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Monday 10am - 4pm Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 3pm

Cornwall Historical Society

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Cornwall Historical Society

The Cornwall Historical Society of Cornwall, Connecticut. Special exhibits are held annually, from late June until late October.

The Cornwall Historical Society is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and presentation of the history of Cornwall and its people. Research requests are handled year-round. Summer exhibits are held in our newly-converted Victorian barn, open Saturdays and Sundays. We are a great starting point for exploring the Cornwall area, with walking tours, local history publications, lectures and family programs.

03/08/2026

The Cornwall Historical Society has been awarded a grant of $4,999 from Connecticut Humanities (CTH) in support of our upcoming exhibition "War Stories: Cornwall in the Revolution." Funding from this grant will assist with the cost of fabricating the exhibit and installing it.

Featuring historic documents, objects, works of art, maps, and other materials, most of them from the Cornwall Historical Society’s own collections, this exhibition will bring together stories of diverse individuals and the larger events of the Revolutionary War to teach visitors about the personal decisions Cornwall’s people made as they fought for liberty and independence from 1775 to 1783.

"War Stories" is guest curated by curator and historian Dr. Steven H. Jaffe.

Timed to coincide with the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence, "War Stories" will be the cornerstone of Cornwall's celebration of our country's 250th birthday. It will provide an ongoing complement to events expected on Memorial Day, July 4th, the September Agricultural Fair and a June encampment on the Town Green. A complete schedule of programming will be announced in May.

"War Stories" opens Memorial Day weekend and will be free and open to the public through October 2026.

10/30/2025

Join in a town-wide reading of David McCullough's best-seller "1776" followed by evening potluck discussions in Cornwall living rooms on Wednesday, November 12, or Saturday, November 15.

“1776” focuses on the remarkable events of that year when America's future hung in the balance as George Washington assumed command of what would become the Continental Army. This is the first of three group reads to provide a background for Cornwall's celebration of America's 250th and the Historical Society's exhibit "War Stories: Cornwall in the Revolution" that will open Memorial Day weekend 2026. Two additional books will be selected soon for discussions in February and April.

This event is free and open to all. Please contact the Cornwall Library or the Cornwall Historical Society if you need a copy of the book. You don’t have to finish reading a book to join us. Registration is required so we know how many to expect.

For more details and to register, visit: https://cornwallhistoricalsociety.org/events/

08/04/2025

REMINDER: Tickets are still available for our annual Summer Garden Party coming up on Saturday, August 16, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are $75 per person and include: Live jazz music, buffet supper, dessert, drinks, silent auction, live auction and a wonderful evening!

Band for the evening: Blue River Jazz Band led by Chris Coulter.

RSVP deadline is August 10. For more details and to purchase tickets, please visit: https://cornwallhistoricalsociety.org/events/

We hope you’ll join us! All proceeds support the programming and operations of the Cornwall Historical Society.

07/29/2025

Join us for an exciting program with Connecticut shoemaker Andrew Rowand as he guides us through the art of handcrafting shoes. Rowand has been a shoemaker for over a decade, specializing in the recreation of historical footwear from the 17th to 19th centuries. He uses period-appropriate tools, materials, and techniques in his craft. Currently, he is researching and cataloging shoes that have been discovered in early New England structures as part of his work. In addition to his shoemaking and research, Andrew serves as the curator and site administrator of the Eric Sloane Museum in Kent, Connecticut.

This program is free, but pre-registration is required.

THE ART OF HANDCRAFTING SHOES
Friday, August 1 at 2:00 PM
Register at: https://cornwallhistoricalsociety.org/events/

07/27/2025

REMINDER: We are OPEN today!

Now through October 12, the Historical Society is open on Saturdays from 10-3, and on Sundays from 1-4.

07/26/2025

Mark your calendars and join the Cornwall Historical Society for two special events on Saturday, August 16:

YELPING HILL HISTORY TALK & WALKING TOUR: 3:30 PM (free)
SUMMER PARTY, DINNER & AUCTION: 6:00 PM ($75/person)

Save the date and join the Historical Society and the Yelping Hill Association for a talk at 3:30 p.m. by Jeremy Brecher about the community’s 103-year history. A walking (or shuttle) tour will follow and includes original leasehold sites and community buildings designed by pioneering architect Ruth Adams and located within the association’s more than 500 acres of woods and meadows. Admission is free for the afternoon talk and tour.

The evening party and auction starts at 6:00 p.m. and requires a paid ticket, with proceeds supporting the programming and operations of the Cornwall Historical Society. Visit our website for more details, to register for all events and to purchase tickets for our third annual summer party to be held at the Yelping Hill Barn.

https://cornwallhistoricalsociety.org/events/

07/22/2025

CORNWALL HISTORICAL SOCIETY NAMED AS “CT TREASURE” FINALIST BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS

We are honored to announce that the Cornwall Historical Society has been nominated as a finalist by the American Institute of Architects (AIA CT) in the 2025 CT TREASURES AWARD. This prestigious recognition celebrates architectural treasures in each of the State’s eight counties. The Cornwall Historical Society Museum has been nominated for Litchfield County. We invite all of the Cornwall community to show their support by casting their votes. Voting ends Sunday, July 27. You can cast your votes at: https://aiact.org/awards/connecticut-treasures-award/

07/09/2025

PAINTING EN PLEIN-AIR IN COLTSFOOT VALLEY - SATURDAY, JULY 12 at 10 AM

Join artist Robert Adzema for a plein-air day in Coltsfoot Valley. This area of Cornwall is known for its stunning natural beauty. Participants will gather to learn about painting and drawing in the landscape. All levels of experience are welcome. Bring your own easel, folding chair, supplies, and canvas or sketch pad. All mediums are welcome. Robert Adzema is a professional plein-air land-scape watercolor painter and also a sculptor of sundials for over 40 years.

This is a two-hour session beginning at 10 a.m. and finishing at noon. Admission is free. Please register so we know how many to expect.

LOCATION: Meet at the South end of Pine Street where the road forks with Jewell Street. Please park along Pine Street. RAIN: In case of rain, the class will be moved inside Tommy Eucalitto’s barn at Coltsfoot Valley Farm. The barn has big sliding doors that open to beautiful views of the valley.

Photo courtesy of Lazlo Gyorsok

07/05/2025

We are now open every Saturday from 10-3 and every Sunday from 1-4. Please join us for our Opening Reception today at 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome!

09/20/2024

The Cornwall Historical Society is pleased to announce that author Alex Prud’homme will present the 2024 Norman Dorsen Lecture on Saturday, September 28 at 5:00 p.m. Prud’homme, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications, will discuss how Julia Child (his great-aunt) helped inspire his latest book, Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House. The event will take place at the Town Hall (24 Pine Street) with a Q&A following the program. Attendance is free, but pre-registration is appreciated so that we can plan.

Register here: https://cornwallhistoricalsociety.org/events/

The Norman Dorsen Lecture is an annual public event made possible through an endowment provided by the late Norman Dorsen. A leading academic and civil liberties lawyer, Dorsen served as the Frederick I. and Grace A. Stokes Professor of Law at New York University School of Law and also as the counselor to the university president. He was President of the national ACLU from 1976-1991.

08/13/2024

REMINDER: Our Summer Party is this Saturday, August 17. The RSVP deadline is tomorrow, so be sure to let us know you're coming!

Please RSVP here: https://cornwallhistoricalsociety.org/events/

Address

7 Pine Street
Cornwall, CT
06753

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 4pm
Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 3pm

Telephone

(860) 672-0505

Website

http://cornwallhistoricalsociety.org/

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