558 Colebrook Road | Colebrook, CT 06021 | 860.738.8682
2023
Scott Norton has been named Colebrook's Town Historian.
Scott may be reached at: town_historian@colebrooktownhall.org
 
Holiday Open House | December 3rd, 2023, 3 - 5:00 P.M.
 
Premier Swing Band Concert | October 22nd, 2023, 3 - 4:30 P.M
 
Friday Night Gathering | October 6th, 2023, 7:00 P.M.
 
Friday Night Gathering | August 11th, 2023, 7:00 P.M.
 
Friday Night Gathering | July 21st, 2023, 7:00 P.M.
 
Annual Open House - June 4th | 3:00-5:00 P.M.
Our annual Open House will be held on Sunday, June 4 th from 3:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. at The Seymour Inn – home of the CHS. This social gathering will give us a chance to catch up with each other and enjoy the ample refreshments. It will also kick off this season’s exhibit – “Women’s Work”. No, we’re not talking about housekeeping, cooking and cleaning. We’re talking about art, music, award winning writing and acting, needlework and more, all created by women of our community. These many and varied creations will be on display, as well as fascinating facts about the women who brought them into being. We hope you can be at the Open House but, if not, just drop in at the CHS any weekend to see the exhibit. We’ll be open from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season.
Women at Work Poster
 
Annual Meeting | April 30th, 2023 | 3:00 - 5:00 P.M.
Rosie the Riveter
2022
Open House & Silent Auction | December 4th, 2022
 
Friday Night Gathering | November 11th, 2022, 6:30 P.M.

The Colebrook Historical Society and the Colebrook Land Conservancy will jointly sponsor a social gathering on Friday, November 11, featuring a presentation by renowned free-lance photographer, Christopher Little.

This past summer Mr. Little took his family on a month-long trip to Africa, visiting Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. He naturally documented the story of their travels in photographs. His presentation, “In To Africa”, will tell that story and show those photos. His subjects along the way included an abundance of wild animals, exotic birds, Botswanan Bushmen, stunning scenery and, of course, his family. It’s a light-hearted travelogue, filled with the incredible sights they saw and the humor they shared.

Christopher Little has spent his long and varied career photographing a myriad of famous people and fascinating places. Among his subjects were President Joe Biden, Queen Elizabeth, John Lennon and Johnny Cash, to name but a few. For three years he was the official photographer of His Highness the Aga Khan and traveled nearly a quarter million miles while on the job. His work has been published in almost every major magazine and displayed in exhibitions all across this country.

In recent years Mr. Little has turned his talents to writing, publishing a murder mystery thriller, “Ever So Silent”. He’s currently working on another book.

The evening will begin with a reception at the Seymour Inn, home of the CHS, at 6:30 PM. Refreshments will be served. The Inn is located at the intersection of Routes 183 and 182A in Colebrook Center. Mr. Little’s presentation will follow at 7:00 PM at the Town Hall Meeting Room next door. All are most welcome.

For information contact Carol Lord at carol.9508@yahoo.com or 860-738-8244.

 
Friday Night Gathering | September 23rd, 2022, 7:00 P.M.
 
Friday Night Gathering | September 9th, 2022, 7:00 P.M.
 
Friday Night Gathering | August 12th, 2022, 7:00 P.M.
 
Friday Night Gathering | July 15th, 2022, 7:00 P.M.
 
Spring 2022 Open House featuring The Art of Germaine Lemieux
2021
Concert on the Green | Saturday, September 18th, 2021, 4:00 P.M.
 
CT & The Pandemic of 1918 | on Zoom August 13 &:00 P.M.
 

REMEMBERING G. FOX & CO. – A ZOOM PRESENTATION
FRIDAY, JULY 9 @ 7:00 P.M.

In the 50’s just about every major city had a landmark department store. In Connecticut it was G.Fox & Co. in Harftord. Taylor McClure of the Connecticut Historical Society will bring back Fox’s heyday as she conducts us on a virtual tour of this very special store.
TO REGISTER EMAIL: colebrookhistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Welcome Spring 2021

March 2021
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
- Albert Einstein

It’s so nice to reach out to you again. We at the Colebrook Historical Society have missed you very much. We well know the value of learning from yesterday but living for today has been rather difficult this past year, hasn’t it.

The CHS was dealt a deeply personal blow last September with the passing of Jan Rathbun. Jan’s service to the Society, and to the community at large, was second to none. As President or Co-president or chairperson of whatever committee, she was the “go-to-gal” to get things done. Many of our projects and events came to pass due in large part to Jan’s imagination and determination. She was a warm, generous, kind and stalwart friend to all of us and we miss her dearly. Plans are in hand to create a permanent memorial to Jan at the CHS. 

