Upcoming Events - Norwich Historical Society

Upcoming Events
Appeal for Assistant Secretary
2009 Annual Meeting
In November 2007, I was honored when Bill
Champagne asked me to assume the role of
Secretary of the Norwich Historical Society
(NHS). Wow! In 2001 when I moved to Norwich,
I became aware that the city had a historical
society and also that Norwich would be
celebrating a very significant birthday in 2009.
At that time I mentally took note that I’d want to
attend the 2009 celebration. Fast forward to
2007: while attending one of Dale Plummer’s
Norwich history courses offered by the Norwich
Adult Education program, I found out that he
was looking for volunteers to assist with the
Semiseptcentennial History Subcommittee. My
being in a leadership role on that subcommittee
led to Bill’s offer to be the NHS Secretary. Back
in 2001, I would never have thought I’d become
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sydney Frank Center
6 p.m.
Public is invited.
Semiseptcentennial events
sponsored by The Norwich
Historical Society:
David Ruggles:
the Norwich-born Abolitionist
Monday, June 29, 2009
Slater Hall
7-8:30 p.m.
Graham Russell Hodges, professor of
history at Colgate University, is the author
of Root and Branch: African Americans in
New York and East Jersey, 1613-1863. He
is writing a biography of David Ruggles,
Norwich-born abolitionist, and he will be
giving a talk on the importance of this
notable individual.
The Black Governors
of Norwich
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Slater Hall
7-8:30 p.m.
Black Governors were slaves, freemen
or freedmen elected by their peers
between 1749 and 1856 to represent
their community; Norwich had three
of them: Ira Tosset, Samuel Huntington
and Boston Trowtrow. Locals in period
dress will reenact dialogue of the
Black Governors.
Board of Directors
President:
William C. Champagne
Vice President:
Olive Buddington
Treasurer:
Peter Maneri, Jr.
Secretary:
Dianne Brown
Past President:
William B. Stanley
Special thanks to
The Mohegan Tribe
for sponsorship of
this newsletter.
Designed By
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so involved in the rich history of Norwich! I’m
having a great deal of fun planning events and
meeting new people who have the same interests as I have.
Won’t you consider joining the fun?
The NHS Board of Directors is looking for an
Assistant to the Secretary. In this role you
would assist me with taking minutes at the
monthly Board meetings, help to plan programs
and refreshments and assist with the preparation of the Annual Appeal mailing. For the
Annual Appeal we need someone to help
address, stuff and stamp envelopes. Believe
me, it is very rewarding to be a part of this
special organization!
Please contact Dianne Brown via
e-mail for more information at
diannebrown@diannebrown.com
Board Members:
Ron Aliano
Francis Archambeault
Eric Beit
John A. Cotter
Faith Damon Davison
Edward Dunn
Denison Gibbs
Margot Gibbs
Alfred Gonsalves
Geoffrey McLean
Beverly Muldoon
David Oat
Lewis Randall
Lottie B. Scott
Troy Shoemaker
Sandra Soucy
David Thompson
Roberta Vincent
Vivian F. Zoë
We need your support…
Join the Norwich Historical Society now by contacting
Margot Gibbs at 889-3066 or visiting www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org
PRSTD STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
NORWICH, CT
PERMIT #55
307 Main Street
Norwich, CT 06360
860-886-1776
www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org
Spring 2009
A newsletter for members and friends of the Norwich Historical Society
Featured Norwich Museum
LEFFINGWELL MUSEUM
The Society of the Founders of Norwich was
organized October 10, 1901, as a genealogical
society, and in 1959 it galvanized into action
to save the circa 1675 Leffingwell Inn from
demolition to make room for a highway.
Through years of meticulous dedication to
restoration, the Leffingwell Inn is fully restored
with authentic examples of colonial heritage,
artifacts and furnishings dating from the
1600's through the 1800's. Tours, demonstrations and special exhibits are available on
Saturdays from 12:00 noon-4 p.m., May
through October, and by appointment.
Donations are gratefully accepted.
