OXFORD - Quaker Farms Volunteer Fire Company will hold its annual carnival from 6-11 p.m. June 30-July 3 on Oxford High School grounds, 61 Quaker Farms Road.
There will be fireworks Wednesday and Friday at 9:45 p.m. Ride-all-night wrist bands are $25.
Fun fact found on history.com:
"Bernard Cigrand, a small-town Wisconsin teacher, originated the idea for an annual flag day, to be celebrated across the country every June 14, in 1885.
"That year, he led his school in the first formal observance of the holiday. Cigrand, who later changed careers and practiced dentistry in Illinois, continued to promote his concept and advocate respect for the flag throughout his life."
So nice to be greeted this morning by yellow day lilies starting to bloom. The orange ones started to open a day earlier.
The Freeman Homestead at Derby Neck. Nancy Freeman, the wife of Roswell Freeman, a Black Governor, is pictured.
DERBY - Join the Kellogg Environmental Center, part of CT State Parks & Public Outreach, at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 20 for a virtual presentation by Anthony Martin, PhD from Central Connecticut State University, Department of Anthropology.
In recognition of Juneteenth weekend, Martin will speak about Black Governors and the historical connections with Osbornedale State Park.
From the mid-18th to mid-19th century, African- American communities in New England developed their own political and cultural structure headed by elected officials known as Black Governors or Black Kings.
Black Governors/Kings operated at the local level and performed several important social functions including heading events, resolving conflicts, and advocating for the African-American community.
Since 2010, Central Connecticut State University professors and students, volunteers, and descendants of Black Governors/Kings have been excavating the homesite of one, and potentially two, Black Governors: Quosh Freeman and his son Roswell.
The excavation in Osbornedale State Park aims to raise awareness of the Black Governors as part of the historic African-American presence in Derby.
Additionally, since the homesite was occupied for 110 years, the archaeological site provides an understanding of the daily life of three generations of the Freemans and their establishment and maintaining of home place across a racialized landscape.
Online access details will be shared with registered participants.
Please register for the free webinar through the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Calendar of Events https://www.depdata.ct.gov/calendar or contact donna.kingston@ct.gov for registration assistance.
The Kellogg Environmental Center, a facility of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s State Parks & Public Outreach Division, is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. It is located at 500 Hawthorne Ave.
For further information or directions email donna.kingston@ct.gov or call 203-734-2513.
This is a press release from the Kellogg Environmental Center.
DERBY - Derby Neck Library will present a series of free virtual talks at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays this summer.
Each event will be available via Zoom. These programs are intended for adults, but all ages are welcome to attend.
Topics correspond to the summer reading theme of “Tails and Tales.”
Enjoy learning about historical events, authors’ heritage stories, wildlife subjects, and connecting to nature.
Call 203-734-1492 on how to register. The agenda is:
June 17 - David Leff and co-author Eric Lehman on their book New England Nature: Centuries of Writing on the Wonder and Beauty of the Land. Learn about 400 years of writing that extols the marvels of the outdoors, explores local ecology, and calls for environmental sustainability.
June 24 - Joan Butler on “Birdscaping: Home Sweet Habitat.”
This beautifully illustrated program explores the importance of creating welcoming habitats for birds through thoughtful landscape choices, including native plants vital for food and nesting sites.
July 8 - Marlow Shami on “Nature as Healer.” Discover how everyday-anywhere nature can guide, calm, inform, and restore you. This program includes a guided meditation designed to relax the mind and develop sensitivity to the natural world.
July 15 - Monica Peterson on “True Tales of New England.” This talented storyteller will narrate the tales of a genuine Connecticut heroine of the American Revolution, the Ghost Ship of New Haven, and more.
July 29 - Rebecca Freimann on her book Family Tree: Rooted in Survival, an emotional account and tribute to three branches of her family describing their struggles to survive the Holocaust.
Aug. 5 - Jason “The Bow-tie Historian” on “The Sinking of the Titanic.”
This is a highly detailed and informative account of the tragedy and how it ensued, presented by an avid researcher with a passion for history.
August 12 - John Cilio on “Tales from Connecticut’s Aviation History.”
Learn about Connecticut’s rich and continual involvement in all aspects of aviation, from the early days to more recent technological advancements.
This is a press release from Pat Sweeney, research librarian, Derby Neck Library.
