Exhibits Open for the 2019 Season!
The Cornwall Historical Society will be open on Saturdays from 10:00 – 4:00 and Sundays from 1:00 – 4:00. The Society is not open to the public Monday – Friday, but staff and volunteers are on-site. To schedule an appointment with the Society for research or other purposes, please contact (860) 672-0505, or email us at: curator@cornwallhistoricalsociety.org.
CORNWALL: A Sampling of Our Heritage
To some, the town of Cornwall, tucked away in the Litchfield Hills in the extreme northwestern corner of Connecticut, evokes the image of New England Sleepy Hollow. But a deeper look at the history of this seemingly isolated town reveals its intimate and intricate interaction with the wider trends of the state, the nation, and indeed the world. Explore a sampling of our history in pictures.
BLOWN AWAY: Remembering the Tornado of 1989
July 10, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the 1989 tornado, one of the most powerful tornados recorded in state history. The violent storm touched down in late afternoon and tore through portions of Litchfield and New Haven counties. The storm cut a 60-mile swath of destruction from its origin point around Utica, New York, to its final location near Branford, Connecticut. Cornwall survived the storm, but its aftermath remains in Cathedral Pines Preserve. BLOWN AWAY features an installation by Paper Buck, a Masters of Fine Art student at Carnegie Mellon University.
Upcoming exhibition-related programs in conjunction with BLOWN AWAY:
Cornwall Forests Today
Talk presented by Barton Jones
Cornwall Conservation Trust
Saturday, July 6, 2019
4 p.m. @ Cornwall Historical Society
Barton Jones, president of the Cornwall Conservation Trust, will give a talk at the Cornwall Historical Society on the current work of the CCT to protect Cornwall’s forests, augment regional wildlife corridors, promote biodiversity, and expand public recreational access to Cornwall’s forests.
Cathedral Pines
30th Anniversary Hike in Cathedral Pines
Led by Peter Del Tredici & Paper Buck
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Meet @ 1 p.m. at Cornwall Historical Society
Peter Del Tredici, acclaimed botanist, author, and Cornwall resident, will lead a hike through the Cathedral Pines. The hike will focus on a discussion of forest regrowth processes, forest ecology research conducted at the Cathedral Pines, changes to species composition since the tornado, and New England forest dynamics in the era of climate change. The event is open to all ages, but please note that the terrain involves a steep hillside climb within the forest. Meet at CHS first, then group will proceed to Cathedral Pines.
RSVP not required, but we’d love to know you’re coming!