2 summer 2015 - Home - Connecticut Historical Society · 2019-02-27 · of social media, the Newtown Historical Society has been able to reach new audiences and informed them of the

2 | summer 2015 | Making History

message from jody

officers of the Board

Bichop J. Nawrot, PresidentChester Paul Beach, Jr.,

Immediate Past PresidentFiona Vernal,

First Vice-PresidentHenry M. Zachs,

Second Vice-PresidentWilliam Weissenburger, Treasurer

Carol R. Whitmer, Secretary

Board of trusteesSusan Chudwick Barbara Kiefer

Lawrence V. MowellRegina Madigan

Matthew Nemerson Stephen L. Nightingale

Kristen Palombizio Carey E. Redd, II J. Ronald Spencer

Richard Tomlinson Donald E. Williams, Jr.

honor ary trusteesSusan B. Aller

David W. Dangremond Elizabeth Ewing | Samuel S. Fuller

Sue Fuller | Mary Jeanne Jones James B. Lyon | Hugh C. Macgill

J. Bard McNulty | Judith S. Wawro

useful telephone numBers

Main number: (860) 236-5621 Reference Questions: x230

Membership: x227Cash Donations: x278

School Programs & Group Tours: x232 Adult Off-Site Programs: x289

Object Donations: x230Fax: (860) 236-2664

Connecticut Historical SocietyOne Elizabeth StreetHartford, CT 06105

[email protected]

Designer: Michael MessinaContributors: Barbara Austen, Jody

Blankenship, Sierra Dixon, Gerson Escobar-Arroyo,

Ben Gammell, Jill Padelford, Jennifer Steadman, Corinne Swanson, Richard Tuchman

Jody BlankenshipExecutive Director

our collaborative path forward

W ith more than 400 history and heritage organizations across

Connecticut, our need to cooperate and collaborate has never been clearer.

We share passions. We have similar missions. Our volunteers, patrons and supporters share characteristics and often overlap. We each hold a piece of the mosaic that comprises our collective histories and cultures. We are not competitors. We are complementary.

When the State of Connecticut recently contemplated eliminating nearly all state funding to our partner history and heritage organizations, we came together to lobby the legislature for the first time anyone can remember. We were heard, because we spoke with one unified voice.

The Connecticut Historical Society is working diligently to reach out across our state to our many sibling organizations. We are loaning artifacts to the towns and organizations for whom some of our objects are most meaningful. And those groups, as well as the general public, are adding to our exhibitions to make them more diverse and relevant to all the people of Connecticut.

We are creating affinity groups. We started with a decorative arts group and a fashion & textiles group. The volunteers in those groups have added their knowledge and passion to our resources, producing exciting exhibits and interesting programming. More affinity groups are coming.

Our mission is to connect you and the story of Connecticut. We can best accomplish that mission with your direct involvement.

Our vision is a society that values historical perspective and understanding as essential tools in connecting with others, shaping communities, and making informed decisions. Our vision is only possible through collaboration across all the imaginary lines that can sometimes divide us.

I thank you for being a member, donor, sponsor or patron. I hope you also support other history and heritage groups that are important to you. It is only with your support that we can continue to preserve and share Connecticut’s history and lessons for all of us.

Front cover: Photograph of girl at company picnic, 1948, CHS collection.

Making History | summer 2015 | 3

growing up in connecticutA Statewide Collaboration

“W hat was it l ike when you were a kid?” When

someone asks you that question, what stories first come to mind? What emotions do you feel? How much do you remember? What will you never forget? Every generation grew up facing challenges and opportunities and experienced the emotional highs and lows of childhood and adolescence: common experiences we can all remember and share at any age. But unique circumstances and events shaped you as well. Not everyone grew up during a world-wide war. Not everyone grew up alongside the Internet.

This summer, the CHS begins a new initiative to collect objects and stories about growing up in Connecticut. We hope to start, listen to, and share conversations between grandparents, parents, and children about their favorite memories, challenges, and triumphs of being a kid. The project will culminate in a primary exhibition, opening in November, that explores four generations of childhood (born between 1930s-90s) in an effort to promote cross-generational understanding and conversation. If you’re a member of the Silent Generation, a Baby Boomer, a Gen-Xer, or a Millennial, this project is for

you and about you—and we need your help to do it!

Can you think of toys, photographs, home movies, clothes, or other treasures from your childhood? Do you have stories you’d like to share with us that we can also share with other museum and website visitors? This project will be about your stories, your things, and your memories, spanning four generations. Visit our website, chs.org/growingup, to learn how you can be a part of this exciting project.

coll aBor ative projects you maKe possiBle

Teenagers playing chess at the YMCA, photographed by Edward Saxe, about 1960, gift of the YMCA of Greater Hartford.


Connecticut: 50 Objects / 50 Stories The Manchester Historical Society Presents Two Pioneering Women

O ur newest exhibit, Connecticut: 50 Objects / 50

Stories, opened on May 19. Gathered from historical societies, museums, businesses, and individuals all across the state (and a few from the CHS collection), these objects represent the diverse stories and people who have shaped Connecticut as a place, a community, and an idea. Twenty-four museums and historical organizations lent treasures from their collections for this exhibit. Two objects from the Manchester Historical Society (MHS) highlight unique stories that celebrate the groundbreaking achievements of two women. The first is a parachute made by Pioneer Parachute Company,

originally a subsidiary of Cheney Brothers Silk Manufacturing Company. As silk became scarce during World War II, Pioneer helped develop a new nylon parachute. According to MHS Curator Dave Smith, “Nylon parachutes were first tested at Brainard Field in Hartford, and the first person to jump from a plane with a nylon parachute was Adeline Gray of Cheney Brothers in 1942, an event which was reported nationwide.” The second object from the Manchester Historical Society is a school gym uniform worn by Julia Chase-Brand, the first woman in the United States to run in a major distance road race, the Manchester Road Race, on

Thanksgiving Day, 1961. The idea to include this object came from Rachael Suhie, a student (and runner) at Manchester High School, who submitted the idea to our online exhibit gallery. Rachael was one of the guest speakers at the exhibit opening reception on May 18, where she spoke about the inspiring event and about meeting Julia Chase-Brand herself.

