Connecticut Historical Society
Encyclopedia
The Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) is the official state historical society
of Connecticut
. Established in Hartford
in 1825, the CHS is one of the oldest historical societies in the nation.
The Connecticut Historical Society is a non-profit
museum
, library
, archive
and education center. Its mission is to inspire and foster a lifelong interest in history through exhibitions, programs and Connecticut-related collections. The CHS houses a research center containing 270,000 artifacts and graphics and over 100,000 books and pamphlets. It has one of the largest costume and textile collections in New England.
was presented a petition signed by Connecticut citizens including Thomas Robbins
, John Trumbull
, Thomas Day, and William W. Ellsworth
stating the importance of creating a society for preserving historical materials.
After approval from the General Assembly, the Connecticut Historical Society was created to collect
objects related to the history of the United States, specifically Connecticut. The first elected officers were Trumbull, Day, Robbins, Thomas Church Brownell
and Walter Mitchell.
With the rise in prominence of Hartford in the 1820s, the Society's committee decided to house its first meetings in the city. Yet despite a flurry of activity, the Society became inactive after 1825 and it was not until 1839 when new interest regained. The first official quarters for the CHS was over a store at 124 Main Street in Hartford.
The CHS' new ideals and direction were spearheaded by educationalist Henry Barnard
, who recommended that the Society enroll members from around the state, encouraged a history and genealogy
magazine and retrieved speakers for lectures who could address groups throughout Connecticut.
With its growing collection of books, pamphlets and objects, the CHS moved its home to a room in the newly built Wadsworth Athenaeum in 1843. By 1844, the collection of Society grew to 6,000 pamphlets, 250 bound volumes of newspapers, manuscripts, coins, portraits and furniture. New officers were elected including David D. Field. The CHS appointed Thomas Robbins as its first librarian because of his extensive book collection and antiquarian
expertise.
Under Robbins' tenure, the new quarters were open six days a week and interpretive tours of objects were given. Some early objects in the collection were a chest of William Brewster
, a tavern sign of General Israel Putnam
and a bloodstained vest worn by Colonel William Ledyard
at the Battle of Groton Heights
. After the death of Robbins in 1856, Connecticut historians James Hammond Trumbull
and Charles J. Hoadly contributed to the CHS through various published research and lectures. The first woman elected in the organization was Ellen D. Larned in 1870.
In 1893, the Society hired Albert Carlos Bates as a full-time librarian and it was under his tenure that membership doubled, the annual income increased five-fold and the collection grew. To accommodate the growth, the CHS purchased the house of inventor Curtis Veeder at Elizabeth Street in the West End of Hartford. Alterations to the building in the 1950s-1970s included the addition of book stacks, auditorium, exhibition galleries and reading room.
In the early 2000s, the CHS hired Bruce Mau
and Frank Gehry
to design a new museum near Trinity College, but lack of funds prevented the project from happening. From 2003 to 2007, CHS operated the Old State House and created a permanent exhibit "History Is All Around Us".
Recent exhibit topics include women and needlework
, the Kellogg brothers lithography
firm, women's basketball
, the Amistad
, a history of cleanliness
, the Civil War
and Eliphalet Chapin
, an 18th century furniture maker.
Historical society
A historical society is an organization that collects, researches, interprets and preserves information or items of historical interest. Generally, a historical society focuses on a specific geographical area, such as a county or town or subject, such as aviation or rail. Many historical...
of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Established in Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
in 1825, the CHS is one of the oldest historical societies in the nation.
The Connecticut Historical Society is a non-profit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, archive
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
and education center. Its mission is to inspire and foster a lifelong interest in history through exhibitions, programs and Connecticut-related collections. The CHS houses a research center containing 270,000 artifacts and graphics and over 100,000 books and pamphlets. It has one of the largest costume and textile collections in New England.
History
In 1825, the Connecticut General AssemblyConnecticut General Assembly
The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is a bicameral body composed of the 151-member House of Representatives and the 36-member Senate. It meets in the state capital, Hartford. There are no term limits for either chamber.During...
was presented a petition signed by Connecticut citizens including Thomas Robbins
Thomas Robbins (minister)
Rev. Thomas Robbins, D.D. was a Congregational minister, a bibliophile, and an antiquarian. He became the first librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society.-Early years:...
, John Trumbull
John Trumbull (poet)
John Trumbull was an American poet.-Biography:Trumbull was born in what is now Watertown, Connecticut, where his father was a Congregational preacher. At the age of seven he passed his entrance examinations at Yale, but did not enter until 1763; he graduated in 1767, studied law there, and in...
, Thomas Day, and William W. Ellsworth
William W. Ellsworth
William Wolcott Ellsworth was a Yale-educated attorney who served as the 30th Governor of Connecticut, a three-term United States Congressman, a Justice on the State Supreme Court, and who twice turned down nomination to the state's United States Senate seat...
stating the importance of creating a society for preserving historical materials.
