Letting go of Wellesley

Before splitting in 1881, Wellesley was a section of Needham. Beth Hinchliffe, a lifelong Wellesley resident and unofficial town historian, is giving a talk at the Wellesley Free Library at 3:30 p.m. today about the shared history of the two communities. The talk, which is cosponsored by the library and the Needham and Wellesley historical societies, will cover the contentious relationship of the neighboring towns. Hinchliffe is a former editor of the Wellesley Townsman, wrote a book on Wellesley’s history, and was a speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush. For more information, call Gloria Greis of the Needham Historical Society at 781-455-8860. - Dan Adams