November 2010

The house was built in 1829 by David Jr. after selling his mercantile business across the road and occupied for 2 generations. On the 1867 map, the house is labeled 'D. Northrop Saloon.' It appears to have been a stop on the road for travelers, clients, and drovers taking their cattle to market. The Northrops were involved in the community and probably held a 'public" house where one could find a bed, food and drink. The second floor ballroom may have been a general meeting place for the new and growing government, long before the Town Hall was built next door. The property was once a working farm and still includes the cow barn, used at one time to dry tobacco, and a lovely pasture across the brook which now includes a scenic walking trail. Preservation is under way for a local history museum to be completed for the new millennium.

The early 19th-century Brownson House is an example of late-Federal/early Greek Revival architecture. The 1872 Trap Falls School is the last surviving one-room school in Shelton. The mid-19th-century Wilson Barn houses a permanent exhibit entitled "Three Centuries of Shelton, From Farming to Industry and Beyond," which traces Shelton's development from early European settlement through the 20th century.

The Sharon Historical Society has an institutional history similar to many small historical societies. Founded in 1911, the Society spent the first forty-odd years of its life meeting, usually monthly, to listen to a semi-scholarly paper on some aspect of Sharon history, presented by a member. An entirely volunteer-run organization with no building of its own, it used the second floor local history room at the town library as headquarters. Books, papers and some archival material were stored at the library, while other collections objects resided in the homes of members. In 1951, the SHS was bequeathed the home of past president, Miss Anne Sherman Hoyt. Unable to assume financial responsibility for the entire building, the SHS rented out the first floor of what became known as the "Gay-Hoyt House" to the thrift shop associated with the Sharon Hospital. The SHS used the second floor of the house for collections storage and meeting space.

The Rocky Hill Historical Society's current mission is to continue to preserve Academy Hall as well as to preserve the history of this river town and make it accessible to the public. Members of the society contribute to its success in a variety of ways, from planning and maintaining various exhibits, to researching topics of historical interest such as agriculture, education, family genealogies, quarry stories, historic Center Cemetery, and the history of businesses in town. The society also sponsors and participates in many events benefiting the town.

The headquarters also features a reception and reference room, where the public can access databases of history materials held town wide. There is also a meeting room, a library, a project room, the town historian's office, a cataloguing area, and a kitchenette. The society welcomes volunteers to assist with its work, which will include preparing for the celebration of Ridgefield's 300th anniversary in 2008.

The society endeavors to further encourage the study of the preservation of historic sites, as well as an appreciation of the historical heritage of Old Saybrook, especially by the young people of the area. It also actively engages the public to increase awareness and appreciation of the town’s history through exhibits, videos, tours, and lectures.

The Mill Hill complex consists of three historical buildings and a cemetery. Through the efforts of the Norwalk Historical Society they have been preserved and established in one location as a monument to early Norwalk.

The museum is housed in the old Norfolk Academy, built in 1840, later used as the Town Hall and Jail, and located on the Norfolk Village Green.  The Little Red School House, located on Bald Mountain, is a fully furnished and authentic school house from the 19th century.

The museum’s galleries, special exhibits, and museum shop capture a slice of life that was our ancestors’ … and celebrate their contributions to New Milford today. Visit the museum’s 18th century cooking hearth to appreciate how our maternal ancestors prepared dinner without modern conveniences. Our antique toy collection can help your children imagine what their ancestors played with when they, too, were young. Peruse portraits of New Milford’s first families. Take a walk through historical gardens. Memorabilia of events, places and people — as well as industries of the region — will show you how New Milford has progressed through the centuries.

One of the first goals of the organizers was to begin to collect materials of historical and genealogical value. By 1900 they had succeeded in amassing approximately 2800 items, housed on the second floor of the Public Library of New London. The collection has continued to expand, and now encompasses books, pamphlets, manuscript materials, and one of the largest collections of Connecticut newspapers in the state. In the early 1900s, the society purchased the Shaw Mansion on Blinman Street, New London, after an extensive public campaign to raise the funds, and moved out of the library.