Wallingford CT Historical Society

09/02/2026

Today on Episode 3 of What's it Wednesday, a piece of local furniture makes an appearance.

08/26/2026

Today on What's it Wednesday, Episode 2, we learn about an mid 19th century invention that revolutionized open hearth cooking.

08/20/2026

Today on What's it Wednesday - Episode 1, we learn about Wallingford's own hydroelectric plant.

Enjoy!

08/14/2026

08/14/2026

261 years ago today, patriots gathered around a large elm tree to protest British rule. The tree became a symbol of resistance for those fighting for independence.

Tonight, August 14, 2026, drop by the Center Street Cemetery to witness the dedication of Wallingford's own Liberty Elm Tree, donated by the Wallingford Historical Society. Ceremonies start at 6:00.

If you'd like to learn more about the story behind the original Liberty Tree, please watch the attached video.

08/09/2026

Post 20 of 20

Within days, newspapers begin to tell the story as the news of the "Great Wallingford Tornado" spread across the country. Donations continued to flow in from distant donors.

A man, 65 miles away in Rhode Island reportedly found a mysterious receipt from Wallingford. He later read about the tornado from one of these articles. He gave it to the Providence Journal who then raised $50 to pay for the loss of items on the receipt.

John Kendrick published "History of the Wallingford Disaster" just five weeks after the tornado struck and donated all proceeds to the victims.

Here is just a sampling of the newspaper articles published over the next few days.
Additional publications and commentary can be found online here:
https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/1878-august-9-tornado.../

With this, we bring to a close the coverage of the Wallingford Tornado.

We hope you have enjoyed the adventure.

08/09/2026

Part 19 of 20
Chapter VII "THE CEMETERY" of Kendrick "The Wallingford Disaster" is provided, as is, from the actual book. It may be the only way to portray the somber spectacle that occurred just 48 hours after the tornado swept through the town. If one takes the time to read only one post from this series today, this is one that should be at the top of the list.

With this post, we will close on Mr. Kendrick and his recounting of that terrible day in August of 1878.

If one should have the opportunity to read the entire book, it is well worth the time. The swiftness in which Mr. Kendrick accumulated the information and published this masterful work, was only matched by the swiftness of the Death Angel that swept across our little town.
A digital version of the book can be found here: https://archive.org/details/historyofwalling00kend

08/09/2026

Part 18 of 20

The total loss was estimated at $150,000, and fell chiefly on private property. Besides the destruction of the Catholic church and the injury done to the school-house, thirty houses were completely destroyed; fourteen houses were severely injured; fifteen barns were destroyed, and a number were seriously damaged. Of course, the real loss is not so much in houses and in barns as in homes destroyed, in the dearest ties rudely broken, and in ghastly death.