208 Salmon Brook Street Granby, Connecticut, 06035
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June, 2015
Summer Exhibits at the Salmon Brook Historical Society Steppin’ Out! Of Lace, Trim, Ruffles and Fringe Have you ever wondered what Granby women used to wear for an evening dancing the Charleston with their favorite fellow, or to an afternoon gathering with the ladies, a wassail party in Hartford or to dinner and a movie perhaps? Spanning the years from the 1890s through the 1930s, the eight dresses on exhibit this summer at the Salmon Brook Historical Society allow a glimpse into women’s fashion over the years. Stop by some Sunday and take a walk back through time.
“Be Prepared!” to see a vintage Boy Scout exhibit Kurt Bryant, a First Class Scout and troop historian in Troop #125 in Granby, has an exhibit of Boy Scout memorabilia in the Preservation Barn. The items on display will bring back happy memories to former scouts. Parts of the exhibit are on loan from local citizens and visitors are encouraged to lend their vintage scouting equipment. Included in the display is a journal with a sign that says, “What is your favorite scouting memory?”
Marking the End of the Civil War In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s end, we have on display once again in the Preservation Barn Estelle H. Holcomb’s Stars and Stripes Quilt. Made in 1861, Estelle H. Holcomb of West Granby was 17 years old when she made this quilt from a pattern published in the July 1861 issue of Peterson’s Magazine. If you have never seen her quilt, it’s a Granby treasure you won’t want to miss! We are now open for tours on Sunday afternoons from 2:00-4:00 through September 27. Members are free. Non-member admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children and seniors.
Spring Flea Market (see page 5)
Textiles Report (see page 7)
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Archivist’s Report by Carol Laun, Archivist and Acting Curator
We have been busy! The ceiling in the Rowe House toy room has had the plaster repaired and painted by Amos Carpenter of Granville. Several out-of-state researchers visited to search our archives for family genealogy information. The Granby Camera Club met at the Society June 6 to take both interior and exterior photographs. The Society Museum Store is reprinting our 1865 Granby maps and also our book The Holcomb Collection. Heather Tomasetti volunteered many hours on this project which, due to changes in computer technology, needed to be scanned and painstakingly proof-read before reprinting.
In Memoriam With sadness we note the loss of the following members and friends of the Salmon Brook Historical Society. Their support strengthened the Society immeasurably; their generosity of spirit will forever encourage us onward.
•Bob Burke •Sandy Schupp •Ed Janssen •Norman Ingham •David Hildreth 2
THE SECOND GRADERS CAME ! On two hot and humid mornings 163 second graders came to visit our Museum. What a wonderful time we had. Our second graders study Granby history and then take a field trip to reinforce what they have learned. Thank you, Downy Koch, for coordinating and handling all the details ―and there are many details to make this such a wonderful trip. Special thanks to our Kearns School liaison teacher, Mrs. Bush, for making this trip so successful. The children visited rooms in the Abijah Rowe house, spent time in the Preservation Barn, “attended school” in our school house, practiced writing their name with a turkey feather quill pen (no ink spills) and played outdoor games of the type children played in the late 1700’s. The children have each been given a “pass” to come back again this summer with their families to look at things that interested them but that time limitations wouldn’t allow them to study properly (the school bus always comes to pick them up too soon). The children and their families will not be required to pay admission fees for these future visits ― a wonderful way to keep children interested in our town’s history and to introduce their parents to our museums. Thanks to Ellen Cunha, Paul Dewey, Bert Dinella, Downy Koch, Jim and Roxanne Rosano, Ginny Wutka, and Roger Young for enthusiastically working with the children on both days. Thank you, Carol Laun, for your guidance along the way, from planning to completion.
Newsletter Delivered By E-mail? The Historical Society’s board wants to know if there is 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. At this point, we’re just gauging interest. 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.
