Planning for the Future - Kent Historical Society

Kent Historical Society
Newsletter
Volume 16, Number 4
Kent, Connecticut
November 2015
Planning for the Future
It may sound odd for an organization devoted to
celebrating and exploring the past to spend time pondering the future, but that’s what the Kent Historical
Society has been doing lately. As for so many museums
and organizations, the reason is space -- we need to
make more thoughtful, effective use of the room we
have.
The process started as we began examining the possible
fur trading shop on the second floor of the Seven
Hearths Museum (see page 3). That space was not
empty. It also happened to be where we stored our
collection of paintings and drawings by George
Laurence Nelson. For the time being, we moved all of
the artwork storage to a temporary facility off-site, but
that immediately raised the issue of where the artwork
will go when it comes back.
Tallman House, seen from Studio Hill Road
An 18th century building like Seven Hearths is problematic as a place to store oil paintings. The best
thinking by collections experts points to housing the
paintings in a more modern building. True, we are
busily putting new siding on Seven Hearths, and this
new sheathing will make climate control much more
consistent. But we are going to want the second floor
to tell the fur trading shop’s story.
The obvious choice is to move the artwork up Studio
Hill Road to Tallman House. But where at Tallman?
Our quarters there are already overstuffed, and we’re
struggling to optimize the space we have.
Experts to the Rescue
To help us explore all these possibilities, the new
President of the Board at the Kent Historical Society,
Mike Everett, went to work, drawing on a great deal
of experience as a planner and a consultant. He
elaborated several scenarios in a document that
he called the “Framework Study: An Examination of the Potential Uses and Spatial Opportunities of the Seven Hearths Site—A Perspective
by One Planner at One Moment in Time.”
take a fresh look at our archival and storage
needs. It was a great experience, not least
because he validated the measures and
decisions that we’ve already undertaken, which
was heartening to hear.
Kerschner also scrutinized Seven Hearth and
Tallman in detail, and paid particular attention
to the basement. He pronounced the space dry
enough to be an excellent storage space. We
would have to remove the oil furnace and rely
on the other heating already installed. We
would also reconfigure the utilities, but that
should be readily doable. This was great news!
Some of these scenarios proposed adding additional rooms or even new floors to Tallman
House. In others, Everett sketched out how we
might add a new storage and exhibit facility to
the property on an old barn foundation. Initially,
we shied away from relying on Tallman’s basement, just because it is a basement. In any case,
the document spelled out a number of
interlocking possibilities and showed how the
pieces fit together.
Kerschner’s findings have helped narrow
down the Framework Study’s scenarios to a
more manageable sequence. We are busily
working on grants applications to help reconfigure the basement for storing paintings and
archival materials. The process will be a
lengthy one, but we’re a historical society -- we
take the long view.
Meanwhile, we called on Rick Kerschner, a
collections preservation expert now consulting
with museums and historical societies after more
than 30 years of experience protecting the
Shelburne Museum collections in Vermont, to
George Laurence
Nelson in his
garden, gazing
back at Seven
Hearths. He
looks like he’s
thinking about
space issues.
We’re doing the
same.
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Interpreting the Fur Trading ‘Shop’
By Brian Thomas
In our April issue, we described what we’ve been
calling the fur trading shop or “post” on the
second floor of the Seven Hearths Museum. The
more we peer at the old markings and labels on
the walls and rafters, though, the more we realize
that this space presents the Kent Historical
Society with an expanding interpretive challenge.
was the peak period for a commercially significant
beaver trade in western New England. It did
continue at Ft. Dummer in what is today
southeastern Vermont until at least the 1720s.
And there were white hunters who would
occasionally barter the pelts of other fur-bearing
mammals at general stores in the region into the
late 1700s, and my surmise would be that this is
what may have occurred in Kent.” In short, Seven
Hearths may not be old enough to qualify as an
actual trading shop.
Even calling the place a fur trading “shop” may be
over-interpreting what was there. One big question is, was the operation in Kent an actual store,
or a pelt locker that was part of another
commercial enterprise?
Even if the timeline is established, we still need to
learn more about the commercial context for the
fur trading operation. The fur business in the late
18th and early 19th century was not a single entity.