The exhibit, Connecticut: 50 Objects/50 Stories, is on view at the CHS through October 24, 2015. There is also an online gallery where you can submit more ideas for objects and stories that define Connecticut. View it at chs.org/50objects.

coll aBor ative projects you maKe possiBle

(Left) Adeline Gray poses with the Pioneer parachute in 1942. (Right) Julia Chase-Brand finishes the 1961 Manchester Road Race. Photos courtesy of the Manchester Historical Society.


opportunities to thanK you

seabury sponsors Connecticut: 50 Objects / 50 Stories Premier Sponsor Continues a 140 Year Old Mission

S eabury, our Premier Sponsor for Connecticut: 50 Objects

/ 50 Stories, was founded in 1876 as the Church Home of Hartford, Inc. The purpose of the Home was for the Episcopal Church to provide shelter to aged and infirm people, especially women.

Church Home of Hartford’s first residence was at the corner of Hudson Street and Retreat Avenue. Through the end of the 1800s and into the 1930s a growing succession of homes were bought or built in Hartford and Wethersfield.

In 1957 and 1962, homes for retired clergy and their wives were added—Clergy House, which had two apartments, and the Granberry Memorial Homes, five homes with two apartments each, were gifted by Mrs. Edgar F. Waterman, whose husband was President of the Connecticut Historical Society from 1934 to 1953.

The current campus of Seabury in

Bloomfield opened in the fall of 1992. A non-profit, interfaith, active life community, Seabury is named in honor of Bishop Samuel Seabury, a physician and the first Episcopal Bishop in the United States. Seabury is also a nationally recognized leader in the growing movement of Continuing Care at Home, and established Seabury At Home in 2008. Seabury currently provides services to more than 400 individuals, ages 50 and over, on campus, and to more than 200 members off campus.

Seabury has started the redesign of its main Commons building, and a major development will soon create 65 new, state-of-the-art, independent apartments, underground parking, and full campus emergency power generation. In addition to its exceptional fitness center, wellness programs, and miles of scenic hiking trails, residents will enjoy a brand new salon/day spa, fitness/wellness spaces and a new arts studio. New spaces will be created for meetings, lectures, and college-level courses provided by the

Adult Learning Program, an affiliate of Road Scholar sponsored by the University of Connecticut.

In addition to the independent living apartments, the new development will enhance Seabury’s first-rate health care services. These include Rehabilitation Therapies, Wellness Clinic, traditional Assisted Living in one-bedroom residences, Memory Care Assisted Living and short-term rehabilitation in Skilled Nursing. The expansion will also include on-site Primary Care Physicians and outpatient Rehabilitation Services.

“With wellness at its core, Seabury’s program offerings encompass all seven dimensions of wellness—vocational, spiritual, environmental, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual,” says Richard Heath, CEO of Seabury. “We have partnered with the CHS in recent years to supplement our high-quality programming for our residents and members.”

(Left) Photograph of the first Church Home of Hartford building, 1930s, CHS Collection. (Right) A drawing of Seabury’s redesign of the main Commons building.



amy fallas-KerrDeveloping a Historical Avocation and Vocation

A s Co-President of the Newtown Historical Society,

Amy Fallas-Kerr has had an eye opening experience. Having started as a volunteer, then a board member, and eventually the Co-President, she has a broad view of what it takes to run a historical organization. The challenges are many but Amy learned early on how important it was to have a presence in the community. Through various initiatives, the Newtown Historical Society has welcomed members of the community and businesses in an effort to enhance its audiences, be inclusive, and create a sense of vibrancy.

Because the Newtown Historical Society is an all-volunteer organization, Amy’s mission has been to unite stake holders in the community from different sectors and get them excited about the past and

the future of the area. By speaking to the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Clubs, and other venues, she aimed at reaching the broader economic and business communities, sharing information about what the historical society has to offer. Taking advantage of social media, the Newtown Historical Society has been able to reach new audiences and informed them of the family programs, spaces available for cultural events, as well as their changing exhibits.

Amy’s parents are from El Salvador and Costa Rica, but Newtown is not a very ethnically diverse town. Therefore, the Newtown Historical Society has had to think about diversity in a different manner. There are historical groups of people that are underserved and aren’t always represented. With this in mind, the Newtown Historical Society has

opened its doors and given them a platform to share their stories and knowledge. Partnering with synagogues, farms, photography clubs, bee keepers, and other groups, has been an essential part of keeping the population involved.

As her term as a volunteer Co-President comes to an end, Amy will continue her professional work in the historical field as the Communications and Membership Coordinator at the Wilton Historical Society. The skills she has gained at the Newtown Historical Society as well as her last staff position at the Gunn Memorial Library & Museum will give her an advantage and will allow her to continue to learn in a different area of Connecticut’s story.

Amy Fallas-Kerr takes a photo in Connecticut: 50 Objects / 50 Stories.


collections you fund

the chs acquires its earliest samplerSampler Tells Curious History of the Latin Alphabet

T his spring the Connecticut Historical Society

acquired a sampler from 1761. It is the earliest sampler we have in our collection. The miniature sampler was made by Susanna Spencer when she was fourteen years old. It was worked in silk on linen with the alphabet stitched along the top edge in two lines, below which is her name, and the statement that she was “born September 20 1747.” The sampler measures just 4 ½ inches by 6 ½ inches.

In the 1700s it was common for young women to work on this type of sampler. They usually depicted alphabets, numerals, flowers, and animals. A completed sampler was a representation of a young woman’s

education, status, and dedication as well as a part of the basic skill-set needed to run a successful household. Interestingly, most early samplers did not contain the letters J and U as the Latin alphabet was still evolving to what we now use. The letter I was used instead of J and the letter V substituted the letter U. Some samplers that do include the letter U may place it after the letter V. In this case there is another curious detail: the number 1 has the shape of the letter J as is sometimes seen in this period. Some samplers use the printer’s S which looks more like a present day f.

