NEW EVENTS 2024

Trash or Treasure?

THIS EVENT IS MOVING TO OCTOBER 2024, the exact date will be announced.

South Windsor Fire Headquarters, 1175 Ellington Road
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

You don’t want to miss this event. Even if you don’t have any treasures to share you never know what interesting items you will get to see!

R.J. Weston of Weston’s Antiques will give verbal assessment of your “treasures”.

The fee is $5 per item for up to 3 items. Start your search now for your Aunt Lizzie’s silver plate now …. It might not be “trash”!

 

Past Events:

SPRING TAG SALE THIS APRIL 2024

1225 Main Street, South Windsor
Friday, April 26, 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 27, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 28, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Donations Needed!

Household goods, tools, garden equipment, small electrical items,
furniture (not stuffed), collectibles, toys, jewelry, antiques, records,
sports equipment, canning jars, etc. – all clean and in good condition
Donations can be dropped off at Elsie’s barn at the above address.
For information or to volunteer to help with set up or during the sale,

call Elsie Woolam at 860-289-8823.
Proceeds support the
Union District School
Renovations Fund

The New York World’s Fair 1964/1965

Date: Thursday, May 16, 2024
Place: South Windsor Senior Center, 150 Nevers Road
Time: 7:00 p.m.

Jason Scappaticci, the Bowtie Historian, will bring the fair to life through pictures and stories.

Even if you didn’t attend this event, his presentation will take you back in time to the most exciting event in this area.

If you did attend the fair and have memorabilia, bring them. The event is free and open to the public.

 

 

Past Events:

Historical Moments: Military Contributions of African Americans. Thursday Feb, 8th 2024 at South Windsor Public Library.

For the first Society program of 2024, Robert Harris, author, thrilled the audience with unknown stories of African Americans in military service from the American Revolution to the present.  As the historian for the Buffalo Soldiers African American Motorcycle Club, Robert researched unique stories for club members that were turned into his book: Military Moments: Military Contributions of African Americans.

African American fought for both the Loyalists and the Patriots in the Revolutionary War, because both sides offered them their freedom in exchange for their service.  The promise of freedom didn’t always materialize.  They fought again in the Civil War in segregated units commanded by white officers.  In 1866, four African-American units were formed and sent to the western frontier to fight the Native American tribes but also to build infrastructure, deliver mail, and develop the national parks.

The name “Buffalo Soldier” was coined by Native Americans who thought their curly hair resembled the coat of the buffalo and they fought fiercely, like a cornered buffalo.  These units took the name as a source of pride.

In spite of their achievements, the African American soldiers were subject to segregation and discrimination.  They were not allowed to command white enlisted men or white officers, even if they achieved the commanding rank.  One renowned Buffalo Soldier, Charles Young, was one of few black military officers.  He was only the third African American cadet to graduate from West Point in 1889.  He rose to the rank of colonel for the African-American units and fought in a wide variety of assignments.

The Buffalo Soldiers African-American Motorcycle Club, founded in 1993 and named to pay homage to the Buffalo Soldiers, is the world’s largest motorcycle club with chapters worldwide.  It’s goals are to promote the history of African American veterans, to be a positive role model for youth, and to support charitable organizations.  Their motto is “Doing good in the ‘hood”.

The local chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club raises funds in support of sickle cell research in partnership with the University of Connecticut Health Center.

Robert Harris has always been interested in history. As a member of the Buffalo Soldier Motorcycle Club, he would share information about the Buffalo Soldiers at their meetings. He then branched out and began researching the contributions of all African Americans to the military history of America. 

The Holiday House Tour Is Back!
Friday December 15th 6pm-10pm

The South Windsor Historical Society is pleased to announce that the Holiday House Tour on Main Street in South Windsor is Back!

****NEW****

TWO RAFFLE TICKETS WILL BE SOLD THAT NIGHT AT THE MASONIC LODGE ON MAIN STREET TO WIN A 7FT PRE-LIT TREE FULLY DECORATED BY SHEA & COMPANY. THE OTHER RAFFLE IS FOR A 55 INCH SAMSUNG TV. TICKETS WILL BE $20 FOR EACH RAFFLE – CASH ONLY. WINNERS WILL BE PICKED AT 10PM THAT NIGHT, No need to be present to win.