Have you renewed your membership in the Salmon Brook STUDENT $3.00 INDIVIDUAL $15.00 Historical Society for the calendar year 2015? We have attempted to keep the dues at a reasonable level. If you FAMILY/GROUP $20.00 SUSTAINING $30.00 haven’t renewed for this year or owe back dues, please send us a LIFE MEMBERSHIP $300.00 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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A Letter From the President
It has now been six weeks since I was elected President of the Salmon Brook Historical Society and what the Society has accomplished in that time is a testament to the strength of our volunteer organization. I was installed as President on April 21st at our annual meeting, an event that required volunteer effort to set up the meeting, arrange for a venue and dinner, provide for appetizers, and seek out a guest speaker for our entertainment. That was followed up by our spring Flea Market, held under threatening skies on May 16th. Of course the efforts leading up to the Flea Market began well before I became President with Dave Laun recruiting vendors and were in full swing as I stepped into the office to find volunteers receiving and pricing items for sale. The week before the actual event required putting up tents, marking off vendor spaces and parking areas, purchasing donuts, hot dogs, buns, etc. The Flea Market itself began before most of us got out of bed, with vendors lined up by 6 a.m. and it concluded around 5 p.m. after the last vendor departed. Despite the threatening skies, the Market was successful by historic measures. After a short respite, it was back to “business” at 8 a.m. on May 18th, attending our quarterly Investment Committee meeting, called by committee Chairman Phil Main and presented by Thomas Sullivan of Morgan Stanley. Shortly after that, outgoing President Bill Ross met with the folks at the Senior Center to get a preview of what would be provided for our Wednesday night book event and what we needed to do to clean up after ourselves and lock the doors. Then at 7 p.m. we held our monthly Board Meeting, heard reports, and discussed potential and ongoing projects. So ended May 18th. On May 20th we hosted a Book Presentation at the Senior Center by Lesley J. Gordon, author of “A Broken Regiment – The 16th Connecticut’s Civil War”. Again, leading up to this event volunteers secured the venue, arranged for dessert and beverages, identified ticket sellers and other support. A special “thank you” to Karen McNey who prepared ads and arranged for maximum exposure in a myriad of print, electronic, and visual locations. Ms. Gordon’s presentation focused the elements that led to the Regiment’s lack of success and was well received by all in attendance. The month of May concluded with carrying the Society’s banner in the Memorial Day parade. My wife and I were deeply honored to have done so. Thanks to Mother Nature for holding off the rain and to Spencer Vibert for following our Society’s banner with his Model T Ford. As the month of June began, I drafted a letter to the Planning and Zoning Commission expressing the Society’s concerns about a proposed amendment to Granby’s Zoning Regulations as it would affect Salmon Brook Street. I am now writing my first “Letter from the President” for our quarterly newsletter, an effort that is coordinated by Bob Schrepf and involves many volunteers in writing, picking up the printed copies, as well as mailing and sending out via email. I will say this many times during my term, but a big thank you to all volunteers who make our society the successful organization it is now and has been since it was formed. Richard Zlotnick
Memorial Day Parade 2015
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Spring Flea Market Slow to Start, But Equal to Last Year This year’s spring flea market was a quiet surprise. Heading into May 16th, the weather forecast was showers or at least rain until late morning. We had a little rain at 4:30 and some between 6 and 6:30. After that it stopped raining. The rain scared a few vendors away as we had 42 signed up and 38 came. The first vendor showed up at 5:05 and at 6:30 we only had twelve vendors waiting to get to their spaces. Not only were the vendors slow getting to the flea market, but so too were the general public as it did not get really busy until 10:30 a.m. When the public did come, they stayed and made many trips to their cars with merchandise. There were many other things going on during this weekend such as the Brimfield Flea Market and a road race in Suffield; the South Church had their plant sale, and numerous households around town were having their own tag sales, including one right across the street from the firehouse. Despite the weather and the other activities in town and surrounding towns, the Society made $4,100 for the day. We did very well in the Preservation Barn as the sales there made fifty percent of our revenue. Those of you who were pricing the “hot goods” we sold, as well as the volunteers who worked in and out of the Preservation Barn, did an absolutely outstanding job. Those two groups of volunteers were terrific that day and I certainly thank you for your great work! I also want to thank all those members, who donated items to the Flea Market, so we could sell them in the Preservation Barn. Finally, thank you once again to our neighbors, the Lost Acres Fire Department, for allowing us to use their back field for parking. The show started to wind down at 3:30 and many vendors were gone by 4:30 with the last one leaving by 6:30. Below are the statistics of this year’s spring show compared to last year’s show. Below that chart are all the volunteers who helped make this spring show a very quiet success. I thank all those who volunteered and as I have written before: the more volunteers, the more successful the show.
Flea Market Treasures For Sale Flea Market organizers kept four items out of the Flea Market and hope to sell them separately. We have a horse-drawn sleigh that does not have a Granby background. We are replacing it with a sleigh from the Griffin family. We also have a beautiful mandolin in its original case. It is in perfect condition, has inlaid wood decoration and was probably made in Italy. A large, rare print of Abraham Lincoln, in its original frame, is also available. Finally, there is a c.1920 steamer trunk in excellent condition. It is flat-topped with wood slats and brass trim. If you are interested, call the Society at 860-653-9713.
