‘Greetings from Kent’ Showcased Historic Postcards

‘Greetings from Kent’ showcased historic postcards

We thank everyone who visited the Society’s 2016 summer exhibit, “Greetings from Kent: An exhibition of historic postcards” at the town-owned Swift House. The final days of the exhibit coincided with the Kent Sidewalk Festival in early August and the inaugural Kent Arts Night, Aug. 20. There were many people who took advantage of the opportunities to see the show.

Reaction to the exhibit, “Greetings from Kent: An exhibition of historic postcards,” was extremely positive.

Some of the comments shared in the guest book included: “Love the show, history’s the best, interesting photos; Awesome history tour! Thank you for this trip back in time. Grew up in Kent. Great trip down memory lane! What a great exhibit. Super! This was great. Thank You! Great fun and memories. Love it! Nice job!”

Visitors to the special location, the town-owned historic building, the Swift House, discovered enlarged postcards that fill the walls of the building. Those who’ve lived in town for years delighted in seeing the older buildings and remembering who lived and worked in the areas depicted in the postcards. Newcomers to Kent saw the similarities and the differences in the scenes shown that range from Main Street to farming in the outer reaches of town.

The Kent Historical Society celebrated postcards with the exhibit that showcased the local landscape as seen through the lens of postcard photographers.

There is much to be celebrated in what postcards can provide – a look back at the town of Kent over more than 100 years. Many of these images were from postcard kits that were popular for individuals to create their own cards. The Historical Society put this exhibition together through loans from local residents and collectors, as well as its own collection. Trustee Melissa Cherniske was the guest curator.

We are thankful to those who assisted by sharing their personal collection: Susie Rundall, Michael Ward, Susi Williams and Gail Tobin.

We are indebted to our volunteer docents at the summer historic postcard exhibit, “Greetings from Kent” and particularly to Kathi Lee, who served as our volunteer coordinator this summer. We had a small but dedicated group of people who made sure the exhibit was open on Sunday afternoons in June and July and several gave additional time in August for the special exhibit hours. Our special thanks to: Catherine Bachrach, Susan Begnal, Darlene Brady, Jann Carmody Tanner, Melissa Cherniske, Claire Lee, Kathi Lee, Charlotte Lindsey, Linda Palmer, Lynn Mellis Worthington, Rick Levy and Sue Lopardo. The Society could not have offered this exhibit without their volunteer assistance!

Postcard production began in the 1800s, with the first patent being approved in 1861, according to the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Postcards were a popular form of correspondence because they were quick and an easy way to communicate. The Golden Age of Postcards was from 1907 to 1915, according to the Smithsonian.

This special exhibit featured large enlarged images of postcards. There were also a number of reproduction postcards available for purchase.

The show was open weekly on Sundays June through July,  as well as some additional hours in August.

 

 

Musicale delights with Spirited Tea

Musicale benefit delights with Spirited Tea

The Society owes many thanks to the supporters and attendees of the Musicale & Spirited Tea Party that was held Sunday, April 17. We are also indebted to everyone who volunteered their time to ensure its success. Proceeds from the event will go toward matching a grant from the Connecticut Trust for HIstoric Preservation for exterior restoration of the Kent Historical Society’s Seven Hearths Museum.

The Kent Community House was dazzling with the elegant decorations, beautiful flowers and scrumptious treats that were created from authentic recipes hailing back to the 1800s.  

The event would not have happened without the dedication of Patsy Stroble, who took on the task of creating an inventive menu, led two baking workshops, and presented a magnificent and plentiful buffet of tea treats, including a three-tier cake iced to perfection by her daughter, Kari Morales.

Frank Delaney was absolutely wonderful, sharing his wit in his clever introduction to our “Spirited Tea Party.” He took us back to look at the history of hosting teas and delighted those attending with several readings, including one from Alice in Wonderland.

Co-chairs Zanne Charity and Bruce Whipple organized and coordinated a spectacular afternoon, taking us back to the 19th Century with entertainment, food, and beverages, of the period, including a “spirited punch”

The Benefit Steering Committee put many creative hours into planning and mounting the event. Those members are: Liddy Baker, Melissa Cherniske, Beth Dooley, Jackie Markham, Wendy Murphy, Julia Samartini, Patsy Stroble, Kate Vick, and Lynn Mellis Worthington.

