Open House at Derby Historical Society

 

Open House - Derby Historical Society

 

Event Name:  Open House at the General David Humphreys House

Date:  Saturday, September 19, 2020

Location: David Humphreys House, 37 Elm Street, Ansonia, CT

Time:  11 am - 3 pm

Admission: $5.00 per visitor

Contact:  203-735-1908 or info@derbyhistorical.org

Ansonia – Saturday, September 19, 2020.  Please join us for Derby Historical Society’s Open House on Saturday, September 19th from 11 am to 3 pm. Our talented Docents will be pleased to lead small groups through a tour of the House. While visiting, take a look in our Gift Shop for unique, one-of-a-kind items! Szabo’s Seafood will be on-site! Parking is available in our lot and on Thomas Street.

Thank you for your support and for helping us preserve our place in history. Call 203-735-1908 for information or visit our website www.derbyhistorical.org

The Derby Historical Society is a regional historical society dedicated to preserving, maintaining and celebrating the rich and varied history of the Lower Naugatuck Valley. The Derby Historical Society welcomes all visitors and is also available to support researchers, school or other program needs.  Our staff offices are located at the Sarah Riggs Humphreys House, 37 Elm Street, Ansonia, CT.  For more information, visit www.derbyhistorical.org

Derby native son's birthday is today

David Humphreys 1752-1818

Happy Birthday, David Humphreys!

Gen. David Humphreys, Revolutionary war hero and successful businessman, was born in 1752 in modern-day Ansonia, but at the time it was known as Derby.

The family home at 37 Elm St., Ansonia, is now home to the Derby Historical Society.

The nonprofit organization wished Humphreys a happy birthday on its Facebook page today and I thought I'd do the same.

If you've never visited the Colonial homestead I urge you to do so. It's always interesting to get a glimpse of what life was like in the 1700s. 

Docents will give you a tour of the house from 1 to 4 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students and free for children under 8.

Open-hearth cooking demonstrated in Ansonia

Derby Historical Society holds annual event 

Derby Historical Society docents and junior docents demonstrated cooking the Colonial way Saturday at the David Humphreys House in Ansonia.

Junior docent Jacob Hokanson, 13, of Ansonia, above, works hard at whipping cream to serve with homemade pumpkin pie.
The menu also featured roast chicken, potatoes, a mix of carrots, turnips, and parsnips, cranberry sauce, Johnny cakes and freshly-churned butter. The food was traditional Thanksgiving dinner fare.

Jacob said he has been a junior docent for the past three years.
Below is a photo of our docent daughter, Allegra, gazing at the fire in the parlor after we finished our meal.

She loves the Humphreys House, as do I. She gave several tours of the house as others prepared the meal.

My mother and I enjoyed ourselves and the food we sampled! And it was good to see so many young people involved as junior docents. 

 

Here junior docents Lauren Fadiman, left, and Quentin Salgado, both 13 and from Shelton, wave to passing motorists Saturday in front of the David Humphreys House, 37 Elm St., Ansonia.

Derby Historical Society docents get training at Humphreys House

Learning to use portable loom. Photo by Markanthony Izzo

The Derby Historical Society’s “A Day in 1762” program at the David Humphreys House, 37 Elm St., Ansonia is training new docents for the program. A docent, similar to a teacher is knowledgeable about the items and information of a museum.  
This program focuses on colonial life in the area in 1762, the year David Humphreys would have been 10 years old, around the same age as most of the children who visit for the day.  
Master weaver Ginny Ellis (fourth from right) demonstrates the workings of a portable loom on which the children will make bookmarks.  

Pictured from left are Sandy Mendyk, Maria Douglas, Executive Director Julia Baldini, Maria Peavy, John Towle, Ginny Ellis, Tina Carlson, Rebecca Norton, and Paula Norton. Missing from photo is William Knapp. 
For information call the Derby Historical Society, 203-735-1908. 


The above information is taken from a press release from Markanthony Izzo.

Docent retires from Derby Historical Society

Photo courtesy of Derby Historical Society.

For more than 10 years, Elsie Valeski has shared her talent and passion for Valley history with the Derby Historical Society - teaching students, providing tours of the David Humphreys House, cooking colonial meals over an open hearth.
Last Wednesday, Elsie worked her last shift as a museum docent. Please join the Derby Historical Society Board of Directors, staff and members in thanking her for all her hard work and wish her luck on all her future projects.
We are so glad that she'll still be helping out here and there for events, because her shoes will be hard to fill.

If you are interested in becoming a museum docent or volunteering your talents in other ways, send a cover letter/resume to info@derbyhistorical.org or contact Julia Baldini, executive director, for more information.

The above is from a release from Julia Baldini, executive director, Derby Historical Society.