UPCOMING PROGRAMS
September 28th at 6:30 SMOKESTACKS TO MANSIONS: Connecticut’s Industrial Age & Gilded Age Families THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.
Come to an inspiring evening as Christina Volpe M.A., Ph.D. Candidate talks about the captivating history of Connecticut’s industrial growth and the opulent lives of Gilded Age families. This lecture takes you on a mesmerizing trip back in time, exploring the rise of industries including the silver industry and the lavish lifestyles of prominent families who left an indelible mark on our history. Click HERE to reserve your seat
September 30th at 1:00 PM Who’s Buried Where and Why Do We Care?
Welcome to our first annual series of walking tours, led by current and former MHS Board members.

Join us for our first of five Saturday walking tours this fall. On September 30th we will visit both Meeting House Hill and Broad Street Cemeteries which date from 1741 to 1771. Meeting House is located on Ann Street, east of where the original Meetinghouse stood and across from St Stanislaus Cemetery. Also known as Indian Cemetery or Dexter Street Cemetery it was the first burial ground in Meriden, although some Meriden people were buried in the mother town of Wallingford. This plot was only in use from 1727 to 1771. Winston Churchill’s 4th great-grandfather Timothy Jerome is buried here. The earliest intact marker is dated 1748. Please meet us at the entrance of Meeting House Hill promptly at 1:00 which is on the curve of Lydale. We will go to Broad Street after we complete Meeting House Hill.
Broad Street is located at 402 Broad Street. Since the Broad St. gate does not open you must enter through the High Street gate. The cemetery takes up a whole city block. It is the second oldest cemetery in Meriden and the Revolutionary War veterans are listed on a plaque attached to a boulder in the southeast corner.
Tours are approximately two hours long. Each tour is limited to 20 participants. Tickets are $10 for each individual tour. Registration is required and the cost is $10. Click here to reserve and pay for your spot.
October 1st at 1:00 PM- 4:00 PM The Suzio Story: Enterprise, Family, Philanthropy and Service Thriving in Meriden for 125 Years
Come to 41 W Main for a tribute to the Suzio Family and see not only the story of the Suzio family, but also pieces from their private collection. This exhibit will be open throughout October with special Sunday hours from 1:00-4:00 each Sunday in October.
Saturday Ocotber 1st Meriden Fast Forward Photography/Essay Contest
This is a photography contest open to the public in which participants must take a picture of a person, place or thing they think will be historically important 100 years from now. The pictures will be submitted on December 1st, along with a one-page explanation of why the photographer
thinks this person, place, or thing, would be worthy of historical recognition in 100 years. A complete set of rules as well as examples are available by emailing info@meridenhistsoc.org with a subject line of Fast Forward.
Saturday October 7th 1:00-3:00 Saturday Walking Tours – East Cemetary
Who’s Buried Where and Why Do We Care?
Join us for our second of five walking tours this fall. On October 7th we will visit East Cemetery focusing on the period starting in 1845. Meriden’s East Cemetery is the resting place of some notable residents. Veterans of the Revolutionary War and Civil War are buried there, as are at least three Meriden mayors.
Tours are approximately two hours long. Each tour is limited to 20 participants. Tickets are $10 for each individual tour. Registration is required
Saturday October 7th Spooky Stories 4-7 Reservations required. Join us as dusk arrives to listen to seasonal spooky stories. There are stories for children 8 and under, children 9 and up and adults. Children’s stories start promptly at 4:00 and 5:00. 6:00 is adult spooky stories! Please be sure to sign up for the correct time slot. If you are accompanying your child, you must reserve a ticket both for the child(ren) and yourself as space is limited. There will be a short activity for children after story time. Both the story and the activity should take about 45 minutes. This event is co-sponsored by the Meriden Pubic Library.
Office Hours at Our Main Location, 41 W. Main Street, downtown Meriden.
We are open to the public during the fall from September 5th through December 22nd at our Museum and History Center at 41 West Main Street at the following times:
Wednesday 9:00-3:00 no appointment needed
Friday 9:00 – 2:00 by appointment only (203-639-1913),
Thursday 3:00 – 8:00 with tours given at 4:00 & 6:00 on the second Thursday of the month.
Saturday 9:00-2:00 with tours given at 10:00 & 12:00 on the Sep 2, Oct 14, Nov 11 and Dec 2
Research: We are open to researchers at our History Center during our regular office hours (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) by appointment only. To schedule your research visit, please call at least 24 hours in advance. 203-639-1913.
Tours: Tours are approximately 45 minutes long. We strongly recommend making a reservation for your tour by calling 203-639-1913. Join us on the 4th Thursday of the month, for our regularly scheduled lecture series at 6:30 pm.
Andrews Homestead Fall Hours Please call us ahead of time to schedule your visit at hours not listed below. 203-639-1913.
Saturday October 7th Spooky Stories 4-7 Reservations required
Saturday November 4th Colonial Centerpiece Making Reservations and prepayment required
not available to reserve yet
Saturday December 9th Gingerbread House Making Reservations and prepayment required.
Supported by its volunteers, the Meriden Historical Society operates at two locations
The Meriden Historical Society’s Museum & History Center is our main office and research center. Located at 41 West Main Street, in the heart of Downtown Meriden. This historic building’s size and central location allows us to expand our public programs, exhibit more of our collections, welcome more researchers and visitors, and better tell the story of our community! To read more details about this location click HERE . To schedule a visit to our History Center, please call 203-639-1913.
The Andrews Homestead, 424 West Main Street, is one of the oldest homes in Meriden. Chock full of items from Meriden’s past, it is open to the public for special programs and events, and by appointment. Young and old (and in-between) are welcome!
We share a parking lot with the Benjamin Franklin elementary school. You may enter the parking lot through the do-not-enter entrance as long as it is not during school opening or dismissal time.
To set up a visit, please call our main office number: 203-639-1913.
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