News and Notes from

The Historical Society of Glastonbury

Membership Meeting

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

at 7:30 pm

South Congregational Church

at the corner of

Main St. and High St.

Program

The Welles Family of South Glastonbury

The Later Years

Talk & Slideshow

Presenter

Gladys Macdonough

Trinity College, M.A.

American Studies.

Gladys’ four year research will bring us closer to knowing the day to day life - the good times, the stressful, the sad - of John and Jerusha Welles and their family.

Auction

Save the date! The Historical Society Auction will be held rain or shine under a big tent at the Welles Shipman Ward House Saturday, May 17.

Preview & Silent Auction:

8:30-10 am., Auction 10 am

* Food Available*

Terms: Cash, Known Checks, M/C or Visa. Auctioneer: Joe Kabe.

Held Rain or Shine:

972 Main St,. S. Glastonbury CT.

General Parking: St. Augustine Church,

55 Hopewell Rd., S. Glastonbury CT.

Handicap Parking: 972 Main St.

S. Glastonbury.

For Info.: 860-633-6890 or HSGlastonbury@sbcglobal.net

To see a list of items go to our website: www.hsgct.org.

Then click on EVENTS.

Then click on AUCTION

Scroll down to the list.

Decorate your house, buy gifts for Christmas, birthdays, anniversary, expand a collection or start a new one, while supporting the Society’s education and preservation projects.

It can also be environmentally sound. Looking for more ways to be green and sustainable in furnishing a home? Using antiques and collectibles is another way to be green and sustainable, by reusing and recycling.

It’s also just a lot of fun to go to an Auction. We’re all looking forward to a great day May 17, 2008!!

Walk – Dinner Tour of

South Glastonbury

There are still tickets for the Walk-Dinner Tour of the South Glastonbury National Register Historic District, Tuesday, May 20. Dinner will be at the fantastic new restaurant

“2 Hopewell”. Reservations are required by calling the Museum 633-6890 or Email HSGlastonbury@sbcglobal.net.

The tour includes a walk through the South Glastonbury Historic District, lasting about one hour, followed by dinner. During the walk you will learn about the history of the area, its buildings, homes, businesses and significant individuals who lived in the area. The talk and dinner is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. The walk alone is $10.

Come and join us, meet new people, learn about the history of S. Glastonbury and try out a fantastic new restaurant! This makes a wonderful gift.

DINNER LECTURE SERIES

There are still a few reservations available for the June 8 and Sept. 4 Dinner Lectures.

In June we will be at 2015 Main St., owned by new members Mike & Stacie Berdan. This beautiful center chimney colonial known as the Timothy Hale House (c. 1750) was built by Timothy Hale Sr. for his son Timothy, Jr.,

In September we will be at 2163 Main St., owned by Steven & Joanne Snyder. This late Federal style house is known as the Andrews-Bailey-Knox House.

Membership

The March Membership Meeting went very well. Presenters Deputy Chief “Pete” Cowles & Bob Harrington discussed with photos the history of the Glastonbury Fire Dept. beginning around WW II. They emphasized the establishment of Co. 3 and Co. 4 coupled with the growing pains of the 1960’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Finally, Pete updated us regarding his book on Glastonbury’s Fire Departments, and Bob Harrington updated us on the restoration of Naubuc Fire Department’s 1930 Power Truck. Also, many from the audience who had been part of the Glastonbury Fire Dept. spoke about their commitment and involvement.

