History of the Museum

1944 Main St.

at the corner of Main St. & Hubbard St.

Admission is Free

Museum Hours: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday   9 am - 4 pm

                          Third Sunday of the month 1- 4 pm

The building that serves as our main museum was built between 1839 and 1840 as the Town House. It was built by Parley Bidwell, who probably designed it, as well. Mr. Bidwell had built the Methodist Church on High Street about 2 years earlier. We now know that building as the South Glastonbury Library.

The Museum is housed in the first Town Hall built in Glastonbury c. 1840, and served for 100 years. Before there was a separation of Church and State, the first Meeting House stood on this spot and served as both Church and Town House. It has been said that the Museum’s building was built of ballast bricks, possibly from North Africa. Because there was more than one brickyard in Glastonbury, this may be not be the case. The adjacent cemetery is from the church. The first school was also located on the Green. Livestock grazed on the Town Green and the Militia practiced here. There was a pig pound on the edge of the Green, keeping pigs out of the crops and preventing the damage they did.

The exhibits cover the town from its Native American roots through European settlement up to the early 20^th century.

Featured exhibits include:  Native Americans, Colonial Era, the famous Smith Sisters (abolitionists & suffragists), the Civil War, Hale Farm, Industries such as Shipbuilding, J. B. Williams Soap Co., and Harriman Motors who built airplanes in the early 20^th century, and much more. The Museum also has a Library, Genealogy dept., and Curatorial department.

There’s been a lot happening at the Museum on the Green.   

We’ve been busy working on a new exhibit that will illustrate Glastonbury’s participation in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Viet Nam.  Come and see how it grows, as we work on it.  If you have a photo of plane spotting tours on Tower (Apple) Hill, or on top of Naubuc School, we would love it if you’d loan it to us for scanning.  Or, if you have a plane spotter’s silhouette chart, we’d love a loan (or gift) of that, as well.  There is a spot in the exhibit reserved for it. 

Glastonbury High School has the oldest high school Russian Language program in the United States.  It’s in its 50^th year.  To celebrate, the Board of Education has curated an exhibit of Russian artifacts, collected during those 50 years, at the Museum.   

Ed Richardson’s Trees of Glastonbury:  A Historical Perspective will be on display until Earth Day, April 22.  If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, please come in.  It’s worth the trip. 

On Sunday, April 19, from 1:00-4:00, the Welles-Shipman-Ward House will be opening for the season by celebrating Family Day.  There will be house and barn tours.  The theme for the day will be what a family would do to prepare for Spring in the 18^th century. 

The Historical Society of Glastonbury has been fortunate to receive many gifts this year, as we have in years past.  Donating an object to HSG is a way, not only of preserving it, but of sharing it with many other people.  When we receive something, we consider it in light of displays already on view, and displays that are currently in the planning stage.  This past year, gifts included:

¨      Scutching, or swindling, knife – Paul Redington

¨      Unused ski tow ticket for the J.B.Wms. Park – Francine Kulpa Cowles

¨      February, ’72 copy of Good Old Days magazine – Anna Manfredi

¨      Thermometer advertising Buckley & Camp – William Haggis

¨      Metal cowbell – Susan Motycka

¨      Framed photograph of the J.B.Wms. workers, May 7, 1932 – Michael Michalczyk

¨      Hand-forged meat hook – Gladys & Scott Macdonough

¨      T-shirt advertising the J.T.Slocomb Co. – Win Goodwin

¨      Framed Deed of Sale, land from John Hollister to Asa Welles – Marjorie Luzzi

¨      Metal powder horn – John Manter

¨      Tercentennial Commemorative compote, John & Suzanne Espenshade

¨      Collection of Native American tools and implements – Robert Noble

¨      Hand-forged calipers – Joseph Sullivan

¨      Yearbooks, 1939 and 1943, GHS, and class pins, 1941 and 1945, Academy School – John Bona

¨      Ship carpenter’s adz and ship carpenter’s lipped adz – Joseph Sullivan

¨      Wooden box of chalk, c.1930 – Mary Crocker

¨      Graphophone and cylinders, c. 1900 – Betty Billings

¨      Book of Psalms – Betsy & Dick Katz

¨      Metal shipping crate for eggs and order forms – Sandra Brown

¨      Hammerhead carpenter’s adz – Joseph Sullivan

¨      Wooden milking stool – Howard Horton

¨      Collection of school books, account book from Daily’s Store, photos of the Reinsch and Kemble families – Carol McClelland

¨      Metal shovel with wooden T handle – David & Susan Motycka

¨      Tin “fat” lamp used for candling eggs, cardboard shopping list advertising Glastonbury businesses – Purtill Family

¨      Framed photograph of Boy Scout Troop #34 – Donna Henrikson

¨      Six molding planes– Carol Burritt Higgins

¨      Geometry book – Patricia Ferry Slocum

¨      Collection of items from the P.K.Williams family – Marion W. Campbell

¨      Bamboo Viet Cong hat – John Q. Goodrich, Jr.

¨      Two pair nipper and two shoe lasts – Howard Horton

¨      WWII Ration tokens, ration books, and wallet – Donna Henrikson

¨      Home Volunteer wartime meal planner and guide – Barbara Dresser

¨      Two Docent Chairs – Laura & Rich Hecker

¨      Two Docent Chairs – Kerrie & John Sullivan