Avon Historical Society Receives Grant

The Special Projects Committee of the Avon Historical Society has received a $1,200 grant from Connecticut Humanities for the remaining three lectures and an exhibit for the year-long lecture series focusing on the former Derrin family of Avon when the town was a farming community.

There are three lectures planned for March 5, April 2 and June 4, including a three-month exhibit that will be on display outside the Local History Room of the Avon Free Public Library from June-August. The public is invited to attend and visit all their events free of charge.

Janet Conner, head of the Special Projects Committee for the Society, points out that the intent of the lecture series is to educate the community about what Avon was like during the early days when it was a farming community.

Since the Society maintains the Derrin Farmhouse, located at 249 West Avon Road, telling the story of the Derrin family, who lived in the farmhouse for generations, was the perfect choice to tell this story. The goals of the three presentations, exhibit, and accompanying educational materials, is to enlighten the audience’s understanding about who the Derrins were; their contribution to the town as “one square” in the town’s “heritage quilt history”; and the legacy they left behind as evidenced by their homestead and artifacts.

The Society now has a better understanding about the Derrin’s socio-economic status, the sparse lifestyle they lived, the land they farmed, where they worshipped and where they rest, all pieced together through several years of research. Now, through this generous grant from Connecticut Humanities, they are able to share the Derrin’s story which mirrors their neighbors in West Avon at that time.

Avon’s residents today stand on the shoulders of these early settlers and it is hoped there will be a new appreciation for early farm life without electricity, indoor plumbing, and other modern conveniences. These early residents worked hard, but family life was also important. They passed on their work ethic and character values to their children, some of whom found employment in teaching, nursing, machining, shoe sales, and as librarian. Attendees will take away an enhanced understanding of the community of West Avon, its families, and how it has developed since those formative years.

According to the Connecticut Humanities website, they are “an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that provides grants to historical societies for exhibitions and programs exploring our state’s rich history…” This is the third CT Humanities grant for educational exhibits and lectures given to the Avon Historical Society over the past five years.

According to Terri Wilson, President of the Society, “This is a wonderful testament to the depth we go to explore a topic by bringing experts to town for citizens and historians to learn from in an interactive setting. We thank CT Humanities for their commitment to our year-long look at the agrarian life in the region.”

The upcoming events sponsored by CT Humanities are:

• ‘From Bedrock to Bedroom Community – The Evolution of Avon’ will be presented by Robert M. Thorson, Professor of Geology at UConn and columnist for the Hartford Courant on Saturday, March 5, at 7 p.m. at the Avon Senior Community Center, 635 West Avon Road.
• ‘The Origins of the Derrin Family in West Avon’ will be presented by Janet M. Conner, Head of Special Projects, Avon Historical Society on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 1 p.m. at the Avon Senior Community Center.
• ‘Here Lie the Derrins’ presented by Diana Ross McCain on Saturday, June 4th at 1 p.m. at the Alsop Community Room of the Avon Free Public Library, 280 Country Club Road, Avon.
• A companion exhibit entitled “A Heritage Quilt - The Derrins of West Avon” will be on display outside the Local History Room of the Avon Free Public Library in the glass display cases from June through August. This will be a two-part exhibit.

Avon Historical Society mission is to identify, collect, utilize, publish, display, promote and preserve the history and heritage of Avon. www.avonhistoricalsociety.org.

Photo credit: www.avonct.gov.