Avon Historical Society Hosts Fundraiser Lectures

From The Avon Historical Society: The Avon Historical Society invites the public to a series of four history-themed lectures as fundraisers for the ongoing repairs of the Derrin Farm House in Avon which suffered a fire in May 2016. All presenters are donating their time to this effort and have distinctly different history-related themes that should be of interest to all. These family friendly events are taking place on Monday evenings in March and April. They all begin at 7pm at the Avon Senior Community Center, which is co-sponsoring these events, located at 635 West Avon Road, Avon. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person at the door. The lectures are as follows:

• Monday, March 6 - Connecticut’s Civilian Conservation Corps Camps by Marty Podskoch, who is author of a book by the same name. A resident of E. Hampton, CT, and author of seven books, he brings his exhaustive research on the CCC experience for the men who passed through its cleansing days of hard work, Army discipline and camaraderie to help support families during the Great Depression. Although there were no CCC camps in Avon, there were many in the surrounding towns. Come learn more about this important time in our nation’s history and how we are enjoying their work today.
• Monday, March 13 – The Return of Albert Afraid of Hawk to South Dakota by Bob Young, historian and longtime member of the Danbury Historical Society who brings over 30 years of experience and research to a variety of lectures in this region. He will tell the story of Albert, a 20-year old Lakota Sioux who was a rider with the Buffalo Bill Wild West program. After taking ill he died in Danbury Hospital and is buried there. So there is a Connecticut connection to this amazing story!
• Monday, March 20 – The Devil & The Angel: A Civil War Surgeon & Clara Barton by Dane Deleppo of Harwinton, CT and Lynne McKenney Lydick of Worcester, MA. Both are Civil War re-enactors who convincingly portray how they would have cared for the soldiers on the battlefield. Dane will discuss medical protocols and has period surgical instruments to show. As Clara Barton, Lydick will read from her personal letters of that time.
• Monday, April 10 – History of the Heubleins and their Tower by Jay Willerup, President of Friends of Heublein Tower and Simsbury, CT resident. Jay’s wealth of knowledge about the early towers on the mountain and the Heublein family and fortune is unmatched. He will explain the use of the Tower over the years and how it even attracted the likes of Mark Twain and many national political figures including thousands of hikers today!

“We cannot thank all these presenters for stepping forward after the fire last year to offer their expertise as a fundraiser,” stated Terri Wilson, President, Avon Historical Society. “It’s a unique collection of topics that for someone who attends each, will feel they touched on several important times in our national and local history.”

On May 11, 2016, an accidental fire broke out inside the Derrin Farm House as it was undergoing finalwork before a grand reopening in June to commemorate the 250 th anniversary (in 1766) of the Derrin Family settling in Avon. The fire destroyed some of the original 18 th and 19 th century framing, exterior, windows, part of the roof and some artifacts. The Society’s insurance paid for much of the work to be done, but new electrical wiring is needed and water and duct work added to the building for future use. In addition some new carpentry work will be needed in several rooms. The Avon Historical Society has been working on the Derrin Farm House since leasing it from the State Department of the Military in 1996. Previous to that it was used by the First Co. Governor’s Horse Guards, located across the street, as the caretaker’s house since 1954. As the stewards of local history, the Avon Historical Society has been focusing on the adaptive reuse of the “Rockwood Red” Derrin Farm House and the Horse Guard Barn for many years. It is only through the very generous donations of time and labor from volunteers organized by long time Society member, Len Tolisano, for the past twenty years that the Society is able to now work again on replacing what was with new life and excitement. The Society invites the public to attend these lectures and learn more about what has been done since the fire with exhibits available during a reception following each presentation.

Anyone wishing to make a donation toward the extra expenses, the Society has a social media fundraising site at: www.gofundme.com/derrin Or donations can also be sent to: Avon Historical Society, P.O. Box 488, Avon, CT 06001. All donations are tax deductible and will be acknowledged.

Image Via Shuttershock

Image Courtesy Of The Avon Historical Society