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Brookfield Museum and
Historical Society Museum Hours of Operation - Saturdays noon - 4 p.m. & by appointment | |
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Click here to print the Calendar2011 Calendar of Events For more information about any of the events or other activities of the Brookfield Historical please call 203-740-8140 to speak to a representative or leave a message. You may also contact us by email at brookfieldhistsoc@snet.net . The calendar for 2011 is still being developed and additional programming will be added as it is finalized.
Through March – "Brookfield - Then & Now In Photos"Time of Event: Every Saturday, noon - 4 p.m. Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) On display are some of the many archived photos of long-ago Brookfield compared with more modern renditions.
February 7 - American Military Forum - The WWII Allied Raid of the French Port of Dieppe, in Normandy, France Two Years Prior to D-Day Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Peter Cronin of the Brookfield Historical Society will deliver a multi-media presentation on the allied invasion of France in 1942 involving the combined forces of Canada, England, Poland and the United States. Named Operation Rutter and later Operation Jubilee, it occurred on the coast of Normandy at the port of Dieppe nearly two years before D-Day and none of the objectives of the raid were accomplished. Cronin will talk about the events leading up to the raid, the raid itself and the consequences of this ill-fated effort. The public is invited and admission is free. Refreshments will be served.
March 7 - American Military Forum - The French & Indian War 1754-1763 Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Harlan Jessup, author and Director of Genealogical Research at Newtown’s, Cyrenius H. Booth Public Library will present a discussion on Connecticut’s Colonial Wars. The talk will focus on the Pequot War, King Philip’s War and the French and Indian Wars. The program will also touch upon the impact of the French and Indian Wars in the Greater Danbury area. Jessup is the editor of the journal of the Connecticut Ancestry Society and a member of the Connecticut Professional Genealogists Society. His genealogical interests have led him to find the stories of ancestors, both his own and those of others, who fought in all three of these conflicts. Admission is free and following the presentation, complimentary refreshments will be served. The public is invited to attend - admission is free. Refreshments will be served.
April 2 & 3 and April 9 & 10 - Brookfield Museum's Annual Model Train Exhibition Time of Event: Saturday and Sunday from 10 - 5 p.m. for two consecutive weekends again this year! Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133)
The 21st Annual Model Railroad Exhibition, sponsored by the Brookfield
Museum and Historical Society, will be held again on two
consecutive weekends
in the Museum at the corner of Routes 25 and 133 in Brookfield, Connecticut.
April 18 - American Military Forum - The Spanish American War Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Military Historian, Peter Cronin will present interesting details about this 10-week war of 1898. The presentation will focus on the underlying causes and meaningful results of the Spanish American War. Cronin, a long time student of military history, will talk about the politics and issues that lead up to the war which was fought between the Kingdom of Spain and the United States. He will show how it sounded the death knell for one European Empire and at the same time set the stage for the entrance of a new young nation to emerge in the western hemisphere. The program will also cover the battles that ensued during this brief conflict and the Treaty of Paris ending the war. The public is invited and admission is free. Refreshments will be served.
May 2 - American Military Forum - Medicine and Surgery of the Revolutionary War Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Dr. Raymond Sullivan, a former surgeon and current Director of Health for the Town of Brookfield will give a presentation on medical procedures used to treat soldiers during the American Revolution. From his personal collection he will also exhibit some of the instruments that were used during that period in our history. Refreshments will be served.
May 21 - Gurski Farmstead Spring Open House - Blacksmithing Demonstration and more! Time of Event: Saturday, 10-4 p.m. Location: Gurski Farmstead forge area just a half mile north of the Museum on Route 133 heading toward Bridgewater Brookfield residents, Ryan Blessey and Bob Pitcher will once again give a hands-on demonstration at the Gurski farm in the Museum's forge - a working blacksmith shop. The Museum will host the demonstration and open house which will include several display's of working "one-lung" farm machines from the turn of the last century as well as tours of the Merwin Brook Cemetery situated next to the forge. The farmstead property, which connects with many open space trails, will be open for exploring and the Brookfield Lion's community garden will be working. Admission and parking to the event is free. Refreshments will be served.
