Kiwanis Flags of Valor
November 2022
We invite you to Sponsor a Flag in Honor of a Veteran! In honor the upcoming Veteran’s Day, in honor and in memory of our Military Veterans and those men and women actively serving our country today, the Kiwanis Club Foundation of Greater Danbury, Inc. will erect the Kiwanis Flags of Valor on the New Milford Historical Society and the Town of New Milford’s lawn at the north end of the Green.
The Field of Valor will include at least 300 full size (3 foot by 5 foot) American flags and will be on display throughout November. All are invited to sponsor anyone they would like to HONOR with one of these keepsake flags. Your Honoree and sponsor name will be proudly displayed on a yellow ribbon with each flag.
Major sponsors will be identified with on-site signage and up to ten flags for their honorees. All proceeds support the efforts and the programs of the Kiwanis Club Foundation of Greater Danbury, Inc, 501c. We are a volunteer organization whose mission is "To serve the children of the world, one community at a time."
The Historical Society is happy to have this display on our property.
Our annual fund-raising medallion - The Merwinsville Hotel
October 2022
This year, the Annual fund-raising medallion depicts the Merwinsville Hotel.
The hotel, located on Brown’s Forge Road in Gaylordsville, was built by Sylvanus Merwin. It opened in 1843 as a meal and rest stop for passengers traveling between Bridgeport, CT and Pittsfield, MA.
The hotel is a National Historic landmark, and is one of the last standing station hotels east of the Mississippi. It has survived for 180 years, and the New Milford Historical Society is proud to feature this historic site as our 2022 medallion image.
You can purchase yours at the Museum, at the Roger Sherman Town Hall on the Green, at the Merwinsville Hotel, Robertson Jewelers, or Safari Collective.
The cost is $20 per medallion
COMMUNITY BAG PROGRAM
July 2022
The New Milford Historical Society has been selected as a beneficiary of the Stop & Shop Community Bag Program for the month of August.
The Stop & Shop Community Bag Program, which launched in May 2019, is a reusable bag program that facilitates community support with the goal to make a difference in the communities where shoppers live and work.
The New Milford Historical Society was selected as the August beneficiary of the program by store leadership at the Stop & Shop located at 180 Danbury Road. The New Milford Historical Society] will receive a $1 donation every time the $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at this location during the month of August, unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag attached to the bag.
This donation will greatly help the New Milford Historical Society earn some much needed funds.
The New Milford Historical Society is a nonprofit based downtown in New Milford, just north of the Green. We preserve New Milford’s history through our Museum.
A History of the Bull’s Bridge Hydroelectric Project
July 2022
Do you love history? Especially local history? We have the program for you!
Join Steve Jones and Zac Mirecki’s presentation on the amazing history of the Bulls Bridge project! This visual presentation will be accompanied by Steve and Zac’s history talk.Steve grew up in Naugatuck, the product of two ancient Yankee families from New England starting in 1640 in Salem and New Haven. He was an industrial engineer and ultimately landed in occupational safety & ergonomics. His main interest is in early power history, especially the development of electrical insulators. Steve has collected insulators for the past 40 years.Zac Mirecki grew up in Hebron, and was no stranger to flea markets and antique shows having been mentored by an original Brimfield dealer. He has a Master’s Degree in Library Science from Simmons College and over 5 years experience processing manuscript collections at the Connecticut Historical Society.Registration is encouraged: https://bit.ly/nmplAdultPrograms.
July 23, 6:00pm @ The Marsh Parish House (behind the First Congregational Church)
Register Your MHO Orb
July 2022
Yes! We are participating in the MHO 2022 Orb search again, this year. If you find an orb on the NMHS grounds, register it at www.merwinsvillehotel.org. If you find more than one, leave one for the next person! Some of the orbs are colored this year, pretty cool!
Juneteenth Programs Part II
June 2022
What is Juneteenth? (The National Museum of African American History and Culture, https://nmaahc.si.edu/juneteenth)“On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas. He informed the enslaved African Americans of their freedom and that the Civil War had ended. This momentous occasion has been celebrated as Juneteenth — a combination of June and 19 — for over 150 years.”Throughout history, Juneteenth has been known by other names, including Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day. Juneteenth has been observed with prayer and religious services, speeches, educational events, picnics, and festivals.
On June 14 and 23, 2022, there will be a special 2 part programming collaboration between the New Milford Public Library and The New Milford Historical Society and Museum in remembrance of Juneteenth.
Norm Cummings, New Milford resident, member of the Board of the Historical Society and Museum, reporter, and local historian, in 2021 recorded interviews with 7 present and former New Milford residents for an Oral History project. This project was created alongside a permanent exhibit at The Museum, The Black Experience in New Milford, curated by Lisa Roush. A member of The New Milford Youth Agency, Dylan Heydet, performed the taping and editing of this project. These oral histories can be found on YouTube, the trailer can be watched using this link
Part 2 of the program will be held on June 23 from 7:00pm-8:30pm, at The New Milford Historical Society and Museum, 6 Aspetuck Ave, New Milford.
The Museum will be especially open to program registrants. Museum curator Lisa Roush, will offer a welcome to the Museum, a brief overview of the exhibit, The Black Experience in New Milford. This permanent exhibit, chronicles the history of Blacks in the United States from the time of slavery, through the Revolutionary and World Wars, and the journey from Reconstruction to the Great Migration and the Civil Rights Movement. Connecticut and New Milford are the focal points of each historic event with the highlighting of Black military members, leaders, and the many contributions made by Black New Milford citizens. Small groups will be invited to walk through the Museum with a docent offering an opportunity to view the general collection in addition to the, Black Experience in New Milford, permanent exhibit. Registration is required and limited for this special program. Register online at: https://bit.ly/nmplprograms or call: 860-355-1191 for assistance with registration.
