SOCIAL MEDIA

(INSTAGRAM)

CLICK HERE TO CHECK US
OUT ON INSTAGRAM

branfordhistoricalsociety

Our mission is to discover, preserve, and educate about Branford, Connecticut's heritage.

The winter of 1934 was so cold, the Sound froze se

The winter of 1934 was so cold, the Sound froze several inches thick. The water was frozen past the Thimble Islands and people walked, skated, and rode their bicycles on the Sound. A new sport was to drive an automobile on the ice and an adventurous fellow drove his car around Green Island in Indian Neck. Jim Kelly and brothers Clair and Addison Bradley drove a car to Governor's Island in Stony Creek. Feeling it was unsafe to drive back, the car was abandoned on the island. Ice skate housed at the Harrison House; if interested in this artifact or others, email tours@branfordhistoricalsociety.org for a tour. Information adapted from Branford's Town Historian, Jane Bouley. #WinterStories #LetItSnow #HistoricalKnowledge #HistoricPreservation #HistoricalSociety #BranfordCT #LongIslandSound #CTShoreline

What a year it was! Thank you to all who participa

What a year it was! Thank you to all who participated, volunteered and donated. We could not have had so much success if it wasn't for all of you! We wish everyone a happy and safe new year.

Malleable Iron Fittings Company began in 1874 alon

Malleable Iron Fittings Company began in 1874 along the Branford River and produced 1,800 different iron pipe fittings along with other iron products. The company grew quickly and eventually had 59 buildings on 31 acres along the river. The MIF was the largest employer and taxpayer in Branford and many families particularly those immigrating from Europe found employment at the company. During World War II the factory produced rocket war-heads, mortar shells and shell components. The foundry closed December 23, 1970 ending an era in Branford history. Information adapted from Jane Bouley's article on the James Blackstone Memorial Library's page. If you are interested in these or other artifacts housed in the Harrison House Museum, email tours@branfordhistoricalsociety.org for a private tour! #HistoricalPreservation #HistoricalKnowledge #LocalHistory #HistoricalSociety

We had a fantastic time at our annual Holiday Open

We had a fantastic time at our annual Holiday Open House this past Sunday. Thank you to the Branford High School's Music Makers and Christine Cohen for singing and playing violin at the event. Thank you to Country Farms for their donation of a gorgeous Christmas tree and to Vaiuso’s for their donation of the roping and wreath we decorated the Harrison House with. As always, thank you to the Branford Garden Club for helping us decorate the house! We greatly appreciate all of our Membership for supporting the Society and to the amazing Board for organizing another wonderful event!

Excited to report, we took home the award for "Mos

Excited to report, we took home the award for "Most Creative" for our float in last night's Branford Tree Lighting Parade! Thank you to @nationallumberinc for supplying our float and to BHS Board Member, Don Gentile, for his amazing decor design and execution! A huge shout out to our volunteers and participants and to @branfordparksandrecreation for putting on such an amazing event last night; we love being part of this amazing community! Don't forget to tag us in your pictures and videos! Happy 300th birthday, Harrison House! #TreeLighting #Winner #BirthdayFloat #HistoricPreservation #HistoricalSociety #BranfordCT

Last week we celebrated the Harrison House's 300th

Last week we celebrated the Harrison House's 300th Birthday! Thank you to musical duo Rick Spencer and Dawn Indermuehle for their concert, Branford's Town Historian, Jane Bouley, for her mini-talk on the history of the Harrison House and the James Blackstone Memorial Library for hosting us! Want to visit the Harrison House for a private tour? Email tours@branfordhistoricalsociety.org today!

Pictured is Jane E. Hoadley (1830-1922). Ms. Hoadl

Pictured is Jane E. Hoadley (1830-1922). Ms. Hoadley was Branford's first female teacher and principal at the Academy. If you are interested in her story or other artifacts housed in the Harrison House Museum, email tours@branfordhistoricalsociety.org for a private tour! #HistoricalPreservation #HistoricalKnowledge #LocalHistory #HistoricalSociety

Yesterday, Branford Historical Society President,

Yesterday, Branford Historical Society President, Matt Radulski, led an exclusive tour of Center Cemetery for Society members. It was a gorgeous day and goul times were had by all! #CemeteryTours #HalloweenPuns #LocalKnowledge #FallFun #HistoricPreservation #HistoricalSociety #BranfordCT

Pictured is a quill pen. Can you imagine writing w

Pictured is a quill pen. Can you imagine writing with a quill pen? Each dip provided enough ink to write three to six words. One had to have very light, smooth and even strokes. If you are interested in this quill pen or other artifacts housed in the Harrison House Museum, email tours@branfordhistoricalsociety.org for a private tour! #HistoricalPreservation #HistoricalKnowledge #LocalHistory #HistoricalSociety

Throw back Thursday to the Harrison House in 1975.

