History Bites Free Lecture to be Presented at Torrington Historical Society

The Torrington Historical Society located on 192 Main Street is once again hosting History Bites, a free lunchtime lecture series which is intended to bring topics of local history that will delight residents and visitors alike.

 On April 20 at noon attendees will learn about the history of the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital from host, Tom LeBouthillier who will present a program titled Charlotte Hungerford Hospital:  A Cornerstone Story.   

 In 1929, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital sealed a copper box in the cornerstone during the dedication of one of its buildings but it wasn’t until the hospital’s 100^th anniversary in 2016 that the box was finally opened, revealing a treasure trove of documents and artifacts that record an amazing story of the hospital’s early history.   Guests are invited to join the host  for an intimate look as he digs deep into that mysterious copper box and uncover the story of one of Torrington’s most important institutions.   

 Tim LeBouthillier is the Director of Community Relations & Development at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital where he administers its marketing, communications, fundraising, and community outreach efforts. Prior to entering the healthcare field, he directed membership services at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce. Tim has a Masters in Non-Profit Management and Public Policy from NYU and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and History from Saint Michael’s College.   

The Torrington Historical Society program will begin promptly at noon on April 20^th in the Torrington Historical Society Carriage House, 192 Main Street, Torrington.  Reservations are requested for the History Bites programs, but are not required. 

The next program in the “Preserved in Layers” will take place on Thursday, April 27^th at the Woodbury Library, 269 Main Street South, Woodbury CT.  Presented by the Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden, this program will share information gained from archaeological excavations in Woodbury.       For more information call 203-263-2855.

To sign up for a  free monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills or Fairfield County on things to do and see and special deals visit  www.litchfieldhills.com or www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

  

A Trio of Art Events @ Silvermine Art Center

Celebrate April with two art themed events and a tag sale at the Silvermine Art Center located on 1037 Silvermine Road in New Canaan. The month of April kicks off with the popular one night stand series, this one in honor of spring is themed painting flowers with watercolors and takes place on April 7 from 7 pm to 9 pm. Participants will create lovely little flower paintings while learning the basic techniques of watercolors. There is something so lovely about painting fresh flowers in watercolor. Through demonstrations, create washes, work from the color wheel for mixing shadows participants will learn other watercolor techniques to create fresh flower paintings.

The one night stand series is a unique opportunity to experience various forms of fine art in a relaxed and fun atmosphere, without the long commitment. These mini evening workshops are perfect for participants with no experience in the arts or for those who have experience but not in that area of study. Each session will have a different instructor and a different art experience. You can invite your spouse, friends and family to spend time together while creating works of art and enjoying each other's company. You are welcome to bring a bottle of wine and some snacks, and be creative. These workshops are for ages 17 and up only. Art materials will be provided for all workshops and all levels are welcome.

The next event is the highly anticipated annual art materials and equipment sale that is taking place on April 22 in the school building from 10 am to 4 pm. This sale is the perfect time to purchase a variety of donated art materials and equipment at a really good price. Some of the items that will be available are a variety of sizes and shapes of frames, stretcher bars, paints, (oil, acrylic, watercolor or pastels), cameras, ceramic equipment, sculpture supplies and art books. The best part of this sale is that all proceeds go to the Silvermine School for Children.

The final April event is another one night stand class, this one is on crackle bowls on the potters wheel.  This session is open to both beginners and those who have been on the potter's wheel before. This workshop will kick up the wow factor on your pottery creations. Not only will instructors go over all the basic skills to form the raw clay into a bowl but they will use a liquid glass solution to make a wonderful textured crackle finish on the outside of your bowl. Lastly color will be added by using tinted liquid clays called slips. Project will take approximately six weeks to be fired.

For more information visit the Silvermine Arts Center online. Remember to sign up for the monthly newsletter of travel tips and deals published by Western Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The British are coming to Westport!

The Westport Historical Society invites you to join the Revolution this April as it commemorates the 1777 Raid of Danbury  that took place  240 years ago.  The historical Society has planned a month long series of events from April 1 – May 29. Below is a listing of events open to the public! There will be an opening reception on Sunday, April 2 from 2 pm to 5 pm at Compo Beach.

Schedule of events

April 6:

The Making of a Nation: Revolutionary-era Art from Connecticut Museum
by Robin Frank, 7 pm, Reservations recommended. $10 donation.

April 18:

Westport's Uncivil Revolution: A Family Divided by Politics, Smugglers,
Snitches and Tory Raiders. Talk by Author Jonathan Walker with an introduction
by Eve Potts. 7 pm, Reservations recommended. $10 donation.

April 20:

Lunch and Learn: Monument Madness, Minute Man Monument
by Kathie Bennewitz, Noon, Reservations recommended. $10 donation.

April 23:

Bus Tour of the Danbury Raid with Ed Hynes starting at Compo Beach.
9 am - 4 pm. Reservations required.

April 23:

Music George Washington Would Have Heard. Greens Farms Congregational Church,
5 pm. Reservations recommended. $10 donation.

April 26:

Lecture on the Danbury Raid by Ed Hynes, 7 pm.

 Reservations recommended. $10 donation.

Throughout April: "Food" Activities around Westport area will include restaurants

serving Revolutionary Dishes for $17.77 and  Children's 1777 cooking classes.

 Westport Library

April 22:

The Maker Faire will have a section on 18th century manufacturing.

April 23:

Book Discussion: "Bunker Hill" by Nathaniel Philbrick. J. Bruce McGuirk

will lead the discussion, 3 pm.

 

Westport Senior Center

April 7:

 Lecture: Religion During the Period of the American Revolution
by Lydia Will-Ciollo, PhD. 1:30 - 3 pm.

Westport Arts Center

 ...will be coordinating a really cool art contest for middle school students.

Stargazing in Litchfield Hills

Western Connecticut StateUniversity will host seven Saturday evening shows and viewings of prominent planetary and stellar objects in the night sky during public nights  through May 20 at the WCSU Planetarium and Observatory on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury.

WCSU Observatory presentations will include a one-hour planetarium show followed by telescope viewing of the moon, Jupiter and prominent star systems, clusters and nebulae visible during the late winter and spring months. The Observatory, located atop a hill near Pinney Hall, offers viewings through a 20-inch, computer-controlled Ritchey-Chretien reflectortelescope.

Admission is free and the public is invited. Limited parking is provided adjacent to the observatory, with additional parking available on University Boulevard.

Planetarium shows are appropriate for adults and older children, and will be canceled only in the event of hazardous road conditions or severe weather that would pose a safety risk. The viewing period will not be offered during public nights when cloud cover prevents sky observations. For updates to confirm plans for a scheduled public night, call (203) 837-8672 on the day of the event. 

·      April 8: The planetarium show will start at 7 p.m., with sky observation following from 8 to 10 p.m. Visible objects will include the waxing gibbous moon, Algieba, Mizar and Jupiter.

·      April 22: The planetarium show will start at 8 p.m., with sky observation following from 9 to 11 p.m. Visible objects will include Algieba, Mizar and Jupiter.

·      May 6: The planetarium show will start at 8 p.m., with sky observation following from 9 to 11 p.m. Visible objects will include the waxing gibbous moon, Jupiter and the M13 star cluster.

·      May 20: The planetarium show will start at 8 p.m., with sky observation following from 9 to 11 p.m. Visible objects will include Jupiter and the M13 star cluster.

For a free monthly newsletter on things to do and see and travel tips  visit www.litchfieldhills.com