Category: Connecticut Travel

On Sunday, September 17, the Kent Historical Society is presenting a program: The First Great Awakening: Fervor and Ferment” as part of its Sunday Series lectures in the Kent Town Hall Sunday, September 17, at 2 p.m. The featured speaker is Thomas Key of Salisbury, who is an instructor for the Taconic Learning Center and a speaker at the Scoville Library, and has given over 75 lectures on a number of historical topics.

In the 1730s, a wave of religious revivals, sponsored by the established clergy of the Reformed Churches, swept the Thirteen Colonies. The fervor disrupted the connection between church and state in New England. These revivals involved extreme emotional displays by the thousands of people who heard the sermons of Jonathan Edwards and various itinerant preachers. Though there was little lasting impact on the religious commitment of the colonies, the ideas presented probably moved the colonies closer to declaring independence from Great Britain.

Mr. Key studied engineering, was a flight officer in the US Navy and retired as a Commander in the US Naval Reserves. His professional career was with an international engineering firm, designing and constructing nuclear and fossil power plants, steel mills, and chemical plants. He’s also had a career as a landscape painter exhibiting in over thirty galleries and invitational/juried shows from Delaware to Maine.

The Sunday Series lectures have been designed to give context to the Kent Historical Society’s 2017 exhibit, “The Founders of Kent,” on the emergence of one New England town in the 18th century. The exhibit and related Sunday Series events are sponsored by the Kent Barns and the Kent Lions Club.

The Kent Historical Society sponsors the Sunday Series every other month September through May. Free admission for members; $5 suggested donation for non-members.

For more information please call 860.927.4587 or visit www.kenthistoricalsociety.org. To sign up for a free monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.litchfieldhills.com

This year, a Taste of Litchfield Hills is being held at South Farms on 21 Higbie Road in Morris on September 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. This is the culinary event of the year that will feature restaurants, specialty markets, winemakers, craft brewers, and others in the beautifully restored white barn and through out this beautiful 90-acre property.

Expect to be wowed at South Farms as participants serve their signature cuisine, curated cocktails and beverages to foodies and fun-loving folk in the area. To add to the fun, there will be two live bands as well as engaging and convivial roving entertainment.

The pre-purchased general admission is $50, which includes food, drink, and entertainment all afternoon. A VIP pass is $100 and provides food, drink, entertainment, private parking, and access to a lounge with TV and food service. Children 15 and under are $20. Day-of-the event tickets are $60 for general admission and $110 for the VIP lounge. You do not have to be 21 to purchase a ticket, however, you do have to be 21 to drink alcohol, so don’t forget to bring along your ID.

Parking is available at the facility. If you are directed to overflow parking there will be a shuttle to transport you to the event and back to your car.

The Kent Historical Society is presenting a special Sunday lecture series that will be held at the Kent Town Hall located on 41 Kent Green Blvd. just off Rte. 7 in the center of Kent. On September 17 at 2 p.m. the Sunday Series will bring guests a program titled, “The First Great Awakening — Fervor and Ferment”.

In the 1730s, a wave of religious revivals, sponsored by the established clergy of the Reformed Churches, swept the Thirteen Colonies. The fervor disrupted the connection between church and state in New England. These revivals involved extreme emotional displays by the thousands of people who heard the sermons of Jonathan Edwards and various itinerant preachers. Though there was little lasting impact on the religious commitment of the colonies, the ideas presented probably moved the colonies closer to declaring independence from Great Britain.

Tom Key, the presenter studied engineering, was a flight officer in the US Navy and retired as a Commander in the US Naval Reserves. His professional career was with an international engineering firm, designing and constructing nuclear and fossil power plants, steel mills, and chemical plants. He’s also had a career as a landscape painter exhibiting in over thirty galleries and invitational/juried shows from Delaware to Maine.

This lecture, as well as future Sunday Series events in 2017, helps give context to the Kent Historical Society’s exhibit in the summer of 2017, “The Founders of Kent,” on the emergence of one New England town in the 18th century.

