All programs are held at the Windsor Historical Society unless otherwise noted. 

For more information, call (860) 688-3813.

October 27, 3 - 5 p.m.

Palisado Cemetery Memory Walk with the Windsor Jesters.  Hot cider and gingerbread with a quick lesson on gravestone art precedes walk to Palisado Cemetery to meet “ghosts” from Windsor’s World War I era including a soldier, a Red Cross nurse and a Spanish influenza victim.  RSVP by Oct. 26.

November 7, 7 - 9 p.m.

The Spanish Flu Pandemic.  Learn about how the disease spread in 1918, what people did to contain it, how it was treated, and what stopped it.  Learn how disease transmission has evolved since then, and what people can do to prepare for and contain new epidemics.

November 10, two sittings: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Edwardian Luncheon/Tea.  “Victorian Lady” Kandie Carle’s performance features clothing, undergarments, manners, and customs of the Edwardian era which led up to World War I.  Featured foods include finger sandwiches and home-made cookies and confections.  RSVP by Nov. 9.

2008

January 17, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

“Camera Crazy:  Photographers of Windsor 1885-1930”    Free public exhibition opening at Windsor Historical Society.  Exhibition highlights five late 19^th century photographers who documented people, homes, businesses and events in Victorian Windsor.    Exhibition runs through May 3. 

February 9, 2 pm - 4 pm

Making Family Memories:  Preserving Your Family Photographs and Home Movies workshop at Windsor Historical Society.  Everything you need to know about safely handling, identifying, preserving, and storing family photographs, albums, and home movies, both old and new.  Cost:  $6 adults, $5 seniors and students, WHS members $4.

February 18-22, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Making Family Memories Vacation Week activities for children, grades kindergarten through six.  Scrap-booking, family crest-making, winter crafts and activities from different cultures. A parent or guardian must remain with the child during the activities. $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 children, $2 members or $10 per family. 

February 26, 10 am – 12:30 pm

Making Family Memories:  Oral History Workshop (Part I) at Windsor Historical Society.   Learn how to conduct oral history interviews with older family members and/or older residents of Windsor with experts Bruce and Sondra Stave. Free.   Reservations required by February 23. 

March 8, 1 pm - 3 pm

Making Family Memories:  A Beginning Scrap-booking Workshop (Part I) at Windsor Historical Society with  Windsor scrap-booking expert Renata Shields.  Bring eight photographs and learn how to get started with this popular pastime.  Pre-registration required.  Cost:  $10 per participant.

March 25, 10 am – 12 pm

Making Family Memories:  An Oral History Follow-up Workshop (Part II) at Windsor Historical Society.  Participants at the February 12 workshop will return to share their first interviewing experiences with the group. What worked well?  What could be improved?  Experts Bruce and Sondra Stave will advise.  Free. 

March 29, 1 pm – 5 pm

Making Family Memories:  A Beginning Scrapbooking Workshop (Part II) at Windsor Historical Society.  Participants from the March 8 workshop return for a concentrated session working on their personal scrapbooking projects with expert Renata Shields, who will present “Getting Organized:  How to Sort and Organize your Photos.”  Pre-registration required.  Cost:  $10 per participant. 

April 8, 7 pm – 8:30 pm

Community Reminiscence Night:  Flood Season!  An East Windsor Retrospective.  Slide lecture at Windsor Historical Society with East Windsor author and historian Doris Burgdorf showing the devastating floods of 1936 and 1955 and the great hurricane of 1938.   Windsor residents are invited to bring their memories and photographs of these events to share.  Cost:  $6 adults, $5 seniors and students, WHS members $4.

April 17,  7:00 pm

The Story of  Windsor’s Award-Winning Settlement Hill Development

South Windsor’s Linda Sunderland of Sunderland Period Homes presents a behind-the-scenes look at the story behind the development of Windsor’s Settlement Hill neighborhood, located across the street from the Oliver Ellsworth Homestead on Palisado Avenue (Route 159).   This special event is associated with Windsor Historical Society’s special “Four Centuries of Preservation” House Tour on Saturday, April 26.  5 Settlement Hill is one of the eight homes homes open for touring.  The April 17th event is free with the purchase of a house tour ticket, courtesy of Windsor’s Rabbett Insurance Agency and MiddleOak  Specialty® featuring Restorationist® - the only insurance designed exclusively for antique homes. 

April 26, 10 am - 4 pm

Four Centuries House Tour sponsored by Windsor Historical Society. A selection of historic Windsor residences will be open for public touring.  Costumed members of the Windsor Jesters community theater group portraying early homeowners will welcome tour participants.  Advance tickets:  $20; day-of-tour tickets $25.

