June, 2014
Deweys Honored As Top Volunteers Lorraine and Paul Dewey, Granby natives with deep ties to the historical society, were honored with the Linnell Award at the annual meeting and dinner at the West Granby Methodist Church April 29. The award is named for the society’s first curator, Ethel Linnell, and is bestowed yearly on volunteers who have given generously of their time and talents. As Carol Laun said in her tribute to Paul and Lorraine, “The Dewey contributions to our historical society are many and varied.” Their volunteer work is typified by Paul’s service as a knowledgeable guide on tours of the Tobacco Barn Museum and the annual second-graders’ tour and Lorraine’s years as an active board of directors member and her yearly organizing of the tour guides. “Volunteers like Lorraine and Paul sustain the society and make it succeed,” Carol said. Also at the annual meeting, Lynn Lochhead and Wayne Cahoon were elected to the board of directors to fill vacancies and Bob Schrepf was elected secretary, also to fill a vacancy. Roger Hayes was re-elected treasurer and Carol Laun was re-elected as Archivist. Following the dinner and business meeting, society members were entertained by the barbershop stylings of The Insurance City Chorus.
Summer Exhibit
Introducing Our Student Guides
(see page 3)
(see page 9)
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A Message from the President Every Spring, the Salmon Brook Historical Society is involved in 2 great community events involving both young and old. I was fortunate to be involved in both events this year and I couldn’t help smiling and saying to myself, “I love this town”. The semi-annual Spring Flea Market which took place on May 17th and what a great day to meet old friends, look for that special tea cup, have a Whitey Johnson hot dog, and enjoy the beautiful weather. I am sure that everyone in Granby marks their calendars for this special event which could never take place were it not for the volunteers. They not only work the event but spend many Tuesdays and Thursdays sorting through donated items, making pricing decisions, and organizing the donations. A special thanks go out to Todd Vibert, Dave Laun and ALL of the volunteers who devoted their time to making this event so special and who work their magic every year to make this the place to be on that special Saturday in May. There were way too many to list here but Todd will be writing up the event and will mention everybody. The annual second graders tour of the Salmon Brook Historical Society took place on Thursday and Friday, May 29th and 30th. After missing last year due to a miscommunication with the school, Ginny Wutka stepped up and made sure that the second graders did not miss out this year. It’s that kind of passion that makes our society so special. The event was a huge success and we made sure that the students mentioned to their parents to come and visit the Society some Sunday over the summer. I was just a bell ringer on the second day but it did give me a chance to listen to several members tell the students what life was like in Granby years ago. I listened to Paul Dewey tell one group that he worked for 50 cents a day picking tobacco and watched the student’s eyes as they absorbed just how hard Paul must have worked for that money. I also watched Roger Young captivate the students as the school master.
A very special thanks go out to Ginny Wutka and the following volunteers who did a fantastic job: Patty Sansone, Bert Dinella, Paul Dewey, Downy Koch, Jim Rosano, Sally Sargent Markey, Freda Hayes, Roger Young, Megan Griffin, and Joe Accentura, and Ellen Cunha! Have a wonderful and safe summer! Best regards, Bill Ross
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Summer Exhibit 2014 by Carol Laun
The summer exhibit in the Preservation Barn for 2014 is called Places and Faces in Old Granby and will feature selections from our extensive photograph collection. Some of the large framed family pictures will also be on display. Visitors will see many photos of Granby homes taken in 1886, all of which are still being lived in. A variety of photos of the people who once lived in Granby will be added to the exhibit. You will see handsome soldiers, stony faced farmers, charming children and women with the hairstyles and clothing of the past. They all lived in Granby houses, attended Granby schools and churches and shopped at the Loomis Store.
As a special feature, the Dot Mohrman Colonial doll house will be on display for the last time. In September it will be given to her daughter. Anyone who delights in the sight of a dollhouse with perfect miniature furniture, should not miss this opportunity. The exhibit may not be ready until mid-June, because the Flea Market sales area is still being reorganized.