There was a network of fur trading posts, among
As Professor Kevin Sweeney, an expert on the
subject at UMass Amherst, observed in an
exchange of emails earlier this year: “The 1600s
A public domain image of a generic fur trading store, from an earlier era of retailing
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them Mission House in Stockbridge, Massachusetts (Trustees of Reservations) and Johnson
Hall in Wells, Maine, which housed the King’s
representative for trading with native Americans.
One site alone may contain significant history by
itself, but be better viewed as part of a continental, or even global, business network.
would be a major coup for us, but even
contemporary ledgers from other places
would be very informative. This fur archipelago could even become a significant
tourist or scholarly theme.
A preliminary step is to seek help, and enlist
some expert sleuthing in the space by a
respected Colonial-era historian. The fur
trading area’s story may involve less of the
frontier and more commercial history. That
in itself is exciting, since it's often hard to
bring business history to life in an
immediate way. Whatever we learn, there’s
sure to be plenty more to discover.
We need to explore the links between Kent and
other parts of the fur trapping network, and its
connection to markets elsewhere in North
America and even Europe. The New York State
Museum in Albany may have more primary materials in its large research division. Finding an
actual ledger from our fur trading operation
Sunday Afternoons with KHS
On May 17, William Hosley
presented his ever-expanding
take on the “Cultural Treasures of the Litchfield Hills,”
with a special emphasis on
Kent. Hosley is a big believer
in using the power of place and
heritage to inspire citizenship
and civic engagement, and his
talk at Town Hall was a lively
example of doing just that.
Our 2015 schedule has been
packed with activity. Right:
Emery Roth II signs a copy of his
book, Brass Valley: The Fall
of an American Industry,
for an appreciative member of the
audience at our September 20
Sunday Series event. Roth shared
his photos of the bygone industry
that transformed our region. Although some former factories have
been adapted for reuse, many
abandoned, deteriorating factories
dot the landscape in Connecticut.
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Estate Matters in Ancient Egypt… and Elsewhere
by Brian Thomas
Back in 1955, Howard Hawks directed a camp
classic called Land of the Pharaohs, an epic set in
ancient Egypt, with Jack Hawkins as Khufu,
an aging ruler obsessed with amassing wealth
and power for the afterlife. A youthful, bratty
Joan Collins plays the gauzily attired Princess
Nellifer, who schemes to latch onto Khufu’s
incomparable wealth. William Faulkner had a
hand in the screenplay, a surprisingly dark tale,
which may account for so many heavyweights
(such as Martin Scorsese) rating the film as a
guilty pleasure. Spoiler alert: Instead of inheriting the gold, Joan winds up buried in the
pyramid along with Khufu’s entire household.
nize the value of having their surviving assets
continue to foster their goals. In this nonpharaonic spirit, we hope you’ll consider making a bequest to the Kent Historical Society.
By including a bequest to the Kent Historical
Society in your will or living trust, you are
ensuring that we can continue to celebrate and
preserve Kent for years to come. Your gift
also entitles your estate to an unlimited federal
estate tax charitable deduction. You can use a
wide variety of assets to fund a bequest,
including cash, appreciated securities, real estate, tangible personal property, securities, and
even closely held stock. Please give us a call at
860-927-4587 to discuss it with us. We’ll be far
more appreciative than Joan Collins.