The evening will offer an opportunity for the public to visit Six Main Street homes decorated for the holidays, along with the Wood Memorial Library and Museum Gingerbread Festival, Evergreen Masonic Lodge, and a live Nativity scene.  The South Windsor Community Chorus will complement the evening with holiday carols at the First Congregational Church.  Participants will visit tour stops in any order, using their own vehicles.  Tickets will include a map of the stops along with photographs and histories of each house or building.  In the event of a major storm, ticket-holders will be notified of alternate plans.

The Holiday House Tour has been a biennial program of the Historical Society for many years, interrupted by the COVID crisis.  Proceeds benefit maintenance and programming at the District 5 Schoolhouse on Ellington Road, site of field trips for third graders in South Windsor Public Schools, the Society’s museum and archives, and numerous special events during the year.   

Tickets (for each person) include a booklet for the Holiday House Tour cost $35, this event is meant for adults. Children must be over 12 years old, the price will be the same $35. Everyone must have a ticket.

Cash and Checks only for purchasing tickets. Tickets are available at several South Windsor locations: Broad Brook Gardens, 978 Sullivan Avenue; Shea & Company, 49 Oakland Road; Perfect Piece Consignment, 1735 Ellington Road; Wood Memorial Library, 783 Main Street.

If tickets remain on the evening of the tour, they will be available at Evergreen Masonic Lodge on Main Street.

Mr. & Mrs. Claus are coming to The Pleasant Valley One Room Schoolhouse. This event is free however, we will be collecting non-perishable food items for the SW Food Bank. 12-3pm. There will also be a raffle for a 55 inch TV tickets for $20 cash only.

Mary Hall The First Woman Lawyer

Portrayed by Marti Smith

November 2nd at 7pm

“Wapping Memories”

Thursday, Oct 12, at 7pm

At the South Windsor Public Library Friends Room

The program is free and refreshments will be served.

Everyone is invited to share memories or information about the Wapping section of South Windsor – or to learn about the special times people had growing up in the area around the Wapping Community Church.

What were the Wapping Boundaries? Locate your house on our Wapping/South Windsor Map.
Talk about your favorite places, bike rides, teachers, stores, and more.

Please bring photographs to share and scan for archival purposes. The photographs will be returned at the end of the program.

Please share this event or invite anyone who might be interested in this event. We look forward to everyone’s stories and the chance to make connections with our neighbors!

Albertus Jones: South Windsor Artist and Teacher: 

Thursday, September 28, 7:00 p.m., at the Wood Memorial Library and Museum, with speaker Gary Knoble, a Trustee of the New Britain Museum of American Art and Chair of their Collections Committee.

The program is co-sponsored by The Wood and an exhibition of Albertus Jones’ paintings will be on display at The Wood from September 21 – October 9, 2023.  Mr. Knoble has collected information on Hartford area artists from the 1800s to the present and has written over 100 short biographies on these local artists.  He will bring some works by Jones to the program.

Albertus Jones was renowned as both an artist and teacher.  He taught in South Windsor Public Schools, including Pleasant Valley District 5 School, Union District School, and Ellsworth Memorial High School.  Many South Windsor residents remember him as a teacher and have collected his paintings.

The paintings on display will come from the collections of The Wood, the South Windsor Historical Society, the South Windsor Public Library, the First Congregational Church, and private collectors.

Anyone with works by Jones is welcome to bring them to the program.  Program fee: $5 for Society members and $7 for non-members.  Plan to attend!  If you have memories of painting classes with Albertus Jones, you can share your experiences!

The Do’s and Don’ts of Gravestone Cleaning:

When: Friday, June 9th, 10:00 a.m. 

– Learn about gravestones, how to clean them, how to take outstanding photos, and practice cleaning, if desired.

Where: God’s Acre Cemetery, also known as the Old Burying Grounds – located next to the Masonic Lodge, 1559 Main Street, South Windsor.

