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Summer Exhibit :

Downton Abbey Years

(see page 6)

Tickets are $10 per person and include the tour and a Saturday morning

lecture on “Landscaping with Natives” held at Holcomb Farm from 9 – 10 am. Guest

speaker is Sarah Bailey, who is a Certified Advanced Master Gardener and a Connecticut

Accredited Nursery Professional. Along with being the Hartford County Coordinator for

the UConn Extension Master Gardener program, Sarah also works in the private sector as a

staff horticulturist and maintains several private gardens.

The garden tour will include water features, a vineyard, mini gardens linked

with pathways, container gardens, the Children’s Garden, a premier hosta nursery (over 1,600

varieties), an orchard, and so much more. As one garden may offer a glimpse of

hummingbirds, another offers whimsical creatures and creations nestled among the foliage.

Come and see all the flora made beautiful by our hard-working gardeners.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the following locations in Granby:

Granby Pharmacy, Beman Hardware, Peppermill Country Deli & Bakery, and Lost Acres

Orchard. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the tour at the participating gardens and

at the Saturday morning lecture at Holcomb Farm. Information and maps are located on

the website www.salmonbrookhistorical.org and the Society’s Facebook page. Questions?

Call the Society at 860-653-9713 and leave a message. Participants provide their own

transportation and may view the gardens in any order.

Take the Summer Garden Tour ….by Heather Tomasetti

June, 2013

Salmon Brook Historical Society

presents a Summer Garden Tour of

Granby on June 22 from 10–4, and June

23 from 11–3. The self-guided tour

covers 11 locations throughout the town.

Garden Tour Guide

(see page 7)

The Society was given an early 1800s account book that belonged to a Wilton

weaver named Betts. We offered it to the Wilton Historical Society and they were delighted.

Several representatives came to pick it up and tour our Society. They were very impressed with

our complex and I was pleased at their reaction to the account book. In addition to recognizing

happily most of the names in the book, they said their museum building was a Betts house and

there was a large weaving loom in one room.

I recently testified, along with others from Granby, in a court case involving public access to the

ancient Lee Cemetery, located off Harvey Drive. We have just learned that the court has decided the case in

favor of the Town, allowing access. The owner of the right-of-way had blocked access for years, but state law

says towns have to maintain all of their old cemeteries. Besides the town, the American Legion, genealogists,

researchers, historians and family descendants also need access.

Thanks to the shopping prowess of Ginny Wutka, we have new curtains in the Rowe House and

Enders Victorian Parlor. Her special sale discounts saved the Society hundreds of dollars. The rooms look

wonderful! Come and see the Rowe tab curtains and the elegant lace in the Victorian room.

In our advisory capacity concerning construction in the Center Historic District, the Board of

Directors wrote a letter to Granby Planning and Zoning about the proposed Maltbie property development.

The Society is the repository for Maltbie family photos, documents, letters, honors and also many items. The

history of Judge William Mills Maltbie is important in Granby and in Connecticut. He was Chief Justice of the

Connecticut Supreme Court for many years, served on important state and regional commissions, received

honors from dozens of organizations, yet always kept his feet firmly planted in Granby.

Thanks to Kate Bernard for gathering the young Civil War soldiers and girls to march in the

Memorial Day Parade. Also to Marilyn and Tom Nystrom for carrying the banner on a very windy day.

Thanks to Roger Young and Jim Rosano who volunteered to drive Civic Club members Polly Hall and Ethyl

Lyman and display Civic Club’s 100 year Celebration signs on their antique cars. Many Society members are

also in the Civic Club and we have the Civic Club records in our archives, so the Society is helping with the

celebration.

Two Devnew family descendants recently visited our archives. They brought some family items

to donate, gave many scanned family documents and photos (all identified) and shared their genealogy. In

return we shared genealogy they didn’t have and it was a delightful visit. One treasure we received was a set of

golf clubs with the tags from the Salmon Brook Country Club still attached. The old golf course is now Salmon

Brook Park. Dorie is the daughter of David Devnew and Lynne is the daughter of Stuart Devnew. Dorie also

promised to mail us her father’s smoking jacket for the Downton Abbey exhibit.

We are still looking for an assistant curator to learn from me and to eventually become the

curator. If you are interested, stop in any Tuesday or Thursday morning.

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Archivist Report

by Carol Laun, Archivist and Acting Curator

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Bill was a life member and a very good friend to the Society. His assistant, the late Jimmy

Hall, restored and painted our horse-drawn, glass sided hearse. Then Bill transported

and sponsored the Hayes hearse in the Windsor 350th Parade. We worked together on

the Cemetery Association Board when they initiated the "Burials in the Granby Center

Cemetery" book. Bill also generously gave us the more than 70 chairs we use in the

Preservation Barn. He loved Granby and Granby will miss him.

by Carol Laun

On a recent trip to Scotland and the Isle of Skye, I was reminded how my love of history is always close at hand.

My ancestors came from the Isle of Skye in 1803 aboard the Good Ship Polly and landed in Belfast, Prince Edward

Island (PEI), Canada. Ross and Gillies (Gillis) were the family names and they were soon clearing the land as

pioneers on PEI.