We welcome the following New Members since the March 2008 Newsletter. Thank you all for joining the Society

NEW MEMBERS

Michael & Jolane Colonese

John & Nancy Driscoll

Edward Goodrich

Kay Master

Mike & Laura Perry

Judy Richey

Business Members

Quality Name Plate

(Sustaining)

22 Fisher Hill Rd.

Carlin, Charron & Rosen, LLP

(Supporting)

124 Hebron Ave.

(Accounting)

The Eyeglass Place

(Supporting)

33 Welles St. (Fox Run Mall)

First Experience Communications

(Supporting)

701 Hebron Ave.

New Alliance Bank

(Supporting)

2510 Main St.

Education & Docents

(Lin Scarduzio)

Thanks to Co-Education Chairs Anne O’Connor and Sue Motycka, Lin Scarduzio Program Coordinator, all our great Docents, Facilities Committee and Curatorial, the 3^rd Grade spring tours of the Welles Shipman Ward house and barns went very well. Some classes came in period dress as part of their curriculum, making the experience even better. The 4^th Grade tours of the Museum on the Green, the Green Cemetery and a bus tour of the Town are occurring now. The weather was threatening a few times but every time we thought it would rain on us the drops held off. The kids were in great spirits as they learned about Glastonbury’s important and exciting history.

If you are able to help, or if you are interested in becoming a docent, please call us at the Museum 633-6890 or email Hsglastonbury@sbcglobal.net.

The Grammar School in South Glastonbury

(Lin Scarduzio - Curatorial)

We have long known that Captain Stephen Shipman leased part of his land on Main Street for the building of a school. It was a school for boys who came from as far away as Pennsylvania. Some of those boys are believed to have boarded in Captain Shipman’s house. Next time you’re at Welles-Shipman-Ward, find a docent. She’ll take you up to the Northwest Chamber and bring a flashlight. When the Historical Society took over the House in 1964, the modern wall coverings of this room were taken down to reveal the bare, wooden walls from the 18^th and 19^th century. It seems that even in the very early 19^th century, some boys were amused by creating graffiti. Your docent will show you a cat, two profiles, a “36”, some names, and an arithmetic sum scratched into the walls, probably with a pen knife. Were these left by the young boys who studied at the school?

In 1948, Earl Hodge wrote an article for Retrospect, an HSG publication that has been replaced by The Public Post. Mr. Hodge had done a lot of research and found evidence of the materials purchased to build the school, including “3,500 bricks and 24 tons plus one load of stones” for two chimneys and a foundation. He also found a description, indicating the building was a two-story, frame and plank structure with four rooms. Men who had pledged subscriptions to the school paid for them with labor, each according to his own talents, i.e. a blacksmith who produced nails and hinges. Mr. Hodge found that Stephen Shipman provided 8 dinners for the workmen at 6 pence each to pay toward his subscription.

The building burnt completely around 1845, but an exact date was not discovered.

Currently, Gladys McDonough has been doing some research on life at 972 Main Street. Documents she located pinpointed the location of the school building “on the knoll 12 rods south of the Welles Shipman Ward house and bordering west on the country road – now Main Street”.

In preparation for an Archeology Day to be held this summer for students from the 8^th through 12^th grade, Joe Sullivan and I spent a chilly April afternoon at the site with Nick Bellantoni, Dave Cook, and 3 other members of the Friends of Archeology. My husband, Tom, and I had been there last summer with a metal detector and found a pocket of garbage, probably from Dr. Ward, and a long line of older nails. This day of sample digging with Nick and the Friends yielded “no significant evidence of the school remaining”. There were a lot of older bricks, one or two fragments of very old hardware and some that was much too new, a couple of trolley track spikes, some bituminous coal, and some tiny glass fragments. There was nothing that pointed specifically to a school building.

We will proceed with plans for an Archeology Day, but they will have a different slant, for obvious reasons.

What happened to ruins of the school building? We don’t know for sure, yet. Legend says the pieces of the bell were sold for scrap metal. The stone and most of the brick might have been usable after it was cleaned. Was it carted away for reuse? Are there buildings in Glastonbury whose foundations contain stones from the school or whose brick walls include bricks that once were part of the walls of the Grammar School in South Glastonbury?