Newsletter Delivered By E-mail? The Historical Society’s board wants to know if there is any interest among members in receiving the quarterly SBHS News by e-mail instead of by snail mail. The idea is to better serve members and save paper and postage costs. Members who are not online or who otherwise prefer to get the newsletter the old-fashioned way, through the post office, could still do so. If you would be interested in receiving the Society’s newsletter by e-mail, reply to Ken Kuhl (kennykuhl @ gmail.com), Bob Schrepf (rschrepf70 @ gmail.com) or call the Society’s office at 860 653 9713. Leave a message with your name if no one’s there.
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Of Granby, Gowns and Quilts – Textiles for the Summer of 2014 by Jean Potetz June is upon us and the house is open once again for tours. This summer the focus is on Granby, and we’ll be Displaying items made, used or worn by Granby residents. On exhibit for the first time is a beautiful iridescent silk gown circa 1873, a lovely floral print two-piece cotton dress from the late 1890s, and a popular fashion of the 19-teens – a linen duster worn by ladies (and gentlemen too) out gallivanting about in that four-wheel sensation – the automobile. The quilt in our display case this summer is circa 1930s-1940s and was made by Bertha Craig Chittendon of Granby. This bright and joyful quilt has some wonderful fabrics from its time, including one featuring Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie. Mrs. Chittendon made her quilt by sewing together many pieces of fabric cut into hexagons. Called Mosaic or Honeycomb, this pattern is experiencing renewed popularity among today’s quilters. The quilt will be on display in the Preservation Barn along with other items from Granby’s past. We hope you have a chance to stop by between now and the end of September to see these treasures. Remembering Polly Hall, Granby’s Quilt Lady In 2007, Polly Hall donated over 60 quilts from her collection to the Salmon Brook Historical Society. Her goal was to inspire and educate others in the art of quiltmaking and its history. From the time she donated her quilts until her death last year at the age of 96, Polly participated in events hosted by the Salmon Brook Historical Society that shared her quilt collection with the public. In a tribute to Polly, photographs of these events are now available for viewing online at: http://issuu.com/kenkuhl/docs/thepollyhallyears_1_.
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SBHS Building and Grounds Report
By David Laun Chairman
The
interior storm window project in the Enders house has been completed and the interior is now sealed against weather and bugs much better than it was. The exterior of the house has been pressure washed and given a new coat of paint. It is beautiful and complements the Rowe house that was done last year. The room that we call the office is nearing completion after rebuilding the ceiling structure, painting the walls and trim, painting the floor, refinishing an old oak desk, and painting the file cabinets so that they match each other. The Thursday Volunteer Group spent about a year doing the work on the office while also supporting all of the other events and repairs that are required to keep the Society functioning. The natural gas line to supply fuel for heating all the buildings has been installed from the street to the Enders house. The final connections to the natural gas line will be done this summer when we make the switch from propane.
Antique Engine and Tractor Show
The 2014 Annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show will be held on the Society grounds Sat, Oct. 4, 2014 from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm. Mark the date on your calendar, as it is always an interesting display of antique farm and industrial machinery. Admission and parking are free and the food booth will be open to sell hot dogs, soda, coffee, and doughnuts. If you are interested in displaying a tractor or engine call: Dave Laun at 860-653-3965 for details. 5
Spring Flea Market a Surprise Success By Todd Vibert
