History

DAR: Revolutionary for 125 Years, 1892-2017

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The Ellsworth Memorial Association hosted a tea to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution and honor members with 40 years or more of service. It was held at the Oliver Ellsworth Homestead in Windsor. The Connecticut State Society DAR was organized on Feb. 20, 1892, and was one of the first to appoint a state regent. The program included a lookback at the founding of CTDAR and its early leaders and tributes to six Honorary State Regents and tw […]

History

265 Salmon Brook Street

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By Carol Laun, Archivist, Salmon Brook Historical Society This rather ordinary looking white house was once the imposing Federal-style mansion house of a wealthy Granby resident. In the more than 225 years since it was built, it has undergone huge renovations, additions and subtractions. When built, it was located very close to the southwest corner of Rte. 10-202 and Rte. 20. The house has been moved from its original site and has had even more architectural changes. It has now been divided […]

History

Archivist Salmon Brook Historical Society – Historical Footnotes 11’16

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George Seymour GodardCossitt Library is celebrating 125 years April 2016 to March 2017. A series of historical articles about the library and North Granby will be featured here.The latter part of the 19th century saw a “generation of giants” emerge from the one-room schools in the farming town of Granby. Among them were William Mills Maltbie, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court; Tudor Holcomb, prominent tobacco grower, dairy farmer, philanthropist; James Lee Loomis, insurance executiv […]

History

Casting a Ballot in Granby’s Past

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by Carol LaunIn the 18th and 19th centuries, Granby voters decided most local questions and elections by a voice vote or a show of hands. For State and National elections, a ballot box was used. In the 1890s, it was decided to vote for local issues by ballot, and this method was used even as late as 1950. The ballot box voting process had quite a few differences from the way we vote today.The Salmon Brook Historical Society has the complete voting record from a special constitutional vote held i […]

History

​McLean resident tracks family roots back to the 1700s

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By Ellen Meuser​When McLean Resident Michael Gorman heard about the wonderful work that Media Center Coordinator Stephen Root was doing in genealogy, he seized the opportunity to learn more about his family’s history. “It turned out to be even more interesting than we initially thought it would be,” said Michael, as he explained his project that spanned several months to complete.Michael’s mother and father both grew up as a single child, so their family unit was sm […]

History

Glid Doman, pioneer in aviation design

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1921 – 2016Glidden Doman, a pioneer in the design of helicopters and wind turbines, passed away June 6.Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1921, he came from a family of inventors and entrepreneurs. He majored in aeronautical engineering at the University of Michigan, and after hearing Igor Sikorsky speak at a Society of Automotive Engineers meeting he became interested in helicopter rotors. In 1943, Doman went to work for Sikorsky in Bridgeport where he participated in intensive experimentation and […]

History

Passport to Connecticut Libraries “eminently rewarding”

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By Virgil PaggenNot long after I moved with my family to North Granby, I happened upon the Frederick H. Cossitt Library, a small outpost in comparison with the West Hartford library I previously frequented. It didn’t take long for Margaret Vastoff, librarian, to acquaint me with all that Cossitt offered; it quickly became a valued resource.Among the 50 states, Connecticut ranks 48th in size; only Delaware and Rhode Island are smaller. However, with more than 260 public libraries, I found t […]

History

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

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By Jean PotetzThe 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 […]

History

SBHS Spring Flea is May 14

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​By Todd VibertThe Salmon Brook Historical Society is holding its annual Spring Flea Market on Saturday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Salmon Brook Historical Society. Forty to 50 vendors will show and sell their wares. Admission and parking is free to the public. Concession offerings include coffee, soda, water, hot dogs, chips and Mrs. Murphy’s donuts. Come and enjoy the festivities at the historical society. Anyone interested in being a vendor and having a 20×20-ft. space […]

History

American Legion Seaton Award

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70 years strongAmerican Legion Post 182 honored Leroy B. Seaton of Granby with the presentation of his 70-year membership certificate. Seaton joined the organization in 1945 at the end of WII.  From l.: Legion members Kyle Korab, Leroy B. Seaton, Joseph Hukill and Warren Markey. Photograph by Paul Willis […]