UPCOMING EVENTS:
CT Open House Day:
Saturday, June 11, 2022
11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Meriden Historical Society History Center
41 W. Main Street – Meriden
Free admission. Donations gratefully accepted.
Our June Program Presentation will feature Sylvester Poli Theater Magnate, his life and involvement in Meriden. Presented by Michael J. Zaffino.
Thursday, June 30th at 6:30 pm at the Society’s History Center
41 w. Main St., downtown Meriden
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GRAND OPENING REPORT
More than 200 people attended our 2-day grand opening celebration. The event would have not been the success it was if not for the dedicated volunteers – those who unpacked, cleaned, set up displays organizing all those items moved from the research center and those who organized the event itself. Such activities
included ordering tablecloths, enlisting sponsors to cover the cost of the opening night gala event, sending out invitations, lining up antique cars and setting up ice cream give-away coupons. Thank you goes to the Gala Committee: Lesley Carabetta, Deborah Patterson, Mike Rohde, Ric Suzio, Michael Zaffino and Mark Zebora. Another thank you goes to our worker-bee volunteers who prepared the building and the displays for the event: Chris Ruel, and Lesley Carabetta, Michael Zaffino, Barbara Austen, Sherwin Borsuk, Paul Butkus, A. Lee Campione, Rick Dickson, Lewis Kraft, Anna-Marie Lamontagne, Hunter McMahon, Deborah Patterson, Nancy Rohde, Bruce Rovinsky, Stacey Rovinsky, Lesley Solkoske and Phil Toussaint.
Heartfelt thanks to Eversource, Barker Specialty, Sherwin and Ruth Borsuk, Community Health Center, Inc., Cox Communications, Hot and Tasty Deli, Meriden Farmers Market, Meriden Puerto Rican Festival Committee, Meriden YMCA, Prentis Printing Solutions, Inc., Thompson Chocolate and the Record Journal fgor sponsoring the event and to all who came and made the grand opening truly grand.
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WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS:
Joshua Dumitt – Meriden, CT
David Grodzicki – Meriden, CT
Elizabeth Horan – Meriden, CT
Christine Ivers – Meriden, CT
David Ivers – Meriden, CT
Brian Lamphier – Middlefield, CT
Macri Enterprises LLC – Meriden, CT
The Donna & Frank Nedelka family – Meriden, CT
Sound Spectrum Entertainment of Wallingford CT
Robert W. Squire and Family of Meriden, CT
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IN MEMORIAM:
Gladys (Mike) Beloff
Vincent (Vinny) Spratta
Both were long time members of the Meriden Historical Society.
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WE THANK OUR CORPORATE SUPPORTERS
Jonal Laboratories
456 Center St., Meriden CT 06451
203-634-4444
Macri Enterpises, LLC
387 South Colony St.,
Meriden, CT 06451
203-600-5075
Mahon, Quinn & Mahon, P.C.
636 Broad St., Meriden, CT 06450
203-238-1010
Meriden Memorial Funeral Home
450 Broad St., Meriden, CT 06450
203-235-9181
Mule Security & Electric Inc.
113 Broad St., Meriden, CT 06450
203-238-7561
www.mulesecurity.com
New England Capital
Financial Advisors LLC
79 Main St., Meriden, CT 06451
203-935-0265
Plimpton & Hills Corp.
300 Research Pkwy, Meriden CT 06450
860-694-9180
The Russell Hall Company
19 N. George St., Meriden, CT 06451
203-235-6391
Sound Spectrum Entertainment
25 No. Plains Hwy
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-317-7129
Rozz1@aol.com
Suzio Insurance Center, Inc.
54 Chamberlain Hwy., Meriden, CT 06451
203-237-7403
Tuxis Ohr’s Fuel
80 Britannia St. Meriden, CT 06451
203-639-3513
Valentin Karate
75 S. Colony St. Meriden, CT 06450
203-238-0427
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IN RECOGNITION OF THE GENEROSITY OF OUR GRAND OPENING GALA SPONSORS
Our Title Sponsor:
EVERSOURCE
Our Gold Sponsor
BARKER SPECIALTY
800-277-5377
Our Silver Sponsors
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, Inc.
860-347-6971
COX COMMUNICATIONS
844-486-1256
HOT AND TASTY DELI
203-235-3190
MERIDEN FARMERS MARKET
https://www.meridenct.gov/visit/meriden-farmers-market/
860-841-0888
MERIDEN PUERTO RICAN FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
https://www.facebook.com/MeridenPuertoRicanFest/
MERIDEN YMCA
203-235-6386
PRENTIS PRINTING SOLUTIONS, Inc.
http://www.prentisprinting.com/
203-634-1266
THOMPSON CHOCOLATE
https://thompsonchocolate.com/
203-235-2541
Our Media Sponsor
THE RECORD-JOURNAL
https://www.myrecordjournal.com/
203-634-3933
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SPOTLIGHT ON A VOLUNTEER: Lesley Solkoske
How did you get involved with the Meriden Historical Society?
The catalogs from the silver companies are what drew me to the Historical Society. I had been collecting antique open salts since childhood but purchased my first one made in Meriden in Snohomish, WA in 1985. Shortly after that, I spent one happy afternoon at the Andrews Homestead pouring over catalogs that Allen Weathers (Curator of the MHS and a walking encyclopedia of all that is Meriden) patiently pulled out for me. At that time, I think they were all still in boxes in one of the upstairs rooms. At the end of the day, I discovered I didn’t have correct change to pay for Xerox copies, so I gave Allen $20 to pay for the copies and a membership. When my work hours changed, I was able to take Wednesday afternoons off. I spent those afternoons for the next 2-1/2 years going through all the catalogs, researching my salt collection. It was the best part of my week!
What activities have you helped with during your volunteer time?
At the end of the 2-1/2 years, I figured it was time to give back and asked Allen what I could do to help. He gave me a project collating 50 categories of the businesses in the city directories. I remember at the time thinking that no one would ever use the reference, but I have been amazed at how many times we have turned to that research for answers. The next big job was continuing to sort and organize the books in the library, after the previous volunteer was unable to continue. (The MHS holds a collection that deals with anything related to Meriden and the books written by Meriden authors.) It has proven to be an ongoing project.
Over the years, I have helped with packing and moving twice, driven a sag wagon during a parade, learned how to create a PowerPoint presentation, and been a Board member and held offices of Vice President and President. Other jobs have included doing inventory, filing, taking photos, researching telephone and mail requests, and hosting a fundraiser tea at the Homestead. There are so many ways for volunteers to help out, but for me, the best part is the researching. I love going through all the wonderful old catalogs.
When you are not helping out at the MHS, what other things do you enjoy doing?
When not at the Historical Society, I enjoy reading, knitting, and playing bridge. But my big passion is still collecting open salts. When I bought that first one back in 1985, I thought there might be a dozen or so made in Meriden. Today I have 450 – mostly silver-plated ones, but also some sterling, cut glass, and porcelain. With the catalog research, I have been able to identify and date many, which is importation information for collectors. Open salts were only a small fraction of the production of the silver companies. We are very fortunate to have such a rich manufacturing history in our town and the Historical Society to preserve it.
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