There is plenty to choose for the holidays!

The Shop Downstairs
at The Stamford Historical Society
1508 High Ridge Road, Stamford
Fridays & Saturdays 12 noon-3:00 p.m.

The shop represents a continual fund raiser. All sales generate a 100% profit to the Society.

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"In keeping with the Halloween season, we recently offered our first Tales of Horror and Death event at the Hoyt Barnum House in downtown Stamford.  The house was built in 1699 and has certainly seen its share of difficult times.  The 30 minute tours on the evening of October 21st focused on the period from 1680–1780 in Stamford, CT.  Our 3 docents (Tom, Linda & Pam) talked about the terrible smells, back breaking work, gruesome accidents and disfiguring diseases that were a part of most colonists’ lives during that period of time.  Our guests were amazed, horrified and edified by the tour.  Some teens started to tear up over the fate of terrible illness and early death faced by so many children in the 17th and 18th centuries."

If you missed this year’s tour, don’t worry – we’ll be back!  Join us next October to listen to more stories of colonial horror and death.  Oh, and next year we’ll be adding a few ghost stories. 

For those who want to learn more about the house and the general history of the Hoyt Family, please call 203-329-1183 to schedule your visit.  We are happy to take people through by appointment.

TOUCH A TRUCK
Saturday, September 24, 1:00–4:00 PM
Stamford Historical Society Parking Lot
Music, Treats, Face Painting, Trucks & Exhibit

Bring your kids and have fun!

Admission: $5/person, children under 4 free.

Phil joined the Board of Directors of the Stamford Historical Society in the late 1990s and later served as its president for two terms.  His common sense approach greatly helped in the rebuilding of the Society. Phil was always on the lookout and responsible for bringing good Board members into the fold.

He served as a docent at the Hoyt-Barnum House and was involved in our eduction programs, especially Immigrants' Stamford.

A native of Worcester, MA, Phil was a  graduate of MIT and University of Colorado, Boulder, Phil was an electrical engineer for Perkin Elmer for the majority of his professional life. Upon retirement, Phil worked for the City of Stamford and served the WPCA in Stamford and Bridgeport. He was greatly involved in numerous philanthropic and civic organizations.

Phil  kept in touch with the Society even after he moved from Stamford to Bridgeport and would still answer the call for names for new Board possibilities. He will be missed.

Photo Andrew Sullivan
The Stamford Advocate

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Her most recent Cozy Sundays event in May was the showing of the 1947 film Boomerang, followed by a panel, comprised of three special guests who discussed its legal context as well as the usual liberties taken by film makers.

For those who do not know, the movie was about a local story and was filmed in Stamford.

We had an unprecedented numbers of reservation requests and had to turn some people away, including this writer. As Ron Marcus said in his address, "To the best of our knowledge, never, in the long history of this organization, has there been such an overwhelming, positive response to a scheduled event."

Congratulations again, Mary Ann!

Here is something to consider for the summer:

Children's Bestsellers List - shop now at BarnesandNoble.com.

You will find more links in the footer of our website pages. Meanwhile, enjoy browsing through our site and learn things about Stamford you never knew!

Thank you!

Readers' comments on blog posts are welcome!  Comments are moderated to weed out spammers.

HISTORY CENTER OF STAMFORD
preserving the past / defining the present / connecting with the future

VOLUNTEER MATTERS — VOLUNTEERS MATTER!
The society is largely a volunteer powered organization and always in need of volunteers.    

CALENDAR OF EVENTS, FALL 2011

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Blog authors:  Stamford Historical Society, Suzann Emmens.

Enjoy your holiday!

We are happy to present the new website. Click through the pulldown menus and take a tour through Stamford's history!

Some things are still under construction ... stay tuned

Happy Holidays!

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011, AT 6 PM
THE A.O.H. (HIBERNIAN) HALL

Alexander and Patricia Koproski are long time residents of Stamford. Their leadership in our community and dedication to building a better Stamford is exemplary. Al and Pat have been active members in the Stamford Historical Society for many years, donating to our archives and locating essential artifacts for our exhibits. The Stamford Historical Society has chosen to recognize and honor Al and Pat for their aid to our organization and their dedication to preserving local history.

Download Details and Sign-Up Form

The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and Slavery

Columbia University professor, Dr. Eric Foner, one of the most distinuished contemporary historians in the US will present "The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and Slavery" on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.  The lecture is free and open to the public.  Light refreshments will be served.  Professor Foner's talk will trace the evolution of Abraham Lincoln's thinking about slavery and race from his early career in the Illinois legislature to his presidency.

There is visitor parking on the second floor of the UConn parking garage (former Bloomingdale's garage) on Washington Blvd.  There is some handicap parking on the first floor of the garage along the east side (facing Washington Blvd.) and a very few along the UConn building on Franklin St. (you must have a handicap sticker).  There are also a very few meters along Franklin St.  Please carpool if possible.
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Old Mill Pond from West Main Street Bridge

Complete Newpaper Clipping from February 7, 1931

 Here is more on the Mill River from January 2009: Skating Scene at Rippowam Park (scroll down for sketch).

Whitman Bailey Collection

As to the sketches, we add the usual warning: "At times, the accompanying vignettes are mostly folklore passed on to Mr. Bailey by residents of the areas where he was sketching.  In those instances he had no way of determining the truth of the story.  Nor have we.  It is presented as a sidelight to the sketch.  Therefore, researchers are cautioned to regard these tales as local color, interesting, thought provoking, but sometimes not entirely factual."

(Reference files: Bailey 288.jpg )

Jane keeps volunteer service organzations apprised of our needs and interviews and advises prospective volunteers. She can be reached as listed here.

Many tasks at the Society require the able assistance of volunteers.

• Volunteers do research and data entry work in the Marcus Research Library.
• Volunteers manage the Photo Collection, including data entry work.
• Volunteers work in the textile collection.
• Volunteers manage the website and the blog.
• Volunteers assist with the creation of exhibits.
• Volunteers are docents for our exhibits.
• Volunteers make digital records of our exhibits.
• Volunteers staff the thrift shop.
• Volunteers work with staff on educational programs for students.
• Volunteers provide hospitality at our events.
• Some volunteers stuff envelopes and others answer phones.

An update of our volunteer needs will be posted soon.