Susanna was the daughter of John Spencer and Mary (Hubbard) Spencer

of New Hartford, Connecticut. When she was 34, Susanna married William Barrett, also of New Hartford. They had eight children. One of her daughters, Samantha Barrett, never married and with her sister Zeloda managed an 85 acre farm. Samantha’s diary, kept from 1828 to 1830, is in our collection, along with other journals including one in which she recorded the type and amount of cloth she wove.

The CHS is grateful to our members and donors for making this acquisition possible.

Sampler, made by Susanna Spencer, New Hartford, 1761, CHS collection.


activities you support

nerfc scholar visitsThe Quebec Colony and the History of Rum

D id you know that Quebec could have been the fourteenth

colony in the new United States? That is the thesis of New England Regional Fellowship Consortium (NERFC) Scholar Jacqueline Reynoso, a graduate student at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Today we think of Quebec as a province in another country, but in 1775 it was another British colony, just like Connecticut or Massachusetts. Curiously, the construct of the “inevitable” thirteen colonies did not develop until the 19th century. Some of the earliest battles of the American Revolutionary War occurred in Quebec. While the battles were ultimately unsuccessful, the American rebels still tried to take the city, as the Continental Congress kept trying to engage Quebec in the fight for independence and to become part of this new government. However, that British colony chose to remain with the

mother country.

Jacqueline made use of the CHS’s American Revolution collection, John and Joseph Trumbull papers, and similar resources to glean the attitudes of those who were involved in the Quebec expedition and to discover how others perceived the campaign.

Jordan Smith of Georgetown University in Washington, DC, chose to study the production of rum from its invention in Barbados in the 1640s until the British abolition of the slave trade in 1807. To quote from Jordan’s proposal, “rum became revolutionary to the many economies and societies of the British Atlantic world. In the West Indies, it often represented the entire profit margin for sugar plantations; in New England, its production provided the economic lifeblood for resource-deprived environments . . . .”

He is tracing rum’s invention,

commodification, production, and final decline, tying it to social and economic changes over time. He also posits that the invention and production of rum developed from the “bottom up;” it was not something developed by white elites that trickled down to the regular citizens or slaves.

One of his more interesting finds in our collection was a transcription of a will in which a white man emancipated his slave, Bess, and left her his still and his homestead so she could continue to earn a good living. Jordan also found evidence of rum production in Norwich during the American Revolution in the papers of Andrew Huntington and Jeremiah Wadsworth.

The NERFC scholars had access to the CHS collections located in climate-controlled, secured storage areas just off the Library and Waterman Research Center. Your support helps us preserve these documents.

(Left) Jacqueline presents about the Revolutionary War in Quebec. (Right) Jordan explains the social and economic importance of rum.



elementary and secondary social studies frameworks Teaching About the Founding of Our Country and Our Roles in the Community

A common sight you ’ll f ind in the hallways of the

CHS on most mornings is a class of children walking in a line, excitedly pointing at historic objects and displays as an educator leads them to the next station during their school program. Schools from around Connecticut continue to visit the CHS, or bring a CHS educator to the classroom, to enjoy one of our many school programs. As of May 2015, CHS educators have taught programs for more than 11,000 students in the 2014/2015 school year, both at the CHS and in classrooms throughout the state.

Each school year sees changes in what programs are popular. This school year, the shift in requested programs has been impacted by the recently released Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks. These frameworks are a guide to assist Connecticut school districts in shaping their curriculum for local social studies programs, and have already begun to influence what

programs teachers want to book for their class.

The 2nd and 3rd grade program “What Makes a Community?” became one of our most requested programs this year, following the new frameworks suggestion that early elementary students study communities, maps, and how people can make a difference. During our program, children are introduced to all of these themes through hands-on activities exploring how communities are made, what jobs people hold, and how adults and children can help out in their community.

The American Revolution school programs, offered as both a museum and an outreach program, were also frequently booked this year by teachers looking for a hands-on experience for 5th grade students who, under the new frameworks, will be studying the American Revolution. Students in this program have the chance to look at the American Revolution through

the eyes of Connecticut residents, exploring different perspectives during the war with the help of reproduction artifacts and classroom activities.

The education staff at the CHS continues to look for new ways to provide teachers with engaging, relevant programs that allow students to explore and connect with the history of Connecticut and build a relationship with museums as a life-long resource.

For more information about our school programs, go to chs.org/education.

Students listen to an educator during a museum program at the CHS.


programs you support

new england historic genealogical society visits the chsThis spring, the CHS hosted members of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) as part of their annual research trip to Hartford.

The CHS was one of the stops (along with the Connecticut State Library) in their week-long research trip. They visited the Library and Waterman Research Center for an institutional welcome, orientation to research resources, and two full days of research time. On April 10 and 11, staff members assisted NEHGS researchers with access to a multitude of sources, including individual family and town research files, various historical manuscripts, Colonial Dames’ church record transcriptions, maps, and papers belonging to Donald Lines Jacobus.

We were happy to host the group, which (beyond the Northeast) included members from Florida, New York, California, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Montana. The NEHGS members researched various topics, including the towns of Stamford and

Fairfield; the Banning, Woodward, Joslin, Robbins and Allen families; the First Society of Colchester, the First Congregational Church of Branford, and Fisher’s Island.

Your support of CHS makes such activities as these possible. For that, we thank you.

the history of connecticutA Private, Philanthropic Venture

For 190 years, the Connecticut Historical Society has collected, cared for and shared the stories of Connecticut for all of us. We have done this as a private, non-profit organization, sustained by private citizens like you.

Each year, members and past donors are asked to step up and make a financial gift to the Connecticut Historical Society. Your donation—whether to the Annual Fund, the Library and Waterman Research Center, Collections, Educational Programs or Exhibitions—will make it possible to safeguard Connecticut’s treasures. Most importantly, your contribution will help people explore Connecticut’s story and connect it to their own.

If you have made your philanthropic donation to the CHS in 2015, we thank you! If you haven’t, please consider a gift above and beyond your membership dues to the CHS to help us continue to collect, preserve and share our collective history.