While driving on a single track road on the Troternish Peninsula one Saturday morning near Kilmuir and Kilvaxter

(where the Rosses and Gillies came from), I came across a farmer who stopped his tractor thinking that this tourist

was stuck in a ditch. I struck up a conversation with Duncan McDonald and what do you know...his mother was a

Gillies!

What a great feeling it was to find a very, very distant relative still farming on land where the Rosses and Gillies had

been crofters over 200 years ago. He has never been to the United States but knew all about the Polly and that time

in Scottish history when the lords and the kings were clearing the land for sheep.

I would encourage all of you to find one unique aspect or link to your family/heritage this summer or encourage

young relatives to learn about their heritage by exploring their family roots. Nothing brings history closer to home

than family.

By Bill Ross

SBHS President

I am looking forward to the next two years as president of the

Salmon Brook Historical Society and working with the dedicated

members of the Board of Directors.

We all share a common bond, the love of history and

specifically, Granby history!

Frank William "Bill" Carmon III

In Memoriam Marjorie (Jerry) Betts Jerry will be remembered as a dedicated long time member

and invaluable volunteer. Her considerable talents were

put to use so many times as she pitched in to help with

nearly all society occasions as the need arose. She has left

her positive mark on the society and will be missed greatly.

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Have you renewed your membership in the Salmon Brook Historical Society for the calendar year 2013? We have attempted to keep the dues at a reasonable level. If you haven’t renewed for this year or owe back dues, please send us a check. Your continued support is welcome and appreciated. To those of you who have already paid your dues, many thanks.

STUDENT $3.00

INDIVIDUAL $15.00

FAMILY/GROUP $20.00

SUSTAINING $30.00

LIFE MEMBERSHIP $300.00

Send your name and address with a check made payable to: Salmon Brook Historical Society and

send to the society at 208 Salmon Brook Street, P.O. Box 840, Granby, CT. 06035

By David Laun Chairman

Building and Grounds Report

Newsletter Delivered By E-mail?

Based on initial positive feedback, the board asks that members let us know whether they want to receive the newsletter by e-mail

rather snail mail.

The idea is to better serve members and save paper and postage costs. Members who are not online or who otherwise prefer to get

the newsletter the old-fashioned way, through the post office, could still do so. At this point, we’re just gauging interest.

If you would be interested in receiving the Society’s newsletter by e-mail,

reply to Ken Kuhl (kennykuhl @ gmail.com), Bob Schrepf (rschrepf70 @ gmail.com)

or call the Society’s office at 860 653 9713. Leave a message with your name if no one’s there.

The repair work on the exterior of the Rowe house has been completed. Jerry Hunihan of Hunihan

Painting and Decorating Contractors, L.L.C. in Suffield was hired to prepare and paint the exterior of the house.

All the siding, trim and exterior doors were treated with bleach to kill mildew, then power washed to remove the

mildew and loose paint. The siding and trim received two coats of chestnut brown acrylic solid stain and the exterior

doors primed and coated with satin enamel that matched the color of the Enders House.

A third coat of stain was applied to the south end of the Rowe house because of the extreme

weathering that had occurred on the surface. The result is that the Rowe House is looking its best and is in the best

condition that it has been in many years with the new roof put on last fall.

The work by the Thursday volunteers on the office in the Enders House was put on hold because of the preparation

for and cleanup after the very successful spring flea market. Work will resume after the summer exhibits have been

set up.

Rowe House:

Looking Good!

It’s Win-Win for This

Rite of Spring

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By Todd Vibert

One of the many good qualities of the Salmon Brook Historical

Society is the volunteer spirit of members who help with the Spring Flea Market.

More than 50 members gave at least two hours of their time to make

the Saturday, May 18, Flea Market a well-run show. Not only did we have super

volunteers, but we also had terrific weather with bright sunshine, blue skies and

high temperatures of 71 degrees. The combination of committed volunteers and

good weather helped to make it one of the most successful spring flea markets in

recent memory. The Flea Market produced over $4,000 dollars for the Salmon

Brook Historical Society.

The pricing crew, led by Ellen Cunha, and Nancy Olsen’s veteran crew

that worked the Preservation Barn, made 55 percent of the profit for the Society.

The Preservation Barn made approximately $2, 200 dollars.

The cooking and concession crew made $980 by selling 217 hot dogs,

125 cans of soda, and 30 bags of chips.

Dave Laun and his crew did a magnificent job setting up the flea market

and communicating with the dealers and vendors as we gained over $1,500

through fees from those dealers and vendors. Not only did we make money for

the flea market, but so too did the vendors and dealers.

In this win-win situation we hope the dealers and vendors will come

back for the next flea market. Below are some facts from the flea market as well

as the names of our members who volunteered their time and made our flea

market very successful.

I will start contacting people after Labor Day to get ready for our fall

flea market, which is Saturday, October 19th. Anyone who would like to

volunteer for the Fall Flea Market or donate an item for the flea market can

contact me, Todd Vibert, at 860-653-9506 after Labor Day.