Become a volunteer at the Leffingwell House
Museum by attending a review session at the
museum (348 Washington Street) on April 25th
from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. A light lunch will be
provided. Volunteer exhibit and tour hosts are
needed for school groups and other visitors
throughout the year. No previous experience
or knowledge required.
Other Leffingwell Events
All events are located at the Leffingwell
Museum unless otherwise noted.
Mission Statement
The mission of the
Norwich Historical Society
is to preserve,
protect and promote
Norwich’s rich history.
by Dianne Brown
June 6th
Attend the Docent and Host Review
Session. Prepare for CT Museum Open
House Day taking place on June 13th and
“The Guns of Norwich” event under a tent
at Brown Park on Flag Day, June 14th.
June 13th
CT Museum Open House Day.
June 14th (Flag Day)
“The Guns of Norwich” event under a
tent at Brown Park.
Membership to the Society
of the Founders is open to
the public.
May 3rd
The Society of the Founders Annual
Meeting (7 p.m.)
May 9th
Opening of “The Founding Mother’s of
Norwich” exhibit; Gifts for Mother’s Day will
be available for purchase.
May 16th
The museum will be hosting a “Gardening
Party” on its grounds; attendees are asked to
bring their own work gloves, rakes and tools
to help prepare the grounds and gardens for
the summer. “Got Manure?” Dig deep and
help plant the 2009 crop of vegetables.
by Bill Champagne
Norwich Does Have Great
Historic Neighborhoods!
Some 200 people listened and watched as
Rachel Carley told the Norwich community
that our historic neighborhoods, our history,
and our heritage is something most towns
would be extremely envious of. The Norwich
Historical Society (NHS) Board is now
reviewing the extensive report and we will
be creating a summary which will include
priority recommendations and action items.
We are very grateful to the CT Trust For
Historic Preservation and The Last Green
Valley for their grants which enabled the NHS
to undertake this important project.
Annual Meeting
Please visit our website
leffingwellhousemuseum.org
for further information or
leave a message at
860-887-9000.
May 2nd
Opening of “Painting With Light,” an exhibit
by Mike Przygoda.
The
President’s
Pen
Leffingwell House Museum, circa 1675, is
located at 348 Washington Street.
2009 is Norwich’s 350th Anniversary year, and
there will be celebrations held mostly in June
and July. Start the year’s festivities with a fun,
nostalgic, entertaining and educational look
back at Norwich’s past anniversary
celebrations at our Annual Meeting on March
23, at 6 p.m. at the Sydney Frank Center.
Vivian Zoë, NHS Board member and Director
of Slater Memorial Museum, will show a DVD
“movie” she created based upon her live
presentations and research into Norwich’s
past celebrations as far back as 1859. The
DVD will be available for sale.
Annual Appeal Donors
NHS held its first ever Annual Appeal last year,
and it was very successful. There is an insert
in this newsletter noting those who participated. We are very grateful to all! We believe it Is
important to continue to offer our members
and the community valuable programs and
newsletters, all of which are costly. Again,
many thanks to those who donated!
NHS Board and Volunteers
As I’ve said before, it’s a pleasure working
with the NHS Board and the volunteers who
help with our various projects. Please join us
in our mission. Contact any of the Board
members for more information.
Annual Meeting
It’s movie night! The 2009 Annual Meeting
of the Norwich Historical Society will be held
on Monday, March 23rd at 6:00 p.m. at the
NFA Sydney Frank Center. This meeting is
open to the general public. After regular
Society business is discussed, join us for
soda pop and popcorn as we play a DVD
highlighting past Norwich anniversary
celebrations! Director of Slater Memorial
Museum, Vivian Zoë, will show a DVD “movie”
which she has created based upon her live
presentations in 2008 after extensive research
into Norwich’s past celebrations beginning
with the first one in 1859. The DVD will be
available for sale at the event for $10.
We’re in Stitches the Quilt will be here!
The Norwich Semiseptcentennial quilt will
make its public debut at this meeting. Don’t
miss your opportunity to be the first few to
view this tremendous piece of work.