We’re finally feeling hopeful for tomorrow, but caution is still the watchword.  We’d love to be able to schedule a full calendar of events as in the past but for now we’re taking it one step at a time. We’ll be holding our annual meeting on Friday, April 9 at 3:00 PM via Zoom. Please join us. Just email colebrookhistoricalsociety@gmail.com to register for the meeting. You’ll be sent a return email containing the link to click on. 

If any of our usual events - Friday Night Gatherings, Open Houses, a fall concert, etc. - become possible to hold safely we’ll let you know immediately via Facebook, our website and post cards. If you’ll give us your email address, we’ll be happy to notify you that way, too. We don’t want you to miss any opportunity for us to come together. In the meantime we’re exploring ways to connect virtually. We’re investigating presentations we can bring you via Zoom among other possibilities.

We have been busy behind the scenes. We’re honored to be entrusted with the preservation and maintenance of the two historic buildings in our care.  This year brought us roof repairs at the Rock School and water valve issues at The Seymour Inn among other issues. Wherever possible our volunteers take care of any task at hand, but sometimes the work of experts is needed and money has to be spent. 
Any contribution you can make this year will be greatly appreciated.  Without you we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what we’ve done in the past; with you we can accomplish all manner of things in the future we’re finally looking forward to. 

Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote, “Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘it will be happier’.” We agree with him.   

 
Remembering Jan Rathbun | 1938 - 2020

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Jan Rathbun on Friday, September 25, 2020. Jan was a unique woman, a very special woman. She was bright, beautiful, funny, energetic, kind, thoughtful and generous to a fault. We may not see her like again.

Jan was a longtime resident of Norfolk and Colebrook. She believed in giving back to her community and she “put her money where her mouth was”. She served on the governing Boards of the Colebrook Associates, Foothills Visiting Nurses Association, Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation and Battell Arts Foundation. She was a member of the Norfolk Library Associates and a hospice volunteer. But nowhere was her service more valued than at the Colebrook Historical Society.

Jan served 3 terms as co-president of the CHS, and several more terms as president on her own. Her contributions were innumerable. She felt strongly that the society should serve the Colebrook community at large. She set about finding ways to do it and came up with the idea of “Friday Night Gatherings”. The society would be open to all on four Friday evenings during the season. A local speaker would be invited to share their expertise with those gathered in an atmosphere of laughter and lively conversation, not to mention a little libation and loads of refreshments. Jan got this program off the ground and every year thereafter she personally scoured the community for interesting speakers, then proceeded to pin them down. Not every one of her “targets” was as enthused about the idea as Jan was, but her charming powers of persuasion invariably carried the day. Other community events - our open houses, concerts, ice cream socials, tea parties, etc, - all profited from Jan’s strong and steady direction.

Jan loved people and they loved her. She knew how to bring people together, how to get them excited about an event or a project. She knew that everyone must feel their efforts are appreciated, and she made sure they did. Jan was always available for help or advice, or if you just needed a good laugh. Nothing was too big or too small for her to tackle. She may have given us a glamorous performance of The Ghost of Christmas Past in our production of “Once Upon a Scrooge”, but on Wednesday mornings you could find her in old jeans and a work shirt, helping to paint the walls of The Seymour Inn.

We will never forget Jan. She’ll live on at the Colebrook Historical Society. You’ll find her in the exhibits she helped create, in the period furniture she hunted down to make the restoration of the Inn just right, in the desks at the Rock School, in the myriad of other things she touched and loved and worked for. Most of all, you will always find Jan in our hearts.

Read Jan's Obituary here >>

Plan for 2020
 
Remembering Mike Hurd | 1935 - 2020

The CHS and the Colebrook community at large lost a cherished friend on February 11th, 2020. Mike Hurd was a long-time Colebrook resident, family man, active in community organizations, a decorated U.S. Navy veteran, devoted patriot, history buff, conservationist, stickler for proper grammar, and gifted story teller.

We miss you and salute you, Mike. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Judy and your family. May you see red skies at night, and smooth sailing on tranquil seas for eternity.

Mike Hurd
On July 4th, 2009, Mike delivered an inspiring Independence Day address at the Colebrook Meeting House. It has been a very popular page on the CHS website ever since. Please visit: http://www.colebrookhistoricalsociety.org/MikeHurdJul4_2009.htm
to learn more about the life and times of this amazing man.
Holiday Open House: December 8th | 3:00 - 5:00 P.M.
 
Up Next at CHS: November 9th, 2019 | 4:00 P.M.
 
Oct. 11th | "Exit Stage Right"
Ext Stage Right
 

Sept. 13th | The "Messiah" Violin

 
 
August 9th | 7:00 P.M. | "The Flood of '55 - Before & After"
 
Bob's Bytes Now Available: Hard Cover $30 | Soft Cover $20
 
Starting from Scratch | July 12, 7:00 P.M.
 
