• 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