We—the members and donors of the CHS—are the people safeguarding our history and its many treasures. Thank you for being a protector of Connecticut’s history and culture!

leave a legacy Our strong financial foundation has been built by the many generous, forward-thinking people who have left bequests since the mid-19th century. If you’ve already included the CHS in your giving plans, thank you! Kindly let us know your plans by contacting the Membership & Development Office at (860) 236-5621 x227 so that we can recognize you, if you choose, and share with you all the benefits of membership in the John Trumbull Society.


expertise you maKe possiBle

the chs Welcomes ilene frank New Chief Curator and Director of Collections and Education

I lene J. Fr ank has begun as chief curator and director of

collections and education of the Connecticut Historical Society. Ilene most recently served as executive director of the Rensselaer County Historical Society in Troy, New York. Bringing a holistic perspective of historical organizations to the job, she also oversaw exhibitions, programs and collections as associate director at the Schenectady Museum and Suits-Bueche Planetarium (now the Museum of Innovation and Science, or MiSci) in Schenectady, N.Y. Ilene is a graduate of the Cooperstown Graduate Program, one of the oldest and most distinguished history museum studies programs in the nation.

“We’re excited to have Ilene’s experience and enthusiasm for history at the Connecticut Historical Society,” said the CHS Executive Director Jody Blankenship. “Throughout her career,

Ilene has demonstrated the ability to lead the curatorial, interpretive and programmatic elements of museums and historical societies. She is the right person to help the CHS achieve our ambitious and exciting new strategic plan, and to connect our members and visitors to the story of Connecticut.”

The chief curator shapes, cares for, provides access to, and helps people use and learn from the CHS’s most valuable asset: its collections. In this position, Ilene leads a team that will identify compelling and relevant stories that help the citizens of Connecticut contextualize and understand their unique world, work with other historical organizations across the state to build and shape collections that document these stories, and develop products, programs and services that build awareness and promote the use of the collection with an

end of understanding, learning, and appreciation for the discipline of history.

“I am thrilled to serve the Connecticut Historical Society as chief curator. I look forward to working with CHS staff to present engaging stories, told through the CHS’s stunning collection, that enable Connecticut residents and visitors to view history as a means to interpret today’s world,” she said.

“We are very pleased and excited to have somebody with Ilene’s expertise join our leadership team,” said Bichop Nawrot, president, CHS Board of Trustees. “Her experience in museums and historical organizations will be a great complement to the CHS. We are delighted to welcome her and look forward to implementing her unique approach to building audiences with even more engaging historical interpretation.”



judith s. WawroThe CHS’s First Female PresidentBorn in Hartford, Judith S. Wawro grew up in West Hartford and graduated from the then all-female Oxford School. Her father came from Hartford—a Son of the American Revolution. Her mother was from New Brunswick, Canada, and proud of her Loyalist roots.

Judy graduated from McGill University in Montreal with a Bachelor of Science degree and returned to Hartford.

While working in the pathology department at Hartford Hospital, she trained at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to perform a relatively new diagnostic test for cancer developed by Dr. George Papanicolaou, and established the test in Hartford.

In the 1940s, when the Pap Smear was first introduced, cervical cancer was the number one killer of women. Today a standard cancer screening

test for all women, the Pap Smear is now credited with vastly reducing the death rate for cervical cancer patients worldwide.

In 1947, Judy married Dr. N. William Wawro. They had seven children.

Judy has consistently served as a community volunteer and was a member of the board of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for a decade before being recruited onto the CHS Board of Trustees in 1992 by her friend, Bob Aller. She was elected to become the first female President of the CHS in 1996, 170 years after our founding, and served for three years as the leader of our Board of Trustees.

Realizing the need for continuing care retirement communities in the Hartford area, Judy and a group of other concerned volunteers—after studying care of the aged in other communities, including those of the Quakers—founded the non-profit

Duncaster Lifecare Retirement Community in Bloomfield in 1984.

Now residing in the Duncaster Community she helped create, Judy calls it “the best way to live.” She likes that Duncaster enables people to “be as independent as you can,” while having the security that comes with having every level of life care available to all residents.

Today Judy continues to work with a number of non-profit organizations, including the CHS where she is a Life Member and an Honorary Trustee.

As we celebrate our 190th Anniversary year, the CHS is grateful to Judith Wawro and the many people who have built and nurtured this cultural treasure for nearly two centuries.


progr ams you support

decorative arts study day with dr. philip ZimmermanOutside, Inside and Upside-Down

haute historyA Vintage-Inspired Fashion Show

T he CHS welcomed a group of Decorative Arts

enthusiasts on May 21 who spent the whole day literally turning things upside down under the expert guidance of Dr. Philip Zimmerman.

Focusing on materials, construction, maker, and history, the group compared decorative items to see how these clues led to new ways of thinking about artifacts that have long been considered treasures of the CHS collection. The group also had the opportunity to explore the furniture storage area, and used this time behind-the-scenes to identify even more pieces they could discuss and study.

It was an exciting day that offered participants, including CHS trustees, curators from other historical societies, antiques dealers, appraisers, and woodworkers, a chance to experience the CHS’s decorative arts collection in a unique, hands-on way. The Study Day was part of programming planned to develop awareness of the newly-formed Decorative Arts Affinity Group at the CHS. If you are interested in being alerted to upcoming events, or would like to learn more about the steering committee for this new group, please contact [email protected] or call (860) 236-5621 x289.

O n Saturday, M ay 9, the CHS hosted about 100

participants for Haute History: A Vintage-Inspired Fashion Show. This special event tied old and new together with a runway fashion show featuring up-to-the-minute styles presented by Simon’s Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets and a pop-up exhibit of highlights from the CHS costume collection.

The pop-up exhibit showed styles from 1862 up to 1965. As different as the looks were, their stories tied all the decades of women’s fashion together—included were wedding dresses, a mother-of-the-bride ensemble, a bridesmaid’s dress (sensing a theme here?), and some very elegant evening dresses. Visitors were reminded of dresses they, their mother, or grandmother wore. Great conversations about hemlines and why

hats and gloves went out of style were a perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend.

