Ring in the Holidays

Collectible Tea Bell Now Available

Add a touch of the past to your holiday celebrations and support the Chatham Historical Society at the same time. Our holiday tea bell, which features the historic Comstock Bridge, is now available for purchase. Each tea bell costs $3.

Purchase your bell at the East Hampton Public Library, the Town Clerk's Office, The Village Merchant, or from Society members.

About the Comstock Bridge

Over the Salmon River SE of East Hampton and north of Route 16, the Comstock Bridge was built in 1873 and served travelers as the main road between Colchester and Middletown. Now a public park, the bridge is a well-preserved example of the Howe truss, an innovative design patented in 1840. The 30 foot long cast span is significant in its own right as the only remaining example in Connecticut of an enclosed wooden pony truss. The bridge was renovated in the 1930’s, 1970’s and again in the 1990’s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, the bridge was rededicated on May 19, 1996.

2009 Calendar Now Available

Look Familiar?
Pictured left: The Carrier and O'Connell Blocks; Main Street, East Hampton, looking north. The photograph was taken from the Airline Railroad trestle, which once crossed over Main Street.

The Chatham Historical Society annually publishes a calendar; each offers a photographic journey through East Hampton history. The 2009 edition again includes a glorious selection of archive photographs held by the Society. This year, the Society celebrates the spirit, force and variety of businesses and business owners who served our community in years past.

Whether you have lived in town for a few or many years, the calendar provides an inexpensive way to explore the history of our town month-by-month and throughout the year. It can be a great tool to teach your kids how different buildings have been used over the years or it can provide a touch point to those of you who remember when...

Calendars cost $7 and are available for purchase at the East Hampton Public Library, the Town Clerk's Office, The Village Merchant, or from Society members. If you are an out-of-state resident and wish to purchase a calendar, mail your $7 check, payable to the Chatham Historical Society, to S. Doran/CHS, 60 Colchester Av., East Hampton, CT 06424.

Society to Honor East Hampton Veterans

History Made Local, Vibrant and Real

The Chatham Historical Society will honor our local veterans with a special day of exhibits and memorabilia. The Society will have an Open House on Sunday, November 2 from 2 - 4 p.m. Both the museum and 1840 one room schoolhouse on Bevin Boulevard will be open to the public.

Items on display will include several uniforms from local veterans of World War II, medals, commendations, newspaper articles and many photographs from World I, World War II and the Civil War. Please stop by and pay tribute to our local heroes.

Society Sponsors Village Center Walking Tour

A Walk Back in Time: Local History Made Real
The Chatham Historical Society is sponsoring an informal Walking Tour of the East Hampton Village Center on Sunday, October 19th from 1PM to 2PM. Please join us for a walk back in time and learn about the proud and glorious history of the center of 'our little village'. Picture shown: Main Street looking north, circa 1907

Your Tour Guides and the Tour
Kate Morris and Ann Rita Clark will lead the tour. Join us and get a feel for how familiar structures located in the center of the Belltown National Historic District have been used over the years. Find out where Hitchcock's Pharmacy was, as well as the Buckland and Barton General Store and Post Office. Learn about Siebert's Opera House, Siegal's Dry Goods, Barton Drug Store and Louis James' Candy Kitchen to name a few more.

Our Walking Tour offers a wonderful and unique opportunity for new residents to learn about the history of the Village Center and for life-long residents to share their recollections and stories with others. All are welcomed to join in what promises to be an afternoon of making local history come alive. (Dare we mention? Walking is also good exercise!)

Where to Park
Walking Tour participants are asked to park at the Society's museum complex located at 6 Bevin Boulevard. The complex will be open to visitors from 2 PM to 4 PM. Cider and light refreshments will be served outside on the deck.

For more information, please call 860-267-8953.

Chatham Historical Society Sponsors Historic House Tour

Support the CHS and Enjoy the Beauty and Grace of Fine Architecture
East Hampton's Chatham Historical Society is offering an Historic House Tour on Saturday, September 27. The tour is major fundraising event for the Society; we look forward to your interest and support.

Special Feature
St. Clements Castle: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM ONLY
The tour will begin with an hour at St. Clements Castle located at 1931 Portland-Cobalt Road. A tour of the castle, the gardens, and view of the Connecticut River will end with coffee on the terrace. The tour of this 16th century-style castle will be begin at the main entrance and be led by Reverend Edward Doherty, the founding trustee of St. Clements Castle.

From 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Chatham Historical Society Complex Tour
The tour will continue with visits to the Historical Society's three-building museum complex and six other homes. The Society's property consists of a reconstructed One-Room Schoolhouse, a new museum building, and a renovated portable building. They house an extensive Gong Bell and N.N. Hill toy collection, a representative bell collection celebrating 100 years of bell manufacturing in 'Belltown U.S.A.' as well as many other artifacts from our country's historical past. A new addition this year is a display of memorabilia from the late Governor William A. O'Neill.

Home Tour
The tour of homes includes a 1700's colonial, retaining a tap-room tavern and river view; a renovated horse barn made into a charming residence; an early 1800's colonial with original features; a fabulous reproduction post and beam home; a restored Victorian mansion, and a pre-Revolutionary War colonial farm house.

Ticket Information
Each ticket costs $15 and may be purchased in advance at the East Hampton Town Hall, East Hampton Public Library, or by calling 860-267-8953 or 860-267-4732. The day of the tour, tickets may be purchased at the Historical Society complex at 6 Bevin Boulevard, across from East Hampton Center School.

Old Home Days Just Around the Corner

All About Community... Not About Money... But Still a Chance to Be a Winner in Every Way
The 2008 Old Home Days Glorious Celebration will be held on July 10, 11, and 12, 2008, on the Center School Grounds located at 7 Summit Street in East Hampton. Events include a Saturday Parade -- the largest parade in Middlesex County -- a spectacular Carnival, a 5K Road Race, free entertainment - music and dancing, great food, raffles, and much, much more!

During Old Home Days, the Chatham Historical Society offers for raffle its Lottery Tree, carefully and colorfully decorated with the latest in Connecticut State Lottery tickets. Buying a raffle ticket to "examine the ornaments" is an effortless way to help the Society raise funds needed to support museum operations. And who knows? You may win more than the satisfaction of helping keep local history a part of our lives.

For more information about Old Home Days, or to offer your time to making this all volunteer 2008 event a memory in the making, contact the Old Home Day Committee.

Antique Children's Chairs Subject of Upcoming Talk

"Little Chairs for Little Buns"

Arthur Liverant of Nathan Liverant & Son will give a presentation on antique children's chairs on Tuesday May 6, 2008 at the East Hampton Center School. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Please take this opportunity to support the Chatham Historical Society's efforts to offer high quality, history-related programs presented by experts in their field.

About Nathan Liverant & Son
Arthur Liverant is the third generation to operate Nathan Liverant & Sons, an antique shop located in Colchester CT. Liverant and his family have been actively dealing in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century American furniture, paintings, silver, glass and related accessories since 1920. Mr. Liverant's regularly lectures at historical society meetings, antique shows, and in his shop. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Antique Dealers Association of America.