Historic Stonington

Offices and library closed for Labor Day
2024-09-02 00:00 - 23:59 (America/New_York) | CT

Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer: 19th Century Master Mariner
2024-08-28 18:00 - 19:00 | The La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Join author Harry Martin as he discusses his new biography of Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer. Learn about the complex family relationships, life experiences and tragedy that made Captain Palmer one of the most well-respected and famous sea Captains of his time. Free and open to the public. La Grua Center, August 28th at 6pm.

Book Club: The Bitter Tea of General Yen
2024-08-25 16:00 - 17:30 | Captain Palmer House
Grace Zaring Stone was an American novelist and short story writer who lived in Stonington and wrote under the pen name of Ethel Vance. Three of her novels were made into films, including Bitter Tea of General Yen, which was directed by Frank Capra.
Her grandson, Peter Perenyi, will lead a discussion of this 1930 novel at the Captain Palmer House.
The novel is centered around the beautiful Megan Davis who finds herself caught in the toils of civil war between Republican and Communist forces. Determined to save the inhabitants of an orphanage in a Communist-occupied city, Megan joins a nighttime rescue mission that ends up under attack by a mob. She avoids death only through to the intervention of General Yen.
The novel was adapted for the big screen in 1933 and starred Barbara Stanwyck, Nils Asther, and Toshia Mori.

Registration is required for this event. To register please click this link: https://forms.gle/VLoiNBR3pG9WktEN9

Hallam Cemetery Clean Up
2024-08-25 09:00 - 12:00 | CT
Join us on Saturday, August 23 for a clean up of the Hallam Cemetery that sits behind 69 Wamphassuc Road in Stonington.

Private Event at the Lighthouse Museum
2024-08-24 15:00 - 19:00, 2024-08-10 16:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-29 16:00 - 21:00, 2024-06-15 16:00 - 19:00, 2024-05-04 08:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-29 08:00 - 17:00 | Lighthouse Museum, 7 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States

Woolworth Library Closed
2024-08-07 08:00 - 17:00 | The R. W. Woolworth Library & Research Center, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States

Music at the Lighthouse
2024-07-21 17:00 - 18:30 | The Old Lighthouse Museum, 7 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States

A Fireman in the Making with Rob Palmer
2024-07-17 17:00 - 18:30 | The R. W. Woolworth Library & Research Center, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Join us on Wednesday, July 17th at 5pm in the Woolworth Library for a fascinating illustrated presentation with local author, Rob Palmer. Mr. Palmer will discuss his latest publication, which recounts the trials and triumphs of a young fireman in Manhattan at the turn of the last century. You will learn about the research process, and lots of interesting historical tidbits about the fire departments mentioned in this work. Free and open to all.

Historic Stonington Annual Meeting
2024-07-14 16:00 - 18:00 | The La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Join us for our Annual Meeting on Sunday, July 14th at 4pm at the LaGrua Center. Author Michael J. Tougias will be speaking on King Philip’s War. Tougias is the author and co-author of 30 non-fiction books including his latest, Extreme Survivial: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds. More about Mr. Tougias can be found at www.michaeltougias.com.
A short reception will follow. This program is free and open to the public.

Stonington Cultural District Commission
2024-07-08 17:00 - 19:00, 2024-06-10 17:00 - 19:00, 2024-05-13 17:00 - 19:00, 2024-04-08 17:00 - 19:00 | The R. W. Woolworth Library & Research Center, 40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States