Half Model of a Glastonbury

built Ship

The Society is looking to expand its display chronicling Glastonbury’s ship building industry. We are looking for a half-model of a Glastonbury built ship as a donation to the Society or as a loan. If it is a loan we would like it for an extended time so that we can develop a shear plan of it and replicate it for our display at the Museum on the Green. If it is a gift then it is tax deductible. Either way it would be a great addition to our exhibit.

Academy School “D Wing”

(James Bennett)

April 29, the Town of Glastonbury had a walk through followed by a discussion, regarding the entire Academy school complex. Present were the Town Council, Town Manager, Director of building Infrastructure, residents, Society Members and myself. The discussion concerned a proposal to reuse the complex for town offices and programs, and to tear down the “D Wing” and rebuild for similar uses.

The Town has a very difficult decision now that the property is not to be used as a school, especially regarding the “D Wing” tear down. This Academy building was built in 1930 and is part of the Local Historic District coming under the oversight of the Local Historic District Commission and part of the Glastonbury National Register Historic District under the Federal Dept. of the Interior.

In contrast, the Society’s decision to support, stay neutral or stand against the demolition is straight forward. Because of the historic designation given to this building with the support of a previous Town Council the Town is open to a lawsuit by the State Government if they were to tear the building down without their consent. All the buildings within a Local Historic District are protected from demolition unless they receive a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic District Commission. Furthermore, buildings within a National Register Historic District have protection under Connecticut’s Environmental Protection Law. Whether the State chooses to bring suit to prevent the demolition is up to them.

The Society on the other hand can not support its demolition. The precedent established by such an act and the negative appearance it would bestow on Glastonbury is not something we can approve. The Society has no say in what the Town does with its buildings, but we do hope and believe they will look at all aspects of this project before they move forward. We agree whole heartedly that the empty space should be used for Town offices etc. and hope that a good plan can be devised to move forward soon. Even if the Commission gives the Town permission, the Society can’t approve of such a measure.

35^th Antiques Festival

Saturday, August 2

The Antique Festival has consistently been our most successful fundraiser due to all of the hardworking people who make the event a great success. Volunteer positions include: booth setup and takedown, field setup and takedown, publicity, brochure ads and text, signage, getting the dealers situated on the field and helping them when needed, ticket sales, booth sales, coffee and doughnut sales, finances and Museum monitoring.

To volunteer, please call Jim at the Museum 633-6890.

DONATIONS NEEDED!!

It’s not too early to start collecting items for the Society’s Booth. China, glassware, furniture, jewelry, anything taking up your valuable space could be what someone else is looking for. Please help the Historical Society’s Booth with a donation! We are looking for old and new; good, used knick-knacks; and “treasures”. Also, please let your family, friends and neighbors know that we need items for the booth!

You may drop your items off at the Museum on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays,

9 A.M. - 4 P.M or we will pick them up at your convenience. Please have all donations in by July 18!

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE? Please call the Booth co-chairmen David & Debbie Lemieux (633-5750) or Jim Bennett

(633-6890).

Advertisers & Patrons Needed!!!

Antique Festival Brochure

Each year we publish a Festival Brochure for the Antique Festival. As part of this fund-raising event we sell ads in the Festival Booklet, handing out nearly 2000. It’s easy to do, just send us your business card or a photo ready ad and a check for the size you would like.

1/4 page $ 25 1 free admission

1/2 page $ 50 1 free admission

1 page $100 2 free admissions

Inside cover $125 2 free admissions

Back page $175 2 free admissions

If you don’t have a business to advertise you can be a Patron of the Festival for a $10 donation. The names of all the Patrons will be listed in the brochure as supporters of the Festival.

Facilities Committee

(Joe Greene)

Since the last meeting the committee has accomplished the following tasks:

Welles Shipman Ward House

1. Made two plexiglass covers, one for the parlor and one for the dining room tables in the Welles Shipman Ward house.

2. Completed the wiring of the overhead general lighting and the display lighting in the Red Barn. Wiring for outlets for a projector, general use and heaters remains to be completed.

