Museum of Darien to Host “War Comes to Middlesex: 250 Years On” with Historian Thomas Balcerski

The Museum of Darien is pleased to announce a compelling evening of local history featuring Professor Thomas Balcerski on Thursday, November 5th at 7:00 PM. As the nation continues to celebrate the semi quincentennial of the American Revolution, Balcerski will present “War Comes to Middlesex: 250 Years On,” an in-depth exploration of the Revolutionary War’s profound impact on the Middlesex Parish.

Balcerski takes the Museum of Darien's new exhibit War Comes to Middlesex as the starting point for an engaging lecture on what lessons this pivotal moment in American history holds for us today: “Might Darien, Connecticut have been home to the most consequential conflict of the American Revolution (at least in Connecticut)? Maybe. Two hundred and fifty years later, the experience of Darien, reminds us that the Revolutionary War is still, at its heart, a local story.”

History enthusiasts will have the unique opportunity to look back two and a half centuries at the local figures, conflicts, and societal shifts that defined this region during the struggle for independence. The lecture promises to bring the past to life, examining how the war transformed the landscape and the community that would eventually become Darien.

The evening’s speaker, Professor Thomas Balcerski, is a distinguished historian of American politics and society. He serves as a Professor of History at Eastern Connecticut State University and is the Director of the Center for Connecticut Studies. A prolific scholar and Cornell PhD, Balcerski is the author of Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King and serves as the Editor of the Connecticut History Review. His extensive work with Connecticut Explored and ConnecticutHistory.org reflects a deep commitment to sharing the stories that have shaped the Nutmeg State.

“We are thrilled to welcome such an esteemed historian to the Museum,” said Amy Allen, Executive Director of the Museum. “Professor Balcerski has a gift for making the complexities of the past feel immediate and relevant to our lives today.”

Tickets for the event are $15 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. The lecture will be held at the Museum of Darien, located at 45 Old King’s Highway, Darien, CT. For more information or to register, please visit museumofdarien.org or call 203.655.9233.