Throw back Thursday to the Harrison House in 1975. What are some of the differences between then and now? #HistoricalPreservation #HistoricHome #LocalHistoryMuseum #HistoricalSociety #BranfordCT

Pictured are projectile points collected by Robert

Pictured are projectile points collected by Robert Taylor Williams on his farm in Hotchkiss Grove and were donated to the Harrison House Museum by his daughter Lynda (Williams) MacAruthur. If you are interested in these or other artifacts housed in the Harrison House Museum, email tours@branfordhistoricalsociety.org for a private tour! #HistoricalPreservation #HistoricalKnowledge #LocalHistory #HistoricalSociety

Check out our scarecrow display celebrating the Ha

Check out our scarecrow display celebrating the Harrison House's 300th birthday on the Branford Green! #HistoricalSociety #FallFun #Community #Scarecrow #HalloweenSeason #BranfordCT

The body of water between the towns of Branford an

The body of water between the towns of Branford and East Haven was known to the Quinnipiac tribe as "Lonotonoquet" or Tear of the Great Spirit. The English settlers who came in 1644 to Branford called it the Great Lake and after an iron works was established on the shore, the lake became known as Furnace Pond. After the iron works closed, much of the land along the lake was owned by William Rosewell of Branford, a wealthy ship merchant. In 1700, his daughter Elizabeth married Gurdon Saltonstall, who would become governor of the Connecticut Colony. He and his wife built this mansion along the shore of the lake that was named in honor of him. The house burned to the ground in 1909, but the foundations can be seen on the east side of the lake. Information from Jane Bouley's 8 November 2000 article in the Branford Review. 📸 -- Branford Historical Society's Collection archived at James Blackstone Memorial Library #HistoricalPhotography #HistoricalPreservation #HistoricalSociety #LakeSaltonstall #BranfordCT

On Wednesday, 21 September 1938, a deadly hurrican

On Wednesday, 21 September 1938, a deadly hurricane swept through New England and created a path of destruction in Branford with its 80--100 mile per hour winds. The hurricane took seven lives and destroyed numerous homes. 📸 -- archived in James Blackstone Memorial Library's archive room

The earliest known view of Branford is the 1838 en

The earliest known view of Branford is the 1838 engraving of John W. Barber of the Green. The buildings from left to right show the original Episcopal Church, the Academy and the Congregational Church. Both church buildings have been replaced by the current structures. The Academy was moved to the rear of the Congregational Church in 1857 to make way for the Town Hall and again moved in 1973 to its present location. Information adapted from Jane Bouley's 16 June 1993 article in the Branford Review. #Engraving #HistoricalPreservation #HistoricalSociety #BranfordCT

On 4 September 1933, a hot air balloon participati

On 4 September 1933, a hot air balloon participating in an international race landed in Hotchkiss Grove. The pilots, Navy Commander T.G. W. Settle and Lt. Charles H. Kendall, left Chicago and traveled 52 hours covering 750 miles before landing at the Grove owned by Homer Griffing. Only a few people saw the hot air balloon come down, among them Melville Baisley of Bradley Avenue, who was driving by and found the rope draped across his windshield. 📸 -- Melville Baisley and information adapted from Jane Bouley's 5 September 2001 article in the Branford Review.

Happy first day of school to @branfordpublicschool

Happy first day of school to @branfordpublicschools! Pictured is the construction of Branford High School's addition in 1982. Who remembers the construction? 📸 -- housed in the James Blackstone Memorial Library's archives in Branford Historical Society Photographs, Box 49, Photo 244

THANK YOU to all the attendees who welcomed Genera

THANK YOU to all the attendees who welcomed General Lafayette to Branford 200 years after his visit during his 1824 Farewell Tour. Thank you to our speakers - Jane Bouley, Branford Town Historian, Robin Comey, State Representative for the 102nd District and Jamie Cosgrove, First Selectman of Branford. Thank you to @foxfieldfarmct for generously acting as the Lafayette family and adding your Mobile Menagerie to the event. Thank you to BCTV and The Sound for covering Lafayette's return. Thank you to the @wgpfoundation for funding the Lafayette trail marker and last but not least, thank you to the Historical Society's Board members and volunteers! We are thrilled this was such a successful event. If you missed it, you can visit the Harrison House Museum every Saturday 1--4PM through September. 📸 -- Michael Ingmanson #IPartiedWithLafayette #FarewellTour1824 #GeneralLafayette #LafayetteTrail #PreserveHistory #HistoricPreservation #HistoricalSociety #BranfordCT

We are so excited for General Lafayette's return t

We are so excited for General Lafayette's return to Branford on Thursday, 22 August at 5PM at Harrison House Barn and Museum, 124 Main Street, Branford. Will you be in attendance for this FREE KID FRIENDLY event?! Stickers created by @beespokevintage #IPartiedWithLafayette #LafayetteTrail #HistoricPreservation #HistoricalSociety #BranfordCT

At the turn of the twentieth century, Branford wat

At the turn of the twentieth century, Branford waters were very popular for sailboats of all sizes and annual regattas were held in the Thimble Islands. The Pine Orchard Club was founded in 1901 and moved to its present location in 1916 to provide mooring for members' yachts. The Branford Yacht Club was founded in 1909, sustained considerable damage in the 1938 hurricane losing 99 of 100 boats and moved to its present location in 1946. The Johnson family of Short Beach and the Edwin Baldwin family of Branford were early pioneers in the building of naphtha launches and motorized boats became as popular as sailboats. Today, hundreds of pleasure boats are moored at many locations along the Branford River at public and private docks. Branford is known as one of the yachtsman's finest ports for facilities on Long Island Sound. 📸 -- a postcard published by The Collotype Co., year unknown; information adapted from Jane Bouley's 24 June 1992 article in the Branford Review.

Load More Follow on Instagram