Gothic Victorian Tales by Candlelight	Stories of Sarah Orne Jewett read by Rita Parisi of Waterfall Productions October 23 at 7 p.m. Call 203-445-1082 for reservations The Meetinghouse at Barn Hill and East Village Roads This program is made possible by a grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts New England States Touring
A Visit from Hannah Cranna	Halloween Tales by our very own "Witch" as told by Sue Selk, Storyteller October 31 at 2 p.m Call 203-261-8554 for reservations. Beardsley Homestead 31 Great Ring Road
Christmas Fair at the Old Schoolhouse	Our Annual Christmas Fair Saturday, November 27       9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, November 28       9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, December 2       4 p.m.-7 p.m.. Friday, December 3       4 p.m.-7 p.m.. Saturday, December 11       9 a.m.-3 p.m.. Open during the House Tour . Saturday, December 11       5 p.m.-9 p.m. . Old Schoolhouse, 311 Wheeler Road Please call 203-261-8554 if you have vintage or collectible Christmas decorations to donate.
Christmas House Tour	December 11 5.p.m-8 p.m. Call 203-445-1082 for tickets
Hands-on-History	A one-day Christmas workshop for children in grades 3 - 6. December 18 Call 203-445-1082 for registration The Beardsley Homestead 31 Great Ring Road
For more information about any of these events, call Nancy at 203-261-8554 or Karen at 203-445-1082. Visit us on Friday afternoons at the Monroe History Room in the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library from 1 p.m. to 3 pm.

The Connecticut Open House day was a big success at the Old Schoolhouse. Here are some photos taken by John Babina on Saturday, June 12.

      The MONROE HISTORICAL SOCIETY was incorporated in 1959, and seeks to "preserve our heritage and the spirit of a people." The organization provides educational, cultural and social events, which encourage an insight into our history.

       We provide safekeeping of the historical collections donated to the Society for the purpose of documenting, preserving, displaying and maintaining a generational bridge to the history of the community.      

     An important part of the Society is to preserve and maintain the Society properties comprised of the East Village Meeting House on Barn Hill Road, the 1790 East Village-Barn Hill Schoolhouse on Wheeler Road, and our current restoration project and future museum, the Beardsley Homestead at 31 Great Ring Road.      

     New members to the Society are always welcome.

     We will tailor a visit to your needs. Are you a Cub Scout or Brownie leader with a troop working on specific badges? Are you an elementary school teacher who would like to schedule a day at the Old Schoolhouse? Do you have out-of-town visitors who would like to learn about Monroe? Whatever your interest or the size of the group, we can work with you to make your visit a fun and educational experience.

Let us recommend activities such as: Preparing a meal in our 18th century kitchen at the Beardsley Homestead. Learning a colonial home skill such as candle dipping, spinning, embroidery or quilting, reverse glass painting, Spending a few hours back in time at the Old Schoolhouse learning the lessons of colonial school children. A walking tour of the historic Monroe Centre Green on Monroe Turnpike or the Stepney Green on Main Street Tour one or more of our historic properties. Come to the EWML and learn about Fannie and Jennie Burr, artists who lived on Elm Street in the 19th and early 20th century. View paintings by them and read from their letters and diaries. Find out what life was like in Monroe during the Revolutionary War when the Duc de Lauzon's 600 troops camped on the Monroe Green Learn about the history of Monroe with a scavenger hunt at the mural "Our Town" painted by artist David Merrill What was Monroe like during Civil War times? What can we learn about the Monroe community from the letters of Civil War soldier Ira Penfield? What do we learn about what was important in Monroe to Iraaway from home for 3 years Who are some of the important women in Monroe's history? What did they accomplish and what can we learn from them? What was it like to be a farmer's child? Why did they go to school in summer and winter ? What were they doing on the farm during the fall and spring? How do we learn about the history of a town? Where do we look? What are the resources available? What can we find out from the stones in the cemetery?

Brownies visiting the Beardsley Homestead Cub Scouts visiting the Meetinghouse

Stop in and see the David Merrill mural in the lower lobby of the Edith Wheeler Memorial Library. Click here for a printable mural key.
Click here to see photos of the move and of David working on the mural.

The Mail Wagon is back at the Post Office.
Click here to see photos of the wheel restoration and the move to the Post Office.