Historic Stonington

Forty Palmer Street
2020-06-09 15:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
Join us on Facebook for a short, engaging live video. On every other Tuesday afternoon during the month of June we’ll feature an item from our collection, and answer your questions. Handwritten journals and clothing are always interesting, but who knows what we might grab!

Woolworth Library Window Display
2020-06-04 17:00 - 22:00, 2020-06-03 17:00 - 22:00, 2020-06-02 17:00 - 22:00 | The R. W. Woolworth Library & Research Center, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Visit the Woolworth Library after hours to see a sample of our extensive textile collection. Every other week during the month of June we’ll have a new display. Dresses, military uniforms, pajamas, shoes and more will rotate through our window. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings beginning at 5 p.m.

Forty Palmer Street
2020-05-26 15:00 - 15:30, 2020-05-19 15:00 - 15:30, 2020-05-12 15:00 - 15:30, 2020-05-05 15:00 - 15:30
Join us on Facebook for a short, engaging live video. Every Tuesday afternoon during the month of May we’ll feature an item from our collection, and answer your questions. Handwritten journals and clothing are always interesting, but who knows what we might grab!

POSTPONED: "The Work Must Be Done": Women of Color and the Right to Vote
2020-05-09 11:00 - 13:00 | The R. W. Woolworth Library & Research Center, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
This event is being rescheduled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspired by the words of notable African American reformer and political activist, Mary Townsend Seymour, The work must be done, the Connecticut Historical Society presents exciting new research about the women of color who worked for women’s suffrage. Ilene Frank, Chief Curator, and Karen Li Miller, Research Historian from the Connecticut Historical Society along with Professor Brittney Yancy, Goodwin College, will raise up the stories of women such as Ms. Seymour, Rose Payton, Minnie Glover, Daisy Daniels, and others. The program includes conversation on the importance of having a history that is inclusive. Participants will examine how this history ties into current civic issues around voting. Funding for this project is made possible by the State of Connecticut and the National Endowment for the Humanities, both of which provide significant support to Connecticut Humanities.
For more information, click here: https://chs.org/event/the-work-must-be-done-women-of-color-and-the-right-to-vote/

POSTPONED: Gravestone Cleaning Demonstration
2020-05-03 13:00 - 14:00 | Saint Michael’s Church, 60 Liberty St, Pawcatuck, CT, 06379
This event is being rescheduled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Interested in historic cemeteries? Come and learn about the process of gravestone cleaning and preservation with Stonington Cemetery Association Advisory Board member and Historical Society trustee, Bob Suppicich, Sunday, May 3rd at 1pm. The demonstration will take place at the New Saint Michael’s Cemetery on the Stillman Avenue extension. This program is free and open to the public so we hope to see you!

POSTPONED: Book Talk with Gail B. MacDonald: Hidden History of Mystic and Stonington
2020-04-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Mystic Congregational Church, 43 E Main St, Mystic, CT
This event is being rescheduled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Join the Stonington and Mystic River Historical Societies on Wednesday, April 29th at 7pm as local author Gail MacDonald talks about her newly published book Hidden History of Mystic and Stonington. This colorful recounting of lesser-known tales explores the minorities of history with a keen and respectful eye. Come to the Mystic Congregational Church and discover something new! This program is free and open to the public.

POSPONED -- Suffragettes in Corselettes: The Evolution of Underwear and our 19th Amendment
2020-04-15 18:30 - 19:30 | Westerly Public Library, 44 Broad Street, Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
POSTPONED — Gather your girlfriends and join us on Wednesday, April 15th for Suffragettes in Corselettes: The Evolution of Underwear and our 19th Amendment, co-presented with Westerly Public Library. Enjoy a night of laughter and learning with Velya Jancz-Urban and her daughter, Ehris, as they lead you through a hands-on and blush-worthy history of women’s underwear and how that translated to female empowerment and the feminist movements of the 20th century. This event is free and open to the public and will be held at Westerly Public Library at 44 Broad Street at 6:30pm. We hope to see you!

POSTPONED - Colonial Cocktails
2020-03-27 18:30 - 19:30 | Captain Palmer House
As a precaution against COVID-19 this event is postponed. A new date will be announced.
Join us for an evening of tasty cocktails in the historic Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House at 40 Palmer St. We will be sampling authentic alcoholic beverages from the time of the American Revolution: Grog, Rattleskull, Hot Ale Flip, Bogus and Switchel. Bring your friends and try something new! Tickets are $5 for members, $10 for non members, and will be available for purchase on our website, and at the door. No persons under 21 years of age will be permitted.

Canceled - Stonington Free Library's Thoughtful Thursday
2020-03-19 17:00 - 18:00 | The R. W. Woolworth Library & Research Center, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
This event is canceled as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.
Please join us for our first 2020 Thoughtful Thursday talk on March 19th at 5:15. See seaweed differently with Suzie Flores, kelp farmer and co-owner with her husband Jay Douglas of the Mechanic Street Marina in Pawcatuck, who will talk about the history, the environmental benefits, and the nutritional value of what has been called the superhero of seaweed. The couple farm sugar kelp, the only variety approved for human consumption, on a 10-acre “plot” in Fisher’s Island Sound.
While SFL is under construction, Thoughtful Thursday talks will be held in the Woolworth Library at the Stonington Historical Society, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington. Plenty of parking available.

A Tour of the Stained Glass Windows of Saint Michael's Church
2020-03-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Saint Michael’s Church, 60 Liberty St, Pawcatuck, CT, 06379
Members of the Irish Presence Project of the Stonington Historical Society will be presenting a tour of the stained glass windows of Saint Michael’s Church, 60 Liberty Street in Pawcatuck. Come and learn about the local families who patronized the church and learn about the symbolism of these beautiful windows, so lovingly restored. Tour begins at 1pm and is free and open to the public.

