Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/author/todd-vibert/)
The Salmon Brook Historical Society has two framed hair wreaths in the parlor of the historic Weed-Ender House. These two hair wreaths were made in the mid- to late-nineteenth century and were crafted in memory of members of the Emmons-Case families as well as the Messenger family. During the Victorian Era, hair art was a common way for families to preserve the memory of a loved one.
Last month I wrote about Granby’s more recent doctors, William Dwyer to Alfred Weed. They were modern doctors who had learned the principles of germ theory. They understood that microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi cause disease. However, that knowledge was relatively new. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, doctors saw medicine differently.
In the last two months I had to find a new doctor. The physician I had been seeing moved his practice from Avon to New Britain. I made the drive once, but realized it was too far to travel for routine care.
With the holidays fast approaching and having friends over for holiday parties, there may be thoughts about what gifts to get friends or loved ones. Most towns like folks to shop locally, which is a sound investment in those communities.
Fifty years ago an iconic landmark, the Loomis Bros. Store in the center of Granby was torn down and with it a piece of the town’s sense of place and history disappeared.
Last month, I described how, as a result if the flood of 1955, Granby became an island when the bridges and roads on Routes 9, 189, 20, and 10 were washed out or badly damaged, so that no one could get in or out of Granby. Our town green was literally an island as it is surrounded by Routes 10, 20 and 189 (formerly known as Route 9). Here is a brief history of roads through picturesque Granby.
Seventy years ago, the state of Connecticut and the town of Granby experienced the worst flood in its history.
Next year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our nation. At the Salmon Brook Historical Society, a notable book in our library from our 200th anniversary in 1976 continues to offer insight into the early history of our republic. Trumpets of Glory, written by Henry Hawken, focuses on July 4th speeches and orations delivered between 1786 and 1861.
In the final days of the school year, students at Granby Memorial High School receive their yearbooks and flip through the pages filled with memories, signatures and well wishes. It is a beloved tradition that has endured for generations.
Tucked away off Canton Road lies an abandoned elementary school— named the Frank Kearns School. Though the building now stands empty and may soon be replaced by new development, the legacy of the man behind the name should not be lost to time. Frank Kearns, a dedicated public servant and visionary, made lasting contributions to education and agriculture in Granby. His story deserves to be told.