Spring 2012 Spring 2013

Hot dogs 190 217

Soda cans 114 125

Mrs. Murphy’s

Donuts

10 doz. 10 doz.

Dealers ~ 40 ~ 50

Barn Sales $2,296 $2,180

Dealer/Vendor $1,115 $1,515

Food $600 $980

Volunteers ~ 50 ~ 50

Volunteers for the flea market: Dave Laun,

Carol Laun, Jim Glenney, Jim Allen, Dick

Potetz, John Horr, Vinnie Secord, Whitey

Johnson, Bill Pease, Bob Schrepf, Ellen

Cunha, Ruth Robinson, Cynthia Glenney,

Sally Markey, Melba Griffin, Marilyn

Nystrom, Shirley Davidson, Pat Collins,

Corinne Dickerson, Roxanne Rosano,

Redi Leake, Sandy Christensen, Lucy

Holcombe, Ann St. John, Sue Heminway,

Cal Heminway, Ruth Rosebrooks, Edith

Wilhelm, Freda Hayes, Jane Ann Pease,

Nancy Olsen, Ken Kuhl, Roger Hayes,

Kate Bernard, Peg Giles, Heather

Tomasetti, Lisa Vibert, Taylorann Vibert,

Diane Hernsdorf, Roger Hernsdorf, Patty

Sansone, Mike Flynn, Kevin Harter, Rich

Zlotnick, Jim Rosano, George Bronsord,

Roger Young, Bob Giles, Phil Main, Paul

Dewey, Spencer Vibert, Bill Vibert, and

Randy Wardrop.

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The Downton Abbey Years — What Was Happening in

Granby, 1912-1928?

This year’s summer exhibit is based on the

PBS Masterpiece Classic series, Downton Abbey. This

history-based drama opens in 1912 with the sinking of

the Titanic and slowly progresses through World War I,

into the early 1920s and beyond. The characters are

those who live or work on a majestic English estate

known as Downton Abbey. The series has accumulated a

huge following in England, the United States and

numerous other countries. Over one hundred years have

passed since this story began.

So what was life like in Granby during the Downton Abbey

years? What were the ladies wearing when they attended

those early Civic Club meetings? What were they

knitting? What were people reading? What “modern”

conveniences were in people’s homes? What about

World War I? What was happening in Granby, 1912-1928?

by Jean Potetz

Black silk and lace party dress with rhinestones and

tassel trim, 1915. Image by Peter Dinella

To get a feel for the era, a collection of period clothing and textiles will be on display in our

historic houses. Many of these items have never been exhibited before, including a number of

beaded gowns and a 1922 Granby Girl Scout uniform. Archivist and Acting Curator Carol Laun

has assembled some fascinating Granby photographs, an interesting collection of World War I

artifacts and a variety of other items from this time period. They will be exhibited in the

Preservation Barn along with Stella Jewett Goddard’s quilt that won first place at the Granby

Fair in 1925, and some interesting pieces that Dave Laun has pulled out of storage. Added all

together, there should be something to interest everyone.

Many of our volunteers helped to make this exhibit come together, especially Carol and Dave

Laun, Patty Sansone, Sally Markey, Peter and Bert Dinella, Roxanne Rosano, Ellen Cunha, Pam

Palmer, Emily Black, Melba Griffin, Paul Willis and the Thursday Morning Volunteers.

This temporary exhibit debuts June 16 and will be open on Sundays from 2:00 – 4:00 through

September.

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2nd Grade Tour

Garden 1 208 Salmon Brook Street - Abijah Rowe’s Garden, SBHS Grounds Garden 2 95 Day Street – Dickson/Chase Gardens Garden 3 15 Harmony Hill – Klein Gardens Garden 4 103 Petersen Road – Bliss Gardens Garden 5 12 Notch Road – Jones Gardens Garden 6 Salmon Brook Park – Our Children’s Garden Garden 7 40 Wells Road – O’Brien’s Nurserymen Garden 8 80 Lost Acres Road – Lost Acres Vineyard Garden 9 130 Lost Acres Road – Lost Acres Orchard Garden 10 10 Evergreen Drive – Gardner Family Gardens Garden 11 11 Rickwood Lane – Ducharme Family Garden

2013 Tour of Family and

Commercial Gardens

Mrs. Abijah Rowe’s Garden

June 2013 Issue

•SBHS Newsletter Publishing Committee

Leila Hawken and Bob Schrepf

•Layout: Ken Kuhl

•Photography: Peter Dinella, Ken Kuhl

Calendar of Events Sunday SBHS House Tours begin June 2 – September

Summer Exhibit: Granby 1912-1928 June 16 – September

SBHS Garden Tour June 22 & 23

Gas Engine Show Oct. 5

Fall Flea Market Oct. 19

Wassail Party Dec. 1

Salmon Brook Historical

Society

208 Salmon Brook Street

Granby, Connecticut 06035

860-653-9713

Or go to: www.salmonbrookhistorical.org

Hours: Tuesday 9:00 to Noon

Genealogical & Archival

Research

Thursday 9:00 to Noon

Thursday Morning Group

Follow us on:

The Salmon Brook Historical Society

PO Box 840

Granby, Connecticut 06035