'Turnback Tuesday' features Shelton Basket Company

Turnback Tuesday is highlighting a local manufacturer. Shelton Basket Company was founded in 1911 by Abraham Lavietes.

The company was an historic manufacturer of woven wood and oak-splint, laundry hampers, delivery and insulated picnic baskets. This Gathering Basket is clearly marked with the Shelton Basket name or logo on the handle. The company moved out of Connecticut in 1960.

The Shelton Historical Society has these wonderful baskets as part of their historic collection. This basket was used by Harry Berman to collect tomatoes from his garden.

Thanks goes to Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.

Shelton Historical Society to host program on preserving heirlooms

SHELTON -Join Shelton History Center staff as they share tips and tricks for how to best save your family heirlooms. 

Learn how to store important items like linens, photo albums, and more to help them last for years to come.

The program will be held at 1 p.m. March 21 at Huntington Congregational Church.

Shared from a Facebook event page.

Shelton Historical Society annual meeting slated Jan. 25

SHELTON - Shelton Historical Society invites you to help us kick off America250 with our annual meeting and special presentation by Tom Denenberg!

Tom Denenberg is director at the Shelbourne Museum and a foremost scholar on Wallace Nutting - an American minister, photographer, artist, and antiquarian, who is most famous for his landscape photos of New England which helped spur the Colonial Revival style.

Shared from a Facebook event page.

Shelton Historical Society collecting food for Spooner House

From the Shelton History Center Facebook page:

"Whether it was offering colateral for a neighbor’s loan or simply donating peonies to eighth grade graduation, the Brownsons were dedicated to helping their community.

Donate to our Spooner House Food Drive, running until December 19, and help us continue the Brownson tradition of supporting our community.
Please leave all donations in the plastic bin we’ve placed on our site."

Shelton Historical Society to hold annual meeting Sunday

UPDATED: Our event will now start an hour later at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26 instead of the original 1 p.m. start time.

Refreshments will be provided after the brief business meeting and presentation conclude.

Our speaker Marie Hayes will discuss Victorian Gardening and will have a small display of gardening memorabilia. 

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Shelton Historical Society to hear presentation on Victorian gardens

SHELTON - Join us on Sunday, Jan. 26, from 1-4 p.m. at Huntington Congregational Church for our Shelton Historical Society Annual Meeting with Presentation by Marie Hayes, which will kick off 2025!

After a brief business meeting, our guest speaker, Marie Hayes, will share the secrets of Victorian gardens (more details to come).

Refreshments will be provided after the business meeting and presentation conclude.

This is shared from the historical society's Facebook page.

Shelton History Center to host annual Holiday Open House

SHELTON - Join us from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Shelton History Center for an evening of holiday fun at our annual Holiday Open House. 

Brownson House will be dressed up in festive cheer and light refreshments will be served as we ring in the season.

The history center is at 70 Ripton Road.

Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 or help us help our neighbors this holiday season and bring a non-perishable item for Spooner House.

Member preview from 2-4 p.m. Doors open to the public from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Shelton Historical Society to host Harvest Fun event Oct. 20

Shelton Historical Society photo

SHELTON - Come in costume - or not - to Shelton Historical Society’s Harvest Fun on Oct. 20.  

The outdoor event will offer a costume parade, games for all ages, pumpkin painting, prizes, and refreshments at Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Road. Hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Once inside the admission area, visitors will receive a schedule of activities, be able to play several games of skill on their own (or challenge each other), or take part in old-fashioned contests such as pie and donut eating competitions. 

All ages are encouraged to don a costume and take part in a costume parade, which will start promptly at 12:45 p.m., around the grounds for all to admire. 

The Trap Falls School, the Wilson Barn, and other agricultural outbuildings will be open for viewing and learning. Refreshments will be available.  

Admission is $5 for individuals 6 and older, and free for children under 5.  

Proceeds benefit the programs of the Shelton Historical Society, whose mission is to create connections between Shelton’s past, present, and future through education, preservation, and advocacy on matters of historical importance in our community.

For information including directions, please call 203-925-1803, email us at sheltonhistory@gmail.com or see Facebook or Instagram.

This is a press release from the Shelton Historical Society.

Shelton Historical Society to host program at Plumb Memorial Library

 

Local author to discuss book at Shelton Historical Society annual meeting

 

Shelton History Center shares 3 generation photo on Grandparents Day

Sharing today's Shelton History Center Facebook post:

Did you know today is #GrandparentsDay ?

Three generations of the Brownson family are shown in this picture from our collection. Harry Brownson (middle), his son Sheldon (right) and grandson Bernard (left) are working together to plow the field.

The photo can be found in the front hallway of the Brownson House at Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Road.

The Center is operated by the Shelton Historical Society.

Shelton Historical Society selected for community bag program at Stop & Shop

 

SHELTON - Shelton Historical Society has been selected as a beneficiary of the Stop & Shop Community Bag Program for June.

The Stop & Shop Community Bag Program launched in May 2019.

It is a reusable bag program that facilitates community support with the goal to make a difference in the communities where shoppers live and work.

Shelton Historical Society was selected as the June beneficiary by store leadership at the Stop & Shop at 898 Bridgeport Ave. 

Shelton Historical Society will receive a $1 donation every time the $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at this location during June, unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag attached to the bag.

“We were delighted to be chosen as the recipient of this program for June,” said Tracey Tate, Executive Director of Shelton Historical Society. “We’ll have a busy summer and this partnership will benefit a gardening program for families that we are starting soon. Along with new volunteers and community partners, this opportunity is coming at a perfect time.”