  • Special thanks to:
    Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kissinger, for helping to underwrite the event
    Davis IGA
    First Congregational Church of Kent
    Harney Tea
    Kent Greenhouse                       
    Kent Wine & Spirit 
    Town of Kent

There were many others who contributed to the success of event.

Those who attended the Baking Workshops helped by creating the splendid array of sweet and savory treats that were served, and others assisted with last minute preparation of edibles on Sunday morning: Lynn Ainsworth, Judy Flynn, Carol Franken, Ellen Horovitz, Adele Johnson, Jody Lampe, Adriana Martinez, Anne Penner, Judy Pinkerton, Allan Priaulx, and Judy Warrick.

We also thank four Marvelwood School students, Maggie Everett, Victoria Sanchez, Isabelle Cameron and Lauren Greiner, who volunteered an entire day to take care of so many little details – everything from setting place settings to delivering tea to the tables.

There were just shy of 100 people in attendance. They enjoyed the punches created with Harney teas, the wide variety of food that was beautifully arranged on the center buffet table, and the opportunity to listen to authentic and historically accurate music from the 19th century performed by the Rosewood Chamber Ensemble.

There were over 50 people who donated to this event, in addition to those who purchased tickets and attended. We’d like to extend our thanks to everyone who contributed.

There were a number of people who pitched in to help in advance, or wherever needed on the day of the event: Darlene Brady, Lawrence Charity, Darrell Cherniske, Mike Everett, Kent Freeman, Adriana Martinez, Toni Presti, Michael Ward, John Worthington, and Jane Zatlin. Also thanks to Lazlo Gyorsok, who took photographs throughout the event.

 

Musicale and Spirited Tea Party

Musicale and Spirited Tea Party

Join the Kent Historical Society on a trip to the 19th century to experience a Musicale and Spirited Tea Party on Sunday, April 17th at 2:30 p.m. at the Kent Community House.

There will be glorious tunes played by the Rosewood Chamber Ensemble on antique instruments, including flutes made in neighboring Litchfield harkening back to the 19th century, and a guitar of the same make and model played by Mark Twain. And, to accompany the lively songs and dances that one would have heard at an American “musicale” party during that period of time, there will be an amazing array of glorious treats, both sweet and savory, researched and presented under the direction of our “Food Angel,” Patsy Stroble.

In keeping with our time travel to the 19th century, there will be other surprises awaiting as well. We are delighted that author and former BBC broadcaster Frank Delaney, who has a home in Kent, will be performing selected readings from the 19th century.

Proceeds from the benefit will go toward the restoration of Seven Hearths Museum. While exterior work is already underway, we must raise funds to match a generous grant from the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation to help complete the exterior phase of the Museum’s restoration before other work can take place. We hope you will join us in support of this endeavor.

This special event will showcase musicians Barbara Hopkins on flute and Judy Handler on guitar. Hopkins will be playing period flutes, including her wooden Asa Hopkins flute made in Litchfield, CT, in the 1830s. Handler will be playing a Martin parlor guitar that is the same make and model that Mark Twain owned and played.

The Rosewood Chamber Ensemble’s musical repertoire ranges from familiar Stephen Foster songs to lively dances and newly rediscovered music of the 19th century. Particularly interesting are the background stories they tell about the period, the music, and the flutes. One of the flutes is made from rosewood, and that combined with the rosewood in Handler’s guitar inspired the name Rosewood Chamber Ensemble.

Interested in the Baking Workshops with Patsy Stroble? Click here for more information.

Our thanks to our Committee Members:


Tickets

Reserve your tickets by filling out the form below and selecting which ticket package you prefer. Tickets will be held at the door. If you have any questions, email reservations@kenthistoricalsociety.org. If you are going to be a table host and do not have your guest list available at this time (or it changes), please email us with the information.

 

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Covered Bridges of Litchfield County

The Covered Bridges of Litchfield County

 

Covered bridges that date back to colonial times are an iconic image of Northwest Connecticut, and the Kent/Cornwall area boasts some of the oldest of these structures still in existence in New England. On Sunday, March 20, 2016, these beloved landmarks were explored by an expert who knows their history and their engineering.