Thank you to the members of our Fashion and Textiles Affinity Group for dressing mannequins and models to make the day a success! If you’d like to get involved with this group, email [email protected] or call (860) 236-5621 x289.



the connecticut cultural heritage arts program Connecticut’s Folk Arts Program Joins the CHS

T he Institute for Community Research (ICR)

and the CHS agreed to move ICR’s Connecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program (CHAP) to the CHS. The transition, which took place in June, allows the program to take advantage of the exhibition, preservation, and educational resources at the CHS while contributing to our new strategic plan.

ICR established the Cultural Heritage Arts Program in 1991 to document the state’s rich and diverse cultural traditions and to share the excellent artistic work and community experiences of folk artists living here. The program’s activities contribute to greater public understanding of Connecticut’s history, cultural character, and changing demographics. CHAP partners with artists and their communities to record their traditional art forms and cultural practices, provides technical assistance that strengthens their resources, and develops public presentations that bring traditional artists and the stories of their communities to new audiences.

Part of a nationwide network of public folklore programs, CHAP serves as Connecticut’s official folk arts program with support from the National Endowment for the

Arts, the Connecticut Office of the Arts/Department of Economic and Community Development, the Greater Hartford Arts Council, the Connecticut Humanities Council, the City of Hartford and several local foundations. CHAP’s work is unique in Connecticut, having documented and presented more than 350 traditional artists whose work would otherwise remain unknown or under-represented. The program collaborates with a regional network of artists, community scholars, advisors, agencies, and organizations to design performances and exhibits, radio broadcasts and podcasts, educational activities, training in fieldwork methods, promotion and marketing of traditional arts, public workshops and discussions and arts services.

One example of CHAP’s program is Mas: Caribbean Carnival Costumes from Hartford, a summer training course for Hartford teens who learn to make costumes and perform dances from West Indian Carnival (Mas) traditions. Now in its fifth year, this project has helped to add beautiful costumes and a youthful sense of excitement into Hartford’s annual West Indian Parade. Along

with artist-curators, CHAP has also created or hosted more than thirty exhibits.

The Connecticut Historical Society has developed a new strategic plan to guide the organization’s future, and sees CHAP as a vital contributor to development of new outreach and audience services. CHS Executive Director Jody Blankenship said, “Our state’s story, history and character have been forged by the waves of immigrants who have contributed new ideas, energy and passion, making Connecticut a thriving and exciting place to live. The CHAP will allow the CHS to further its efforts of documenting and sharing the various contributions that shaped who we are and what we aspire to become.”

“Connecticut’s artists, cultures, and communities truly enrich us all as participants in the state’s long history and current cultural health,” said CHAP Director Lynne Williamson. “From the first peoples in this land to the most recent refugee newcomers, CHAP is dedicated to helping tell their stories as a way to deepen understanding and enjoyment of the vibrant traditions of our neighbors.”

Three participants of the CHAP program, Mas: Caribbean Carnival Costumes from Hartford.


annual report 2014

endoWed funds1825–1900 Lucy A. BrainardJames B. HosmerPublication FundThomas Robbins General Fund

1901–1950Fred H. Atchison Lucius B. BarbourAlbert Carlos BatesFrederick BlissWilliam F. J. BoardmanSilas Chapman, Jr.Sophia F. Hall CoeCT Society of Colonial WarsWilbur L. CrossGeorge H. FittsJames J. GoodwinE. Stevens HenryJ. Coolidge HillsCharles J. HoadleyGeorge E. HoadleyNewman HungerfordWilliam W. KnightLibrary/Museum FundHorace E. MatherFrancis T. MaxwellHenry L. MillerJonathan Flynt MorrisEdward P. PeckWilliam H. PutnamGurdon W. RussellGeorge D. SeymourJames ShepardEdwin SimonsGrace J. F. SmithJane T. SmithEllen Battell StoeckelMary K. TalcottJane TuttleRuel Crompton TuttleEdgar F. WatermanEdwin Stanley WellesAlbion B. WilsonCharles G. Woodward

1951–2000George Buel AlvordFrederick K. BarbourEdwin Bingham

Birdsey Fund of MeridenCharles S. BissellGrace BlissCedric BoardmanElsie Burks BrainardNewton C. BrainardHoughton BulkeleyFlorence S. CrofutEdith B. DavisJohn M. K. DavisPaul J. DorweillerSarah C. DunleavyAlice and Ostrom EndersCharlotte FordRuth GalpinFlorence T. GayGeorge GilmanJames L. GoodwinEdith S. HaleThompson R. HarlowArthur and Ethel HeubleinLouisa HitchcockHarold G. Holcombe, Sr.Barbara HubbardWard and Edith JacobsMelancthon W. Jacobus IIIMarie A. JohnstonMartha Ruhamah LambertLife Membership FundBoardman LockwoodCharles Morris MillsEdith C. PeltonHarry H. PinneyHelen Elizabeth RoyceAda Louise TaylorLouise TomlinsonMabel C. TullerAlain C. White

2000–presentGennaro CapobiancoDangremond FundEducation Fund

for the FutureEllsworth S. GrantShepherd M. Holcombe, Sr.Marylouise D. MederMary MungerElisabeth OhdeOld State House FundGrace Kibbe Gowdy Smith,

Brooks Felton Smith and

Sally Kibbe Smith Brown Memorial Fund

sponsorsBarnes GroupBerkshire BankCapital GuardianColt’s ManufacturingElim ParkEllen BrownEnsign BickfordHartford Steam BoilerHoffman FoundationPeople’s BankPratt & WhitneyReid and Riege, PCSaunders FoundationSeabury/Seabury At HomeShipman & Goodwin, LLPStanley Black & Decker

in Kind donationsDavid DunnackAlice KugelmanSusan ReganReid and Riege, PCShipman & Goodwin, LLP

life memBersElizabeth Abbe and

Terry HarlowSusan B. AllerQuincy S. AbbotClifford T. AldermanCharles Beach BarlowMaggie and

Christopher BickfordJody BlankenshipNorman CanfieldConnecticut’s Old

State HouseMartha Collins and

Theodore SpaceMary Jane ConverseP. L. Crafts, Jr.Mary CraryHelen Granberry M.

CrowleySamuel P. C. DangremondDavid W. DangremondAugustus W. E.