The Salmon Brook Historical Society Spring Flea Market was a surprising success. Surprising success, because the weather forecast for Saturday, May 17th was rain and the day turned out to be sunny and comfortable all day. All those members who had rabbits’ feet, four leaf clovers, and Genie bottles with them, thank you very much for the luck you brought to the flea market. Joe Fury, of WTIC radio stated on Friday morning the rain would stop between 5 and 6 am on Saturday morning. Boy was he right! When I was getting the donuts at 4 am, it was raining and when I was getting ice at Cumberland Farms it was raining. However, when I got to the Society at 5 am, the rain had stopped. We had a record number of 54 vendors signed up days before the main event. Out of those 54, 12 did not show because of the uncertainty of the weather. As the vendors slowly came into the Historical Society to get their spaces, so too was the general public slow to come to browse all the treasures all the vendors were offering. However, when they came and they came with an appetite for treasures and food. The Society’s own Preservation Barn brought in over $2,100 and the concession stand brought in over $900. Ten dozen Mrs. Murphy’s donuts were devoured by 10 am, 30 bags of chips were consumed by noon, and 208 hot dogs where all consumed by 3:30 in the afternoon. 114 cans of soda were sold as well as 56 bottles of water. With most of the food gone, the clean-up was early and quick and by five o’clock the Society was clean and neat as it had been twelve hours earlier. The gross revenue the Society gained was just under $4,800 and the net gain will be around $4,300. Last spring we netted $4,200 from the flea market and this spring’s flea market did a little bit better. As I have always written, this flea market would not be so successful if it weren’t for the help of our members who volunteer as little as two hours a day, to those who spend all day there- all helping to make the flea market as successful as possible. Listed below are those members, who made this year’s spring flea a great success: Kevin Harter, Owen Harter, Phil Main, Karen Antonucci, Mike Antonucci, Mary Zlotnick, Rich Zlotnick, Ellen Cuhna, Ruth Robinson, Carol Laun, Dave Laun, Nancy Ross, Bill Ross, Wayne Cahoon, Jim Glenney, Jim Allen, Patty Sansone, Paul Dewey, George Bronsord, Peggy Giles, Bob Giles, Ken Kuhl, Lucy Holcombe, Ann St. John, Ruth Rosebrooks, Vinnie Secord, Whitey Johnson, Edith Wilhelm, Mike Flynn, Paul Sawin, Freda Hayes, Roger Hayes, Roger Young, Roxanne Rosano, Jim Rosano, Kate Bernard, Marge Goslee, Heather Tomasetti, Sam Tomassetti, Jean Potetz, Dick Potetz, Shirley Davidson, Bert Dinella, Sally Markey, Lisa Vibert, Spencer Vibert, and Taylorann Vibert.
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Recent Donations to the Society
by Carol Laun, Archivist and Acting Curator
We have continued to receive some wonderful quilting books donated by the family of Polly Hall. The textile library has added 13 quilt reference books. Fran Adams added two more quilting books and Jean Potetz has created a beautiful book called The Polly Hall Years, which is in both the textile and research libraries. The library purchased a set of six reproduced copies of children’s books by the late Granby librarian, Clara Dean Marshall. A recent program honoring her memory and preserving her legacy, brought in a collection of Dean Marshall documents and letters, donated by her grandniece Bonnie Leonard of Arizona. We now have the start of a Dean Marshall Collection in the archives and Bonnie has promised more. Mary McLaughlin gave two tintypes of Mary Kelly and Peter Dinella made some copies that are clearer than the originals. Ann Bushnell donated two rare books from the 1830s, Historical Collections of CT and MA. We have some old Spring Glen directories from Cynthia Glenney and three Granby high school yearbooks (1962-64) from Joanne Lawson. Gravestone photographers Chris and Cheryl Klemmer and Harolyn Pinson have completed the new section of Center Cemetery and also assembled a book. Chris Klemmer is compiling an every name index with every name on a Granby gravestone. It will be on a DVD and in hard copy. This is a tremendously complex and difficult task, but well worth the effort. Thank you, Chris! And thanks also to Cheryl for proofreading! Peter Dinella photographed the interior of 45 Bushy Hill Road (oldest house in Granby) and gave the Society a CD. He also made a CD of an original 1869 map so we can have copies made. Corinne Dickerson brought in a collection of 65 cookbooks from the 1920s and ‘30s, from the estate of Barbara Crouse. Pat Vibert donated a 1905 copy of The Connecticut Magazine and an anniversary book of the Hartford Bank 1792-1942. A reference book on American Glass was given by Sally Markey. Byron Barnes donated two comic Granby postcards, several Broad Hill Farm cigar boxes and a pin from the Ring Mountain Hunt Club in Granby. We also received clothing from Mary McLaughlin, from Karen Antonucci and a wonderful 1920s smoking jacket from Dorie Wilson, that belonged to her father, David Devnew. Gemma Baker donated a sewing box. Jean Potetz rescued a delightful small brass iron from the Flea Market. It is heated by a piece of iron placed inside the iron. We are a very fortunate historical society, thanks to many generous donors.