Author William S. Caswell Jr. shared many historic photographs and information gathered for his book, Connecticut and Rhode Island Covered Bridges, which boasts rare vintage images and postcard memories of days gone by.

 

During their heyday in the 1800s, more than 150 covered bridges dotted the landscape of Connecticut and Rhode Island, with many concentrated in the hills of northwestern Connecticut. Since then, fires, floods, and progress have claimed all but three of the historic structures.

Connecticut was the birthplace of two of the nation’s best­ known covered bridge designers: Ithiel Town and Theodore Burr. Half of the covered bridges currently standing in the United States are supported by trusses patented by Town or Burr.

Kent’s Bulls Bridge is an example of a modification of Town’s lattice truss design, for which he received his first patent in 1820. The covered bridge in West Cornwall is another example of the modified truss design. They are two of the remaining three covered bridges in the state.

Caswell, an engineer for the NH Department of Transportation, is president and historian for the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, and also maintains a website dedicated to gathering and sharing covered bridge photographs and information.

 For more information please call 860.927.4587 or email info@kenthistoricalsociety.org.

 

Benedict Arnold, Connecticut’s Homegrown Terrorist

Sunday Series talk focused on Benedict Arnold, Connecticut’s Homegrown Terrorist

 

Braving the aftermath of a large snowstorm that crippled the east coast, author Eric D. Lehman spoke to a large Sunday Series audience at Kent Town Hall on Jan. 24. He presented a modern view of Benedict Arnold. Lehman noted that when beginning the book, he hoped he could vindicate Arnold, or at least make a case that he had been unfairly maligned, but this hope vanished during this research. “He was a bad man,” Lehman said.

Yet he was also a courageous soldier who had many prominent friends and admirers before his treachery. Lehman presented a modern “social network” analysis of Arnold’s social circle, and showed how connected he was to prominent colonial figures.

Lehman also explored the various meanings of the word “treason,” and how the modern usage does not fit the situation in the colonies during the Revolution. What made Arnold’s treachery stand out, Lehman declared, was that he didn’t just betray his country – he betrayed his friends.

Lehman ended his talk with a haunting story about Arnold encountering Talleyrand, the notoriously slippery French politician who worked for the Bourbons, several revolutionary governments, and Napoleon, among others. At a tavern in Portsmouth England, Talleyrand asked an American stranger for letters of introduction he could use on his trip. It turned out to be Arnold, who refused, saying, “I am perhaps the only American who cannot give you letters for his own country. All the relations I had there are now broken. I must never return.” Talleyrand’s comment: “I must confess that he excited my pity.”

The Kent Historical Society’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret and present the rich history of Kent as well as to provide educational and research material to enrich the public understanding of Kent’s artistic and cultural heritage. For more information, please call 860-927-4587.

Curators’ Tour & Talk recap

Curators’ Tour and Talk on “Camps of Kent: Memories of Summer”

The curators of the Kent Historical Society’s 2015 Exhibit, “Camps of Kent: Memories of Summer,” gave a special tour and talk about this popular show on September 19, at Seven Hearths.

In a nostalgic, varied exhibit that closed September 27, the Kent Historical Society explored the town’s camping past. During camping’s peak in the 1950s and 1960s, a surprising number of camps were tucked into the hills and hollows of Kent. Exhibit curators Marge Smith (the curator of the Kent Historical Society) and board member Melissa Cherniske gathered the material for the exhibit.

Co-exhibit curator Melissa Cherniske said, “Working on the ‘Camps of Kent’ show was a gratifying experience for all of us. It was such a pleasure to be able to bring a piece of the past alive for everyone.”

Many of Kent’s camps may be gone, but they often have alumni networks that help former campers and counselors stay connected. Through various social media outlets, the Kent Historical Society has been in touch with the alumni associations for Camp Francis, Geer Mountain Camp, Camp Kent, Kenico, Camp Po-Ne-Mah and Leonard/Leonore. This has proved crucial for the exhibit, because many past campers provided the artifacts and memorabilia that are on display. Many Kent camp alumni associations held reunions and attended camp-themed hikes over the summer, and the Kent Historical Society dovetailed its programming with these warm, heartfelt gatherings.

