Harwinton Historical Society

09/04/2023

"... What Does It Mean if a Bear Has a Collar or Ear Tags?
A common misconception is that a tagged bear in Connecticut is a problem bear, and a bear with two ear tags was caught on two different occasions because it was causing problems. Actually, every bear receives two ear tags (one in each ear) the first time it is handled by DEEP, regardless of why it was tagged. Most tagged bears have not been caught as problem bears, but rather as part of a project to research the state’s bear population.

Ear tag color indicates the year the bear was tagged. For example, a bear with green tags was handled in 2019, and one with orange tags was handled in 2018, regardless of age, gender, or reason for tagging.

Each colored tag has a 3-digit number code. The last digit indicates the year, while the first 2 numbers indicate the sequence in which it was caught. For example, a bear with ear tag “03-6” would be the third bear handled in 2016, and a bear with ear tag “20-4” would be the twentieth bear handled in 2014.

Ear tags help biologists track bear movements and dispersal. Bears tagged in Connecticut have traveled as far as Vermont. Bears tagged in New York, Massachusetts, and even Pennsylvania have shown up in Connecticut. Ear tags can also help identify individual bears that have a repeated problem behavior.

A bear with a collar will also have ear tags. The collar helps biologists locate a bear and track its movements. Data collected from collars provide biologists with important information about the growth, movements, and health of Connecticut’s bear population. ..."

More info:
https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Bears/Frequently-Asked-Questions-About-Black-Bears

12/17/2022

05/22/2020

Harwinton Memorial Day parade 2018

02/01/2019

HARWINTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP

The Harwinton Historical Society will grant a $1,000 scholarship to a Harwinton resident or an individual active in the Harwinton Historical Society. Applicants must show an interest in history and/or the social sciences through coursework and/or experiences. Graduating high school seniors and students currently pursuing post-secondary education are encouraged to apply. Applications are available from the guidance departments of the following area schools: Lewis Mills, Wamogo, Oliver Wolcott Technical, St. Paul, and Northwest Catholic High School; or an application may be requested on line at [email protected]. Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2019.

01/07/2019

Non-profit organisation

04/05/2018

New Program Scheduled

"A Sacred Space"

Learn about a Native American ceremonial landscape on a remote hilltop - a surprise find in the Tunxis Indian Territory right here in Harwinton. The Historical Society invites you to hear more on this interesting subject from our town's own Bob DeFosses on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 2:00 PM in the Harwinton Library on Bentley Drive off Route 118. All are welcome. There will be no fee but donations are gratefully accepted.

03/17/2018

A new story has been added to the Historians web site. Here is a link. http://www.harwintonhistory.com/Hungerford/FINDING_HUNGERFORD.html

02/12/2018

Two programs are scheduled - one in February and one in March.

Sunday Feb. 25

2 to 4 p.m. at the Harwinton Library, Bentley Drive off Route 118.

Peter Vermilyea will present the following program:

“Accused of Witchcraft”

While many people cast aspersions at the history of the supernatural, it is an undisputed fact that our Litchfield County Ancestors believed they had neighbors that were witches. In most cases the women who were accused of witchcraft fell outside what society expected from their gender. Author Peter Vermilyea will discuss the lives of four 18th century residents accused of witchcraft and the possible motivations behind the accusations.
In the event of a snowstorm this program will be rescheduled at a later date to be announced.

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Sunday, March 18

2 to 4 p.m. at the Harwinton Library, Bentley Drive off Route 118

Hamish Lutris will present the following program.

"Newspapers in the Civil War"

The Civil War was the first war covered comprehensively by newspapers on both sides. It was also the first war during the age of the telegraph, which made newspaper coverage of the war something out of the wild west- cut-throat, light on ethics, always exciting, but at times wildly inaccurate. This talk will center on newspaper coverage of the war, the reporters who covered it, and the rough-and-tumble of political reporting during the war. It offers both an often humorous view of emerging media of the time, and sheds light on the media and its role today.

12/31/2017

Free Program Sunday, Jan. 7 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Harwinton Public Library Bentley Drive

"Connecticut in the Civil War"
Associate Professor of History Hamish Lutris will describe how Connecticut provided a greater percentage of its citizens as Union manpower than any other state during the Civil War. Connecticut soldiers and sailors underwent triumph and tragedy in every theater of operation in the war. In addition, Connecticut was the arsenal of the Union, with factories producing uniforms, guns, and equipment for the in unheard of profusion, making Union armies the best-equipped in human history until that time. Professor Lutris paints a portrait of Connecticut in the Civil War, a contradictory picture of a state on the cusp of change, though struggling to retain a way of life rapidly fading into a bucolic past.
There is no charge for this program but donations are gratefully accepted.

12/31/2017

The Harwinton Historical Society has scheduled four history-related programs this January and February. All programs are available to the public at no charge due to a generous grant by the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation and private donations.

“Connecticut in the Civil War”
Sunday, Jan. 7th 2018 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Harwinton Library on Bentley Drive
Associate Professor of History Hamish Lutris will describe how Connecticut provided a greater percentage of its citizens as Union manpower than any other state during the Civil War. Connecticut soldiers and sailors underwent triumph and tragedy in every theater of operation in the war. In addition, Connecticut was the arsenal of the Union, with factories producing uniforms, guns, and equipment for the in unheard of profusion, making Union armies the best-equipped in human history until that time. Professor Lutris paints a portrait of Connecticut in the Civil War, a contradictory picture of a state on the cusp of change, though struggling to retain a way of life rapidly fading into a bucolic past.
There is no charge for this program but donations are gratefully accepted.

“General Robert E. Lee”
Saturday Jan. 20th 2018 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Harwinton Library on Bentley Drive
Long regarded as one of the greatest military generals in history, Robert E. Lee has also generated lively debate among historians in recent years. This dignified Virginian, who served as the brilliant commander of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War, often defeated Union armies twice his size. Yet, he was neither a staunch supporter of slavery, nor of secession. Join Dr. Karl Valois of the University of Connecticut for a discussion of the life and times of Robert E. Lee. There is no charge for this program but donations are gratefully accepted.

“The Year Without a Summer”
Sunday, Jan. 28th 2019 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Harwinton Senior Center, Weingart Road
This program will be part of the Harwinton Historical Society’s Annual Meeting. Refreshments will be served beginning at 1 p.m. Following the business meeting, Town Historian Roger Plaskett will present a program “1816: The Year Without a Summer.” This year is also referred to as “the poverty year” when plantings froze, were replanted, and froze again. The same year a severe drought combined with bad weather to wreak havoc on Connecticut. Learn more about what happened that year and the deadly impact it had on the town of Harwinton.
There is no charge but please register in advance by email to [email protected] or by calling 860-482-7978.

“Accused of Witchcraft”
Sunday Feb. 25th 2018 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Harwinton Library, Bentley Drive
While many people cast aspersions at the history of the supernatural, it is an undisputed fact that our Litchfield County Ancestors believed they had neighbors that were witches. In most cases the women who were accused of witchcraft fell outside what society expected from their gender. Author Peter Vermilyea will discuss the lives of four 18th century residents accused of witchcraft and the possible motivations behind the accusations. There is no charge for this program but donations are gratefully accepted.

11/11/2017

In 1939 Mr. Hoover paid a visit to our town. He stayed with Mrs Gertrude Lane who lived in the house on South Road now the home of Mark Tilly.