After approval from the General Assembly, the Connecticut Historical Society was created to collect
Collecting
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world...
objects related to the history of the United States, specifically Connecticut. The first elected officers were Trumbull, Day, Robbins, Thomas Church Brownell
Thomas Church Brownell
Thomas Church Brownell was founder of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1852 until his death....
and Walter Mitchell.
With the rise in prominence of Hartford in the 1820s, the Society's committee decided to house its first meetings in the city. Yet despite a flurry of activity, the Society became inactive after 1825 and it was not until 1839 when new interest regained. The first official quarters for the CHS was over a store at 124 Main Street in Hartford.
The CHS' new ideals and direction were spearheaded by educationalist Henry Barnard
Henry Barnard
Henry Barnard was an American educationalist and reformer.-Biography:...
, who recommended that the Society enroll members from around the state, encouraged a history and genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
magazine and retrieved speakers for lectures who could address groups throughout Connecticut.
With its growing collection of books, pamphlets and objects, the CHS moved its home to a room in the newly built Wadsworth Athenaeum in 1843. By 1844, the collection of Society grew to 6,000 pamphlets, 250 bound volumes of newspapers, manuscripts, coins, portraits and furniture. New officers were elected including David D. Field. The CHS appointed Thomas Robbins as its first librarian because of his extensive book collection and antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
expertise.
Under Robbins' tenure, the new quarters were open six days a week and interpretive tours of objects were given. Some early objects in the collection were a chest of William Brewster
William Brewster (Pilgrim)
Elder William Brewster was a Mayflower passenger and a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher.-Origins:Brewster was probably born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, circa 1566/1567, although no birth records have been found, and died at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 10, 1644 around 9- or 10pm...
, a tavern sign of General Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam was an American army general and Freemason who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
and a bloodstained vest worn by Colonel William Ledyard
William Ledyard
William Ledyard was a lieutenant colonel in the Connecticut militia who was killed in the American Revolutionary War....
at the Battle of Groton Heights
Battle of Groton Heights
The Battle of Groton Heights was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 6, 1781 between a small Connecticut militia force led by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard and the more numerous British forces led by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold and Lieutenant...
. After the death of Robbins in 1856, Connecticut historians James Hammond Trumbull
James Hammond Trumbull
James Hammond Trumbull was an American scholar and philologist.He was born in Stonington, Connecticut. He studied at Tracy's Academy in Norwich and at Yale University from 1838, but ill-health prevented his graduation, he was enrolled in 1850 and received an honorary LLD in 1871...
and Charles J. Hoadly contributed to the CHS through various published research and lectures. The first woman elected in the organization was Ellen D. Larned in 1870.
In 1893, the Society hired Albert Carlos Bates as a full-time librarian and it was under his tenure that membership doubled, the annual income increased five-fold and the collection grew. To accommodate the growth, the CHS purchased the house of inventor Curtis Veeder at Elizabeth Street in the West End of Hartford. Alterations to the building in the 1950s-1970s included the addition of book stacks, auditorium, exhibition galleries and reading room.
In the early 2000s, the CHS hired Bruce Mau
Bruce Mau
Bruce Mau is a Canadian designer. Mau is the creative director of Bruce Mau Design, and the founder of the Institute without Boundaries.-Life and career:...
and Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry, is a Canadian American Pritzker Prize-winning architect based in Los Angeles, California.His buildings, including his private residence, have become tourist attractions...
to design a new museum near Trinity College, but lack of funds prevented the project from happening. From 2003 to 2007, CHS operated the Old State House and created a permanent exhibit "History Is All Around Us".
Exhibits
Permanent exhibits include "Making Connecticut", about the history of Connecticut, and "Inn & Tavern Signs". There are also galleries for temporary exhibitions.Recent exhibit topics include women and needlework
Needlework
Needlework is a broad term for the handicrafts of decorative sewing and textile arts. Anything that uses a needle for construction can be called needlework...
, the Kellogg brothers lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
firm, women's basketball
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
, the Amistad
Amistad (1841)
The Amistad, also known as United States v. Libellants and Claimants of the Schooner Amistad, 40 U.S. 518 , was a United States Supreme Court case resulting from the rebellion of slaves on board the Spanish schooner Amistad in 1839...
, a history of cleanliness
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is both the abstract state of being clean and free from dirt, and the process of achieving and maintaining that state.Cleanliness may be endowed with a moral quality, as indicated by the aphorism "cleanliness is next to godliness," and may be regarded as contributing to other ideals...
, the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and Eliphalet Chapin
Eliphalet Chapin
Eliphalet Chapin was a cabinetmaker and furniture maker in East Windsor, Connecticut in the late 18th century. His style of furniture design is regarded as one of the most elegant of its time....
, an 18th century furniture maker.
External links
- Connecticut Historical Society (official site)