The Hourglass

Periodic newsletter of the Willington Historical Society.

VOLUME LII NO. 2 - Summer 2024

Annual Meeting & Program: 100 Years of the American Trunk

Please join us on Wednesday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m. for the Annual Meeting of the Willington Historical Society, including the election of the positions of Vice President and Secretary for two year terms. Following the business portion of the meeting, the Society is pleased to present a special program featuring a variety of trunks from the 18th and 19th centuries that make up the large collection of Paul Norton.

Paul is celebrating 40 years in the antiques trade. He started out by salvaging a family trunk when he was 9 years old, and today collects sample trunks and overbuilt industrial age examples made from 1880 to 1910 made by east coast legacy trunk firms including Crouch and Fitzgerald, H C Faber, and Letheroid. He recently supplied over 30 19th century trunks to an HBO miniseries. Paul specializes in trunk hardware and locks and restoring trunks for himself and the public.

Trunks and travel articles tell a story of adventure and intrigue. The impulse to travel—into town or overseas—required bringing along one’s necessities. As 18th and 19th century travel evolved from the horse, stagecoach, and boat to train, clipper ship, and then the appearance of the ocean liner, changes in the style, size, and material used in the making of bags, satchels, and travel trunks were adjusted to best suit travelers and their belongings.

Paul will bring hardware exhibits and select trunks for our viewing and curiosity. Everyone is welcome. Please bring your interest and questions for Paul. This promises to be a unique evening of working history.

Willington Historical Society Annual Meeting & Program

September 11, 2024 @ 6:30 pm

Willington Town Offices - 40 Old Farms Rd.

6:30 pm: Annual Meeting & Election of Officers

7:00 pm: Special Presentation - 100 Years of the American Trunk, with Paul Norton

Free & Open to the Public

Looking Back

The Willington Historical Society was pleased to welcome Robert Harris in April to the Willington Library, who shared stories of the military contributions of African Americans from as early as the American Revolution.

Robert is a United States Army Veteran, a retired correctional officer, and is living his life long dream of riding with the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club on his 2006 Honda trike. He wrote the book, Historical Moments - Military Contributions of African Americans, which was published in 2020. This book is a brief look at individuals from Revolutionary times onward in America’s history. It is Robert’s hope that the information he shares will encourage all of us to explore more of America’s history. America’s history includes all Americans.

The Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club honors the legacy and rich history of the 9th and 10th Cavalry of Buffalo Soldiers who served in the US Army from 1866-1944. Since February 2004 the CT Chapter has been a part of the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers / Troopers Motorcycle Club (NABSTMC) Joining Harris from the Hartford CT Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club are: From left, Dwight “Little-d” Floyd, John “Wolverine” Gaskin, Robert “Off Road” Harris, Scott “No-Name” Hamilton; not shown Florine Harris.

WHS CONTACT INFORMATION

Executive Committee

President: Mark Masinda - mmasinda@charter.net

Vice President: Bob Shabot-rbshabot@icloud.com

Treasurer: Sue Schur - sue.b.schur@snet.net

Secretary: Shari Masinda

Committee Chairs

Acquisitions: This could be you!

Membership: This could be you!

Program: Julie Engelke

Publicity: This could be you!

Ways & Means: This could be you!

Website Manager: Melanie Kucko

Town Historian: Mark Palmer– mpalmer@willingtonct.gov

Ass’t Historian (genealogy): Paul Weigold– pweigold52@yahoo.com

Email: willingtonhistoricalsociety@gmail.com Website: www.willingtonhistoricalsocietyct.org

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Tavern Times - ADA Compliance Update @ Glazier Tavern

In the last newsletter, we touched on the reasons for American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance at the Tavern and also that we had engaged Architect Art Hall of Vernon, to work with the Society on this upgrade. Recently, Art presented us with preliminary plans for several configurations of an accessible rest room. Once a final option is selected and detailed plans developed, the Society will solicit bids for construction costs. The hope is that the bids will be received by year’s end, marking the beginning of the end of completion of that portion of the project.

Other Tavern updates in progress will be the installation of new garage doors, as well as the pouring of a concrete surface in the garage area, which should eliminate the problem posed by the existing dirt floor. These improvements will better facilitate artifact and archival storage in that area of the building. This part of the Tavern’s restoration is made possible by using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds which helps support our small nonprofit organization.

THANK YOU! again to our members, friends, neighbors and anonymous supporters for your contributions that are making this renovation possible.

Coming Soon

The Willington Historical Society is pleased to announce the publication of a calendar for 2025 filled with photos of our town that will be sure to be nostalgic and bring a smile to your face. The calendars will be available for purchase at the Willington Flea Market and at our Annual Meeting. The cost will be $10; the proceeds will help fund the Society’s varied programs.