Bluegrass Concert | June 23rd
 
Open House | June 9th
 
Sunday, April 28th - 3:00 P.M. | Town Hall Meeting Room
 
A Graphic Review of 2018 @ CHS
Christmas is Sharing Open House
October 12th, 7:00 P.M.
Norbrook Farm Brewery: John Auclair's "Next Act"
Norbrook Brewery
Friday, September 14th | CLC
CLC
 
Aug. 10th, 2018, 7:00 P.M.
Barry Webber: Farm to Table, looking back 100 years

Concert | July 28, 2018
Ungar & Mason Concert
Friday Night Gathering | July 13, 2018
Ted Veling

2018 at CHS
Open House | June 10, 2018

Here comes the bride
Annual Meeting 2018
Annual Meeting 2018
A Graphic Review of 2017 @ CHS
 

Read about Shelter Rock HERE »

60 Minutes
 
 
 
 

Coming Up

Saturday, Aug 12, 9 PM @ Rock School: The Night Sky | Perseid Meteor Shower (weather permitting)

Friday, August 18, 7 PM | "Gateway to Freedom" - Underground Railroad | Eric Foner

Miniature Exhibit all Summer: Saturdays & Sundays | 11 AM - 1 PM

 
 
2017 Summer Open House | June 25th, 2017
Open House
 

2017 Annual Meeting | April 23, 3:00 - 5:00 P.M.

 
A Graphic Review of 2016 @ CHS
2016 Holiday Open House - Dec. 4th
 
 
 
 

 

 

Join us Friday night, July 8 when...

Tanglewood

Schedule of Friday Night Gatherings 2016

^ top

 

George & Greg knocked this one out of the park, and now...

2016 Summer Exhibit

Did you know that Colebrook teems with talent? Artists of every type imaginable flourish in our community. Our new exhibit - “Artists Abound” - will celebrate these artists, and their amazing creations. We'd also like to feature artists from Colebrook's past. If you have any work of art done by a local artist of years ago hanging on your wall, (or hanging out in your attic or your basement) please let us know. We'd be honored to display it. Another section of the exhibit will spotlight our artists of the future - any and all creations by Colebrook's kids are most welcome. Come to our Summer Open House on Sunday, June 26, 3-5PM, and you'll get to meet the artists in person. Or drop by the Society any Saturday or Sunday during the season (11AM-1PM) to see all the works on display.

2016 Annual Meeting

Our season begins with a very special event on Sunday, April 17. At 3PM we'll hold our annual meeting at the Town Hall Meeting Room. Then we're all invited to cross the street for an Open House/Tour of the Samuel Rockwell House.

Samuel Rockwell House

The original part of the house was built in 1766, making this year its 250th birthday! Samuel Rockwell was one of the founders of Colebrook and a militia captain during the American Revolution. His home was the principal meeting place for conducting the business of the town and the church, and for many social events. Its current caretakers, Mark and Susan Caufield, have lovingly and painstakingly restored the house to its true historical glory. You won't want to miss this rare opportunity to literally walk through Colebrook's storied past.

ROCK SCHOOL CLASS on the Rock - circa 1895


 

ROCK SCHOOL - 1913

This is a postcard of The Rock School postmarked in
Bantam, Conn. on June 5, 1913 at 7PM with a one cent stamp.

 
A Graphic Review of 2015 at CHS

Veterans Day, November 11, 2015 — WW2 Colebrook Honor Roll

Ice Cream Social 2015

Coptic Book Collection

Open for Business

 
A Graphic Review of 2014 at CHS
Open House - Tools Exhibit Photos Rock School Day 2014 - Photos

 

SILENT AUCTION
OPEN HOUSE

 

 

The Seymour Inn ~ 1816
Home to The Colebrook Historical Society, Colebrook, Conn.

See what you're missing at CHS?

  
Search the CHS Website

The Colebrook Historical Society was founded in 1953 by a group of dedicated individuals who realized the benefits that such a society could make to the community.  The collections housed within the museum in the center represent various aspects of life in Colebrook from the mid-1700’s to the present.  Virtually every item was used or made in town, or has been donated by a Colebrook resident.

The Society owns the Rock Schoolhouse, located at the intersection of Sandy Brook Road and Colebrook Road.  This building, erected in 1779, and used until 1911, is perhaps the only colonial schoolhouse in the state that is essentially in its original state; it has never been electrified, nor has it ever had running water or indoor plumbing.  It is used as a learning facility by the Colebrook Consolidated School, and is open to the public on selected weekends or by request.


Colebrook Historical Society ~ P.O. Box 85 ~ Colebrook, Connecticut 06021  -  Site Updated Tuesday, 04 December 2012

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