Curator Marge Smith said, “This exhibit succeeded because of the tremendous response we received from former campers, counselors, and camp owners, who shared their artifacts and memories with us. One of the most rewarding aspects has been hearing former campers express such depth of emotion about their camp experience and their time in Kent, and its lasting importance in their lives.”

The Society is grateful to the Exhibition Sponsors: Kent School, The Marvelwood School, South Kent School, Victor Fink in memory of Camp Leonard-Leonore, Nicholas/Tobin Insurance, Union Savings Bank, Bain Real Estate, Ira Goldspiel and William Pitt/Sotheby’s International Realty, and Barry Labendz & David Birnbaum of Kent Falls Brewing Company.

Brass Valley, the Fall of an American Industry

A Photo Essay on the Brass Valley, and the fall of an American Industry

Emery Roth II, of Washington, CT, gave a richly illustrated talk on the legendary history of the Naugatuck River Valley’s brass industry as part of the Kent Historical Society’s Sunday Series, on September 20, 2015 at the Kent Town Hall. The talk was drawn from Roth’s newly released book, Brass Valley: The Fall of an American Industry.

The Brass Valley began in 1802, when two metalworking families joined forces to manufacture brass. Business soared during the War of 1812 with the demand for buttons, and soon brass parts became essential in the age of steam and electricity. As large-scale brass manufacturing grew across what became known as Brass Valley, mill towns along the river, such as Torrington and Waterbury, developed into thriving cultural centers. This continued until 2014, when the last plant closed.

Emery Roth II earned degrees in architecture and literature from Carnegie-Mellon University. After 40 years living and working in Connecticut’s Northwest Hills, he became fascinated with the old mill towns of the Naugatuck Valley. This poignant elegy captures the glowing metal flying through the air at the Ansonia foundry in its final days as well as abandoned opera houses and train tracks, the vestiges of a dying infrastructure and American way of life. Roth’s photographs evoke an entire way of life that has vanished from the region.

This event was presented in collaboration with the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association

The Kent Historical Society sponsors the Sunday Series every other month September through May. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

The Kent Historical Society’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret and present the rich history of Kent as well as to provide educational and research material to enrich the public understanding of Kent’s artistic and cultural heritage. For more information, see www.kenthistoricalsociety.org or call 860-927-4587.

 

Annual Fund

 Why does the Kent Historical Society need an Annual Fund?

The Kent Historical Society is embarking on something brand new this fall – the Annual Fund for the Kent Historical Society. Many of our members are probably asking why the organization would need this and why they should donate, when they already pay membership dues.

You’ve probably recognized that recently the Society has increased its public programming and expanded what it offers to both the town and the region. The Board of Trustees has consciously been planning to increase the financial backbone of the Society.

About a year ago we hired fundraising consultant Nancy Baker, a longtime resident of the Northwest Corner and the former Director of Development of the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston.  She has been guiding us through the process of developing a more sophisticated fundraising program that includes funding from a variety of sources. We’ve revamped our membership renewal process so that your membership is now on an annual basis, rather than based on our fiscal year. For example, when you become a member in July, your membership renewal is due in July.  I’m pleased to report that 22 members renewed at a higher membership level than they had the previous year.  

Fund raising for a non-profit must come from many different sources and we are cognizant of this and are working hard to expand the income streams. We have increased our contacts with state and local foundations and applied for multiple grants.  We have been successful with two during the past year. We hope to hear in the upcoming months on at least two more.

The new Annual Fund is another important source of funding for the Society. The purpose of these donations will be to support the mission of KHS through donations to augment our operating budget: “Our mission is to collect, preserve, interpret and present the rich history of Kent as well as to provide educational and research material to enrich the public understanding of Kent’s artistic and cultural heritage.”

In the next couple of weeks you’ll receive a letter encouraging you to give to the Annual Fund. I hope that you will consider the important work that the Kent Historical Society does for the town as well as the region and decide to make a gift in support of the organization, in addition to your annual membership dues so we can continue to add new programming, exhibitions and events to our calendar.  Your support is deeply appreciated.

Lynn Mellis Worthington, President

 

1772 Foundation Grant

Kent Historical Society Wins $15,000 Grant from the 1772 Foundation

Earlier this year, the Kent Historical Society applied for a $15,000 grant from the 1772 Foundation through the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation to replace the clapboard siding on the Seven Hearths Museum. The grant request has been approved.

