Kent Historical Society

08/31/2026

08/30/2026

Join KHS Trustee Debbie Shifflet-Finton in a demonstration of spinning wool, the ancient craft of turning raw, wool fibers into continuous, usable yarn by drafting (stretching) and twisting them together. It is a highly meditative and creative process, allowing control of the thickness, color, and texture of one’s own unique yarn for knitting, crochet, or weaving. This act is at the heart of our summer exhibit, Homespun Kent: Revolutionary Households, metaphoric, and a powerful symbol of independence: making the yarn for the fabric our own nation. RSVP [email protected].

08/22/2026

It is with profound sadness to learn that we have lost a most loyal partner in preservation when Mrs Nancy Kissinger passed away Thursday at her home in South Kent. She was a steadfast supporter of the Kent Historical Society over the years, and will be greatly missed. The Board of Trustees and staff of KHS would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Kissinger Family.

08/21/2026

Food for the sole! We were delighted to host Andrew Rowand, shoemaker, to present his ancient craft of cordwainery to our members and guests last night. Part of our Homespun Makers' Series, Rowand described and demonstrated how one makes an authentic pair of handmade shoes; his techniques reproduce footwear made from the 17th-19th centuries. Here you can see a concealment shoe shared by one of our guests, found in an antique home in Macedonia. An ancient custom dating from the 14th century in England, folk traditional beliefs says a shoe hidden in structures near entry points like chimneys, fireplaces, doors and floorboards holds the spirit of its former wearer, warding off evil spirits. In colonial America, the tradition morphed to a good luck gesture. Rowand is currently working on cataloging shoes that have been discovered in early New England structures as part of his work. He is also curator and site administrator at the Eric Sloane Museum, and we are looking forward to future collaborations. Thanks for being our partner in preservation, Andrew!

08/19/2026

Don't forget! Andrew Rowand will be at 7 Hearths this Thursday to show us all how shoes were made in the 18th century. Please join us!! Cocktails and nibbles will be provided. RSVP [email protected].

08/18/2026

In July of 1987, as part of the release of their LP In My Tribe, 10,000 Maniacs recorded their music video, Peace Train, on the Housatonic in Kent! We recognize a few familiar faces; do you...? https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1atb6

08/17/2026

Join us for this wonderful workshop in the spirit of Revolutionary, Homespun creativity! Create your own beautiful and functional broom with Robin Ziegler, Craftswoman and proprietor of Robin’s Nest Home and Hearth https://robinsnesthomeandhearth.my.canva.site/. Your handmade Turkey Wing Whisk Broom will be made with all natural broom corn, your choice of string, broom corn seed, or red-dyed broom corn for whimsy! This style of broom dates back well over 200 years when all one had were grasses, twigs and string to fasten a broom together. Your Turkey Wing broom will be very functional, make wonderful gifts and are lovely to display. Come sweep up some skills you can take home! *Some hand / foot coordination required. RSVP [email protected].

08/13/2026

We want to hear your voice! As well as introduce our 2027 program, The Voices of Kent.
Marge Smith, curator of the Kent Historical Society, and KHS volunteer Denny
Mantegani will introduce a new project at the Kent Senior Center on Wednesday,
August 19 at 11 a.m. in the continuing series of the “People and Places of Kent”
programs co-sponsored by the senior center and historical society.
“As part of our 2027 theme - “Voices of Kent” - KHS is working to reinvigorate our
Oral History Program,” notes Smith. “We want to collect the history of our town
through the voices of people who live or have lived here. The Kent Senior Center at
Templeton Farm is the perfect place to begin. Some of our elders have been here all
their lives, while others have more recently joined us. We think that collecting each
other’s stories would be a great way for residents to connect, as well as to help us
document Kent’ s ongoing evolution.”
The August 19 program will introduce the project and feature mini-interviews by Smith and Mantegani.
Details about Voices will follow in the coming months.

08/12/2026

We had a hot and sticky weekend at the Kent Sidewalk Sale Days, but it was cool to visit with visitors and people from town, in our KHS Booth. Weaver Fever continues... at HOMESPUN KENT open weekends at our 7 Hearths House Museum 11-4pm.

08/12/2026

Join us for our Makers' Series Demonstrations and Workshops, including shoemaking, broom making, wool spinning, and perhaps an autumn surprise! Bring your children and introduce them to craftsmanship and community. Please see https://kenthistory.org/calendar/ for more information. RSVP [email protected].