Part 2 of the Historical Society's Derrin Exhibit on Display at Avon Library

Editor's Note: This story originally was posted this week on Avon Patch. Here it is again in case you missed it.

AVON, CT - The Special Projects Committee of the Avon Historical Society is presenting the second of a two-segment exhibit entitled “The Derrins of West Avon - A Heritage Quilt” through Aug. 31 outside the Marian Hunter Local History Room at the Avon Free Public Library.

The library is located at 280 Country Club Road, Avon.

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The exhibit, supported by CT Humanities, is the culmination of a year-long series of lectures on the families and farms of West Avon and, in particular, the Derrin Family which owned three homes for more than 100 years along what is now West Avon Road.

Two houses still stand, one a private residence, the other at 249 West Avon Road, known as the Derrin Farmhouse, which is under the care of the Avon Historical Society.

The second six-week segment, currently on display, focuses on the Derrins' former homes and the family farms and includes both historic and modern photos, agricultural census records, architectural survey, and land records.

The Derrin Farmhouse sustained fire damage on May 11. The exhibit feartures photos of how the house looked before the fire with the furnishings within.

Also featured is the home of the "flower house" at 289 West Avon Road.

Copies of the Derrin family letters are still on display, a vignette of Ammi and Sarah Jane Derrin and, thanks to a grant from CT Humanities, the Historical Society has produced a booklet on the life and times of the Derrin families and their neighbors.

The booklet will be available at the exhibit free of charge for anyone interested in learning more about the Derrins and West Avon.

The Avon Historical Society signed a lease with the Connecticut Department of the Military in 1996 to maintain and show the Derrin Farmhouse which was used previously as the home of the caretaker of the First Company Governors Horse Guards which is located across the street.

Since then thousands of hours of volunteer labor and donated supplies have been put into the restoration of the home.

Historical Society officials said the organization will soon hire a mitigation company to begin the demolition and repair of several rooms damaged by the fire.

The Historical Society is still accepting donations to help restore the Derrin House. Donors can visit the Go Fund Me website - www.gofundme.com/derrin - send a tax deductible contribution to: Avon Historical Society, P.O. Box 448, Avon, CT 06001.