May 14 - June 1 - A Salute to Our Military Time of Event: Every Saturday from noon - 4 p.m. with extended hours on Sunday, May 29 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) A
memorial exhibit at the Brookfield Historical Society Museum, located at 165
Whisconier Road, will honor the memory of those former residents from
Brookfield who died in our country’s wars. Their service periods began with
the American Revolution
and continued through many of our Nations armed conflicts up to and
including Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The exhibit will
open each Saturday from noon to 4 P.M. beginning May 14. It will also be
open on Sunday, May 28 in conjunction with Brookfield’s Memorial Day parade
and observances until 4P.M. at which time it will end. The public is
encouraged to visit the memorial exhibit and join the community in
expressing our sincere gratitude for the sacrifices they made in the cause
of freedom. May 29 – Museum's Annual Strawberry Festival Time of the Event: Sunday from noon through 3:00 Location: Historical Society's Museum grounds, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Following the Brookfield Memorial Day parade, the Museum and Historical Society will host its annual Strawberry Festival. The festival will feature, at no charge, a live jazz band and an antique car exhibit. In addition homemade strawberry short cake and soft drink beverages will be sold to the public. All proceeds will go to sponsor future public programming at the Museum. A memorial exhibit honoring Brookfield residents who died while in service to their country will also run concurrently at the Society Museum.
June 6 - American Military Forum - The Civil War and Southern Families Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Kirk
Jackson will discuss the family’s history during the
American Civil War and its impact on their
southern plantation The Forks at Cypress in Florence, Alabama.
This Greek revival home, which was built by James Jackson II, was used as a base
camp by occupying Union forces during the war and was also where ancestors of
Pulitzer prize winning author Alex Haley, the
author of Queen and Roots, were slaves on the plantation. Refreshments will be served.
June 11 - "Celebrities of Brookfield" - exhibit openingTime of the Event: Every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) The Brookfield Museum and Historical Society will host its summer exhibit “The Celebrities of Brookfield.” The presentation will include nationally recognized individuals including patriots, public servants, authors, playwrights, actors, artists and a host of others who have gained prominence in their field of endeavor that have either lived in or have had direct ties to Brookfield. Admission is free.
June 15 - Program - The Death of Lincoln Time of Event: Wednesday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) A presentation by Thomas Craughwell, an author from Bethel, on his recently written book The Stealing of Lincoln’s Body. It is the true story of how in 1876 a gang hapless Irish counterfeiters tried to kidnap the body of Abraham Lincoln and nearly got away with it. The public is invited and admission is free. Refreshments will be served.
July 11 - American Military Forum -
“John Adams and the Rule of Humanity
Affecting the Treatment of Enemy Combatants Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) A presentation by Brookfield attorney and former Probate Judge Joseph Secola on the Rule of Humanity. This code of conduct was established by the Board of War created under the Second Continental Congress in January 1776 during the American Revolution. The Board assumed responsibility for many actions affecting the Continental Army, among them securing prisoners of war. Judge Secola will discuss how the efforts of John Adams, Chairman of the Board, upon learning from Washington of the continual accounts of the barbarities perpetrated by British and Hessian troops against American prisoners of war, sought to adopt a more humane policy of “Yankee virtue” toward captives in American hands. He will explore the impact of Adams’ actions on future generations of American military personnel in the civilized treatment of enemy prisoners up to and including our current involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Refreshments will be served.
July 14 - Abraham Lincoln, President of the People: Perspectives from the Mason-Dixon Line Time of Event: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Location: The Brookfield Public Library at 182 Whisconier Road (Route 25) Paula Hopewell, a native of Northern Kentucky, will deliver a presentation hosted by the Brookfield Museum and Historical Society on Abraham Lincoln. She will discuss the influence the border region had him and the sources of his extraordinary compassion, a character trait which helped him steer the country through the war between the states. She will share her impressions of the man and as well as insights and stories she uncovered while attending the Lincoln forum in Gettysburg in November of 2010. Refreshments will be served.
