HIKING THRU HISTORY: A GUIDED TOUR THRU HISTORIC INDUSTRIAL SOUTH GLASTONBURY

Walk, Talk, and Dinner Presented by the Historical Society of Glastonbury

South Glastonbury was home to at least 19 mills and factories, suchs Pratt's Forge, Glastonbury Anchor Works, grist mills and cotton mills, some of which date back to the American Revolution.  The Historical Society of Glastonbury is pleased to announce two separate, highly anticipated, Walk/Dinner Tours this year. The first one, Monday, April 29 is a hike, which will head down the south side of Roaring Brook on the Nature Conservancy path. The south side is a more rigorous walk for the more adventurous who don’t mind tramping through the woods, climbing on rocks and up the remains of the Roaring Brook Dam.  Your guides will bring you down the south side through Cotton Hollow, discussing the industries, and people who made this unique area come alive. The tour will be approximately one hour followed by dinner and a slide show thru history at the South Tavern.

The second walk is Monday, May 6 and will feature the industrial history of South Glastonbury center. This tour, which will be approximately an hour a half, will continue to explore the early industry of the area.  You will walk down Main Street to High Street, continuing as far as the Tryon Street Bridge where you will visit the remains of the feldspar and grist mills. Along the way, you will learn about historic mills, mill worker’s homes, tap rooms, other small businesses, and the world that revolved around this industrial center.  The tour will continue down Water Street to South Tavern for an accompanying presentation and dinner.  Glastonbury natives, Dr. Brian Chiffer, Sue Motycka and Anne O’Connor will be your guides.

This one time hub for local industry is a historic hiker’s delight.  You’ll have a whole newappreciation for an area you already know and enjoy.   For both hikes, attendees will meet at 6:00 pm at the South Tavern parking lot at 840 Main Street.  Each walk, talk and dinner is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Walk alone $10. So reserve your spot, get out your hiking shoes and get ready to hike your way thru the history of industrial South Glastonbury.

If you’d like more information, or to schedule an interview, please call the Historical Society of Glastonbury at 860-633-6890 or email HSGlastonbury@snet.net

The Historical Society of Glastonbury is a non profit  organization located at the Museum on Hubbard Green open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9:00a.m – 4:00p.m, and the third Sunday of every month. Admission is FREE.

The Welles-Shipman-Ward House, featuring the newly relocated, restored and rebuilt Oak Street Tobacco shed, is located in South Glastonbury, also run by HSG and open for special events throughout the year and Tuesdays during the summer.

The Historical Society of Glastonbury strives to educate through the preservation and promotion of Glastonbury’s extraordinary historical legacy.  They have been instrumental in preserving and maintaining historic properties and a driving force in establishing five National Registered Historic Districts (NRHD), as well as a Local Historic District. Support comes primarily from over
430 member households, local businesses, foundations, donations, events and the State and Town.  Visit the Historical Society of Glastonbury at www.hsgct.org and
on Facebook.