Month: November 2020

The Torrington Historical Society and the YMCA/Torrington Trails Network invite the public to participate in the annual John Brown Memorial Twilight Hike on Sunday, December 6, 2020, from 4pm to 5pm at the John Brown Birthplace on John Brown Road in Torrington Connecticut. The twilight hike is held to commemorate the execution of John Brown on December 2, 1859, in Charles Town West Virginia, and to remember the millions of African Americans who suffered under the institution of slavery. Additionally, this is an opportunity to show your support for racial equality and equal civil rights for all in the United States.

John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, West Virginia took place October 16, 1859. This raid was one of the events which sparked the American Civil War, a war that ultimately ended slavery in America. In addition to being an abolitionist, Brown was a fierce advocate for civil rights and racial equality for African Americans.

The hike will follow a two-thirds mile loop trail created by the Torrington Trails Network on property owned by the Torrington Historical Society. The twilight hike will be preceded by some brief comments about John Brown.

The John Brown Birthplace Trail is on generally flat and wooded terrain with some wet areas. Dress for the cool weather with proper walking shoes and bring a flashlight, lantern, or headlamp since it will be getting dark toward the end of the hike.

John Brownies from Torrington’s Café 38 will be served following the hike.
Parking is available along John Brown Road.

The Mayor’s “Christmastime in Torrington” committee and the Torrington Historical Society will present a series of eight, 45 minutes long, Holiday Lantern Tours of downtown Torrington on Saturday, December 5, 2020.

Each tour is limited to eight persons and the tours will start every 15 minutes from 5 pm to 6:45 pm. Registration is required and admission is $3 per person. To register for a tour, visit www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org/lanterntour.

Tours will begin at the Torrington Historical Society, 192 Main Street, and will end on lower East Main Street. Join in the holiday spirit by bringing your own lantern or flashlight to carry on the tour. Face masks and social distancing are required.

Holiday tours will include information about the historical buildings on Main Street and the fascinating story of Torrington’s first Christmas tree.

Under the Warner marquee, Dick Terhune will present Marley’s ghost scene from his one-man show “A Christmas Carol.”
Several featured storefronts will have displays of vintage toys, clothing, and household goods from the 1950s that would have been available for purchase at that time in Main Street department stores.

All proceeds from the tours will support the city’s “Christmastime in Torrington” celebration. In case of inclement weather, the lantern tours will be rescheduled for Sunday, December 6th at the same time.

For more information contact Mayor Elinor Carbone at 860- 489-2228 or
Mark McEachern at Torrington Historical Society, 860-482-8260.

The Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury is offering a special winter escape room experience on December 8,10, and 15 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.It is easy to get started and you have everything that you need at home. All you have to do is to invite your friends and create a team, or let us place you with a group of sleuths and make new friends. You will get the chance to jump inside various winter wonderland themed paintings from Mattatuck’s collection, but be careful… you only have 45 minutes to escape before the clock runs out!

How to play:

You will receive a Zoom link for the experience the morning of your selected date. Once all participants arrive, you will be broken into pre-determined groups of up to 6 players. If you are registering as a team, let us know at registration who you wish to play alongside.

What you’ll need:

– Pencil and paper for taking notes and solving clues

– Computer with a built-in microphone and the Zoom app

Note: Clues will be on the screen and will be difficult to read on a phone. You may participate on a tablet or Chromebook, but we recommend that at least one player on your team be able to join from a PC or Mac computer.

The cost to participate is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. To sign up click here.

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is pleased to announce that the award-winning spoken-word performer, poet, playwright, author, writing teacher, and former journalist, Patricia Smith will conduct virtual poetry reading at 7 pm on November 19 of selected works followed by a Q&A. Her dazzling performances earned her the individual championship at the National Poetry Slam a record four times. Signed copies of Smith’s latest poetry collection, Incendiary Art, will be available at Books on the Common in downtown Ridgefield, CT.

