Gilded Age Lecture Series at Wilton Historical Society

This March, the Wilton Historical Society and Wilton Library are partnering on an informative scholarly series about an important time in America's history, the end of the 19th century known as the Gilded Age. This series examines a changing nation at a critical juncture. Many of today's issues were beginning to take form such as change vs. status quo; federal vs. state involvement; regulation vs. laissez-faire and more. Although lectures are free of charge, registration is necessary; to register please call 203-762-3950, ext. 213 visit the website.

On March 8, Bonnie Yochelson will present How the Other Half Lives from 4 pm - 5:30 pm. In 1890, Jacob A. Riis published How the Other Half Lives, a best-selling book that revealed the horrific conditions of New York's slums, which were the worst in the world. A Danish-born immigrant, Riis was a charismatic writer and speaker who engaged the conscience of his readers while entertaining them. He stumbled upon the innovative idea of using photographs to enhance his message. Author of a dozen books and hundreds of articles, Riis traveled the country giving illustrated lectures until his death in 1914. Join this lecture for a fresh interpretation of Riis' contribution to social reform and photographic history by Bonnie Yochelson, art historian and independent curator.

This lecture is followed by a lecture curated by Matthew Warshauer called: From Civil War to Revolution: The Rapid Industrialization of America and the Challenges We Still Face on March 22 from 4 pm - 5:30 pm. Matthew Warshauer, Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University, will explore the remarkable and fast-paced changes to American life in the aftermath of the Civil War. Mass production during the conflict caused the nation to travel from the edge of industrialization to full blown industrial revolution. The nature of work changed drastically, as did home life, as millions moved from farm to city. Was it the Gilded Age or industrialized poverty? What was government's role and responsibility in this new economy? How much should government then and now be involved in the nation's economic future?

For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

MARITIME AQUARIUM LIGHTHOUSE CRUISE ON MARCH 5 OFFERS CLOSE-UPS OF FIVE HISTORIC BEACONS

Venture out on Sat., March 5 for a rare close-up look at five historic lighthouses in central Long Island Sound during a special boat outing offered at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

Participants aboard the Aquarium’s unique new hybrid-electric research vessel, R/V Spirit of the Sound^™, will make passes by five century-old beacons:  Peck Ledge, Greens Ledge and Sheffield Island lighthouses in Norwalk, Penfield Reef Lighthouse in Fairfield and Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light.

This 4.5-hour Central Long Island Sound Lighthouse Cruise departs at 10 a.m.  Advance reservations are required.

“As we see firsthand with our annual ‘Festival of Lighthouses Contest,’ people have a special fondness for lighthouses,” said Tom Naiman, the Aquarium’s director of education. “There’s a respect there for the role that lighthouses play in our maritime history, and an appreciation for the different ways that they were designed and built. These cruises are a great chance to see these unique structures up close and from the water.”

The cruises will pass by:

• Greens Ledge Lighthouse, a cast-iron “sparkplug” lighthouse southwest of the Norwalk harbor (and south of the Five Mile River). It was built in 1902 and automated in 1972.

•  Sheffield Island Lighthouse, one of Norwalk’s iconic structures. Built in 1868, the granite-block lighthouse with a white lantern tower was deactivated in 1902 upon the debut of Greens Ledge Lighthouse. The Norwalk Seaport Association bought the lighthouse in 1986 and re-lit it in 2011, though not for navigational purposes.

•  Peck Ledge Lighthouse, a cast-iron “sparkplug” lighthouse at the southeast approach to Norwalk Harbor. It was built in 1906 and automated in 1933. A recent online auction to place the lighthouse – but not the light’s operations – into private hands drew a top bid of $235,000.

•  Penfield Reef Lighthouse, a charming granite-block lighthouse with a short lantern tower rising from the white mansard roof.  It was built in the early 1870s and automated in 1971.  

•  Stratford Shoal Lighthouse, a granite-block house whose location is still debated: is it actually in Connecticut or New York?  Built about 8 miles off Bridgeport on the Sound’s dangerous Middleground Shoal in 1877, the light was automated in 1970.

All the lighthouses are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Maritime Aquarium educators will offer details, histories and anecdotes about the lighthouses, and also point out the Sound’s visiting winter waterfowl.

Binoculars will be provided. Naiman said the Aquarium’s lighthouse cruises are a special photo opportunity for both lighthouse buffs and bird-watchers, so bring your camera! 