Vivian Zoë
A native of Hartford, CT, Vivian Zoë has
served as the director of several museums
and cultural institutions including the
Charter Oak Cultural Center, Craftsman
Farms, the Noah Webster House and,
currently, the Slater Memorial Museum.
A graduate of the University of Connecticut
and the Ohio State University, Zoë has a
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art
and masters’ degrees in Arts Administration
and Community Art Education and Theatre.
She has worked for municipal arts and
cultural programs in Columbus, Ohio and
Hartford, Connecticut and has taught art and
theatre design to school children and adults.
Vivian’s board and volunteer leadership
service includes the Anti-Defamation
League of Connecticut, the Connecticut
Art Trail, the Last Green Valley and the
Norwich Historical Society. Vivian is a
peer reviewer for the American Association
of Museums and has
lectured on topics
ranging from board
responsibilities to the
history of Norwich,
Connecticut. She
has written
extensively on
Norwich arts
and history.
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A Snapshot of Semiseptcentennial events: Mark your calendar and save the dates.
Presentation: The Victorian Lady
Museum Day
Norwichtown & the Meadows
While dressing in actual vintage and authentically reproduced undergarments, clothing
and accessories, Kandie Carle adds humor,
history and intriguing anecdotes about
fashion, home life and etiquette of men
and women during the 1890’s Gilded Age.
The VICTORIAN LADY program brings to light
some of the differences, as well as some of
the similarities between our Victorian ancestors and us. A visual delight resplendent
with wit and grace it is a refreshing view of
a magnificent era in history. This program
will be free to the public and will attract
interest from people from age 10 to 100!
June 13th is National Museum Day. There
are many notable museums in Norwich
including the Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) Faith Trumbull Chapter’s
Rockwell House, Children of the American
Revolution (CAR), Backus House, The Society
of the Founders of Norwich’s Christopher
Leffingwell House and Slater Memorial
Museum. Visit these landmarks for more
information on what makes up Norwich
history. The Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) will host a tea and music
event at the Rockwell House.
Join Dale Plummer, Norwich City
Historian, of the oldest settlement in
Norwich. Discover the history and
architecture of old Norwichtown, as
well as the beauty of The Meadows.
Location: Slater Hall
Date(s)/Time(s): June 25th from 7-8:00 p.m.
Tours:
Mohegan Park/Spaulding Pond
Join Dale Plummer, Norwich City Historian,
as he takes you through the history of
Mohegan Park and Spaulding Pond.
Henry V. Ed
mond, colle
ction of th
e Slater M
emorial M
useum
Cemeteries
Join Vic Butsch and David Oat on three
very interesting cemetery tours. Find out
about notable Civil War heroes, Norwich
Rich & Famous and the stories told on
Colonial Tombstones.
Civil War Location:
Yantic Cemetery, Lafayette Street
Date(s)/Time(s): June 13th, 10-12:00 noon
Location: Self-guided driving tour
Date(s)/Time(s): Saturday, June 13th (museums
open on other dates/times as advertised)
Houses of Worship
Take the self-guided tour of several
Norwich houses of worship where you
can learn about the history of the
building, architecture and/or religion.
Location: Mohegan Park entrance
Date(s)/Time(s): June 21st, 1-2:00 p.m.
Norwich Rich & Famous Location:
Location: Self-guided driving tour
Date(s)/Time(s): June 6th, 10-3:00 p.m.
Gun Factories
Yantic Cemetery, Lafayette Street
Date(s)/Time(s): June 13th, 1-3:00 p.m.
Heritage Walk/Falls Mills
Join the guns of Norwich as they guide you
through the important history of Norwich
gun factories.
Location: City Hall, Union Square
Date(s)/Time(s): June 27th, 1-3:00 p.m.
Colonial Tombstones Location:
Norwichtown Green, Elm Avenue
Date(s)/Time(s): June 27th, 10-12:00 noon
Mohegan Burial Grounds
Join Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, the
historian for the Mohegan Indian Tribe, for a
walk down to the canyon and Indian Leap
and back up to the new Royal Burial Ground
on the former Masonic Temple site.
