Essex Historical Society

Phone 860-767-0681
Website http://essexhistory.org

Events from this organizer

Today

  • EHS Collections at the Library: Game Night

    Recurring
    Essex Historical Society 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Please stop by and see EHS's new exhibit at Essex Library. "Game Night!" has been curated by EHS Director, Melissa Josefiak, and the Collections team. Items and photos in the exhibit are all part of EHS collections, and will be on display through March. As part of EHS’s continuing efforts to share our collections objects with the community, we are presenting quarterly exhibits in cases at the Essex Library (33 West Ave.). These objects will be available to view during the Library’s regular hours operation. Essex Historical Society (EHS) stewards over 7,000 objects spanning 10,000 years of history, representing the villages of Centerbrook, Essex and Ivoryton.  While the majority of EHS’s collections arrive through private donations, some objects arrive as discoveries, unearthed from surprising places.  In a few cases, their journey is more interesting than the stories they tell. The Essex Library collections cases will rotate out again in April, so please visit the cases to see the current showcased items.

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • History Hour at Essex Meadows: Herbs for Health and Happiness

    Essex Meadows 30 Bokum Road, Essex, CT, United States

    March’s Topic: Herbs for Health and Happiness Leslie Evans, Director of the Avery-Copp House Museum in Groton and a Connecticut Master Gardener, will present an illustrated lecture focusing on the historic use of herbs in New England at a time when the garden served as a medicine chest for most families. Along with facts and folklore from centuries past, some modern uses for these valuable plants will be discussed.  Samples of fresh and dried plants will be on display so that everyone can enjoy their delightful textures and aromas.   Essex Historical Society and Essex Meadows present History Hour. This FREE public program features a speaker, author, presenter, or musician each month presenting a topic of regional history. History hour is FREE and open to the public. We recommend arriving to Hamilton Hall by 9:50 am as seating is available first-come, first-served. No need to register for this event. In the unlikely event that the program changes or needs to be canceled, please check EHS social media and website.

    Free

  • Tapping into the Past: Tavern Life in Early Connecticut

    The Griswold Inn 36 Main Street, Essex, United States

    During America’s 250th year, Essex Historical Society is excited to bring the community a number of special programs to mark this historic occasion. We are especially thrilled to partner with the Griswold Inn for a featured event, as 2026 also marks the Gris’s 250th year in business — a remarkable milestone for one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating inns. Taverns in early Connecticut were far more than just places to drink. For travelers and locals alike, they served as hubs of entertainment, news, gossip, good food, and overnight lodging. Taverns were an essential part of every Connecticut town and played a vital role in social and civic life. Join the Essex Historical Society (EHS) and the Griswold Inn (the Gris) for this special program from the Connecticut Museum of History and Culture exploring the rich history of tavern life in early Connecticut. Begin your evening by grabbing a pint or a hot buttered rum in the Gris Tap Room before settling into the Covered Bridge Dining Room for this engaging presentation. We recommend arriving by 4:30 PM to allow time for parking and a visit to the bar before the program begins. Registration required NOTE: If you would like to stay for dinner […]

    Free

  • Nostalgic Toys and Tech Expo

    Essex Historical Society 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    The Nostalgic Toys and Tech Expo will take place at Essex Library on Saturday, March 28, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. As part of EHS’s America 250 celebrations, and in partnership with Essex Library, this free, family-friendly community event celebrates the toys, games, and everyday technologies of the past fifty years, with a special focus on the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to explore and interact with familiar favorites—from classic board games and beloved dolls to early video game systems, music players, and novelty gadgets—many of which today’s children will be experiencing for the very first time. The Expo is just one of many of EHS programs this year marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. By highlighting objects from the decades since the Bicentennial, this fun event explores how everyday toys and technologies reflect changing American life, culture, and innovation. Together, these items help tell the story of the most recent chapters of our nation’s history—reminding us that the road to 250 years of independence is shaped as much by shared childhood experiences as by historic milestones. Those interested in getting involved with the event, either through participation or support, are encouraged to contact the […]

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • EHS History Hour at Essex Meadows: Revolution Close to Home

    Essex Meadows 30 Bokum Road, Essex, CT, United States

    Essex Historical Society and Essex Meadows present History Hour. This program features a speaker, author, presenter, or musician once a month through 2026. This month’s presentation is called Revolution Close to Home: Five Lives in Early Potapaug during America's Turning Point  Patriots and Loyalists, enslaved and free, women and warriors.  Essex Historical Society (EHS) Director Melissa Josefiak details the complex relationships and shifting allegiances during the American Revolution in the Potapaug village of Saybrook, now known as Essex.  Learn about five unforgettable individuals whose experience reflected these tumultuous times.   Uriah Hayden Formerly located at the foot of Main Street in Essex, the Hayden Shipyard is known for building the American Revolutionary War ship The Oliver Cromwell. History hour is FREE and open to the public. We recommend arriving to Hamilton Hall by 9:50 am. as seating is available first-come, first-served. No need to register for this event. In the unlikely event that the program changes or needs to be canceled, please check EHS social media and website.