R/V Spirit of the Sound has a climate-controlled cabin and two deck levels. The country’s only research vessel with hybrid-electric propulsion, the $2.7 million, 64-foot catamaran is bigger, quieter and greener than the Aquarium’s former boat. 

More lighthouse cruises targeting these same beacons are planned for April 2 and May 7.

Tickets for a Central Long Island Sound Lighthouse Cruise are $70 (or $60 for Aquarium members) and include a box lunch.

In addition, the Aquarium’s Western Long Island Sound Lighthouse Cruises will visit eight historic lighthouses on March 26, April 23 and May 28. Tickets for these six-hour outings are $75 (or $65 for Aquarium members) and include a box lunch.

Advance purchase is required for all Aquarium lighthouse cruises. Reserve tickets online at www.maritimeaquarium.org or call (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206.

The Maritime Aquarium is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to educate visitors about – and to create stewards for – Long Island Sound. It accomplishes this by allowing visitors to get close to more than 250 species native to the Sound and its watershed, including sharks, seals, sea turtles, river otters, jellyfish and other animals. One of the top places for family fun in Connecticut, the Aquarium also features hands-on educational programs and displays, public study cruises out onto the Sound, and Connecticut's largest IMAX movie theater, with a screen that's six stories high.  TripAdvisor.com reviewers rate The Maritime Aquarium as one of the Top 25 aquariums in the U.S. and the best aquarium in New England.

Where to go Maple Sugaring in Connecticut

The groundhog predicts an early spring this year, but even if he is wrong, one early sign of spring is certain. Fragrant plumes of steam rising from sugar shack chimneys throughout Western Connecticut always herald the arrival of maple syrup season, New England’s traditional signal that winter is on the way out.

As soon as days are above freezing and the sap begins to run, the fascinating process begins: tapping the maple trees, collecting the sap and boiling down the thin watery sap to turn it into thick, fragrant syrup. Clouds of white smoke show that the boiling kettles are in action.

Western Connecticut, where sugar maple trees abound, offers more than a dozen sugar houses in Fairfield County and the Litchfield Hills where visitors are invited for demonstrations and tours, along with sweet tastes and take-home purchases.

While many sugar houses welcome visitors every weekend when syrup is boiling from late February to late March, (see list below), some museums and nature centers in the region plan a special day or weekend to celebrate the season. Many festivities include pancake treats. They are served, of course, with delicious local maple syrup.

A SWEET HISTORY LESSON

Maple syrup making is a long-time tradition in this region and several special sites will offer interesting demonstrations of how methods have changed over 300 years, from the first Native Americans through Colonial times to today. The Institute for American Indian Studies will be showing examples of early techniques at the Flanders Nature Center Sugar House at Van Vleck Farm Sanctuary in Woodbury on March 6 and 13 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m..  Demonstrations also will take place at the NewCanaan Nature Center, on March 19 and at the annual Open House at the Great Brook SugarHouse in New Milford on March 19 and 20.

TASTY CELEBRATIONS

The first weekend in March brings the annual Maple Sugar Festival at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. On March 5 and 6 there will be demonstrations at the little red sugarhouse on the museum’s Heckscher Farm and many activities for families as well. Saturday’s Chef’s Challenge features maple recipes and Sunday everyone is invited for the museum’s annual pancake brunch 

The Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center located on 10 Deerfield Lane in Ansonia is also holding their annual Maple Festival on March 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Participants are invited to enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast with real maple syrup from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.  The cost of the breakfast is $8 per person. The fun continues with a pancake eating contest, demonstrations on how to tap a tree plus Native American and modern day maple sugaring methods along with live animal presentations.

The 10^th annual Maple Festival at Sweet Wind Farm takes place in East Harland on March 12 (sweetwindfarm.net) and the Sharon Audubon Center has its big day on March 19.  Pancakes will be served at the NewCanaan Nature Center Syrup Saturday festivities on March 19. 

VISIT ANY WEEKEND

The Lamothe family started farming in 1971 with a few pigs and a vegetable garden. They began making maple syrup for their own use with a modest 7 taps.  As word got around, so did requests from far and wide to purchase the precious maple syrup they made.

Lamothe's has come a long way since their first 7 taps; today, Lamothe's is Connecticut’s largest sugarhouse with more than 4,000 taps and a state-of-the-art sugar house.