Estate planning has progressed since the Sixth
Dynasty, that’s for sure. Modern donors recog-
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Pillars of Support: All Members
of the Kent Historical Society
Proprietor Members
Sponsor Members
Mr. and Mrs. Ely Britton of Glendale, MO
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Burr of Cambridge, MA
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Giles of South Kent, CT
Ms. Nina Henderson of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Herde of Kent, CT
Lisa Lippman and Ben Finkelstein of New York, NY
Ann Lozman and Jay Harris of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Frank McCann of Kent, CT
Lynn Perry and Michael Hallows of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Rehnberg of Kent, CT
Anne Bass of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Williston Case, Jr. of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Charity of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hoffman of Kent, CT
The Charles and Jane Klein Family Fund of South
Kent, CT
Jeffrey Morgan and Robert Couturier of South
Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. James Perkins of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Rosen of Kent, CT
Patron Members
Ed Adlam of Santa Barbara, CA
Christopher Armstrong of Danville, PA
Bill Arnold and Stephanie Wargo of South Kent, CT
Dr. Amy Attas and Stephen Shapiro of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Ned Babbitt of New York, NY
Mr. and Mrs. William Bachrach of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. David L. Bain of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. John Milnes Baker of South Kent, CT
Nancy Baker of Lakeville, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Bornn of South Kent, CT
James Brownell of Kent, CT
Ronald C. Budny of Litchfield, CT
Ciara Burnham and Peter DeNunzio of New York, NY
Mrs. Jack Casey of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Cherniske of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cogut of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Connery of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Coons of Kent, CT
Kenneth Cooper and Charmian Place of New York, NY
Ellen Corsell of Kent, CT
Darlene Cromer of Stuart, FL
Deborah Devaux of Kent, CT
Mrs. Anthony DiPentima of South Kent, CT
Mrs. Paul Dooley of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Dore of Sharon, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Edward D. Epstein of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Everett of Kent, CT
David K. Freeman of New York, NY
Patricia Gallagher of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. John A. Gleason of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hart of Davidson, NC
Mrs. Dexter Hawks of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. James Hicks of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Jean-Marie Horovitz of Kent, CT
Lester Hoysradt of Salisbury, CT
W. Griggs Irving of Seattle, WA
Dr. and Mrs. Harold Kamm of Kent, CT
Jay Kriegel and Kathryn McAuliffe of South Kent, CT
Jon C. Lafleur of Kent, CT
Dr. Martin Levine and Dr. Israel Cruz of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lindsey of Kent, CT
Carol Hoffman Matzke of Mercer Island, WA
Emily McWhinney of Kent, CT
Susan E. Menconi and Bruce Hoheb of South Kent, CT
Hugh Mitchell of New York, NY
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Morocco of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Neuman of New York, NY
Mr. and Mrs. John Noneman of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. John Novogrod of New York, NY
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Palmer of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rothschild of New York, NY
Mr. and Mrs. James Samartini of South Kent, CT
Thomas Sebring and Stephen Vaughn of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Tobin of Kent, CT
Anne P. Todd of Kent, CT
Christine Utsogn of New Milford, CT
Andrew Vadnais and Nancy Lyon of South Kent, CT
Bruce W. Whipple and Michael Ward of South
Kent, CT
Hiram Williams and Peter Vaughan of South Kent, CT
Susi Williams Wyman and Dick Wyman of Kent, CT
David B. Wolf and Anna Johnson-Chase of Kent, CT
Alice J. Wolfe of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. John Worthington of Kent, CT
Mr. & Mrs. John Youngblood of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Zarin of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. F. Anthony Zunino III of Kent, CT
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Family and Sustaining Members
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Adams of Kent, CT
Lisa Atkinson and Otto Penzler of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bargonetti of South Kent,
CT
Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Barlow of Kent, CT
Georganne Bensh and Nathan Kolodny of
Gaylordsville, CT
Dr. and Mrs. Monty Besmer of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. James Blackketter of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brady of Kent, CT
Mary Brash of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Brown of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. William Brown of St. Ignace, MI
Nancy Bushnell and Victor Reiling of
Sarasota, FL
Bennett Capers and Seth Forman of South
Kent, CT
Mrs. Robert E. Carlson of Kent, CT
Marjorie Carmody of Brookfield Center, CT
Deborah Chabrian and Ed Martinez of South
Kent, CT
Sarah Chase and William Watts of New York,
NY
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cipolla of New Milford, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Coffill of Litchfield, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cortese of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Crouch of Cornwall
Bridge, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Denis Curtiss of Cornwall Bridge,
CT
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Davis of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Vincent DeMarco of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Donald DeVita of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. David DeVos of South Kent, CT
William Dillon and Jeff West of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Franken of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gibson of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hanley of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Harrington of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hartch of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hicks of South Kent, CT
Ms. Thayer Hochberg of New Preston, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Holcombe of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Howland of South
Kent, CT
Back to the Future II on the Kent Green
This was a special
anniversary year for fans of the
Back to the Future franchise.
The movies, starring Michael J.