Aug 1 - American Military Forum - "Great Military Blunders Throughout History" Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Robert Purcell, of Brookfield, a retired engineer and research writer, will give a presentation on classic blunders and bloopers that occurred throughout our military history. These include, examples running the gamut from poorly planned and executed military strategies to failed inventions of war and mass destruction. Refreshments will be served
September 12 - American Military Forum - The U.S. Marines in Vietnam Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133)
A presentation
by former Marine, 1st Lt. David Montgomery, who will give a historical
overview of the United States Marines participation in the
war in Vietnam. Refreshments will be served
September 17 - Gurski Farmstead Fall Open House - Blacksmithing Demonstration and more! Time of Event: Saturday, 10-2 p.m. Location: Gurski Farmstead forge area just a half mile north of the Museum on Route 133 heading toward Bridgewater Brookfield residents, Ryan Blessey and Bob Pitcher will once again give a hands-on demonstration at the Gurski farm in the Museum's forge - a working blacksmith shop. The Museum will host the demonstration and open house which will include several display's of working "one-lung" farm machines from the turn of the last century as well as tours of the Merwin Brook Cemetery situated next to the forge. Admission to the event is free. Refreshments will be served.
September 18 - Walking Tour of Kellogg Street Time of Event: Sunday, 2 p.m. Location: Meet at the Brookfield Museum (corner of Rt. 25 and Route 133) to carpool to Kellogg Street. Once known as the Wood Creek area of New Fairfield, Kellogg Street is an important element in the history of Brookfield. Seven 17th and 18th century buildings still exist today. We will walk along the street and discuss the history of the neighborhood and the buildings. We will not be entering these properties but looking and discussing their history from the street. Admission to this event is $5. Refreshments will be served following the event back at the Museum.
October 3 - American Military Forum - President Polk's Mexican American War Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) David Montgomery will present the Mexican American War of 1846-1848 involving land disputes in Texas/Mexico. Montgomery, of Newtown, will focus on the underlying causes of the Mexican American war and its impact on America’s territorial expansion. David, a former Marine and General Electric executive, is a long time student of U.S. military history. Refreshments will be served.
October 19 – The Museum's Annual Meeting & DinnerTime of the Event: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Location: The Hearth Restaurant, Federal Road, Brookfield This event is open to Historical Society members only and features an original presentation and dinner. Please RSVP to the Museum's phone or email. Cocktails at 6:30 and dinner served at 7.
October 23 - A Multimedia Presentation of the Old Homes of Brookfield Time of Event: Sunday, 2:00 p.m. Location: The Brookfield Public Library at 182 Whisconier Road (Route 25)
Laura Mancuso, a member of the Society’s Board of Directors, recently
completed an extensive project researching long standing Brookfield houses
and homesteads from vintage pictorial images
and updating them with present day photographs.
She will discuss the results of Refreshments will be served. November 5 – 20th Annual “Festival of Crafts” Craft Fair Time of the Event: Saturday, 9 – 4 Location: Brookfield Whisconier Middle School, 17 West Whisconier Road, Brookfield The Brookfield Museum and Historical Society will sponsor its 19th Annual “Festival of Crafts” Craft Fair at the Brookfield Middle School on West Whisconier Road. Among New England’s largest craft shows, this year’s Festival will offer for sale jewelry, artwork, textile products, holiday treasures, toys, gourmet foods and many other uniquely hand crafted items by highly recognized northeast artisans perfect for gift or home use. More than sixty juried crafters will be on hand. Admission is $5 without discount coupon for adults and children over 12 years of age. Click here for more information and a discount coupon.
November 6 – 8th Annual Veteran’s Day Program & ConcertTime of Event: Sunday, 2:00 p.m.. Location: Brookfield Public Library 182 Whisconier Road (Rt. 25)
The well known area vocal and musical group J and B Lite will appear at a free
concert to honor local veterans. The event is part of the Community’s eighth
annual veteran’s program, “Salute to Veterans”, sponsored by the
Brookfield Refreshments will be served.
November 7 - American Military Forum - The Plight of American POWs During WW II Time of Event: Monday, 7:30 Location: Historical Society's Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of CT Routes 25 and 133) Martin
Patrick Tuttle will give a presentation on the life of American
prisoners of war while in captivity in the the many P.O.W. detainment
camps of the axis powers during World War II. He will discuss the rigors
of daily life, compare treatment by various captors, and explore the
impact of Refreshments will be served.
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