This approximately 1 hour program will cover the basic information about different gravestone materials, the best tools used to clean them, and innovative ways to photograph them to bring out the details.

God’s Acre was opened in 1708 and the Reverend Timothy Edwards, the first pastor of what was then East Windsor, and his wife are buried there, along with many members of the first families in the area.

Please call 860-291-9958, the SW Historical Society to register.

Fees are $5 for South Windsor Historical Society members and $7 for non-members.  Payment is at the presentation.  In case of inclement weather, the program may be postponed.  We will contact you!

 

Past Events:

THE EASTER BUNNY IS COMING TO TOWN

APRIL 1ST 12PM-3PM  

Come meet the Easter Bunny! Please bring a non-perishable food item for the South Windsor Food Bank. There will be raffle prizes and free refreshments from 12pm-3pm. Please call Joan Walsh with any questions at 860-644-6000.

APRIL 13TH 6:30PM  SOUTH WINDSOR PUBLIC LIBRARY 

“HOMEMADE FOOD FROM THE PAST” 

The South Windsor Historical Society and South Windsor Public Library will co-sponsor “Homemade Food from the Past” on Thursday, April 13, 6:30 p.m., in the Friends Room of the library. It’s Pot Luck, so please bring a dish to serve 4-6 people, using cookbooks produced by local organizations with their members’ favorite recipes.

If you don’t have one of these cookbooks (usually published in the 40s, 50s, and 60s), recipes will be available at the Reference Desk.  The recipe and the name of the person who provided it should accompany your dish. If your last name begins with A – H, please make a side dish; I – Q, an entree; and R – Z, a dessert.  Call 860-644-1541 or 860-291-9958 to register as space is limited.

And, don’t miss the library lower level display cases; they’re full of historic kitchen and dining items from library staff, the South Windsor Historical Society Museum and its members.

One Room Schoolhouse

771 Ellington Rd South Windsor, CT 06074

Tours of the One Room Schoolhouse are back for the Spring/Summer.

Tours are free But Donations are appreciated.

Please Contact Joan Walsh 860-644-6000 to set up your tour.

 

EARLY SOUTH WINDSOR HISTORY WITH AUTHOR THOMAS GRANT

March 9th, at Wood Memorial Library, will have a lot of information about early South Windsor history when the area still a part of Windsor. Anyone who has wondered about the early years of Old Main Street and the Grant family that lived there will find the program enlightening.

Program is co-sponsored by Friends of Wood Memorial Library & Museum. Program Fees: Members of the Friends of Wood and the South Windsor Historical Society pay $5; non-members pay $7 at the door.

Santa Visit

Santa and Mrs. Claus will welcome families at the South Windsor Historical Society’s Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse & Museum,  771 Ellington Road, South Windsor, on Sunday, December 11, from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Children will have the opportunity to tell Santa what they want for Christmas and photos may be taken.
Each child will receive a personalized gift. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free but donations are welcome.

***South Windsor Historical Society 75^th Anniversary Party: ***

Monday, October 10^th, 4:00 – 8:30 p.m., at the Connecticut Valley Brewing Company, 765 Sullivan Avenue:  Buffet dinner ($25.00), 18-piece band (Big Band Sound of the 40s), tours of the brewery and the Tap Room air history display, 1940s Cruise Night, and more!  Mark you calendars and watch for a flyer with details!

 

***God’s Acre Cemetery Tour, Saturday, *** September 24^th, 10:00-11:30 a.m. 

Ruth Shapleigh-Brown, founder and executive director of the Connecticut Gravestone Network, will lead a tour of the God’s Acre Cemetery, 1533 Main Street.  Attendance will be limited so registration is required.  Cost: $3.00 for Society members and $5.00 for non-members.  Contact Lisa Kopper (flkopper@sbcglobal.net or 860-644-8588) to register.