Location: Chelsea Parade South
Date(s)/Time(s): June 14th, 1-2:30 p.m.
of the Slater
nd, collection
Henry V. Edmo
350th Anniversary Celebration - June, 2009
Come be a part of history.
Norwich is celebrating its 350th birthday in June 2009. We’re having one big party and
you’re invited…to volunteer. Donate your time and talents to help commemorate this
important milestone. Join a committee; work at an event, be a part of history!
For more information on events for the 350th celebration,
please visit www.norwichct350.com
Broadway comprises the most beautiful
and architecturally interesting homes of
Norwich and surrounding areas! Walk with
Dale Plummer, Norwich City Historian, to
find out more about the history of the
of these homes and their architectural highlights, as well as their previous owners.
Location: Chelsea Parade South
Date(s)/Time(s): June 20th, 11-12:00 noon
Rose City Renaissance
Location: City Hall, Union Square
Date(s)/Time(s): June 28th, 1-3:00 p.m.
350th Medallion
As a tribute to Norwich’s
Semiseptcentennial celebration in 2009,
a collectible medallion minted by
Woodbury Pewter has been designed to
incorporate the 350th celebration logo.
Purchase this “must-have” item for $10
at the Norwich Tourism Office,
Backus Hospital gift shop,
Otis Library, the City
Clerk’s Office and at
various events
during and leading
up to the 350th
festivities
in June.
Ruggles Freedom
Trail Progress
by Freedom Trail Committee
Location: Christ Episcopal Church,
78 Washington Street
Date(s)/Time(s): June 7th, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Join Rick Kramer on a tour the wonderful
offerings of downtown and learn about
plans for preservation and restoration.
Rachel Carley speaking
with Mayor Ben Lathrop before her
Powerpoint presentation to the community.
200 people were entertained and educated
about Norwich's Historic Neighborhoods.
Millionaires’ Row
Take a walk with Dale Plummer, Norwich
City Historian, on the heritage trail starting
from the bottom and rising up to the
gorgeous Yantic Falls and Falls Mills.
um
Memorial Muse
Volunteers Needed:
Location: Norwichtown Green, Elm Avenue
Date(s)/Time(s): July 5th, 10-11:30 a.m.
Photographer Rene Dugas enchanting his
audience with stories about the history of
Ponemah Mill and Taftville at the Rose City
Senior Center on November 13, 2008.
Since last year, the Freedom Trail Committee
has been working on further developing the
sites in Norwich associated with the abolition of slavery, the Underground Railroad
and the Civil Rights Movement. Our primary
objective at this time is to recognize Norwich
native, David Ruggles, and other
Underground Railroad leaders and Civil
Rights activists in our town. To that end,
we are working to place the Yantic Cemetery
on the State and National Registers of
Historic Places and to honor Ruggles with
an appropriate marker on his family plot.
Other sites will be identified for inclusion
in the Freedom Trail as well. For example,
Aaron Stevens, son of the choirmaster at
First Congregational Church, was one of
the 21 men John Brown led in the raid
on Harpers Ferry.
A Great Mother’s and Father’s Day Gift!
THE 9-MILE SQUARE
Bill Stanley’s / NHS Award Winning
Norwich History Book!
The 9-Mile Square book is more than
history. There are 408 pages containing
195 stories of the history of Norwich,
Bozrah, Franklin, Sprague, Lisbon, Preston
and Jewett City / Griswold; many of
Bill Stanley’s columns are included.
All proceeds go to
THE
Norwich
Historical
Society
Purchase for $49.95 (incl. tax) at the following locations:
• Backus Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop
• Chelsea-Groton Bank, Norwichtown Branch
• Dime Bank, All Branches
• Wonderland Books, 120 Main St., Putnam (860-963-2600)
• Johnson’s Flowers and Gifts, 307 Washington St., Norwich
(860-889-1307); Johnson’s will ship for a total fee of $60
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