3. Cut up and split the branches taken down at the WSW house last fall and stored them in the shed. We now have enough split wood to last five years, plus.

4. Put down grass seed on the bank in front of the WSW house. Cleared the path between the WSW property and the church commuter parking lot.

Welles Chapman Tavern

1. The installation of a railing at the side door entering the Chamber of Commerce’s offices was completed.

2. The Thrift Shop’s railing problem at their entrance was fixed.

Events etc.:

1. Ordered and received six new sign holders for the auction. Coordinated with Quality Name Plate the making of 10 sign holder signs and 6 A frame signs for the auction, installed them and placed them about town.

Joseph F. Greene, Chairman

Committee Members: R. Bowden, F. Clark, N. Gordon, J. Greene, H. Hunt, R. Inman,

P. Manfredi, R. Mason, J. Milich,

D. Motycka, R. Palatine, K. Sartoris

Old – New Barn for WSW?

(Joe Greene)

Three additional barns have been looked at to determine their suitability for use by the Society at the WSW property. One is on Main Street near the highway and is to be demolished by the State, one is on House Street near the new bank under construction and is to be demolished when the bank is completed and one is on Oak Street near Consolidated Cigar and is to be demolished by Aero Med to make way for a new Town road. The Aero Med barn would be the most suitable and Jim Bennett and I talked to Daniel DelMastro the President/CEO of Aero Med. After a short discussion he gave us the barn. It must be removed by July 1 to make way for the Town road. Grants and other issues must be worked out before this project can go forward.

A committee was formed and convened to establish space and storage needs. A meeting was held on March 14, 2008 by the following attendees to define the space and storage needs of the Society, now and in the future in an effort to determine the size barn that might be required to meet the needs.

Attendees: Jim Bennett (Exec. Director), Lin Scarduzio (Curator), Anne O’Connor (Education Chair), Joe Sullivan (Curatorial Assistant) and Joe Greene (Facilities Chair).

The needs determined are as follows:

1. Dry vehicle storage, expanded:

*Sleigh (current)

*Skeleton buggy (current)

*Farm wagon (new)

*Farm equip.-Horton fertilizer (current)

*Fire Dept. vehicle and display

(under discussion)

2. Sign storage

3. Tent storage

4. Museum collection storage

5. WSW collection storage

6. Antique Show storage (10 x 10)

7. Fund raiser storage (all events)

8. Facilities storage

9. Bathrooms – under discussion

10. Rental use – rejected

The space made available by moving the above requirements to a new barn would allow for the following:

1. Expanded displays

*Ice display

*Dairy display

*Chicken display

*Farm Animal

*Tool display

*Orchard display

*Tobacco display

2. Welcome Center, student and public

3. Classroom

4. Store

5. Handicap students monitor

Funding of the Barn

(Jim Bennett)

Funding is the largest obstacle. The following steps will be taken if the Society goes forward with the project:

1. Get barn taken down and stored. $28,000

Possible sources for funding

Danny DiMastro (Barn owner)

Glastonbury Education Fund

Membership

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

Ensworth Fund

Exchange Club

Service Club

Endowment

Town of Glastonbury

2. Historic Activities Grant

Matching grant for architectural plans & specifications (needed for Capital improvement grants)

Dave Cox

drawings & specifications

Payment: 50% grant & 50% Dave donates his time

3. Construction Costs:

Developed by Facilities Committee, Contractor and Dave Cox

4. Cultural Capitol Grant (Capital Improvement Grant Due Date October 1, 2008)

$5,000 - $200,000 cash matching. For reconstruction, new construction and changes. Funded by State Bonds. Other grants etc. can be used to match this grant

The Historical Society of Glastonbury

Auction

Walk – Dinner Tour of

South Glastonbury

DINNER LECTURE SERIES

Membership

Education & Docents

(Lin Scarduzio)

The Grammar School in South Glastonbury

35th Antiques Festival

Saturday, August 2

35^th Antiques Festival