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Welcome to your free bi-weekly newsletter from Connecticut Explored with the latest stories, the newest Grating the Nutmeg podcast, programs and exhibitions from our partners to see/watch this month, and more!
Sitelines: Restoring the Gallaudet Monument
Christina Volpe describes restoration as not just the act of fixing what is broken but also “a pledge to remember and share a story that is as vital today as it was centuries ago.” In 1814, Reverend Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet met Alice Cogswell, the deaf daughter of his neighbor, Dr. Mason Cogswell, and a deaf French teacher, Laurent Clerc. Inspired by these encounters, Gallaudet, with the help of Cogswell and Clerc, founded the United States’ first continuously operating school for deaf people. The American School for the Deaf, located then in Hartford, CT, became the birthplace of American Sign Language and transformed education for deaf people nationwide. A monument was built in 1854 at the school in honor of Gallaudet’s contribution to ASL and deaf education. Crafted by deaf artist John Carlin, the monument stood at 20 ft tall with intricate sculptures and a carving that spelled “Gallaudet” in ASL manual alphabet. Unfortunately, within 20 years of its construction, the monument fell into disrepair. The school dismantled the monument in 1919 when moving its campus to West Hartford.
After decades of being stored away and mostly forgotten, Conservator Francis Miller was tasked with restoring the monument after some pieces were discovered on campus in the early 2000s. After years of careful and detailed work and the support of skilled Deaf artists, the fully restored monument was unveiled in April 2022 on the West Hartford campus. The monument now stands both in honor of Gallaudet and as a celebration of the Deaf community who contributed to its restoration.
Read the entire story with your Connecticut Explored subscription.
In the Tornado’s Path: Bridgeport’s Barnum Museum
The “Great American Showman,” P.T. Barnum established a museum in his name in Bridgeport, CT over 130 years ago. The Barnum Museum has stood the test of time, but not without its fair share of struggles. Perhaps the worst challenge the museum has ever faced was a natural disaster: an EF1 tornado that ripped through the heart of Bridgeport in 2010. The building, though still standing, suffered immense damage, enough to compromise its structural integrity. In addition, every single one of the museum’s 20,000 objects and documents was damaged and in need of urgent care.
Barnum Museum’s Executive Director, Kathy Maher, and historian Tim O’Brien paint a picture of the devastation left behind by the tornado and describe the intense, years-long restoration process in their Summer issue feature article. They call the Barnum Museum “a testament to the human spirit, a monument to instructive entertainment, and a tribute to Barnum’s lifelong promise that ‘the noblest art is that of making others happy.’” The reenvisioned museum will use their experiences with the recovery of the beloved museum and mesh it with Barnum’s view of the world as a curious and wondrous place of endless inspiration and possibilities.
Read the entire story with your Connecticut Explored subscription.
The Latest From Grating the Nutmeg
The Hartford Circus Fire Tragedy
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Hartford Circus Fire. In this episode of Grating the Nutmeg, Natalie Belanger of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History tells the story of the deadliest man-made disaster in Connecticut history.
On July 6, 1944, the Big Top of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus caught fire during a matinee performance. Within ten minutes the tent was burned away, taking the lives of 168 people with it. Hundreds of people were injured, and thousands of survivors would remember that day for the rest of their lives. For generations, people have been drawn to the story of the fire, and to the mystery surrounding the identity of the unclaimed child victim who came to be known as "Little Miss 1565."
Please note that this story includes graphic content and may not be suitable for all listeners.
Listen: The Hartford Circus Fire Tragedy
Programs and Exhibitions to Enjoy This Month
Well-Heeled and Wannabees. The Gilded Age along the Thames Boat Tour
Sunday, August 4, 2024 | 11:30AM - 1:00PM | City Pier, New London
In the late 19th century New London and Groton were favorite summer vacation spots for the growing middle class – both the wealthy and the comfortably well off. Among the families summering here was that of Louis Comfort Tiffany, whose career as artist, designer, and glassmaker is chronicled in a new exhibit at the Lyman Allyn Museum and Fredrick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect and designer of New York City’s Central Park. Board an historic navy utility boat with a seasoned interpreter to see Eastern Point summer cottages in Groton, elegant homes of financier Morton Plant and publisher Theodore Bodenwein, and hear stories of the vacationers from around the world who enjoyed the region in the late 1800s.
Regular Pricing: $25 for Adults (Ages 12+), $18 for Children (Ages 4 – 11), Free for Infants (Ages 0 – 3)
Day of Pricing increases by $5. This boat tour departs from City Pier in New London and is 75 minutes in length. Pack your own snacks and beverages to enjoy during the tour!
Fun on the Patio: Mandala Rock Art
Wednesday, August 07 2024 | 10:00AM - 1:00PM | Hartford Public Library, Downtown Library
Join the Downtown branch of the Hartford Public Library to paint rocks using the mandala art form.
With its bright colors and symmetrical patterns, Mandala art is beautiful and easy to create. Please join the fun on the patio to turn stones into pieces of artwork using this style of painting.
Green Corn Festival
Sunday, August 11, 2024 | 12PM – 4PM | Hollow Park, Woodbury
Corn is an integral part of the annual life cycle of Native American people. When the first tender ears are ripe for picking it is cause for celebration. Welcome the first corn of the season with exciting activities including drumming, dancing, children’s activities, flute music, vendors, stories and more! Come watch the Native Nations Dance Troupe led by Erin Lamb Meeches (Schaghticoke). While enjoying the dancing and activities, get some refreshments from one of the various food vendors, including Jason Cogswell Lamb, Schaghticoke, of Mashquanon’s Wetu. Join the fun at the Nineteenth Annual Green Corn Festival. $15 for Non-Member Adults, $10 for Non-Member Seniors; $5 for Members and Non-Member Children. Pre-registration is appreciated.
Please note, this outdoor event is held rain or shine. Cash recommended for on-site purchases.
More information and registration here
Editor’s Picks
Want to explore the topics featured in this edition of the e-Newsletter? Check out these stories and podcasts from the archives.
“The Mother School of Deaf Education” Connecticut Explored, Spring 2005.
“P.T. Barnum Builds a City” Connecticut Explored, Winter 2021-2022.
“Memories of the Hartford Circus Fire” Connecticut Explored, Fall 2006.
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