Preserving the Past, Enriching the Future: Southington Historical Society and Museum
The ties between our past, our present and our future are fundamental to American life. No thoughtful parent, no inspired teacher, no successful entrepreneur, no responsible civic servant raises a healthy family, teaches a wide-eyed class, runs a growing business or helps build a vital community without reverence for history, heritage and the lessons they impart.
The good people of Southington know of their heritage, and the important role it plays in what Southington is today and can be tomorrow. And in the summer of 2008, that heritage will be on display for all to treasure and enjoy, thanks in part to the assistance of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain.
With a strong cadre of volunteer enthusiasts, critical and ongoing sustenance from the Town of Southington and its citizens, and the final piece of the puzzle – a $17,000 grant from the Community Foundation – the Southington Historical Society and Museum has completed its long-awaited “extreme” makeover. Located in the circa-1902, Greek Revival-style Sylvia Bradley Memorial at 239 Main Street, the Town’s former public library, this sparkling showcase of Southington heritage is ready and waiting to inspire visitors young and old alike.
“This building is a repository of everything from the people of Southington from Day 1,” says Society President Robert Cusano, who like other Society volunteers has dedicated enormous time and energy over the last several years overseeing the restoration of the Society’s home. “Our collection tells the world where we’ve been and how we’ve gotten to where we are.”
The Museum houses a collection of some 8,000 artifacts from Southington’s past, ranging from a collection of more than 2,000 Native American arrowheads and tools to a wooden door from a 17th-century fort on Pudding Hill. The Museum will offer a wide array of standing exhibits, and will be home to a variety of lecture, presentation and special event programming, as well.
The first major exhibit at the Museum, “Made in Southington – Sold to the World,” will focus on Southington’s industrial history. Future exhibits will highlight, among other subjects, the Town’s role in major wars; the merchants of Southington; and Southington agriculture – including its famous apple orchards. Society members have even planted apple trees on the Museum’s property in honor of the town’s thriving apple industry.
“This will be not only a museum, but a research and cultural center,” said Cusano. “We’ll have two computers for public use. Town organizations can use the facility for meetings. We want to stream live video of presentations to schools and senior centers.
“It is a special place, a time capsule for the future,” adds Cusano. “And for all of our volunteers, it is a labor of love.”
Originally published 6-08.
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