Patricia Smith is the award-winning author of eight books of poetry, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for Incendiary Art, winner of the 2018 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, the 2018 NAACP Image Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Her work has appeared in Poetry magazine, the Paris Review, The New York Times, TriQuarterly, Tin House, the Washington Post, and in both Best American Poetry and Best American Essays. Smith is a professor at the College of Staten Island and the MFA program at Sierra Nevada College, as well as a frequent instructor at prestigious writing conferences.

Registration is required at www.thealdrich.org.

​The origin of Veterans Day goes back to Nov. 11, 1918, and is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice which ended World War I hostilities between the Allied Nations and Germany. As many of us remember and honor those who have served the United States in the military, many of us remain unaware of the major contributions Native Americans have made to our armed forces. Native Americans served in the U.S. military in greater numbers per capita than any other ethnic group and have served with distinction in every major conflict in our history. Each year IAIS honors local Native Americans who have served our country in a special ceremony in keeping with the mission of the Institute and in honor of Veterans Day. The Native American Honoree for 2020 is John Q Mitchell.

John Q Mitchell is on the rolls of the Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe. John’s family has a long history of service, one that dates back prior to the founding of the United States. John’s tribe has documented his direct lineage from Paugussett people who served in the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, and many of the actions between these major wars. In World War Two, John’s dad, John Q. Mitchell was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Silver Star Medal.

Like his father and namesake, John has an impressive and long record of military service. John is a Vietnam Veteran who enlisted in the United States Air Force in August 1969 and retired as a TSgt. after 22 years, in 1991. Following Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, John was assigned to Myrtle Beach AFB, from 1970-1971. He was then sent to Thailand in 1972 in support of F4E Phantom Fighter/Bomber Jet Aircraft and the heavily armed AC-130 Spectre ground attack and close air support gunships. John’s involvement in Vietnam includes Operation Freedom Train and Operation Linebacker II, air campaigns over North Vietnam.

John’s service to the United States didn’t end after the Vietnam Air Campaigns. He went on to serve at Ellington AFB, Texas, as an instructor for Air National Guard personnel. John’s military career took him all over the United States as well as to the United Kingdom and the Philippines. John conducted Intelligence Operations out of King Salmon Air Force Station, Alaska. His next assignment was at Peterson Field in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, where he was on staff for General Chappie James. John also spent four years at Royal Air Force Base, Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, as well as at McGuire AFB in New Jersey, George AFB in California, and Clark AFB in the Philippines. John’s last assignment was at Lackland AFB in Texas, the place where his career began.

John’s career has also included some interesting and high profile assignments. He was the Operations Logistics Manager, deployed to bring the Shah of Iran to exile on Panama’s Contadora Island. He was also the Operations Logistic Manager that brought Ferdinand Marcos and his family from the Philippines to exile in Hawaii. One of John’s most solemn duties was to support numerous operations that return the remains of America’s KIA’s.​

The ceremony at the Institute for American Indian Studies was held on November 8, 2020. The ceremony included drumming and a smudging ceremony and was conducted in the outdoor village.

The Renowned American Artisan Show sponsored by the Wilton Historical Society is returning virtually this year, November 5- December 5. The 35th Annual American Artisan Show is the highlight of the season. There will be everything from fine and folk paintings to tramp art and much much more.

Fifty highly-skilled artisans from across the country will be presenting their work online and its influences that have been part of American fine handwork since the 18th century. Every purchase benefits the Wilton Historical Society. Shaker-style furniture, pottery, baskets, candles, quilts, Windsor chairs, rugs, floor cloths, art, tavern signs, fine jewelry – and even beautifully turned peppermills will be available for purchase. A highlight of the show is the silent auction.

Don’t miss the tips page on how to navigate this website. It is easy and fun to use. To start shopping online click here. The Artisan Show is a fundraising event so no tax is charged on purchases. Please consider checking YES to covering credit card processing when you check out to offset fees to the Historical Society. Thank you!