Welcome to the East Haddam Historical Society & Museum, illuminating local history since 1962!
The East Haddam Historical Society illuminates and preserves the stories of the people and places that shape our community.
Mission Statement adopted November 2020
The Museum is open to the public from noon - 4 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays from June 3 until October 20, 2023. We are also open by appointment. We hold events throughout the year.
Join us at Upcoming Events! And don't forget to Register for the Pysanky wax-resist egg dying workshop in March!
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60 years of Local HistoryThe East Haddam Historical Society aspires to become the prominent heritage, cultural, and social center of East Haddam.
Vision Statement adopted June 2021
 Entrance on side of building
The East Haddam Historical Society, founded over 60 years ago, has been at this Town Street location for 11 years; it's just around the corner from Gillette Castle, right on the Route 82 corridor. The museum has a fine collection of local and Lower Connecticut River Valley historical objects, and prides itself on its kid-friendliness.
Among the highlights of the museum are a photographic display of the rise and fall of the Industrial Age in Moodus Village, Native American artifacts dating to 1300 B.C., a photographic exhibit of the building of the East Haddam swing bridge, and a collection of changing fashions with period costumes on display. The Museum is open to the public from noon - 4 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays from June 3 until October 20, 2023. We are also open by appointment. We hold events throughout the year. Please contact us via email or phone 860-873-3944 with any questions. Membership DriveAs a membership-driven organization, the East Haddam Historical Society relies upon your membership for income. The Society both wants and needs your continued support so we can continue to archive, research, and tell the stories of East Haddam’s past and present.
For your convenience, you can submit your membership online, or you may complete the downloadable membership form and mail it along with your check. *** Please renew your membership ***
The Board of Trustees deeply appreciates the continued support of all our members!
2021-2023 Strategic PlanApril 2021
Members of the board, the museum manager, and volunteers/members of the East Haddam Historical Society worked together to create a three-year strategic plan.
This strategic plan provides year-by-year action steps over the next three years to accomplish the goals set out by the Board of Trustees. Read more to learn about our plans. Saving Land, Saving HistoryIf you love to hike the open space preserves or just want to know more about the history and nature of your town then you won’t want to miss the beautiful and informative films in our documentary series Saving Land, Saving History. These videos, a collaboration between the East Haddam Historical Society and the East Haddam Land Trust, highlight the fascinating ties between the preservation of land and local history.
The East Haddam Historical Society will be presenting a multi-media exhibit on Saving Land, Saving History at the Museum. |
East Haddam Historical Society Profile releasedA mini-documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ken Simon on local history in the 1960s and the formation of the East Haddam Historical Society, this well-researched documentary features vintage footage of East Haddam and contemporary interviews with townspeople who remember those early days and local pioneers.
2023 Upcoming EventsAll events take place at the Museum unless otherwise stated. Events are open to the public and free to members and children under twelve, except as noted. Donations from non-members is $5 for regular events.
Pysanky Wax-Resist Egg Dyeing WorkshopSaturday March 25, 2023 Two sessions: 10 a.m. - 12 noon, and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
"Pysanky Wax-Resist Egg Dyeing Workshop," presented by Sharon Leonard. Learn how to make beautifully decorated Ukrainian eggs in this hands-on workshop.
Sign up for either 10 a.m. - 12 noon, or 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Sharon will guide you through the process of planning a design, dyeing and waxing multiple times, and polishing the wax-resist jewel-like egg. Materials will be provided. Due to the popularity of this workshop, registration is required. The workshop fee is $40. Appropriate for ages 8 - adults. Register here!
Alzheimer's and Dementia - You are not Alone!Sundays at 2 p.m. on February 26, March 26, April 23, and May 21
The East Haddam Library System & the East Haddam Historical Society & Museum are co-sponsoring a four part series of programs discussing Alzheimer’s and Dementia, presented by Kristopher Sortwell, MSW, CBIS. 
The Vanishing Port: Slave Trade on the Connecticut RiverWednesday May 17, 2023 7 p.m.
"The Vanishing Port: Slave Trade on the Connecticut River," presented by Erik Hesselberg. Erik was president of the Middlesex County Historical Society and developed the award-winning exhibit “A Vanished Port,” on the Connecticut River’s ties to the slave economy of the Caribbean islands. Back by popular demand, Erik recently spoke at the Museum about his book "Night Boat to New York: Steamboats on the Connecticut, 1815–1931." "Junk in the Trunk” Tag SaleSaturday May 20, 2023 8 a.m. - 12 noon
Tag sale in partnership with the East Haddam Garden Club Plant Sale. To reserve a tag sale space, call 860-873-3944. |
