Exhibit focuses on Granby’s children—photographs, toys and textiles

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By Jean Potetz

The Salmon Brook Historical Society’s 2016 summer exhibit will focus on Granby children featuring photographs of them, the toys they played with and the clothing they wore. In addition, several quilts will be on display including an embroidered red-work quilt that would delight any child. Many of the quilts are from local Granby families.
The entry to the Weed-Enders House will feature a large wooden wagon from the Beman family with a framed photograph of its owner, three-year-old Joseph Beman taken in 1900. The Victorian Parlor will showcase a wicker bassinet from the Colton family and a christening gown made for Jonathon Brace Bunce in 1832. This gown was later worn in 1913 by Bunce’s granddaughter, Mary W. Edwards, who grew up to live at 239 Salmon Brook Street and who eventually gave the Granby Land Trust her beautiful 200 acre Mountain Property on Mountain Road. Her cotton and wool summer camp uniform worn when she was ten years old will also be on exhibit. A dress belonging to young Austria Holcomb, circa 1843, will be shown, as well as a number of other items too numerous to mention.

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The 2016 SBHS summer exhibit will focus on children. Photo by Peter Dinella

An amazing variety of colorful games will be on exhibit in the Preservation Barn, along with paper dolls, a cast iron Navy Zeppelin, ice skates and roller skates, dolls and doll clothes, tops, china doll furniture, trucks, doll dishes, marbles, tricycles, books and much more. The Granby children in the pictures on display grew up in a time when there was only one toy for Christmas and perhaps a book if they were fortunate. This is an exhibit you and your children or grandchildren will enjoy.
The permanent exhibits in the Preservation Barn include a Civil War exhibit, one on the West Granby Fife and Drum Corps and a unique Masonic display. There are also two sleighs (one with an authentic buffalo robe) and the glass-sided horse-drawn hearse from the Hayes Funeral Home.
The Salmon Brook Historical Society is located in Granby on Rte. 10/202 across from Salmon Brook Park. The society is open for tours on Sundays in June through September, from 2 to 4 p.m., except July 3 and Sept. 4. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children and seniors, family maximum $12 and members free. Come take a tour through Granby history!
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