DangremondMary Jane DapkusE. F. DavisBarbara L. de MareAllis Ferguson EdelmanChristine ErmencElizabeth EwingRobert M. FinchVaughan Finn and

Stephen L. NightingaleTimothy S. FisherRobert P. ForbesSamuel S. FullerSue E. FullerRebecca M. FullerEunice J. GroarkSue B. HartAngeline M. HeinLucy E. HolcombeKeith B. HookMary Jeanne A. JonesUrsula KorzenikJanet and

Christopher LarsenLeslie and James LymanJames B. LyonHugh C. MacgillKathleen Coville MarrManfred MartinJ. Bard McNultyFrank H. MurphyLinda and Bichop NawrotGerald R. NesterukGail L. PorteusAlexandra PrestonSali and John RiegeMarguerite RiordanLisa and David RissJane W. RobertsElizabeth RussellJohn G. T. Slater, Jr.Roberta K. SmithKate Steinway and

Paul ZolanRichard G. TomlinsonGilbert A. TylerDawn and Mark von

MayrhauserHelen Granberry WatermanMary G. WatermanJudith S. WawroWarren Brinson Weeks, Jr.


annual report 2014

Lois Ann and William Weissenburger

Debrah Welling and Jack Intrator

Carol Whitmer and Thomas Colvin

Wenda C. WilcoxR. L. WilsonWindham Free Library Henry M. Zachs

premier memBersellen l arned circle($500)Sylvia DahlEleanor DeVane and

Nicholas LimaMary Means Huber

thomas day circle($300)John BainbridgeFred O. BrownsonNorman F. HausmannRegina and

James L. MadiganNevitt Nugent and

James P. JenkinsCarol and Lee West

henry Barnard circle($150)Thomas H. AltonAllen A. AmbroseDuffield Ashmead IV and

Eric OrtJoan and James T. BettsEleanor W. BlakeEllen BrownKaren Chase and

Charles DicksonJoan and David W. CooneyEmily and David DavisonReg DeContiAnna Mae and

Andrew A. D’EliaMartha and

Anthony F. DeweyClare and Jared I. Edwards

Isabelle and James F. English, Jr.

Mary A. FalveyLynn Ferrari and

Virginia SeeleyLynne and

Kevin G. FerrignoMargaret J. GeigerDarlene and

Robert HermannJoan M. HillVirginia and

Thomas F. HowardAlice C. HudsonCandice Huebliein and

John Stewart IIIDavid L. JacobsLlyn and

Jeffrey H. KaimowitzJanice and David KleinBrooksie KoopmanEvelyn and

Hernan LaFontaineEmily LeonardEloise and

Marshall E. LindenJane and Roger LoebLouise E. and

Worth LoomisLaVerne MahoneyElizabeth and David MalloyAnne and

Henry B. McNultyCarle and

Lawrence V. Mowell, Jr.Peter MurphyBeverly and

C. Michael O’HalloranSusan and Gregory OrredPaula and

Michael PassarettiDeborah PatelPamela and Richard RapaczGarrett Reynolds and

John ReynoldsBeth Rose and

Jack DoughertyBernard RosenElizabeth and

Richard RumohrMary SargentRichard H. Schimmelpfeng

Alicia and Robert SchlinkerBeverly and

Jonathan SeymourBarry N. SiskAnn Harlow Smith and

Roy SmithLinda and J.

Ronald SpencerMary E. StoughtonDonna and Samuel D. StoutWilliam B. ThomsonWest End Civic AssociationKathleen WickAlicia Willett and

Michael WallaceRuth WoodfordEleanor E. Zajac and

Suzanne Zajac

john trumBull society(For those who have included CHS in their will.)Susan B. AllerBarbara DonahueSue E. FullerMary Jeanne JonesAlice KugelmanJanet and

Christopher LarsenGladys and Scott B.

MacdonoughBrenda Mitchell-PowellMarion and Edward

RichardsonLinda and

J. Ronald SpencerJudith S. WawroCarol R. WhitmerLinda and

James C. WilliamsHenry M. Zachs

Business and community partners ($500 to $999)Capital Group CompaniesCapital Strategies

Marketing, Inc.Connecticut Business

Systems

Fine Art Security TransportLupachino and Salvatore, Inc.Maletta and CompanyTrinity CollegeSiemens Industry, Inc.Synergetic Office Systems, Inc.AAA Allied Group, Inc.

Business and community partners(up to $499)ARC CTBrannack Electric Inc.Chem-Aqua, Inc.Hartford Self Storage, LLCMarketing Solutions

Unlimited LLCPricewaterhouseCoopersReid and Riege, PCUPSTown and County Club

donors$25,000 and upConnecticut Humanities

Council National Historical

Publications & Records Commission

$10,000 – $24,999Pamela and Chester Paul

Beach, Jr. Mary and

David Dangremond Hartford Foundation for

Public Giving Deborah Welling and

Jack Intrator United Technologies

Corporation

$5,000 – $9,999Barnes Group Foundation, Inc. Vaughan Finn and

Stephen Nightingale Hartford Steam Boiler The Maximilian E. &

Marion O. Hoffman Foundation

Linda and Bichop Nawrot


annual report 2014

Pratt & WhitneyElizabeth Russell Seabury/Seabury At HomeJohn Slater Henry Zachs/Zachs Family

Foundation

$2,500 – $4,999Berkshire Bank Foundation, Inc. Connecticut Light & Power Co. Sue Fuller Carle and Lawrence Mowell Judith Wawro

$1,000 – $2,499Bristol-Myers Squibb

Foundation Eleanor Caplan Mary Cullen Kristin Evans The Greenshields Family Hofer Family Charitable

Fund (in memory of Tom Kugelman)

James McManus Fund of the Hartford Dental Society

Barbara and David Kellogg Michael Kellogg James Kelsey Barbara Kiefer Alice Kugelman Janet and

Christopher Larsen The Lowrey Family

Association Diana Lucas Leslie and James Lyman Ann and Borden W. Painter, Jr. People’s United Bank Gail and David Porteus Alexandra Preston Lisa Welling Riss and

David Riss Shipman & Goodwin LLP Richard Tomlinson Merle and David TragerBarbara Walden and