***Tag Sale Bash!  September 30^th – October 2^nd***

at Elsie Woolam’s house: 1225 Main Street.  Lots of enthusiastic volunteers are needed to help us make more than the $2,000 earned at each of the last two tag sales.  Donate items in good condition:  household items, furniture (no stuffed furniture), garden equipment, antiques and collectibles, jewelry, etc.  Donations can be dropped off in Elsie’s garage.  Please leave your name and contact information so we can thank you.  To help with set up or on the sale days, call Elsie Woolam at 860-289-8823.  Proceeds support the Union District School Renovations Fund.

Celebrate the SWHS 75th Anniversary!

From the Past Party!

– Tuesday, May 24th
– South Windsor Senior Center – 150 Nevers Road – 2:00 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the Senior Center and SWHS, this event features interactive displays of South Windsor’s history and the programs of the Society from 1947-present. If you have historical items to share, bring them! If desired, you can dress up in clothes or accessories from the past! Fun and refreshments!

Membership at the Senior Center not necessary. Free with registration. Call (860) 648-6361 ASAP to register for the Blast From the Past! Great way to visit and reminisce!

 

Friday, May 13, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m

Saturday, May 14, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m

Sunday, May 15, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m

1225 Main Street, South Windsor

Proceeds support the Union District School Renovations Fund.

Volunteers needed for set up on May 11th and for Tag Sale days!

Call Elsie Woolam at (860) 289-4177 for information.
Donations to the Tag Sale are welcomed!

 

 

South Windsor Historical Society & Friends of Wood Memorial Library Collaboration

The Friends and South Windsor Historical Society are co-sponsoring a calendar of programs with connections to local history. All programs are held at Wood Memorial Library and Museum 783 Main St South Windsor, unless otherwise noted.

Programs in January, February and March are held on Sundays at 2 pm.

Programs in April through December occur on Thursdays at 7 p.m.

Program fees:

Friends and Society members pay $5;

Non-members pay $7.

Please pay in person the day of all events.

 

May 12, 2022 at 7 pm

Amanda Goodheart Parks, a historian and lecturer, specializes in women’s history. In her “Beyond the Bicep: The Real Story of Rosie the Riveter,” she’ll speak about the cultural icon of World War II. (“We Can Do It,” was an American wartime poster used as a call to inspire women workers to join the war effort.)

 

May 26, 2022 at 7 pm

Husband-and-wife flower growers Russell and Sue Petersen have grown flowers on their 15-acre Burgess Road property in South Windsor for more than 20 years. The couple will talk about their farming business and will offer family gardening tips on ways to avoid killing your plants.

June 9, 2022 at 7 pm

“Abraham Lincoln, Man of Compassion and Connecticut

by Paula Hopewell

 

Abe Lincoln expert Paula Hopewell will present “Abraham Lincoln, Man of Compassion and Connecticut.” Hopewell, a Lincoln scholar, will examine Lincoln’s compassion and personal tragedies. She also will highlight excerpts from his speeches. Her lecture also includes information on Connecticut’s role in the Civil War and the influence of Hartford’s Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”

June 23, 2022 at 7 pm

The controversial statue of Capt. John Mason will be the topic of discussion between Windsor Historical Society’s Doug Shipman and a leader of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Mason, once hailed as a hero, led a massacre of the Pequot nation during the battle of Mystic in 1637. For years, historians, tribal leaders and descendants of Mason have discussed the pros and cons of removing the statues at the Hartford State Capitol and Windsor’s Palisado Green.

 

Past Events

January 23, 2022  Sunday at 2 pm- 

Chris Doucot, 66, a pastor and pacifist, and his wife, Jackie Allen-Doucot, are co-founders of the Hartford Catholic Worker, a North Hartford social justice organization that assists people who need food, clothing, shelter and other necessities. In addition to their local work, the couple does humanitarian work abroad. They’ve traveled overseas several times, including to Bosnia, Iraq – and twice to Afghanistan. Chris will speak about their travels and, specifically about how war affects civilians in foreign countries.

February 27, 2022 Sunday at 2 pm

Frank Niederwerfer & Bob Starr History Presentation:

Civil War reenactor Frank Niederwerfer, 68, of South Windsor, will speak about his great uncle, Oliver Dart, who fought with Company G, 14th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He’ll be joined by Main Street’s Bob Starr, 80, who’ll discuss his family’s book, “For My Grandchildren,” the Civil War Journey of Pierre Starr, Surgeon, 39th Ohio Infantry. Transcribed and edited by noted Civil War author Brad Quinlin, and Jason Rusk, the book details Starr’s experience as a surgeon for the Union Army during the Civil War.