This grant adds momentum to the extensive program of restoration and improvement that is underway at Seven Hearths, explained Executive Director Brian Thomas of the Kent Historical Society. The new siding will protect the entire building and return Seven Hearths to the way its exterior looked in the Colonial era. The project is scheduled to be completed this fall.

Thomas said the Society owes many thanks to the 1772 Foundation and the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation for their generosity in supporting the Society’s quest to improve Seven Hearths, while maintaining the highest standards of authenticity. This year’s competitive grant program awarded $190,000 in grants to 21 local historical societies, museums, and non-profits for maintenance and preservation projects. The entire list is available at http://cttrust.org/press/.

“We are delighted that our grant application was successful,” Thomas said. “It’s a vote of confidence in the care we’ve taken to make sure the restoration is done properly.”

Bruce Whipple is the Chairman of the society’s Building and Grounds Committee and has been guiding the planning for this project.

 “In addition to replacing the clapboards to their original dimensions, the scope of work also includes replacement of beaded edge corner boards, water table boards, the original cornice and moldings. Two doorways, on the southern and eastern facades, that were covered over will be restored and put back in use. Lastly, a window will be moved back to its original location in the back eastern parlor that was supplemented with an additional window in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century.   Hand forged, wrought iron, square nails will be used in the construction,” Mr. Whipple said. “We are grateful to have the accomplished and trained historical expertise of Jeffrey Morgan and Roger Gonzales on our board to supervise the project management of the construction phase this fall.”

The Kent Historical Society’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret and present the rich history of Kent as well as to provide educational and research material to enrich the public understanding of Kent’s artistic and cultural heritage.

Outpourings of Memory and Emotion


Outpourings of Memory and Emotion

 In putting together “Camps of Kent: Memories of Summer,” Curator Marge Smith was worried that we would not be able to collect enough material to fill an entire exhibit. But Board Member Melissa Cherniske connected with many camps’ alumni associations through social media, and discovered an energetic, active network of former campers and they supplied the KHS with an abundance of material.

 Once these groups learned of the planned exhibit, they began making reunion plans tied to the exhibit. The largest contingent was from Camp Kent, with over sixty people attending on Saturday, June 13. It was standing room only on a hot day. The docents kept boxes of Kleenex in every room of Seven Hearths. Shrieking and yelling rang through the house, accompanied by tears of joy at reconnecting with childhood friends. Several of the attendees were couples who met at camp.

 Campers and counselors from Kenico, Camp Francis, and Po-Ne-Mah also organized their reunions with the Historical Society over the summer.

 Sunny Cohen attended Kenico, from 1965 to 1972, wrote in the guest book: “A million thank yous to all involved in putting this “Camps of Kent” exhibit together.  The memories provoked by photos, and collected artifacts for a time that surpasses [all others] is truly a gift that you have given to me … and apparent love for the special place that these camps held in your town. We were welcomed then and continue to feel welcomed in this cherished tribute exhibit walking down memory lane together.”

 Abigail Ceppos, who also attended Camp Kenico from 1966 to 1972, sent us a package early on that found its way into the exhibit.  She wrote in the guest book: “Going to camp changed my life forever. Developing friendships (that have lasted over 50 years), in addition to skills and life experiences that have shaped my choices and path along the way. There’s so many memories that have been sparked again by visiting this phenomenal exhibit — intercamp activities, ‘community activities’ like going to sing to the seniors at Cour D’Alene, Olympics, Kent Falls day trips, and so much more. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”

 Abby’s lines in the guest book actually contain an important historical clue confirming the location of Camp Cour d’Alene. It also revealed that it was a camp for older folks that was part of the entire system of Kent camps, not just a private house.

 In all, there were five reunions and each group made the exhibit part of their festivities. Many came from great distances. Some were unwell, but they came anyway and brought spouses, children, and grandchildren. All five reunions glowed with the pleasure of reconnecting with the treasured past, and the Kent Historical Society helped brighten the joy.

 On Saturday, September 19 at 11:00 a.m., at Seven Hearths, a “Curators’ Talk” will summarize the experience of mounting this exhibit.