Big Day Saturday For Simsbury Historical Society

SIMSBURY, CT — Saturday is a special day for the Simsbury Historical Society as it will host its annual open house, which this year marks the public debut of a new feature.

Located at 800 Hopmeadow St., the Simsbury Historical Society is more than just a single-building museum.

It is a veritable "campus" of history, featuring multiple buildings, a gift shop, a visitors center, and, starting this year, a new blacksmith shop.

The open house will take place on Saturday, May 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the site and the whole event is free.

Saturday's special event will include demonstrations from blacksmith Baird Welch-Collins, a Marlborough resident and history teacher at Lyman Memorial High School in Lebanon.

In addition, Welch-Collins performs folk music and can play a variety of musical instruments.

Also slated to perform is "Livin Pop & Friends, featuring Robert Morbioli," whose blues and soul tunes can be heard from 3 to 5 p.m.

Rounding out the slate Saturday is a silent auction at the Ellsworth Visitors Center, with items like art, gift certificates to local businesses, and tickets to sporting events up for bid.

As for the newest feature, the blacksmith shop, it will show guests demonstrations of both an art form and a vocational necessity from days gone by.

Last summer, the Simsbury Zoning Commission approved the project as a site plan amendment, with planning and construction finally leading to Saturday's open house.

For more information on the Simsbury Historical Society, click on this link.

To view photographs of the site, including the new blacksmith shop, click on this link.

From Aug. 8, 2023: 'Simsbury History Museum Addition Approved By Town'