    Free

  • CT History Book Club

    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    All are invited to join us for EHS’s Connecticut History Book Club. Offered in collaboration with Essex Library and Ivoryton Library, EHS hosts this quarterly book club to explore the state's past through both fiction and non-fiction works, highlighting key events, figures, and themes that shaped the state or played a larger role in America’s history. We will focus on works that illuminate the bring marginalized stories to the forefront, offering a deeper understanding of Connecticut's diverse history. Join us for insightful discussions that connect the past to the present, revealing the histories that shaped our state. Please join us at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street-parking and entrance in rear) for a book discussion lead by EHS Director, Melissa Josefiak. This event is FREE and lite refreshments will be provided. Register below!   For April’s meeting we are reading the novel Freegift by James R. Benn. James Benn is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and has an MLS degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Mr. Benn is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, and the Author's Guild. Book description: “Freegift Cooper is born enslaved. On his mother's death bed, she reveals his father is the disgraced general, Benedict Arnold. Freegift vows to find his […]

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • EHS History Hour at Essex Meadows: The Woman Who Printed the Declaration

    Essex Meadows 30 Bokum Road, Essex, CT, United States

    Essex Historical Society and Essex Meadows present History Hour. This program features a speaker, author, presenter, or musician once a month through 2026. Stay tuned as we announce the topic and presentation of each month’s program. May’s History Hour features our rescheduled speaker from our January Winter Lecture Series. Join us in welcoming Dr. Emily Sneff, author of the new book: When the Declaration of Independence Was News, as she presents "The Woman Who Printed the Declaration." Connecticut-born printer Mary Katharine Goddard created the first broadsides of the Declaration of Independence to include the names of the men who had signed that document. Dr. Emily Sneff, a leading expert on the Declaration and author of the forthcoming book, When the Declaration of Independence Was News, will explore Goddard's career and the choices she made when printing the Declaration, first in her newspaper in July 1776 and then on the broadsides ordered by the Continental Congress in January 1777. Dr. Sneff will contrast the printings under Goddard's name with newspapers printed under the name of another Mary, on the other side of the Atlantic.

    Free

  • Women of ’76

    Centerbrook Meeting House 51 Main Street, Centerbrook, CT, United States

    As part of our America 250 programming, Essex Historical Society (EHS) is excited to present special events that bring lesser-known stories of America’s past to the forefront. Step into the untold side of the American Revolution on Sunday, May 24 at 4:00 pm at Centerbrook Meeting House, as EHS welcomes Rita Parisi of Waterfall Productions for a powerful solo theatrical performance of Women of ’76. This richly costumed production explores the lives of real women who witnessed, documented, and in some cases directly influenced the course of the Revolution. Audiences will encounter figures rarely featured in history books, including Baroness Frederika von Riedesel, whose journals vividly describe the chaos of war; Prudence Wright, the Massachusetts patriot who led a militia of women to capture Tory spies; Nancy Hart, the fearless Georgia frontierswoman who confronted British soldiers; Mary Katharine Goddard, the printer who boldly published the first Declaration of Independence naming its signers; and Mary Gould Almy, a loyalist diarist whose accounts chronicle the siege of Newport. Together, their stories—patriot and loyalist, American and foreign—reveal a deeper, more complex portrait of the Revolutionary era. Don’t miss this compelling performance that gives voice to the women of the Revolution. For more information, please contact Essex Historical Society at membership@essexhistory.org Register to Attend

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • American Crafts and Trades Weekend

    Recurring
    The Pratt House 19 West Avenue, Essex, CT, United States

    Join us as EHS celebrates early American crafts and trades skills with demonstrations, hands-on activities, kid crafts, and sales booths. Celebrate the America 250 with Essex Historical Society Saturday, June 27-Sunday, June 28 noon to 4:00.  Pratt House will be open for FREE tours during the festival featuring a new exhibit for America 250. This event will feature fiber arts, blacksmithing, glass arts, woodworking, domestic arts, and more! More details to come!

    Free

  • American Crafts and Trades Weekend

    Recurring
    The Pratt House 19 West Avenue, Essex, CT, United States

    Join us as EHS celebrates early American crafts and trades skills with demonstrations, hands-on activities, kid crafts, and sales booths. Celebrate the America 250 with Essex Historical Society Saturday, June 27-Sunday, June 28 noon to 4:00.  Pratt House will be open for FREE tours during the festival featuring a new exhibit for America 250. This event will feature fiber arts, blacksmithing, glass arts, woodworking, domestic arts, and more! More details to come!

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free

  • New Volunteer Open House

    Recurring
    Hills Academy 22 Prospect Street, Essex, CT, United States

    Interested in leaving your mark on Essex History? Then, please join us our Monthly Volunteer Open House! If you want to learn how to support EHS as a volunteer, please join us for this meet and greet. This is a no-commitment, hour long introduction to volunteerism with Essex Historical Society. One of our staff will give you a tour of Hills Academy and outline our volunteer positions including: Collections and research Education and Programming Event planning and fundraising Tour Guide for Pratt House and Walking Tours Maintenance of Gardens at Pratt House Preservation and up-keep of EHS’s two historic sites No need to RSVP, simply arrive at Hills Academy (22 Prospect Street, parking and entrance in rear) between 10:30-11:30 am, and we will give you the information. If you can’t join us this month, we hope to see you at the next Open House. Open Houses will be held in the same place, at the same time on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted.

    Free