May 15, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

“Windsor Then and Now:  A Photo History 1890-2008”    Discover what has changed and what has remained the same all over Windsor.  See views of Deerfield, Hayden Station, Poquonock, Rainbow and Wilson, as well as Windsor Center.  Free public exhibition opening at Windsor Historical Society.  Exhibition runs through August 30. 

June 3, 7:00 pm – 9 pm

Visions of Windsor:  Photography Contest Evening at Windsor Historical Society.  The Society invites local photographers to show up to ten minutes of work in PowerPoint format.  Audience members will vote for winners. Cost:  $6 adults, $5 seniors and students, WHS members $4.

June 14, 1pm – 4 pm

Bus Tour of Windsor’s Historic Sites with Windsor historian Beverly Garvan.  Explore Windsor’s highways and byways from the old Poquonock factory sites to Loomis Chaffee School and pick up some hidden clues to the Windsor Then and Now scavenger hunt.  $12 adults, $11 seniors and students, $10 WHS members.

July 12 10 am - 1 pm

Four Centuries Gardens Tour  Eight talented Windsor gardeners will open a potpourri of different types of gardens to the public.  Co-sponsored by Windsor Historical Society and the Windsor Garden Club.  Tickets:  $15 day-of-tour; $10 in advance and to Windsor Historical Society and Windsor Garden Club members.

August 11-15,  8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Visions of Windsor Summer Camp:  Children in grades 3 - 6 will explore Windsor’s history and become junior curators by creating a traveling exhibition that will be displayed around town in 2009.  By exploring our two exhibitions and participating in field trips around town, children will discover what Windsor means to them today.  Children will learn photography and photo editing, canvas painting and creative writing skills as they work together to create and select images and objects to produce their exhibition. Cost is $125 which includes supplies and snacks.  Children should bring their own lunch. Advanced reservation required by August 1.

September 3, 10, 17, 24:  7 pm – 9 pm

Making Family Memories:  Exploring Family History Series with Edward Strickland of the DFAW (Descendants of Founders of Ancient Windsor).  Learn how artifacts and records such as birth, marriage, and death records and the census, can help you build your family tree.  Internet resources and software programs will be covered.  $50 for series; $15 per session. Reservations necessary. 

September 12, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

“The Faces of Windsor:  1850 to the Present ”

Free public exhibition opening at Windsor Historical Society.  Exhibition features likenesses of Windsor people in many media:  oil and watercolor portraits, silhouettes, daguerreotypes and ambrotypes, and photographs.    Exhibition runs through year’s end. 

September 13, 1 pm – 4 pm

Antiques Appraisal Day at Windsor Historical Society.  For $5 per artifact, participants can bring manuscripts, and paper goods, clothing and textiles, furniture, glass and ceramics, metal goods, toys and jewelry for analysis and appraisal by regional experts.

September 23, 7:00 pm

Windsor Historical Society Annual Meeting. Speaker to be announced.

October 4 and 5, 10 AM – 4 am 

Colonial Days in Windsor’s Historic District.  Colonial reenacters will demonstrate cooking and crafts at Windsor Historical Society.  Cemetery tours, crafts, and planned activities throughout both days. 

October 25, 3 pm - 5 pm

Four Centuries Memory Walk in Palisado Cemetery with the Windsor Jesters.  As shadows lengthen, meet Windsor notables from four centuries of Windsor history in Windsor’s historic Palisado Cemetery including the town’s first minister, a seventeenth century accused witch, the last living slave in Connecticut, and many more. $10 adults, $9 seniors and students, $8 WHS members.  Reservations necessary.

November 8, 4 pm - 5:30 pm

Four Centuries Tea and Fashion Show at Windsor Historical Society, co-sponsored by Windsor Women’s Club.  See costumes from four centuries as you sample Red Rose tea and fancy tea sandwiches and sweets.  $25; $22.50 WHS and Windsor Women’s Club members.  Reservations necessary. 

November 18, 7 pm – 8:30 pm

Community Reminiscence Night:  Coming of Age in Windsor with seniors and students at Windsor Historical Society.  Hear some of the best storyteller in Windsor who have been part of Windsor Historical Society’s community oral history project.  Cost:  $6 adults, $5 seniors and students, WHS members $4.

November 29, 10 am – 4 pm

Silhouette Portraits: Faces of Windsor Today with nationally renowned silhouette artist Deborah O’Connor. Have your own or a loved one’s likeness immortalized for posterity.  Prices start at $25.  Children, pets welcomed. Reservations necessary.

December 10, 10 am – 11am; 1 pm - 2 pm; 7 pm – 8pm

A Victorian Christmas Magic Lantern Show with Terry Borton and the Victorian Magic Lantern Theater at Windsor Historical Society.  End Windsor’s 375^th anniversary year with a very special holiday performance.  School classes are invited to sign up for the daytime sessions in advance. Cost:  $6 adults, $5 seniors and students, WHS members $4.