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A Busy Spring for SBHS By Carol Laun
The Society recently participated in a tour of one room schools sponsored by the Historic Sites Committee of the Farmington Valley Tourism Bureau. Visitors to the Cooley School not only learned about the out of state outhouse, but were part of the program. Heather Tomasetti suggested gathering quotes from former one room students, which Carol Laun did, and Heather then created little booklets for the tour group. Everyone seemed to enjoy speaking the words of former Granby students with their tales of riding on the telephone lines with a board or after seeing a friend hide something in the school foundation, finding out the hard way that it was a muskrat trap. After lunch, the group met at the American Legion Hall. Jim Hall and the members of the Legion generously agreed to participate. Carol Laun described the three uses of the building from Universalist Church to a town school and finally the home of the American Legion. Pictures of the church and school were shared, along with the memories of a former teacher in the North Granby School. She recalled that the children “weren’t very bright” and that one student was sewed into his long underwear from late fall to early spring. In late May the second graders made their annual visit to the historical society and learned about Colonial life, experienced writing on slates and then with a quill pen, played with hoops and other wooden toys from the past, ending with a tour of c.1890 Granby in the tobacco barn. Downy Koch and her wonderful volunteers made history come to life for the children. In June, archivist Carol Laun spoke at the Senior Center program called “Lunch for the Mind.” She discussed the 14 smaller cemeteries in Granby, describing how carving and verses reflect the changing attitudes toward death. With the assistance of Cheryl Klemmer, one of the volunteer gravestone photographers, many photos of Granby gravestones illustrated the talk.
SBHS in the Memorial Day Parade!
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INTRODUCING OUR STUDENT GUIDE PROGRAM By Ginny Wutka When you visit the Society this summer please welcome our student guides(docents) as you tour the museums. We have been working with the Social Studies staff at Granby High School to develop this program. Under the direction of Social Studies Coordinator Mr. Scudder, the teachers presented our student/docent program to the students. We are now training four bright, enthusiastic students who will be working along with our member docents (and sometimes alone). Thanks to Archivist Carol Laun for updating all the information sheets on the history of Granby, the history of our buildings, but also information on items and artifacts in each room. These documents are the basis of our training program along with training the students in how to properly greet our Sunday guests who are visiting our museum. One of ournd students remembers when he came with his second grade class 9 years ago and that is what started his interest and passion for history.
2 Grade Tour
It has been my privilege to develop a training program for these students and will continue to work with them throughout the month of June and they will each work as guides several times during the summer months. If any of you are interested in joining our training program please let me know as you are most welcome.
Ginny Wutka (860-539-2556)
STUDENT $3.00 INDIVIDUAL $15.00 FAMILY/GROUP $20.00 SUSTAINING $30.00 LIFE MEMBERSHIP $300.00
Have you renewed your membership in the Salmon Brook Historical Society for the calendar year 2014? We have attempted to keep the dues at a reasonable level. If you haven’t renewed for this year or owe back dues, please send us a check. Your continued support is welcome and appreciated. To those of you who have already paid your dues, many thanks.
Send your name and address with a check made payable to: Salmon Brook Historical Society and send to the society at 208 Salmon Brook Street, P.O. Box 840, Granby, CT. 06035
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Salmon Brook Historical Society 208 Salmon Brook Street Granby, Connecticut 06035 860-653-9713 Or go to: www.salmonbrookhistorical.org Hours: Tuesday 9:00 to Noon Genealogical & Archival Research
Thursday 9:00 to Noon Thursday Morning Group Follow us on:
Granby, Connecticut 06035 PO Box 840 The Salmon Brook Historical Society
Calendar of Events Gas Engine Show Fall Flea Market Wassail Party
Who We Are Officers: Bill Ross, President Ken Kuhl, Vice President Bob Schrepf, Secretary Roger Hayes, Treasurer Carol Laun, Archivist and acting curator
Oct. 4 Oct. 18 Dec. 7
Board Members: Wayne Cahoon, Kevin Harter, Dave Laun, Lynn Lochhead, Phil Main, Karen McNey, John Morgan, Pat Sansone, Heather Tomasetti, Todd Vibert, Ginny Wutka, Rich Zlotnick
June 2014 Issue •SBHS Newsletter Publishing Committee Leila Hawken and Bob Schrepf •Layout: Ken Kuhl •Photography: Peter Dinella/Ken Kuhl