To sign up for a free monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills or Fairfield County on things to do and see and special deals visit www.litchfieldhills.com or

 

Hollister House Garden opens their gates for the annual ‘Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants’ Saturday, September 9th and Sunday, September 10th. Garden enthusiasts are invited to discover plants from vendors around the greater northeast at the sale. From local Connecticut based nurseries, to specialty nurseries from Maine to Pennsylvania, twelve vendors will be on the premises selling plants and sharing their expertise. Interested plant lovers can choose from two options ‘Preview Buying’ on Saturday, September 9th includes garden admission and cocktail party $45/pp 4-6:00 pm or enjoy the ‘All-Day Plant Sale’ only $10/pp (includes admission to the garden) on Sunday, September 10th from 9am-3pm.

The timing of the annual fall plant sale is ideal for autumn garden planting, since there is plant of time to get plants in the ground before cold weather sets in. “This is a great opportunity to find some very special plants not generally offered in the nursery trade,” says George Schoellkopf of Hollister House Garden. Specialist growers offer the latest hybrids in addition to hard-to-find classic shrubs, trees and herbaceous perennials. Participants are encouraged to tour the garden after shopping.

The twelve nurseries that will be on premises for the ‘Rare and Unusual Plant Sale’ include; Broken Arrow Nursery, Cricket Hill Garden, Falls Village Flower Farm, Garden Vision Epimediums, Huntington & Hope, Linden Hill Gardens, McCue Gardens, Meadowbrook Gardens, Oesco, Inc, Opus Plants, Rare Find Nursery and Snug Harbor Farm. “The annual fall plant sale at Hollister House offers an unrivaled selection of rare plants with the splendid backdrop of the garden in its full late season glory. It’s like Trade Secrets, but in time for fall planting and bit more mellow. Cricket Hill Garden will be bringing some fantastic peonies and pawpaws and persimmons.” says Dan Furman of Cricket Hill Garden.

The Sale of Rare and Unusual Plants ‘Preview Buying and Cocktails in the Garden’ tickets for Saturday, September 10th are $45 and available through reservation at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/events/preview-buying-sale-rare-unusual-plants-cocktails-garden/. Tickets for the ‘All-Day Plant Sale and Garden Admission will be available for $10 purchase at the gate. Please visit http://www.hollisterhousegarden.com for more information.

Hollister House Garden is open to visitors through October 7. Friday hours are 2-5PM and Saturdays 10-4PM. Private group visits are welcome weekdays by appointment only. Directions to the garden’s 300 Nettleton Hollow Road location are also available on the website. Contact: Pamela Moffett, 860-868-2200 office@hollisterhousegarden.org.

The Norwalk Historical Society has announced a new exhibit set up in Town House on the Norwalk Historical Society’s Mill House Historic Park that will be on display through July, 2018. This exhibition, Preserving and Observing is part of the continuing celebration of Norwalk’s heritage, and features 80+ pieces of art on paper highlighting the City’s significant art collection. Mill Hill Historic Park is located on 2 East Wall Street in Norwalk.

The exhibit curated by Sophia Gevas, is comprised of paintings and works on paper drawn from the four separate collections that comprise the Norwalk Collection: the City of Norwalk, the Lockwood family, the Norwalk Historical Society and the Norwalk-Village Green Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

The 80 plus featured works created by artists who lived and worked in Norwalk is presented “Salon Style” in the recently restored 1835 Town House at Mill Hill. The exhibit is a survey presented in groupings of Portraits, Still-lifes, Scenes of Working Life and Nature. The art work on display captures significant aspects and insights about city life through the ages.

To sign up for a monthly newsletter on things to do and see, special events and travel tips in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

On Saturday, September 9 from 2:00 – 3:30 the Wilton Historical Society located on 224 Danbury Road will be offering a session for adults about how to make a simple farmer’s cheese from goat’s milk.

Goat milk cheese, often referred to as chèvre, is available in a wide range of tastes, textures, and firmness, and can be fresh or aged. For most of United States history, dairy goats were utilized by small family farms as a personal source of milk cheese, and during World War II, dairy goat production increased as a component of Victory Gardens.

The workshop will be led by Museum Educator Lola Chen, who will talk about the history of goat’s milk cheeses, and help participants make a scrumptious, tangy soft cheese, flavored with herbs.

Wilton Historical Society members $20; Non-members $25. Please register: info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257. Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 www.wiltonhistorical.org

Did You Know?
Goats were introduced to North America in the 16th century by Spanish colonists. For hundreds of years the humble Spanish goat was a source of milk and meat, but goats did not become an agricultural commodity the way sheep, cattle, pigs and chickens did. Many of the original Spanish goats became feral and populated parts of what would become the United States.