Keven Walker, Antietam National Battlefield Historian, will give the presentation Connecticut at Antietam, in the Wykeham Room of the Gunn Library at the Gunn Memerial Museum on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 2 p.m..
Antietam is known as the bloodiest single-day battle in American history with about 23,000 casualties after 12 hours of savage combat on Sept. 17, 1862. Twelve Washington men fought at the battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Continue reading
A special Civil War artifact appraisal day will take place on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 12 to 3 p.m. at the Gunn Memorial Museum in Washington, Conn.
The public is invited to bring their Civil War artifacts to be evaluated by Thomas Zanavich, a long-time dealer and the guest curator of the current exhibit.
Civil War artifacts
Dr. Matthew Warshauer will discuss his new book, “Connecticut in the American Civil War: Slavery, Sacrifice and Survival,” Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Geer Village. He will also discuss the plans for the state’s 150th anniversary of the war.
Dr. Matthew Warshauer is a professor of history at Central Connecticut State University. The author of three books, he is a specialist in 19th-century political and constitutional history. He currently serves as co-chair of the Connecticut Civil War Commemoration Commission, and is helping to coordinate activities across Connecticut to focus on the importance and lasting legacies of the American Civil War and Connecticut’s involvement in it.
Although most may not immediately think of Connecticut when considering the Civil War, the state was extensively involved in the conflict. Connecticut sent more than 30 regiments to the front, had an extensive industrial capacity and an active home front. Connecticut is also home to more than 130 Civil War monuments.
Book signing will be available. There is no charge, and the public is welcome. Geer Village is located on at 77 South Canaan Road in Canaan. Further information may be obtained at 860-824-8133.
“Connecticut in the American Civil War: Slavery, Sacrifice and Survival” is the fourth in a series of author’s presentations for Geer residents and the public. Geer is a community-owned, locally operated, non-profit corporation that provides senior housing for independent living, skilled nursing care, adult day care, and outpatient rehabilitation.
Tom Calinan -former state troubadour
In 1861, Fort Sumter was lost to the Confederates on April 14, Joseph Mansfield was promoted to brigadier general, in charge of the defenses of Washington by President Lincoln on May 14, Union troops were badly defeated at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, and ordinary citizens volunteered to fight to save the Union.
Company G of the 14th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry will bring that calamitous year to life with an encampment in the backyard of General Mansfield’s home on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Robert Purssell of Brookfield will present a humorous overview of the successes, flops and peculiarities of American weapons procurement at the Brookfield Museum at routs 25 and 133 in Brookfield Center on Monday, Aug. 1. Purssell will cover a wide range of weapons of war from battle ships to torpedos to fighter aircraft. The multi-media presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. Purssell, a retired engineer and research writer has been a guest speaker in the past at the Brookfield Historical Society. His presentation is part on the society’s American Military Forum. Following the presentation complimentary refreshments will be offered. Admission is free.
The Walingford Town Council decided to sell the historic American Legion building to a local business owner for $125,000. The decision on Tuesday endedover 15 years of controversy over the fate of the historic property at 41 South Main St., according to the Meriden-Record Journal. The town bought the building in a foreclosure auction in 1995 for $190,000, planning to use it for a Town Hall expansion and additional parking.
However, the state attorney general’s office, working on behalf of the Connecticut Historical Society, blocked the town’s plan to demolish the building because of its protected status as part of the downtown historic district. Richard Termini, owner of Rick’s Antiques and Coins on North Colony Street and the building on Center Street that houses J. Christian’s Restaurant, wants to turn the building, which was previously owned by American Legion Shaw-Sinon Post 73, into offices and luxury apartments. Read full story.
The Quinnipiac, or “Long-Water-Land People” joined their friends and neighbors from the Old Stone Church at East Haven, Connecticut, to celebrate friendship and traditions on June 25. Direct descendants of the Quinnipiac (known today as ACQTC of The Algonquian Confederacy of the Quinnipiac Tribal Council) marked 12,000 years of survival as the only true aboriginal nation who are indigenous to Quinnehtukqut (Connecticut), while direct descendants of the Old Stone Church Congregation of East Haven celebrated their 300-year anniversary of its founding in 1711. Quinnipiac refugees who had been displaced from lands at their original 1,200-acre reservation of Mioonkhtuck (East Haven) were given refuge at a sanctuary just behind the Old Stone Church (and it is still there today). A traditional powwow, a spiritual word that derives directly from the Quinnipiac R-Dialect of the Algonquian Language, took place with music, dancing and exhibits of Quinnipiac artifacts from the Quinnipiac Dawnland Museum. Read more.
For the first time in five years, the Connecticut Air and Space Center put its entire collection of vintage aircraft and artifacts on public display. Volunteers hauled out about eight historic airplanes and helicopters they are working on restoring and placed them outside for public viewing on the CASC’s site on the shuttered Army Engine Plant next to Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. Continue reading
The public will be able to see the entire collection of the Connecticut Air & Space Center (CASC) for the first time at the center’s free open house this weekend.
During the open house, attendees will be able to see the aircraft and artifacts in the collection up close. The collection includes items from Sikorsky, Chance Vought, Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Standard, Avco/Lycoming, Cessna and North American to name a few. For anyone over the age of 18, there will be guided tours of the original Chance Vought R&D Hanger and the museums cold storage facility aptly named “Area 53”. These buildings contain the museum’s restoration shop as well as many other displays. Continue reading
Movies about the Civil War will be shown in the Candlewood Lake region of western Connecticut as part of the area’s commemoration of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary. The movies are part of the One Book, One Lake program, organized by Candlewood Lake area public libraries, that also features a range of re-enactments and talks by Civil War authors and experts. Continue reading