has thrived. Matthew has a professionalism and ease well beyond his years. And whether it be organizing the archives, doing
research, giving a tour of the museum or history lecture, it is clear that this is something he was absolutely meant to do.
Matthew’s interest in history began as a child. Born in Salem and raised in Beverly, his father was a photographer and his mother a clarinetist who moved into the library sciences. He remembers in elementary school being fascinated by the kings and queens of England. When he discovered a library book on the US presidents, he memorized them, asking his mother to quiz him or listen to him recite them all in order during family ski trips. In high school he developed a great interest in local history and began interning at the Beverly Historical Society sorting through their post card collection, experiencing first-hand accounts of history. He was invited back for the summer and while working on his undergraduate degree in history at Salem State University, continued interning, eventually becoming the research manager. After receiving his BA in 2021, he began a master’s degree program in history, which he completed in 2024, writing his master’s thesis on a regional and local topic, “Street Railway Embrace and Resistance on the Massachusetts North Shore.” It was then that he applied for an internship at the Manchester Historical Museum. He worked under then Director Welin, diving into the Trask family documents, letters, and records reading about their lives and developing an appreciation for the
fascinating history of Manchester. From there he became the archives assistant, then archivist, and in October of 2023, Matthew, then only 24, was promoted to his current position.
“I work to further the cause of history to serve and celebrate the community while preserving and promoting history here in Manchester-by-the-Sea,” he explains. Since beginning, Matthew has worked with the Board of Trustees to reimagine the space, cultivate staff and volunteers, as well as curate an excellent lecture series (I highly recommend these!) He explains, “Looking forward, I will build positively on our traditions, grow the museum on a human level, and engage more of the local and visiting public in our mission to serve and celebrate Manchester-by-the-Sea … If we can cultivate a place of kindness and respect where we share knowledge
passionately, make newcomers feel at home, and strengthen the bonds we share, then we will be on the path to success.”
The day I visited Matthew at the museum, it was quiet and he gave me an impromptu tour. Impeccably dressed, as always, he spoke of the space with such enthusiasm and joy and it was clear: Matthew’s
favorite part of the museum is sharing it with others. He considers the opportunity to work in the Abigail Hooper Trask house a privilege and to care for, research, and share the artifacts there, an honor.
Moving through the museum, I couldn’t help but marvel at how organic it all seems. Between the historic home, the artifacts, and Matthew, looking as though he had just stepped out of a 1930s men’s clothing ad, the modern world just sort of melts away and you find yourself in a place of an unspecified past. Abigail Hooper Trask is there, next comes Charles Hopkinson, then Anna Coleman Ladd, and all the while Matthew, dapper as can be, it all just feels kind of surreal. The illusion only breaks when we cut through the employee kitchen where I am momentarily confused by the sight of a bag of Cape Cod potato chips and a Stanley water bottle. Right. 2025. Forgot.
“The history rubs off on me,” Matthew slyly says. When we speak of his style of dressing, he explains that he is “an admirer of classic menswear.” It is his passion and over the past few years he has assembled a very impressive wardrobe. He comments that this cultural individualism is entirely by choice, and he finds great joy in the elegance, which he aspires to keep alive. His interest in classic menswear became something he embraced fully coming out of Covid. As the world was dressing down, he chose to dress up. Over the past years he has curated an enviable collection of all manner of pieces, head to toe. When I ask about his down time and if one would ever come upon him in, say, a hoodie and jeans, he laughs. No, no. But he does own chinos and some tweed caps for more casual outings! Of course. But otherwise, he is always properly dressed, including a tie which he notes he enjoys wearing as it adds “a bit of flair.” But he is emphatic that no one should ever feel forced to wear anything. This is a choice he enthusiastically makes to “labor in style!”
After the odd moment of imagining him in jeans and a hoodie, I can’t help but wonder what Matthew does in his free time. He shares that he spends quite a bit of time volunteering at the Salem State Archives for the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and at the Wellspring House in Gloucester with their Freeman family history project. He also dabbles in photography. While at the museum he shared his stereoviews and postcards, a popular pastime of the 19th Century Victorian era where two images taken, or seen, at the same time are overlapped to create a sort of three-dimensional image; they are truly wonderful. “These days I am more often preoccupied with something to do with history, whether at work or leisure, I am often looking either online or in-person for new (to me!) information or clothes. I enjoy local parties and events especially when they have my kind
of music, meeting with friends old and new, spending time with my sister, and seeing cultural sites. I like bicycling locally, as it is a fine way to see the landscape of our beautiful area and get some exercise as an alternative to the car. I also like a good stroll, whether around the neighborhood, down the avenue, in the woods, or by the sea.”
He also loves music, “I am very fond of traditional pop and jazz. Though I regret to say that I am not a musician myself, I’m always listening to music from the 1920s and ‘30s—either recorded or live. Some favorite artists (who are, unfortunately, no longer living!) are Annette Hanshaw, Aileen Stanley, Lee Morse, Ruth Etting, Gene Austin, Rudy Vallée, Louis Armstrong, Red Nichols — to name a few!” He also enjoys illustrations from the 1910s and ‘20s with a favorite being the work of J. C. Leyendecker, with his Arrow collar ads (and others) being a favorite. And as luck would have it, on the day I visited Matthew was wearing just such a collar; it was truly striking.
As is Matthew. We are lucky to have him, with his love of history, and excellent style, to help us appreciate and celebrate Manchester’s story. So stop by the museum, attend a lecture, or just say hello when you see him, about town.
Visit the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, 10 Union St, Manchester-by-the-Sea or at mbtsmuseum.org (not .com).