Jody Blankenship Lois Ann and

William Weissenburger James Welling Carol Whitmer

William WilcoxLinda and James Williams John Zak

$500 – $999Aetna Foundation Beacon Light & Supply Co. Jane and Bob Bell Ellen Brown Capitol Region Education

Council Martha Collins and

Theodore Space Clare and Jared Edwards Elim Park PlaceRobert FinchJoanne Intrator Lee Kuckro Lincoln Financial Group James Lyon LaVerne Mahoney Elizabeth Normen and

Paul Eddy Reid and Riege PC Skye, Remy, and Graham Riss The Sandra and Arnold

Chase Family FoundationSociety of the Descendants of

the Founders of HartfordLinda and

J. Ronald Spencer Cathy and Will Welling

$130 – $499Anonymous Barbara Austen Sheri Beach David B. Beers III Raymond Bertuzzi Philip E. Brencher, Jr. Mary and Bill Britcher Susan and Bruce Chudwick Evelyn CohenConnecticut Quilt

Search Project Reg DeConti Martha and

Anthony Dewey Emily Dunnack James Elsner Elizabeth Ewing Laura, Frank, and

Cody Farwell Lynn Ferrari and

Virginia Seeley Lynne and

Kevin G. Ferrigno Jeanne, Erik, and

Renee Finlaw Diane and Joseph Foley Joanne Foodim and Robert Forbes Alison Fox Rebecca Fuller Carol and David Furer Garden Club of Hartford Inc. Daniel Gerjets John Stuart Gordon Roger Granum Kathryn Greene Wendy and Jonathan Harlow Anne Healey Angeline Hein Anne and Robert Heinsohn Nora and Roger Howard Nancy Hronek and

Theodore Tucci Mary Huber Ann and Kevin Hughes Beverly and

Richard Hughes Awilda and

Kenneth Johnson Mary Jeanne Jones Paula Jones and

Kevin Gough Llyn and Jeffrey Kaimowitz Victoira Kalousdian Karen Kelleher Janice and David Klein Debbie and Steve Kleinman Barbara Lacey Leadership Greater

Hartford, Inc. Margaret Ley Beverly Loughlin Mary Lycan Gladys and

Scott Macdonough Nancy Rankin and

Hugh Macgill Regina and James Madigan Linda Mead and

Ralph Webber

Thomas W. Merritt, Jr. The Montross Family John NelleyThe Order of the First

Families of Connecticut Jill Padelford Kristen Palombizio Penny and Jack PearsonClair Pryor Pamela and Richard Rapacz Sali and John Riege Celia Ann Roberts Pamela and Richard Roberts Janice Rood Nancy RuckerJane Shipp Tyler Smith Priscilla and Arnold Spahn Mary Jane and

Joseph Springman Linda Stamm - Winter

Associates Tora Sterregaard Donna and Samuel Stout Gail and Craig Swanson Margaret and James Tilney UBS Realty Investors LLC Ann and Dean Uphoff Fiona VernalJoseph Waxman Gwen Weisberg J. Fenton WilliamsRobert Wyld

up to $129Quincy S. Abbot Acorn Club Denise Adessa Linda and Thomas Ager Clifford Alderman Kathleen and

Sherwood Anderson Karen Arnett Nancy Bancroft Thomas Barnes Rita Barredo Courtney BassettArthur Bauman Barbara Beeching Sally and Maxwell Belding Mary Louise Bishop Ellen and Phillip Blumberg


Elizabeth English Bortolon Kathryn Bowman John Brainard Candice Brashears Patti Mantell-Broad and

Richard Broad Marilyn Brooks Suzanne Bryant Peggy Buchanan and

Lou Golden Margaret Buck Joyce and

Harold Buckingham Carla and Richard Bue Gail and Anthony Camilleri Norman Canfield Betty Ann Chapman Margot and

Wayne Chapman Gail Christensen Marie Coburn Alison and Kathryn Colli Christopher Collier Elizabeth Collins Kyle Conard and

Richard Malley Rosemary S. Conard Connecticut Valley

Garden Club Bonny and Alan Cook Mary Crary H. David Crombie Robert Dalby Shirley Damato Marjorie Davis Mary Alice and

Philip Dennehy Elena and Booker DeVaughn Joan Downes Alan Downes E.O. Smith Teachers

Association Pamela and Brian Ehrlich Anita Ellis Mary Erf Trisha Falcon Kathleen and Dennis Fallon Frederick S. Farquhar The Federated Garden Clubs

of Connecticut, Inc. Anne FitzgeraldEllen and Benedict Flynn

Ford Foundation Molly and Gordon Fowler Kathleen Frederick and

Eugene Leach Linda Gardiner and

Gerald Raulinaitis Pamela Garry George J. Smith Real Estate Steve Gilson Dennis Gleeson Eben Graves Paul Gronback Robert A. Hale Richard Harper Catherine Havey Marjorie Hayes and

Keith Wilson Louise Healey Priscilla HexterIBM Lois and Herbert Isaacson Mary Ellen and

James Jacobs Valerie Jasinski and Family Albert Jay Craig Johnson Carol and Brooks Joslin Marguerite Kelland Kate and Robert Keller Joan Kemler Kohn-Joseloff Foundation, Inc. Ursula Korzenik Lesley Koster Susan and Richard Kramer Andrea and Eugene Kulak Carol LaPlante Paul Lauter Charles Leach Carol LeWitt Elaine Lowengard William Macdonnell Cheryl Maguire James M. Mann Leta Marks Elizabeth and Jon Marx Nancy Marzano Susan and Kenneth McClen Paul R. McMahon, Jr. Neil Mellen Meriden Public Library W. Frank Mitchell Rosemary and

Timothy Moynihan Giuliana Musilli and

Scott Schooley Matthew NemersonElizabeth and Don Noel Beverly and

C. Michael O’HalloranN. Patricia Oldham Susan and Gregory Orred Henry Otte Jane Painter Nicolina and

Angela Pallone Jacqueline Paradis Robin and Lee Partyka Billy Poston Gary Potter Dorothy and

