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Rollie McKenna at Work

Rollie At Work from Stonington Documentary Films on Vimeo.

  • March 18, 2020

From the Rollie McKenna exhibit at the Woolworth Library, November 2018 to November 2019. Interviews conducted and film edited by Chris Kepple.

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historicstonington

Development@stoningtonhistory.org

The Whitfield Elm (according to the reverse of thi The Whitfield Elm (according to the reverse of this postcard, located on Pequot Trail), photograph taken by Williams Haynes. This stately Elm, still standing as of 1949, is so named because in July of 1747, Reverend George Whitfield preached a sermon beneath its branches. Whitfield was one of the founders of Methodism and his sermons became part of the Great Awakening. His style of preaching elicited emotional responses from his audiences - he had charisma and a loud voice. He was also small in stature, and cross-eyed (which some people took as a mark of divine favor). Whitfield was one of the first celebrities in the American colonies, drawing crowds of thousands. 

#localhistory #religion #community #history #awakening #sermon #elm #pequottrail #stoningtonct #methodist #landmark #pawcatuckct
Is everyone ready for Halloween? We're all familia Is everyone ready for Halloween? We're all familiar with the traditions of jack-o-lanterns, costumes, and apple bobbing, but do you know about the Celtic tradition of needfire?

In Celtic ritual it was tradition to extinguish all fires on this day, the eve of Samhain. The community would gather to build a communal bonfire, lit by needfire (a flame which is created by friction) as this type of fire was thought to be protective and magical. Everyone would relight their hearth fires with flames from this communal bonfire, linking the community and sharing the protective power of the fire for the approaching winter. 

Needfires were used across Europe as a form of protection against infectious diseases, disaster, and crop failure. 

Or perhaps you could host a card game, like this group of jack-o-lanterns from a postcard sent in 1913, part of the Jack Fix Collection. The postcard reads: "Hearts for love, Diamonds for Riches, Spades for Lands and Clubs for Witches. Courage for Hallowe'en." 

#localhistory #celtic #samhain #halloween #community #history #tradition #protection #folkmagic #winter #autumn #neighbors #bonfire
Crowds gather at a train crash at the upper depot, Crowds gather at a train crash at the upper depot,  in July 1912.  The Stonington Mirror reported on the crash: "The worst train wreck that has ever happened in this locality occurred this morning about 6:30 when the east-bound Adams Express train ran into a freight that was backing into the lower yard at the Junction. The engineer of the Adams says that the signal was set all right for him to go ahead and he was running up to the limit, and this is testified to by those of our citizens who saw the train passing. The crash was heard all over the boro. The engineer of the Adams, C.H. Mansfield of New Haven, was badly scalded and is now at the home of John Alexander. Fred Hadley, fireman, was caught under the wreck, but rescued with one thumb gone and receiving other injuries. A hostler named Cheney was killed and a brakeman named Connelly is missing."

Image is from the Dorothea Hewitt Gould Collection 
#localhistory #disaster #community #trainwreck #railroad #history #stoningtonct #history #20thcentury #emergency
A postcard of the "old" Saint Mary Roman Catholic A postcard of the "old" Saint Mary Roman Catholic Church. Built in 1851, this was the first Catholic church in any section of town. The "new" church was dedicated in December 1963 under the pastorate of Father William P. Loftus. 

#localhistory #religion #catholic #church #stmary #stoningtonborough #stoningtonct #community #neighbors #history #architecture
Join us tomorrow, Saturday, October 25th from 1 to Join us tomorrow, Saturday, October 25th from 1 to 4pm at the Westerly Armory for the local history fair.  Visit with museums and historical societies from Rhode Island and Connecticut and learn about the storied history of our region. More than 40 organizations are participating, and it's a fun and free way to learn more about your community, and what it has to offer. We hope to see you there!