Stonington Independence Day Parade
2024-07-04 10:00 - 11:00 | CT

Offices, Library, & Palmer House closed for Independence Day
2024-07-04 | CT

The Cannonball 2024: Voyage on the Houqua
2024-06-29 17:00 - 22:00 | Captain Palmer House
To Purchase Tickets or Learn More about the event, Click Here: https://e.givesmart.com/events/BSf/This year, we are excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Cannonball Gala! It will be held on June 29th, 2024, at the Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer house. Our theme this year, “Voyage on the Houqua,” holds a special significance to Stonington and the Palmer family.Abiel Abbot Low (February 7, 1811 – January 7, 1893) was an American entrepreneur, businessman, trader, and philanthropist who gained most of his fortune from the China trade, importing teas, porcelains, and silk, and building and operating a fleet of reputable clipper ships. In 1833, Low sailed to Canton, China, and started working as a clerk for the mercantile house of Russell & Company, the largest American firm in China and also the country’s leading American opium trading and smuggling enterprise. In 1840, he launched his own business in a joint venture with Wu Bingjian, also known as Houqua, a mentor for young Americans in China, a very important Hong merchant, head of the Canton Cohong and one of the richest men in China. The company, A. A. Low & Brother named for both him and his brother, Josiah Orne Low, rapidly became one of the leading China and Japan silks and teas trading companies. Their original offices are now home to the South Street Seaport Museum.In 1843, William Low and his pregnant wife, Ann, traveled back to the US from China on board the ship Paul Jones. During the journey, Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer, a Stonington native, was also on board. Palmer had spent more than thirty years at sea and was the first American to sight the continent of Antarctica in 1820. Frustrated with the slow pace of the Paul Jones, Captain Nat started carving a block of wood to create a model of his ideal hull design for a trading ship. When they arrived in New York, Nat brought the design to A.A. Low & Brothers. When completed in 1844, it was the fastest clipper ship in the world, condensing a six-month voyage into just 100 days. The ship was named Houqua (Hoo-Kwah), after the powerful Hong merchant, who had died the year before the ship was launched.The Voyage of the Houqua propelled Captain Nat and other Stonington captains deep into the lucrative China Trade with innovative new designs that helped to create a global economy with America in the lead and effectively changed the course of history. Fortunes were made importing tea, opium, spices, and silk – and some of it was used to build Pine Point, the Palmer Family home, in 1851. This year we celebrate the ingenuity of Captain Palmer, explore trade routes, and dive into the shipboard experiences of the men and women who traveled these routes.

Private Event at the Captain Palmer House
2024-06-22 16:00 - 21:00 | Captain Palmer House

Offices and library closed for Juneteenth
2024-06-19 00:00 - 23:59 | CT

Offices, museums, and library closed for Memorial Day
2024-05-27 00:00 - 23:59 | CT

Book Club Meeting: King Philip's War by Eric B. Schulz & Michael Tougias
2024-05-21 17:00 - 18:00 | Captain Palmer House
This Book Club Meeting — King Philip’s War by Eric B. Schulz & Michael Tougias — will be hosted by Tom Sanford, board member of Historic Stonington. join us for casual conversation, light refreshments, and good company. Registration is required for this event. Click here to register.

Adventures in Wonderland - A Celebration of Tea and Flowers
2024-05-18 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-05-17 18:00 - 20:00 | Captain Palmer House
Joining forces with the Stonington Garden Club to present this year’s theme Adventures in Wonderland, Historic Stonington is thrilled to announce our spring event. Join us at the Preview Party on Friday night from 6 pm to 8 pm for the first look at Stonington Garden Club’s floral displays and exhibits. Then join us on Saturday anytime between 1 PM and 4 PM to enjoy a proper tea with light snacks, and lemonade. You might get a chance to meet our special guest, Alice in Wonderland! Ticket holders will receive admission to the museums and exhibits and are also invited to a lecture with horticulturalist Tovah Martin on the history of Wardian cases and begonias at 3pm in the RW Woolworth Library.
Tickets are available here: https://www.historicstonington.org/visit/get-tickets/

Adventures in Wonderland Flower Show - A Celebration of Tea and Flowers
2024-05-17 - 2024-05-18 | CT
Joining forces with the Stonington Garden Club to present this year’s theme Adventures in Wonderland, Historic Stonington is thrilled to announce our spring event. Join us at the Preview Party on Friday night from 6 pm to 8 pm for the first look at Stonington Garden Club’s floral displays and exhibits. Then join us on Saturday anytime between 1 PM and 4 PM to enjoy a proper tea with light snacks, lemonade, and a bit of prosecco. You might get a chance to meet our special guests Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, and the Queen of Hearts. Ticket holders will receive admission to the museums and exhibits and are also invited to a lecture with horticulturalist Tovah Martin on the history of Wardian cases and begonias.

To purchase your tickets, click here: https://www.historicstonington.org/visit/get-tickets/

Professor Chris Steiner on History of Portraiture
2024-04-17 18:00 - 19:30 | The La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States

Rollie McKenna Community Photo Contest
2024-04-15 - 2024-04-26 | The Old Lighthouse Museum, 7 Water Street, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
The Rosalie Thorne McKenna Community Photo Contest is held in April every year at the Lighthouse Museum. This year’s theme is portraits. Rollie McKenna made her career in portrait photography, and we’d love to honor her amazing talent with this year’s theme. So go through those photos from last year, or make arrangements to take a photo of that person you really love speaking to. We are constantly asked for photographs of Stonington residents of the past, and this will ensure that we continue recording our town for future generations. As always, photographs should be of a Stonington resident. Please submit your entry to Chelsea Mitchell at cmitchell@historicstonington.org before April 1.