March 20th 2pm 

Adventures in Historic Preservation with William Hosley

At Wood Memorial Library 783 Main St.

This program opens with an overview of the 175 year history of historic preservation in America followed by the story of Bill Hosley’s passion for preservation – a passion that began during the Bicentennial and has intensified every year since. Bill studied local history, architectural history, art and artifacts. As a preservationist, museologist, photographer and storyteller Bill’s aim is to protect places and things worth caring about. Discovering civic narratives and treasures builds a scaffolding of allure around a community’s most authentic elements. Exploring and expanded the interplay between cultural heritage, historic preservation, museum practice, tourism, scholarship, and public programming has been his life’s work. If you wonder what historic preservation is about – there isn’t one answer. Hopefully, Bill’s journey inspires others to come together as placemakers and stewards of a rich past made richer by our care.

William Hosley is a historian, preservationist, writer, and photographer. He was formerly director of the New Haven Museum and Connecticut Landmarks where he cared for a chain of house museums. Prior to that, as a curator and exhibition developer at Wadsworth Atheneum, Bill organized The Great River: Art & Society of the Connecticut Valley, The Japan Idea: Art and Life in Victorian America, and Sam & Elizabeth: Legend and Legacy of Colt’s Empire, a project that spawned the Coltsville National Park. Bill is writing a book about the public work of local history and how it restores public spirit, one great place at a time. He has been a thought leader in the placemaking and Learn Local movements and served on the advisory committee of the State Office of Culture & Tourism.

April 14, 2022  Thursday at 7 pm

South Windsor attorney Kevin Rennie writes a political column for the Sunday edition of the Hartford Courant. Rennie, a former member of the Connecticut House and Senate, will speak on current events Connecticut and national politics and the influence of his favorite high school teacher.

April 28, 2022 at 7 pm

Award Winning South Windsor

Author Sharon Dukett

 

South Windsor writer Sharon Dukett is an award-winning author who recently wrote “No Rules: A Memoir.” Dukett quit school at 16 and drove to California. She lived in a commune and later returned to South Windsor, where she married and had children. While writing, she worked as a cocktail waitress, clothing designer and singer. She’ll speak about her book, which was a finalist in the Autobiography/Memoir category in the 2020 International Book Awards.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2022 AT 6 PM

Adventures on the Prowl for Connecticut Clocks with William Hosley

Co-Sponsored Event with The Friends of Wood Memorial Library at 783 Main St South Windsor

This event is FREE but please pre-register at www.WoodMemorialLibrary.org

Clocks and clock making are one of a handful of industries in which Connecticut achieved national and even international influence. We didn’t produce America’s first clock makers – but from the outset, Connecticut makers marched to their own beat – developing recognizable styles and eventually applying technological innovations that made their products accessible to a mass audience.

The popularity of clocks coincided with changes in the world of work – that made keeping track of time an essential ingredient of success in business, education – even simply arriving to church on time. Thomas Harland, Daniel Burnap, Eli Terry, Seth Thomas, Riley Whiting and Silas Hoadley are among the many clock makers who brought renown to Connecticut. Their products varied in style and mechanical ingenuity. This program is a survey of one of Connecticut’s most important industries. Several of the key players in the industry called Windsor and East Windsor Hill home.

This presentation is in celebration of the recent acquisition of a Burnap Tall Case Clock by the Wood Memorial Library Trust, owner of the Wood Memorial Library. The presentation will be followed by a reception for all, honoring the Shepard, Raymond and Birden families who made this acquisition possible.

This program is presented by the Wood Memorial Library Association and co-sponsored by the Friends of Wood Memorial Library & Museum and the South Windsor Historical Society.