Norman Prescott Janette Raffino Robert Randich David Ransom Anne RaymondRegina Madigan Appraisals Jennie May and

Harry RehnbergRobert Reid Marion and

Edward Richardson Donald Rogers James RosenBernard Rosen Dorothea Roy Janet Rustigan Patricia Ryan Adrienne Saint-Pierre Carl Schaefer Mary and Milo

Winston SchererPina and Russell Shenstone Matthew SheridanNancy and Robert Shipman Carol Sicbaldi Barbara Sicherman Stephen Simon Louise Smith Sharon and Robert Smith Joan Sonski Martha Davis Soper Sharon Lea Sperling Stanley Black & Decker Leslie Starr

Martha SteadKatharine Steinwedell Karin and Kenneth Stetson George Stillman Margaret Storrs Mary Stoughton Edward Swift Debra and Tracy Talcott John G. Talcott III Linda and Thomas Talcott Lynelle Tarca Lorely Temple Curtis Tilton Antonina Uccello Union Place ApartmentsUnion Place Realty, LLC Verba Valentine Anna Owen Veeder Donna and Lisa Vickers Mary Vittore Elizabeth and

Robert Von Dohlen Lynn and John Wadhams Patricia Walker James WalkerWalt Disney Company

Foundation Pamela Weiss Charles Weldon Maria Welling Michael Wetstone William Wiesner Joanne Wike Anne H. Willard Janice Williams H. Lorraine Williamson Alison WilsonKate and David Winton Kurt Witzall Rose Worobel Mary and Conrad Wright Lucille Wright Ann Vibert Wuelfing Ellen Zeman Amy Zinsser and

Robert Ferreira

Current Liabilities $ 101,609 Long-Term Liabilities 1,693,664

Unrestricted 20,194,723 Temporarily Restricted 12,619,181Permanently Restricted 11,932,821

Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 46,541,998

annual report 2014


annual report 2014

Welcome neW memBers (joined 3/1/15 through 5/31/15)

Mary Beth BakerTerry BoutonHelen MacDonald DegenerFairfield Public LibraryJanet Carlson Calvert LibraryKristen and Josh LevithanElissa Robin LindquistJames LundyLaura MacalusoCelia Gray Manifold and

Jonathan LevitanRoberta and Joe MarinerDeborah McGinnisEric Muth

Mary and Joe PalombizioMelanie and Bryan SincheSusannah SmithLaura and Donald Williams, Jr.Jane Willis and Family

Bal ance sheetat decemBer 31

statement of activitiesfor 2014

income2014

Investment Endowment/ Investments

$ 1,502,102

Interest/Transfers 14,571Trusts 273,324

Earned Admissions/Fees/Shop 255,958

Contributions 336,132 Government Grants 109,966

Total Revenue $ 2,492,053

Expense

Exhibits $ 318,175 Collections Development 380,202

Education 386,353 Collections Access /

Research Center 338,066

Development and

Public Relations 415,605 Facilities 307,574

Administration 262,964

Total Expenses $ 2,408,939

Results of Operations $ 83,114

assets 2014

Current Assets $ 1,231,256

Endowment Fund 33,693,820 Perpetual Trusts 6,841,988

Property & Equipment 4,360,319Other Assets 414,615

Total Assets $ 46,541,998

Current Liabilities $ 101,609 Long-Term Liabilities 1,693,664

Unrestricted 20,194,723 Temporarily Restricted 12,619,181Permanently Restricted 11,932,821

Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 46,541,998

liabilities and net assets

One elizabeth streetHartford, Connecticut

06105-2292(860) 236-5621

chs.org

NON-PrOFIT

u.s. POsTAGe

paid

HArTFOrD, CT

PermIT NO. 23

guided toursConnecticut: 50 Objects / 50 Stories public toursTuesdays & Thursdays in July | 2:00 pm | Free Join us for a guided tour of our Connecticut: 50 Objects / 50 Stories exhibition. outdoor movie apollo 13 on the chs lawn Wednesday, July 15 | Galleries Open to the Public at 7:00 pmMovie starts at 8:00 pm | FreeInspired by the Space Suit displayed in the exhibit, we’ll take our own trip to the Moon with Tom Hanks in this classic tale of space adventure. Rated PG. Join us on the lawn, and bring a picnic.

free first saturday Saturday, August 1 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pmFree admission to the museum galleries all day. family programgames We played growing up Saturday, August 1 | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | FreeJoin us on the CHS lawn for all the games you remember and play them with your kids (or your parents and grandparents)! Thanks to Berkshire Bank for support of this program.

free first saturday Saturday, September 5 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Free admission to the museum galleries all day.

family program celebrating caribbean cultureSaturday, September 12 | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Free Discover the traditions behind West Indian carnival costumes at this collaborative program with the Connecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program. Through music, hands-on activities, and crafts, kids will learn more about these colorful costumes and West Indian cultural celebrations. Thanks to Berkshire Bank for support of this program.

author talK m. William phelpsThursday, September 17 | 7:00 pm | Free Although famous for his purported last words—“I onlyregret that I have but one life to lose for my country”—fewpeople know the real Nathan Hale. M. William Phelpsbrings into focus the life of this famed patriot and first spyof the American Revolution. Book signing to follow.

special event speak up! performanceFriday, October 2 | 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | $12 for CHS members and $15 for non-members | Tickets at chs.org/calendarSpeak Up! is back for another fabulous story-telling performance. Come hear seasoned and amateur storytellers share real-life experiences and think about how you’d tell your own story.

free first saturdaySaturday, October 3 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pmFree admission to the museum galleries all day.

family programconnecticut Kids: your objects, your storiesSaturday, October 3 | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | FreeCome see this pop-up exhibit featuring objects submittedby kids from all over Connecticut. Share your own story inour video booth and make a display box for your own special collections. Submit your object for the exhibit at chs.org/ctkids by September 12. Thanks to Berkshire Bank for support of this program.

For more information about upcoming programs, visit chs.org/calendar, call (860) 236-5621, or email [email protected]

Documents

2 summer 2015 - Home - Connecticut Historical Society · 2019-02-27 · of social media, the Newtown Historical Society has been able to reach new audiences and informed them of the