On weekends, in February and March, Lamothe’s offers free tours on their farm from 1 pm to 4:30 pm.  Visitors will learn how maple syrup was discovered and how it developed over time and is made today. Visitors will see how maple syrup and sugar are made and enjoy delicious samples. Complimentary coffee and hot chocolate is also served. Store hours are Mon. – Thurs. 10-6, Fri.-Sat. 10-5 and Sun. 12 – 5.

Lamothe's Sugar House, 89 Stone Road, Burlington, CT (860-675-5043) www.lamothesugarhouse.com.

The following locations welcome visitors on any weekend when smoke from the chimney says that the syrup kettles are a-boiling. Many of these sugarhouses are located on scenic farms. The first three weekends in March usually are prime time, but weather can alter schedules and a warm winter means an early season. A call ahead is absolutely necessary to verify openings, hours and directions before making a trip.

For more information about maple syrup destinations and a free copy of Unwind, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in the Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County in Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitwesternct.com

Maple Syrup Sugar House Sites:

Brookside Farm, 79 East Chestnut Road, Litchfield, 860-567-3805

Brothers and Sons Sugarhouse, 998 Saw Mill Road, Torrington, 860-489-2719

Coolwater Sugarhouse, Great Mountain Forest, Windrow Rd., Norfolk, 860-542-5422

Dutton’s Sugarhouse, 28 Sunny Ridge Road, Washington, 860-868-0345

Flanders Nature Center Maple Sugar House, Church Hill Road, Woodbury, 203-263-3711, www.flandersnaturecenter.org

Great Brook Sugarhouse at Sullivan Farm, 140 Park Lane (Route 202), New Milford, 860-210-2030. mid-February-March, http://youthagency.org

Kasulaitis Farm and Sugarhouse, 69 Goose Green Road, Barkhamsted, 860-738-9492

Hilljack Sugar Shack, 74 Wilson Rd., Litchfield, 860-482-6052.

Lamothe’s Sugar House, 89 Stone Road, Burlington, February 21-March 30. 860-675-5043,lamothesugarhouse.com

Laurelbrook Farm, 390 Norfolk Rd. & Route 44, East Canaan, 860-824-7529

Sweet Wind Farm, 339 South Road, East Hartland, 860-653-2038, sweetwindfarm.net (Saturdays only)

Warrup’s Farm, 11 John Read Road off Route 107, Redding, 203- 938-9403,  warrupsfarm.com

West Hill Sugarhouse, 525 West Hill Road, New Hartford, 860-379-9672

Woodbury Sugarshed, 41 Washington Road, Route 47, Woodbury, 203-263-4550, woodburysugarshed.com

How to have Fun in March at White Memorial Foundation in Litchfield Connecticut

March is a busy time at White Memorial Foundation as spring is anticipated. The month begins with a Children's free week from March 2 - 8 and again from March 23-29; admission for kids ages twelve and under get in free when accompanied by an adult. After School adventures are also planned for every Wednesday in March for grades 1-3 and on Tuesdays for grades 4-6. Bring your kids out to White Memorial for programs designed to awaken curiosity and foster an appreciation for the natural world. Every session brings a new adventure, whether it's exploring a new part of White Memorial property, meeting a live animal, or taking part in an outdoor activity. Join them for an afternoon of experiential learning in the outdoors. Parents are welcome to stay, but it is not necessary. Meet in the A.B. Ceder Room. 3:45-5pm. Advanced registration is required. To register, please call 860-567-0857 or visit www.whitememorialcc.org. Members: $8/child per session or $28/whole series, Non-Members: $13/child per session or $48/whole series.

For outdoor enthusiasts, out of hibernation and stretch your legs along the beautiful trails which meander through this beautiful natural area on March 5. Dress for the weather! 10:00 A.M. Meet in the A. B. Ceder Room. Free...Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center's programming expenses. March 6 offers an opportunity to join up with Three Red Trees School of Natural Living.  Andrew Dobos and Deneen Bernier take you on a wildlife tracking walk through the winter woods. There are always clues left behind by the animals to decipher, telling a story of their habits and lives. Get to know our beloved wildlife that much better. Children should be accompanied by an adult and all should dress extra warm and wear good boots! You never know where the animals have been! 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.. Meet in front of the Museum. Free, but donations accepted.