More Flea Market Recap (page 6)
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Financial Breakdown of Event ITEM Preservation Barn sales Vendors Vendor sales Food sales Hot Dogs sold Mrs. Murphy’s donuts Bushy Hill Donuts Cans of Soda sold Assorted Chips
SPRING 2014 $2,164 41 $1,555 $940 208 10 dozen (sold out) N/A 114 30 bags sold
SPRING 2015 $2,038 38 $1,456 $969 203 10 dozen (sold out) 2 dozen ( sold out) 89 30 bags sold
It’s All About the Volunteers! Volunteers who made this show terrific and helped raise more money for the Salmon Brook Historical Society: Carol Laun, Dave Laun, Jim Glenney, John Horr, Howard Berg, Dick Potetz, Roxanne Rosano, Jim Rosano, Ruth Robinson, Ellen Cunha, Marilyn Nystrom, Edith Wilhelm, Shirley Davidson, Bert Dinella, Sally Markey, Roger Hayes, Vinnie Secord, Nancy Ross, Bill Ross, Bob Schrepf, Sandy Christensen, Ann St. John, Lynn Lochhead, Pat Vibert, Lucy Holcombe, Paul Sawin, Regina Landesberg, Karen Antonucci, Mike Antonucci, Phil Main, Andy Main, Paul Dewey, George Bronsord, Bob Giles, Peg Giles, Heather Tomasetti, Dave Bernard, Diane Hernsdorf, Roger Hernsdorf, Lisa Vibert, Taylorann Vibert, Rory Conroy, Eric Conroy, Kevin Harter, Mary Zlotnick, and Rich Zlotnick. Students for Community Service Hours: Griffin Barrows and Colin Kaczka.
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What’s Happening in Textiles — by Jean Potetz
In the weeks since our last newsletter, we’ve been working on our summer exhibit, Steppin’ Out! Of Lace, Trim, Ruffles and Fringe. If you’re at all interested in fashion, you’re going to want to stop by and see it. We have eight lovely “Steppin’ Out!” dresses on display spanning the years between 1890-1930s. Amanda the Mannequin is really quite fashionable in her beautiful wine gown and feathery hat (which is worth the visit all by itself!), and one of the larger dolls from the Toy Room has been brought downstairs to model a lovely little girl’s dress of white pique cotton and eyelet trim. Various accessories are also on display. The Victorian Parlor provides the perfect backdrop for some of these gowns while others are placed throughout the downstairs rooms in the Rowe House. If you are interested in quilts and/or the Civil War, Estelle Holcomb’s Stars and Stripes Quilt will be on display in the Preservation Barn to mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s end. Seventeen-year-old Estelle H. Holcomb of West Granby made this historic quilt in 1861. Most of these items are on display for the first time and most will not be seen again for many years. You can read about the entire summer exhibit elsewhere in this newsletter. Now that the exhibit is complete, our goal of boxing and storing the Collection will resume. It is a lengthy process but progress continues. Many thanks to Bert Dinella, Betsy Hennebry, Lucille Ladden, Sally Markey, Pam Palmer, Patty Sansone, and Ginny Wutka for all their help with Textiles.
WILL YOU BE PART OF OUR SUMMER SEASON AT SBHS? An exciting summer tour schedule is planned at the Society. In addition to our normal wonderful displays preserving Granby’s history, we will offer special exhibits. Steppin’ Out and “Scouts Be Prepared” are two special, newly-assembled exhibits sure to attract lots of visitors. We need help in presenting our collections and exhibits to the general public. Summer tours run on Sundays from 2-4 p.m., from June through September. If you have never helped with tours before, we provide training and you will always be with an experienced guide who will show you how it’s done. We need volunteer house guides, barn guides, greeters, people to help us lock and unlock and also folks to help with advertising. Thanks to those of you--experienced and new--who have offered to help. Please identify one or two Sunday afternoons this summer when you could volunteer. This activity is a good chance to meet local people as well as summer tourists. Please call or email Ginny Wutka 860-539 2556 or ginny@lostacres.com to join our team of happy Sunday afternoon volunteers.
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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 Summer Exhibits Sundays, June 7—Sept. 27 Fall Flea Market, Oct. 17 Wassail Party, Dec. 6
Who We Are Officers: Rich Zlotnick, President Todd Vibert, Vice President Roger Hayes, Treasurer Bob Schrepf, Secretary Carol Laun, Archivist and Acting Curator
Board Members: Wayne Cahoon, Ellen Cunha, Kevin Harter, Ken Kuhl, Dave Laun, Lynn Lochhead, Phil Main, Karen McNey, John Morgan, Bill Ross, Pat Sansone, Heather Tomasetti
June 2015 Issue •SBHS Newsletter Publishing Committee Leila Hawken and Bob Schrepf •Layout: Ken Kuhl •Photography: Peter Dinella