#localhistory #fair #thingstodo #free #eventsnearme #history #militaryhistory #relics #antiques #manuscripts #nonprofits #museums #historyorganizations #textiles #themoreyouknow #community #restoration #preservation #education
Detail of the carvings on the Phineas Wilcox powde Detail of the carvings on the Phineas Wilcox powder horn, 1834.  Engraved on the horn are pictures of four ships as well as the name Stonington.  Wilcox (1792-1839) played a significant role in Stonington's history.  He served as a corporal in the  militia during the British attack on Stonington in August 1814; first mate on the sloop HERO, commanded by Nathaniel B. Palmer, on the ship HERO's voyage in 1820-21, during with Antarctica was discovered; and the master of several ships, including two whalers, MONTGOMERY and PENGUIN.  It is possible that the engraved ships on the horn include HERO, MONTGOMERY, and PENGUIN.  Also engraved on the horn is a lighthouse, and other town-like buildings.  Wilcox lived in a house, built for him in 1836, at 46 Gold Street in the borough of Stonington.  He died at sea in 1839 and is buried in the Miner Burying Ground in Quiambaug.

Purchased at auction in 2010 by Friends of the Stonington Historical Society.

#Wilcoxfamily #exploration #seafaring #mariner #captain #personalobject #folkart #powderhorn #history #localhistory #community #stoningtonct
Portrait of Levina Fish Denison (1794-1890), taken Portrait of Levina Fish Denison (1794-1890), taken in 1881. Levina was the daughter of Deacon Sands Fish and Bridget Gallup, the third of their eight children, and was raised on the family homestead in Groton.  On February 18, 1817, she married Isaac Denison (1790-1855). They were members of the Mystic Baptist Church. Together, Isaac and Levina had nine children: Isaac W., Frederick, Charles, Bridget, John L., Daniel W., Emily, Eliza, and Frances. Levina was well loved by her community, and her obituary mentioned the sharpness of her memory for such an advanced age. It was her custom for more than 50 years before her death to gather her family at the homestead for a Thanksgiving feast. At her last Thanksgiving, Levina was able to recall every grandchild and great-grandchild by name, even those who were not present - and inquired after their well-being. 

#localhistory #memory #familyhistory #Denison #Fish #Grotonct #Mysticct #community #history #genealogy #portrait #oralhistory #themoreyouknow #womenshistory #matriarch
Did you know the house at 24 Main Street used to h Did you know the house at 24 Main Street used to have a center gable? A tree fell on the home during the Hurricane of 1938, and when the damage was repaired, the gable was not replaced. Some of you may recognize the home, which was on our House Tour last weekend, and was built in 1787 by Captain Amos Palmer. It is said that during the Battle of Stonington in 1814, Captain Palmer, who served as the chairman for the Committee for Public Safety during the War of 1812, was sitting in his parlor. A cannonball hit outside his home, breaking the windows and throwing  glass and rock fragments inside. Captain Palmer calmly stood up, took the cannonball, and walked it down to the earthen fort where a small group of Stonington men were firing at the British ships. He handed them the cannonball and said "I'd like to return this to the British with my compliments." 

From the Charles Mallory Williams Collection

#localhistory #architecture #community #battleofstonington #warof1812 #memories #oralhistory #stoningtonct #stoningtonboroughct #historicstonington #mainstreet #history #Palmer
Who remembers Berry's Mystic Pharmacy? It was loca Who remembers Berry's Mystic Pharmacy? It was located at 17 E. Main Street in Mystic, now the site of Bravo Bravo. 

#localhistory #memories #nostalgia #mysticct #stoningtonct #pharmacy #photography #20thcentury #community #smallbusiness #Berry
Looking for a way to flex those creative muscles, Looking for a way to flex those creative muscles, and do something fun with the family? Join us for our second annual Let's Build It! Co-hosted with the Stonington Community Center (COMO), teams of four will work to create a giant 3-D map of Stonington Borough out of Lego elements. Residents and friends will enjoy this unique opportunity to come together and celebrate the rich history of our village. It's a family-friendly learning experience for people of all ages to see the town from a different perspective. This event is open to ages 7+. Tickets are $25 per team of four and registration is available on the COMO website. 

#localhistory #fun #architecture #familyfriendly #eventsnearme #thingstodo #building #lego #community #intergenerational #STEM #engineering #stoningtonboroughct #collaboration #nonprofits #publicprogram #history #themoreyouknow #teamwork #handson

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  • VISIT
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      • Woolworth Library & Research Center
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