On March 12, you are invited to spend an evening full of beautiful art, music, and food as Conservation Center favorite, Gary Melnysyn tickles your senses with beautiful wildlife images taken during his tenure as a park ranger at Yellowstone and sings some of your favorite songs to boot! Tuck into a chili and cornbread supper before the program. Bring your own place setting and BYOB! What a cozy evening they have in store for you! Members: $15.00 Non-members: $20.00, Pre-registration and pre-payment are required.

If you want to meet a new friend, check out the llama walk with  Debbie Labbe from Country Quilt Llama Farm Stroll on March 13 and 26. Meet in the Museum parking lot. 2:00 P.M., $20.00 per person. A portion of the fee will be donated to the Conservation Center. Please register by calling Debbie at 860-248-0355 or email: countryquiltllamafarm@gmail.com or to schedule a private walk!

On March 19 listen to the epic tale of the great auk with Gerrie Griswold. The Great Auk , Garefowl, or Penguin of the North was a substantial sea bird whose extinction was entirely the work of humankind. The bird's existence ended on the morning of June 3, 1844, when the last two recorded Great Auks were killed by three fishermen on the island of Eldey off the southwest coast of Iceland. With pictures and through the words of Errol Fuller, a world-renowned authority on extinct birds, Griswold will illustrate the epic destruction of a species at the hands of mankind. A simple meal will be served. Bring your own place setting including a soup bowl. 1:00 P.M., A.B. Ceder Room, Members: $15.00 Non-members: $25.00 Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. *Registration fee and any donations will go directly towards funding the purchase of a proper storage and possible exhibition case for our passenger pigeon mount.

Check out the late winter sky on March 26 at the Star Party hosted by members of the Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club and the Mattatuck Astronomical Society. Tonight's topic is Astronomy 001 – How the Sky Works. Weather permitting,there will be star gazing after the program. 7:00 P.M., A.B. Ceder Room. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. You are invited to bring your own telescope or binoculars.

If Native American Life is of interest to you, join Lucianne Lavin, Ph.D, as he discusses stone cultural features and ceremonial landscapes in CT.  The idea of Native American built stone features and ceremonial landscapes is fairly new to Northeastern archaeologists in general, who traditionally thought all were the result of Euro-American farm clearing. Some of it is, of course, but some of it is not. The latter is often associated with celestial movements that may reflect the timing of annual ceremonies/festivals. White Memorial is a huge land trust, and these ritual sites are often found on upland preserves for the very reason that the land has been preserved from industrialization and housing projects. Enjoy a delicious luncheon before her presentation. 2:00 P.M., A. B. Ceder Room, Members: $20.00, Non-members: $30.00, Pre-registration and pre-payment are required.

For more area event information www.litchfieldhills.com

The sweet scent of spring at Flanders Nature Center

A contingent of volunteers helped Flanders staff tap over 300 trees recently and now the time has arrived to boil down the sap gathered from these trees to make into maple syrup. 

Everyone is welcomed to drop by on the Saturday and Sundays, of March 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 from 1 – 4 PM as Flanders staff and volunteers will demonstrate turning sap into syrup with an entertaining mix of science, stories and humor. 

There is a $3/ person donation suggested which will go to support Flanders future maple sugar programming. The demonstrations will take place at the Flanders Sugar House located at 5 Church Hill Road in Woodbury.

Then on Sunday, March 6, Flanders will be holding their annual pancake breakfast from 8AM to Noon at the Woodbury Emergency Services building located on Quassuk Road. The menu features all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausages, coffee, orange juice and Flanders very own maple syrup. 

The cost for the breakfast is $7 for adults, and $5 for ages 5 to 11. Children under 5 are free. All proceeds from the breakfast will benefit Flanders’ education programs. For more information on any of the Flanders adult or children’s programs, call Flanders at 203-263-3711, ext. 10, or visit their website at http://www.flandersnaturecenter.org

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

                                                                    About Flanders

Trust is a nonprofit organization that focuses on environmental education, and on the acquisition, conservation, and stewardship of open space. Through its land trust initiatives, Flanders actively works to protect important natural sites and the area’s landscape character and quality of life. Flanders manages over 2,100 acres of preserved land in Woodbury and neighboring towns. Educational programs for children and adults are offered at the Van Vleck Farm Sanctuary, Flanders’ main campus in Woodbury. Trails at its major nature preserves are open to the public at no charge from dawn to dusk. Flanders’ Welcome Center is located at the corner of Church Hill and Flanders Roads in Woodbury.