Fox, were originally set in 1985
and jumped to the future of
2015. On the weekend before
children in Region I returned to
school, a group of individuals and
town organizations sponsored an
outdoor showing of Back to the
Future II -- and it even had a
historical theme. Event sponsors
included: Dave Fairty and Anne
McAndrew of Annie Bannanie
and Backcountry Outfitters, Billy
Morrison of the Morrison
Gallery, Peter D'Aprille of the
Kent Station Pharmacy, the Kent
Memorial Library, and the Kent
Historical Society.
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Family and Sustaining Members (cont.)
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Murphy of South Kent, CT
Linda Nacinovich and Elaine Debet-Fricke of South
Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. James Norton of Jersey City, NJ
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Olson of South Kent, CT
Karina O'Meara of Kent, CT
Mrs. Eugene O'Meara of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Randy O'Rourke of Kent, CT
JoAnne Pappano and Robert Norton of Kent, CT
Dr. and Mrs. Donald Peters of Kent, CT
Judy Pinkerton and Alan Tikotsky of Kent, CT
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Polhemus of Dover Plains, NY
Toni Presti and Korey Elsesser of Kent, CT
Allan Priaulx and Jacqueline Markham of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Raftery of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Richards of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Noble Richards or Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Rivkin of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Emery Roth II of Washington Depot, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Schiesel of South Kent, CT
Lorna G. Schofield of New York, NY
Marcia S. Scholl of North Eastham, MA
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Seufert of South Kent, CT
Virginia Smith of New Milford, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Millard L. Soule of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Starr of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Irving of Cornwall Bridge,
CT
Mr. and Mrs. David Jalbert of Gaylordsville, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Jennings of Kent, CT
Dr. Katherine Kane and Dennis DePaul of Kent,
CT
Melinda Keck of Kent, CT
Moira Kelly and John Jenner of Kent, CT
Mrs. W. H. Kempe of South Kent, CT
Olga Kennedy of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Dana Kenny of New Fairfield, CT
Louisa M. LaFontan of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Vincent LaFontan of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Ward Landrigan of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Lang of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. William Lang of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Lee of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Levy of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Mason Lord of New Milford, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Adam Manes of South Kent, CT
Mrs. Guy M. Mankin of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph A. Matson of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Messer of New Milford, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Molho of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Moore of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Juan Moreno of Kent, CT
Thanks to Our Docents for Hosting the “Camps of
Kent: Memories of Summer” Exhibit
Just some of our faithful docents at Seven Hearths, who did so much to bring the Camps of Kent exhibit to life. Shown here from left to
right: Aiden Cherniske, Melissa Cherniske, Linda Palmer, Sue Leopardo, Karina O’Meara, Marge Smith, and Lynn Worthington. Not
shown in the picture are: Fran Goodsell, Hugh Hill, Pat Gallagher, Rick Levy, Judy Howland, Don and Mary Peters, Cindy Willson,
Sue Begnal, Kate Zarin, Debbie Devaux, Sandy Jennings, Donna Sommers, Ruth O’Meara, Toni Presti, Katherine and Bill Bachrach,
Katie Moore, Bill and Tammi Lang, Kathi Lee, Marian Whynott, Charlotte Lindsey, Lisa Weinblatt, Heather Gerowe, Karen Chase,
and Judi Soule.
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Family and Sustaining Members (cont.)