The Founding of Saint Michael's Church by the Downerville Irish
2020-02-23 13:00 - 14:30 | Saint Michael’s Church, 60 Liberty St, Pawcatuck, CT, 06379
Join the Irish Presence Project of the Stonington Historical Society for this illuminating presentation by Larry O’Keefe. Explore the Irish community of the 19th century that came together and made this church a reality. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to see the church after its recent restoration! Free and open to the public so we hope to see you there.

Annual Harpsichord Concert
2019-12-13 18:00 - 20:00
Join us in the Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House for a night of fun and music. Enjoy the beautiful sounds of the harpsichord over light refreshments, and be sure to join in the carols to end the night. One of our most popular events, this often sells out so make sure to get your tickets early. Members $25, Non Members $30 per ticket. We hope to see you there!

Deck the Walls
2019-12-07 10:00 - 14:00 | Captain Palmer House
Join us for our annual wreath auction and open house! Shop local vendors on the first floor, take a tour of the Captain Palmer House, and bid on the beautiful wreaths and tabletop decor. A first rate place for gifts this holiday season, and it supports a wonderful cause.

Deck the Walls
2019-12-06 10:00 - 16:00 | Captain Palmer House

Deck the Walls Preview Party
2019-12-05 18:00 - 20:00 | Captain Palmer House

Remembering Rollie
2019-11-21 18:00 - 19:00 | The R. W. Woolworth Library & Research Center, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Join us for your last chance to see the Rollie McKenna exhibit, A Village Love Affair before it’s gone! Come and hear from two local photographers, Francis Hills and Michelle Gemma, and Library Director Chelsea Mitchell, as they discuss what they’ve learned in the past year. See exclusive photographs of Rollie’s personal and professional portfolios, hear oral history interviews from the people who knew her best, and interact with items recently received from Rollie’s estate. This program is free and open to the public, on Thursday, November 21st at 6pm in the Woolworth Library.

Groundbreaking Ceremony at Old Lighthouse Museum
2019-10-26 11:00 - 11:30
Celebrate the rejuvenation of Stonington’s iconic lighthouse with the Stonington Historical Society, state & local officials, and your neighbors.

Indigenous Life in New England
2019-10-10 18:00 - 19:00 | The La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Nakai Northup, a museum educator with the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, will speak to the traditions, culture and food of the Pequot community, and how they might be preserved. In addition to being an historian, Northup is also an activist for native rights.

Seeing Slavery - a presentation and discussion
2019-09-12 18:00 - 19:00 | The La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Professor Martha Cutter of the University of Connecticut presents her latest book, The Illustrated Slave. Cutter’s work explores the impact that graphic depictions of slavery, as opposed to text alone, had on the abolitionist movement during the first half of the 1800s.

Historic Walking Tour
2019-08-24 11:00 - 13:00, 2019-08-17 11:00 - 13:00 | Stonington Farmer’s Market, Town Docks, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
This fascinating Historic Walking Tour through the narrow streets of Stonington Borough depart on Saturdays at 11am from The Farmer’s Market at the Town Docks in June, July and August. The tour lasts about an hour. Experienced guides will share the stories of historic homes, sites, battles, the railroad and people that reflect Stonington’s rich 350 year history.
Once home to the Pequot Tribe of Southeastern Connecticut, Stonington’s first European settlement dates to 1649 when Thomas Stanton settled on the banks of the Pawcatuck River. The Stonington Borough settlement began about 1750 when the advantages of Stonington’s harbor were first realized. Initially fishing and farming were the primary industries, which eventually led to shipbuilding, a vibrant coastal trade, a West Indies trade, and further exploration. Stonington’s sea captains sailed the world and built fantastic homes that survive today in this perfectly preserved peninsula. Explorers included Edmund Fanning, who was also known as Pathfinder of the Pacific, and Nathaniel Palmer, credited with the discovery of Antarctica. Stonington has successfully defended her shores through two bombardments by British forces during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Today, Stonington is still home to Connecticut’s last commercial fishing fleet.
Tickets can be purchased on our website or at the Stonington Historical Society table at the Farmer’s Market.

Picnic at the Lighthouse
2019-08-10 12:00 - 14:00 | The Old Lighthouse Museum, 7 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Pack a lunch and join us for a picnic on the lawn at the Old Lighthouse Museum. This relaxing outing concludes our weekend of events celebrating the 205th anniversary of the Battle of Stonington. To sweeten the deal, we’re bringing dessert!

Historic Remembrances
2019-08-10 10:00 - 12:00 | The Old Lighthouse Museum, 7 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
On Saturday, August 10th a Walking Tour led by Curator Beth Moore begins at 10am and focuses on the battle and key points in the village. At 11:30, come to a wreath laying and memorial service at Cannon Square where Second Selectman John Prue will be reading the names of the brave defenders of our town.

The Flag Unfurled
2019-08-09 13:00 - 19:00 | The La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
On Friday, August 9th from 1-7pm come to the La Grua Center and view relics from the War of 1812. The 16 star, 16 stripe battle flag will be on display for the first time in five years, along with the John Miner coat, cannon balls, ships logs and more.

A Most Unpleasant Expedition
2019-08-08 18:00 - 19:30 | The La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Celebrate the 205th anniversary of the Battle of Stonington with a weekend of events. Thursday, August 8th at 6pm at the LaGrua Center Bob Rieger, Chelsea Mitchell, and Kevin McBride will speak about the recent progress on the National Park Service grant project to designate the Borough as a Historic Battleground. Discover new information previously hidden away in the British Archives!