Shelton Historical Society is a nonprofit that was founded in 1969. It  owns and operates Shelton History Center at 70 Ripton Road, a complex of six historic structures that includes a museum with objects and paper-based items that reflect present-day or historic Shelton. 

These resources are used as a foundation for educational programs and presentations for all ages. 

Learn more about Shelton Historical Society, its buildings, programs and special events by visiting www.sheltonhistory.org.

For more information on the Stop & Shop Community Bag Program, visit stopandshop.2givelocal.com

This is a press release from the Shelton Historical Society.

Shelton Historical Society to host 19th annual classic car show on Father's Day

SHELTON - The Shelton Historical Society will hold its 19^th annual Vintage Vehicles Antique & Classic Car Show June 18 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at its Shelton History Center complex, 70 Ripton Road. 

For some, this unique car show has become a tradition to enjoy with their dads and grandfathers on Father’s Day. 

Visitors admire cars they remember from decades past, from the earliest Model T’s to 1970 and 80s high performance muscle cars.  Owners of these automobiles generously share their expertise and stories with spectators as they stroll the shaded grounds with historic buildings as the backdrop. 

Past shows have included everything from tractors to motorcycles to fire trucks. 

Visitors may vote for their favorites and purchase specialties from the grill and other refreshments for breakfast or lunch.  

Admission is $5/person, free for children 12 and under. Owners of antique and classic vehicles of all kinds may register to participate in this special event as they enter the property the day of the show. 

Each entry is $20 and there is no year limit for the cars.  

Proceeds will benefit the programs of the Shelton Historical Society, which includes many family and adult learning opportunities each year along with enrichment programs for students in several grades. 

The non-profit organization’s mission is to “preserve elements of the community’s history in order to create connections between Shelton’s past, present, and future generations through education, maintaining a museum with its collections, and providing a voice in the community regarding matters of historical significance.”

Six historic structures, which will be open for viewing or tours during the show, comprise the Shelton History Center and serve as a museum of the community’s history.

    For more information about the Vintage Vehicles show or the Shelton Historical Society, call 203-925-1803, follow Shelton History Center on Facebook and Instagram, or visit www.sheltonhistory.org. 

This is shared from a press release. 

Shelton History Center slates spring site cleanup

Shelton Historical Society photo

SHELTON - Join us at the Shelton History Center for a little spring cleaning at 10 a.m. May 20.

Grab a rake and some gardening gloves and come help us get the History Center ready for our upcoming events. It takes a lot of work to look this good.

The History Center at 70 Ripton Road is operated by the Shelton Historical Society.

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Shelton History Center to host cleanup of grounds Saturday

SHELTON - Ready to lend Shelton History Center a helping hand?

Join us this Saturday for our annual site cleanup! The Center is at 70 Ripton Road.

It takes a lot of work to keep our grounds beautiful, so grab a rake, some gardening gloves, and a friend and join us from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. to beautify our grounds!

This is shared from Shelton History Center's Facebook page.

Shelton Historical Society seeks volunteer museum educators

WHAT: Volunteer Training for Docents/Guides/Museum Educators  

WHERE: Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Road, Shelton  

WHEN: Sunday, April 16

TIME: 2-4 p.m.  

PRICE: Just your time!

REGISTRATION: Call (203) 925-1803 or email shcdirector@gmail.com  

DETAILS: Love learning? Help visitors connect with the past at Shelton History Center.  Become part tour guide -- part teacher -- part ambassador by attending sessions to learn Shelton’s history and how to share it with families and students. 

                 We welcome enthusiastic individuals with a little time to spare during the day for facilitating enrichment programs for school groups or on occasional weekends for special events.  No experience necessary. Sessions will be ongoing and flexible. 

                 Free membership for one year to Shelton Historical Society will be included upon completion of training.  

      Questions? We love them. Call (203) 925-1803 or email shcdirector@gmail.com for information or to register to attend.

This is a press release from executive director  Tracey Tate.

Shelton Reading Circle to discuss 'The Trayvon Generation'

SHELTON - Join Shelton Reading Circle members at the Shelton Community Center at 6:30 p.m. April 11 to discuss their March pick, "The Trayvon Generation" by Elizabeth Alexander.
The Shelton Community Center is at 46 Church St.
(March meeting was canceled due to adverse weather. We hope you'll join us!)

Shelton Historical Society slates annual meeting at Huntington Congregational Church

The annual meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 29 at Huntington Congregational Church. 

It will begin with a brief business meeting before turning the podium over to guest speaker Jean Jones. 

Based on their book, "Jones Tree Farm Remembrances and Recipes," Jean and her grandson, Jackson, will discuss Christmas Tree Farm Stories from the past and present, and their family heritage, with inspiration from Charles Dickens.

A copy of the anniversary book will be available for sale after the presentation. (Cash or check only, please).

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Shelton History Center to host 2nd annual Harvest Fun Fest

 The Shelton History Center is at 70 Ripton Road.

Shelton Reading Circle to discuss novel at community center

SHELTON - Join the Shelton Historical Society  on Aug. 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. in craft room #3 at the Shelton Community Center for its August Shelton Reading Circle.

The group will be winding down its summer reading with “The Girls with No Names” by Serena Burdick - the tale of bonds between young girls, sisters, and the people who love them.

The community center is at 41 Church St.

This is shared from the Shelton Historical Society Facebook page.