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Stroble of Sharon, CT
Virginia Bush Suttman of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Valentine of Kent, CT
John Veltri and Mike Jacoby of South Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. James Vick of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Vizzari of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Webster of Dover Plains,
NY
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Weinblatt of Wassaic, NY
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry White of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Whitmore of Kent, CT
Dr. and Mrs. Charles P. Whittemore of Salisbury,
CT
Mr. and Mrs. William Whynott of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Wilkins of Kent, CT
Mr. Rodney Williams of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Winter of Kent, CT
Stuart Wurtzel and Patrizia Von Brandenstein of
New York, NY
Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Wyrick of South Kent, CT
Mrs. Henry Zaccara of New Milford, CT
Dr. and Mrs. Gabriel Zatlin of Kent, CT
Our Individual Members
Lloyd Albin of Kent, CT
Ky Anderson of South Kent, CT
Marjorie J. Anderson of Sioux Falls, SD
Anthony Antonios and Sharon Hartwick of
South Kent, CT
Rona Auster of Mamaroneck, NY
John Barton of Kent, CT
Joseph Baxer, Barbara Bacewicz of Kent, CT
Fran Beardsley of Honolulu, HI
Marsi Boon of Kent, CT
Bruce Bosserman of Sarasota, FL
Melode Brasher of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Britton of Croton-onHudson, NY
Austi Brown of Kent, CT
Cecile H Brown of Santa Ynez, CA
Cliff Burnett of Vero Beach, FL
Paula Caceci of New York, NY
Marie Camp of South Kent, CT
Susan Capek of Coram, NY
Robert E. Casey or Stonington, CT
Senator Clark Chapin of New Milford, CT
Linda Cohen of South Kent, CT
Karen Conklin of San Jose, CA
Don Cramer of Kent, CT
Margaret Britton Crecco of Avon, CT
Therese Duncan of Kent, CT
Susanne Edgerly of Kent, CT
Davia Fink of Kent, CT
Susan Forbes and Bob Markowitz of Kent, CT
Phyllis Foster of Kent, CT
Susan Gawel of Kent, CT
Marcia Glynn of Cookeville, TN
Mr. and Mrs. William Goodsell of Kent, CT
George-Ann Gowan of Kent, CT
Myra Guerra of Kent, CT
Cindy Gustafson of Kent, CT
Dr. Harvey Hayden of Sharon, CT
Dorothy Hosterman of Kent, CT
Susan W. Howland of South Kent, CT
Robert Indorf, Sr. of Kent, CT
Claire H. Irving of New York, NY
Fran Johnson of Kent, CT
Walter Kane of Kent, CT
Georgianne Kent of Kent, CT
Betty Krasne of Kent, CT
Gail Lettick of Woodbury, CT
Dorothy Lorenze of Granite Springs, NY
James Lovelett of Kent, CT
Ron MacFarlane of Ventura, CA
Carol MacRitchie of South Kent, CT
Paddy Matson of Kent, CT
Barbara McCarthy of Bethany, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Henry McWhinnie of Kent, CT
Carol B. Miller of South Kent, CT
Donna M. Miller of Kent, CT
Mr. and Mrs. Owen Moore of New Preston, CT
Kristine J. Mothersele of Bristo, CT
Robert R. Mott of Canaan, CT
Mrs. And Mrs. James Neill of Kent. CT
Alicia North of West Cornwall, CT
Marilyn Ober of Brookfield, CT
Andrew Ocif and Elaine Carlson of Kent, CT
Robert Olson of Chesapeake, VA
Marian F. Pacocha of Kent, CT
Doria Palmer of South Kent, CT
Leigh R. Peet of Kent, CT
Bertha J. Petith of Kinderhook, NY
Jacqueline Pflieger of Danbury, CT
John Polhemus of Coventry, CT
Ester Pollard of Sharon, CT
Barbara W. Psarakis of South Kent, CT
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Individual Members (continued)
Marge Smith of Kent, CT
Donna Sommers of Kent, CT
Bunny Soule of Kent, CT
Paul Tines of Kent, CT
Marjorie A. Vreeland of Kent, CT
Cliff Waldow of Sharon, CT
Jean Waterhouse of New Preston, CT
Reverend Roger B. White of Kent, CT
J. Fenton Willams of Torrington, CT
Diane Woodward of South Kent, CT
Michael Zients of New York, NY
William Purcell of South Kent, CT
Pat Purdy of Sharon, CT
Elizabeth Ritchie of Decatur, GA
Robert Rothenberg of New York, NY
Irene J. Ruggiera and Sharon, CT
Susie Rundall of Kent, CT
John Russell of Kent, CT
Faline Schneiderman of New Fairfield, CT
Peggy Seneca of Dover-Foxcroft, ME
Sandra M. Shiflett of Kent, CT
Janet Skinner of Brooklyn, NY
Upcoming Sunday Series Program
Once an accomplished military man ardently
supporting the American Revolution, Benedict
Arnold eventually turned on his friends,
neighbors, and fellow soldiers to become the
terrorist whose name is synonymous with the
word “traitor.” As part of the Sunday Series programs, Eric D. Lehman will examine Benedict
Arnold as a homegrown terrorist. The discussion
will take place on Sunday, January 24, 2015 at
2:00 PM at the Kent Town Hall.
