The “Echoes of Freedom” Exhibit is on display now through September 26th in the Carriage House Gallery at 192 Main Street. See below for more info.
Visit • Discover • Learn
Located in three historic buildings in downtown Torrington, the Torrington Historical Society is home to the Torrington History Museum, the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum and the John H. Thompson Library & Archive. The Society also owns the West Torrington site where noted abolitionist John Brown was born.
We invite you to discover the history of Torrington by touring our exhibits and house museum, attending programs and events, using our research library or visiting the John Brown Birthplace. All are welcome.
Torrington
History Museum
Hotchkiss-Fyler House
Guided Tours
The John H. Thompson
Library & Archive
What’s Happening
"Echoes of Freedom", An America 250 Exhibit; A unique opportunity to explore the impact of the Declaration of Independence
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the items on display in our current exhibit.
View original documents signed by the signers of the Declaration, Litchfield County Revolutionary War materials and commemorative objects, and Torrington Historical Society collection items that bring to life the stories that highlight the impact of this important document, its influence on freedom for all people and the celebrations that continue to honor this event over the past 250 years.
Many thanks to Torrington native, George Stickels, who generously donated many of the objects featured in this exhibit.
“Echos of Freedom” is on display in the Carriage House Gallery at 192 Main Street from Aug 1st through September 26th, Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 4.
We look forward to sharing this with you and seeing you soon!
Winfield Scott Clime and the Lyme Art Colony Wednesday, September 16th, 6:30 pm in the Carriage House at 192 Main Street, Torrington
Join Florence Griswold Museum Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing for a presentation about the painter and photographer Winfield Scott Clime (1881-1958).
Follow the career of this talented artist from his early days in Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and New York City and as a photographer during WWI. After the war, Clime resumed his artistic pursuits and became part of the artist colony based in Old Lyme, where his paintings depicted local scenery, architecture and old-fashioned aspects of New England country life. The Torrington Historical Society has a number of Clime’s paintings that were purchased by Mrs. Hotchkiss on display in the Hotchkiss-Fyler House.
Amy Kurtz Lansing specializes in 19th-21st century American art and has organized or co-organized exhibitions on a wide array of topics from American Impressionism to contemporary art, and has published widely. She graduated from Smith College and received an M. Phil. in the History of Art from Yale University. For more info please visit our EventBrite page.
"Write Me at Every Opportunity" - Revolutionary War Story Stage Performance Saturday, October 17, 4 p.m., Five Points Arts, University Drive, Torrington
Write Me at Every Opportunity is a stage adaptation based on American Revolutionary War correspondence (1775-1777) between husband and wife Nathan and Lois Peters from Preston, Connecticut. The phrase “Write Me at Every Opportunity” appears frequently in the couple’s letters during this time period. Short quotes from these letters were used in the recent Ken Burns American Revolution documentary.
Commissioned by the Preston Historical Society, this production will be performed by Pocket Productions, a new nonprofit theater group based in Torrington. John Long of Preston and formerly of Torrington, adapted the correspondence for the stage.
The letters are in the collection of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, which has generously granted the Preston Historical Society access to use the letters.
This event is co-sponsored by Five Points Arts.
Center for History and Culture
Capital campaign for construction drawings
Planning continues for a transformational project, designed by award winning architect Mark Cavagnero, that will solve critical institutional needs by building climate-controlled facilities to preserve important historical collections and provide new and renovated space for educational programs, exhibits and cultural events. Donate to our campaign for construction drawings.