No admission is required, but donations are appreciated to offset the preservation of the Burnap Clock, and to support the Wood Memorial Library Trust. Pre-registration is recommended:

New Videos of South Windsor Interviews

 

 

Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse

771 Ellington Rd South Windsor, CT 06074

ANNOUNCING:

    New Virtual Tour

by Teacher Joan Degen and

Photographer Carl Walsh click below:

 One Room Schoolhouse Tour

 Unfortunately as of August 1st 2021 Private Tours of Pleasant Valley One Room Schoolhouse are on hold while CT is having a Covid spike.

Joan Walsh 860-644-6000

FREE but donations are accepted.

 

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2021 Program Schedule:

Currently there are no programs scheduled. We look forward to when we can safely have events in person again.

Here is a look at what our past events almost were for 2020 and will hopefully be rescheduled:

In honor of South Windsor’s 175th Anniversary, the South Windsor Historical Society and the Friends of Wood Memorial Library & Museum are co-sponsoring a calendar of programs and exhibits with connections to, and in celebration of, local history.

Programs co-sponsored will be located at

Wood Memorial Library & Museum,

783 Main Street, South Windsor, CT 06074  –  (860) 289-1783​ Wheelchair accessible (with elevator access)

Cost: Wood and Society members pay $3; non-members pay $5.

Refreshments are served at all meeting

PAST EVENTS BELOW have been cancelled and we are looking forward to bringing back events in the future.

January 9 to February 20: Exhibit curated by Sally Edlund, “How We Earned a Dollar: A Historical Look at South Windsor Businesses” at Wood (on Mondays 10 to 5, Thursdays 10 to 8 and Saturdays Jan. 11 and Feb. 8 from 10 to 1)

 

This event has been postponed for the Fall or 2021:   March 22, Sunday, at 2 PM Diana McCain presents “From the Kitchen to the Capitol: Four Feisty Connecticut Women”, stories of CT women who revolutionized American cooking, defied a government that taxed them but denied them the vote, and shattered a political glass ceiling. There will also be an exhibit of local notable women and their contributions to South Windsor.

 

This event has been postponed for Fall or 2021:  April 9, Thursday, at 7 PM The CT Historical Society presents “Tories, Spies, and Traitors: Divided Loyalty in Revolutionary Connecticut”. Which side are you on? Stories, some well-known, some obscure, of Nutmeggars who risked and sacrificed to support their chosen side.   Local stories will be shared.

This event has been cancelled. May 14, Thursday, at 7 PM Paula Hopewell presents “Abraham Lincoln, Man of Compassion and Connecticut”. While learning about Lincoln, the lecture will include information about CT’s role in the war, including Harriet Beecher Stowe, the Copperhead movement, and the 1860 and 1864 Election results for local towns including South Windsor.

Cancelled: June 11, Thursday, at 7 PM The exhibit “South Windsor Farming 1648 to 2020” will be partnered with a panel of local farmers discussing the evolution of agricultural land use in South Windsor.

July and August (No Charge, donations welcome) All are invited to visit the Pleasant Valley School House to view the Society’s exhibits. Schoolhouse hours are: Mon. & Thurs. 2 to 4.

 

Cancelled: September 10, Thursday at 7 PM Scott Brady, President of the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology, will discuss CT’s newest and groundbreaking discoveries, along with SW finds and what they reveal about our town’s first inhabitants.

Cancelled:  2^nd Saturday, September 12, at 10AM Drew Shupter-Rayvis presents “Seasonal Lifeways of the Algonquin People and their Interaction with Europeans”. This family hands-on program will be held outside in the Nowashe village (weather permitting) and focus on Native American life before permanent European contact.

Donated by William Wood, of South Windsor, in honor of his parents, Dr. William Wood (a distinguished            ornithologist) and Mary Ellsworth Wood, the Wood Memorial Library, on Main Street, served as the one of town’s two libraries from its dedication, in 1928, into the 1970s, when a new library building was                         constructed on Sullivan Avenue.

In 1971, the non-profit Friends of Wood Memorial            Library was founded to oversee its continued operation, through private funds, as a library, museum and historical archive. The library, built between 1926 and 1928, was designed by the Hartford architect William Marchant in the Colonial Revival style, with features drawn from the Federal period.

 

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