In a talk and book signing, Author Eric D. Lehman will share the historical look back at Arnold
that he presents in his recent book, Homegrown
Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New
London. The story sheds light on the ethics of the
dawning nation and the way colonial America
responded to betrayal and terror. Lehman, an
historian and author of numerous books about
Connecticut, teaches literature and creative
writing at the University of Bridgeport. His
essays, reviews, poems, and stories have been
published in dozens of journals and magazines.
Just at Press Time: New Officers for the KHS
Right before a round of Kent Jeopardy on November 15, the Kent Historical Society voted in
a new slate of officers. The new President of the
Board of Trustees is Michael Everett, the new
Vice President is Lynn Mellis Worthington, the
new Treasurer is Bruce Whipple, and the new
secretary is Melissa Cherniske. We also gave
our grateful thanks to several board members
who left the Board of Trustees this year:
Patricia Case, Charlotte Lindsey, Richard
Lindsey, and Jennie Rehnberg.
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Hot Dogs and History in One Bun
By Brian Thomas
“There used to be many more gas stations in
town. Now it’s only Patco.” He wonders
why there are so few these days. Better mileage, maybe, or tighter environmental rules?
Such are the thoughts that occur as customers roll up and place their orders.
Some things are constant in Kent. The Ice
Watch. Bull’s Bridge. The schools. And since
1979, the familiar cry, “Hot dogs! Get your hot
dogs!” from Chris Dalla Riva’s hot dog stand on
Route 7. He’s been there every summer, witnessing Kent history unfolding under his blue
and yellow umbrella.
Another curious feature he’s noticed -- Main
Street used to be far more wooded. Storms
and other bad weather have punished the
trees that used to line the road. Economic
development and street widening took out
some. Various blights and tree diseases have
played their role.
He hasn’t always been at the same spot. Selling
hot dogs started as a project for him and his
brothers back when Jimmy Carter was President.
The boys stationed themselves on a grass island
next to what was then the Gulf station (now
Patco). His brothers moved on to other things,
but Chris donned the apron every summer. After
some years he migrated a little bit south to his
current location.
The constants might be more important than
the differences. The stand has always served
as a meeting place. People can spread out to
the various picnic tables that mark the site.
It’s a convivial spot,
where a surprising
amount of town business
and socializing gets transacted. Relationships have
started and ended at
those picnic tables.
He’s seen a great deal change over the years.
What’s a misconception
that people have about
you? “Everybody thinks
I go to Florida on what I
make doing this. I don’t
go to Florida. Selling hot
dogs won’t sustain me
for a year.” During the
winter he works as an
electrician for long-time
KHS friend and benefactor John Gleason. But
he’ll be back in the
spring. “I love doing it. It
makes me feel connected
to the town.”
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Kent Historical Society
PO Box 651
Kent, CT 06757
Kent Quiz
Kent Historical Society
10 Studio Hill Road, PO Box 651, Kent, CT 06757
860-927-4587
info@kenthistoricalsociety.org
www.kenthistoricalsociety.org
How many railroad crossings are there in
Kent?
This is a test of the mental map of Kent you have
in your head. The total may be more than you
think!
Officers
Michael Everett, President
Lynn Mellis Worthington, Vice President
Melissa Cherniske, Secretary; Bruce Whipple, Treasurer
Trustees
Zanne Charity, Roger Gonzales, Beth Dooley,
Tim Good, Jeffrey Morgan, Nancy Schaefer
Executive Director ~ Brian Thomas
Curator/Archivist ~ Marge Smith
Assistant ~ Lyn Stirnweiss
Answer to the last quiz: (When was the rock
cut on Rte 341 by Kent School enlarged?)
Many of you got this. The project began in 1961 and finished in 1962. There is a map in the town hall from the
State of CT. John Thorpe worked for the contractor with a
huge bulldozer. He knew John and when he stopped at the
site to talk to the contractor about possible work, the existing workers were too scared to attempt unloading the bulldozer. Thorpe unloaded the hopper for the contractor and he
got the job.
Hours at Tallman House at 10 Studio Hill Road: Tuesdays 9
AM to Noon, Fridays 1 to 4 PM, or by appointment
This newsletter is printed and sponsored
by Moore & More Printing, Millerton, NY
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