PRESENTATIONS

Upcoming Presentations

Thursday 6/29 6:30

STONE BREAKER AND THE HANGING HILLS

Join us at the Historical Society to hear Kathleen Housley, author of Stone Breaker: James Gates Percival and the Beginning of Geology in New England.  She will be sharing the life of James Gates Percival. His love of the Hanging Hills was lifelong. It was his realization that the Hanging Hills were volcanic and far older than 6,000 years, the presumed age of the Earth during his time, that helped push geology forward as a science in New England.

Admission is free to members. Suggested donation is $10.00 for non-members.

Please contact the office to reserve your seat (203-639-1913) or by email: info@MeridenHistSoc.org or click HERE to reserve online.

Thursday 7/27 6:30   

SPARES, STRIKES and GUTTER BALLS

Join us at the Historical Society to hear Art Dutra and Tony Ezzo.  They will be sharing the history of bowling in Meriden and unveiling the model of  the Ezzo Building.

Admission is free to members. Suggested donation is $10.00 for non-members.

Please contact the office to reserve your seat (203-639-1913) or by email: info@MeridenHistSoc.org or click HERE to reserve online.

 There is no Thursday evening presentation in August

Always Available

Members of the society are available to speak to your school or organization on any of the following topics:

Past Presentations

  • 9/12/17 The 1916 Mexican Punitive Expedition With David Corrigan
  • 4/8/14 Open Salts by Lesley Solkoske  Open Salts, both Meriden’s and others.
  • 3/11/14 Jedediah Wilcox by Brian Cofrancesco. Jedediah Wilcox, his legacy and the history of his mansion.
  • 11/12/13 ‘Saving the Farm’ book signing and presentation by author James Powers.

These programs were co-sponsored by and were presented at the Meriden Public Library, 105 Miller St. Meriden, CT.

    • Sundays in May 2018 – AT THE ANDREWS HOMESTEAD: TEA SERVICE FROM THE SOCIETY’S INTERNATIONAL SILVER COMPANY COLLECTION
    • Sundays in October 2017 – AT THE ANDREWS HOMESTEAD: COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE THE DIGITAL AGE
    • Sundays in October 2013 – AT THE ANDREWS HOMESTEAD: MERIDEN’S POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS 

October’s exhibit at the Andrews Homestead features the history of the Meriden police and fire departments. Curator Allen Weathers is displaying the Society’s collection of photos, trophies, uniforms and other memorabilia of the police and fire departments of Meriden.

    • October 8, 2013 – PARANORMAL – INVESTIGATING THE ANDREWS HOMESTEAD  at the Meriden Public Library.

Adam Sheft is the founder and director of Northeast Paranormal Investigations Society. They are a professional team working with historical societies throughout the Northeast. Northeast Paranormal conducts programs for historical societies to assist in raising attention and historical awareness of their properties.

    • Sundays in May 2013 –  AT THE ANDREWS HOMESTEAD:  CURATOR’S CHOICE

Our May exhibit will be a chance for our curator Allen Weathers to showcase a fantastic collection of items from his varied interests. We are always amazed and appreciative of his broad knowledge not only of Meriden itself, but of ordinary things used in Meriden over the years. Come to the Andrews Homestead any Sunday during May from 11am to 3pm and be ready for a “treat”.

    • April 30, 2013 - THE BLIZZARD OF ’78 (1978 that is!) – at the Meriden Public Library.

Co-Sponsored by and presented at the Meriden Public Library, 105 Miller St Meriden, CT 06450.
Author Michael Tougias will present a narrated slide presentation of “The Blizzard of ’78″.  Mr. Tougias chronicles the period before the storm then follows its progression, causing commuter nightmares and incredible devastation. An in-depth analysis comparing this blizzard to the Great Blizzard of 1888 is also included.

    • March  2013:  INDIAN WARS IN CONNECTICUT - at the Meriden Public Library.

Connecticut has generally been seen as a bucolic, rather quiet state. But early in its history, the state saw bloody battles, both between Native American tribes and between natives and colonists. The program, presented by David Koch, a historian and an Assistant Professor of History at Housatonic Community College, will center on two major Indian wars of the period: the Pequot-Mohegan War and King Philip’s War. It will also deal in part with the battle fought in Fairfield that ended the Pequot-Mohegan War in 1637. The talk will present a lesser-known aspect of history of our region and our state, which in turn profoundly affected the history of Colonial America.

    • November 13, 2012 – LECTURE AND BOOK-SIGNING –  at the Meriden Public Library.

Christopher Pagliuco, a freelance writer and a high-school history teacher in Madison, CT, will present his recently-published book, “The Great Escape of Edward Whalley and William Goffe: Smuggled Through Connecticut.”

  • Sundays in October 2012 – At the Andrews Homestead: THE CIVIL WAR –  Open House & Exhibit, from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.
  • Sundays in May 2012 – BRADLEY AND HUBBARD  MANUFACTURING COMPANY (B&H)  at the Andrews Homestead, Sundays from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • April 10th 2012: The History of X-rays  presented by Dr Sherwin Borsuk.
  • March 13th 2012: Ghostly Photographs in the Andrews Homestead by Julie Griffin.
  • November 8th 2011: WWII Pilot Jim Fontana talks of his experiences in the Second World War.
  • Sundays in October 2011: One Person’s Collection of Meriden Memorabilia at the Andrews Homestead.
  • October 11th 2011: Document Preservation at the Meriden Public Library.
  • September 17th 2011: Tea Party at 1 pm at the Andrews Homestead .