Salmon Brook Historical Society

Frank Kearns’ Legacy

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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.

History

Granby and the First Amendment — Part 5

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Here we are at the culmination of our five-part series. We started with Granby’s Congregational church life and added the Connecticut River Valley’s Great Awakening, plus the church’s harsh response. This awakening moved to the Southern colonies, resulting in yet harsher persecution by the Episcopal Church of Virginia. Madison and Jefferson were instrumental in the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776, but how did their religious freedom idea get to be the First Amendment to the Constitution in 1789, 13 years later?

Salmon Brook Historical Society

Moving the Cooley School to the Salmon Brook Historical Society Campus

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For decades, the Cooley Schoolhouse sat quietly on the Clark family property, a relic of a bygone era when one-room schoolhouses were the heart of local education. Weathered by time in history, the building had a second chance. That chance came on August 26, 1980, when a determined community effort brought the schoolhouse to its new home at the Salmon Brook Historical Society, ensuring its legacy would live on.

History

Granby and the First Amendment — Part 4

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In part three, we saw that Connecticut’s harsh response to the religious Awakening drove New Lights south for continued revival in those colonies. Back in Granby, a decade of contention by two independent God-fearing sides ended in peace under the guidance of a new pastor, Joseph Strong.

Salmon Brook Historical Society

The Weed-Enders House move, 50 years ago

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Fifty years ago, an extraordinary achievement took place in Granby when the Salmon Brook Historical Society successfully moved the Weed-Enders House seven miles from its original location in West Granby to the society’s grounds. Built in 1790, the Weed-Enders House is one of the oldest homes in the area, and its relocation remains a remarkable feat in local history.