2025 Schedule of Events
All 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.
Historic Buildings of Little Haddam
Presentation by Dr. Karl Stofko
Sunday, January 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Did you know that sections of Town Street, East Haddam-Colchester Turnpike, and Orchard Road were once known as Little Haddam? Dr. Karl Stofko, Town Historian, will describe the homes and businesses of Little Haddam, an area that begins at Two Wrasslin' Cats and stretches past the Turnpike. He will delight you with old and new photos of the buildings and will share stories of the residents that occupied them. Pictured here is the Samuel Emmon's Tavern on Town Street, originally built in 1690.

Dr. Stofko's presentations are always well-attended and seats fill up fast!
Gold Rush! Trappers & Miners! Join the Alaska Road Trip! with Dena Leidke
Sunday, February 23rd at 2:00 PM
Dena Leidke, former East Haddam teacher and Historical Society volunteer, will share an educational travelogue of her three-month road trip throughout Alaska, with stories, photos, and historical anecdotes. Dena's adventures began in Connecticut, took her across the continent, and up into Alaska. Along the way she encountered historic buildings and stories of adventure. Join in her fascinating journey to the 49th state!
Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller,The Man Who Created Nancy with Cartoonist Bill Griffith
Sunday, March 23rd at 2:00 PM
East Haddam author and nationally-syndicated cartoonist Bill Griffith will share his recent biography of Ernie Bushmiller, creator of the comic strip "Nancy," and the importance of Connecticut as a haven for cartoonists past and present. Bill is the creator of the "Zippy the Pinhead" comic strip that appears daily in more than 200 newspapers nationwide. We'll see Zippy in various East Haddam locations!
Pysanky Ukrainian Egg Painting
This event is unfortunately cancelled. We hope to schedule the workshop at a future date. Originally scheduled for Saturday, April 5, 2025, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Facilitated by Sharon Leonard
Join our annual hands-on workshop and create your own wax-resist decorated egg. All materials are included in the registration fee of $40. Slots are limited and fill up fast!

Pre-registration and payment is required prior to the workshop. Credit card payments are preferred and guarantee your spot. If you wish to pay by check, select Promo Code when you register. Your check must be received no later than April 2nd.
Connecticut River Ferries: Then and Now
Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Presented by Captain Paul Costello
Before bridge crossings spanned the Connecticut River, almost two dozen ferries moved people and cargo from one bank to another. The oldest ferry passage launched in 1641; today you can still cross the river by ferry, but only at two crossings.

Captain Paul Costello will share the histories of the Chester - Hadlyme and Rocky Hill - Glastonbury ferries, the challenges both ferries have faced, why these two have survived, the improvements made to them by the State over the decades, and the futures of the two remaining ferries.
Moodus Noises Opening Weekend!
​Opening Reception Friday, May 30th from 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Join us to kick off our 2025 season! View our new Mysterious Moodus Noises exhibit and many others. Watch our seismometer in action. Food & refreshments are provided. This event is free.

Moodus Noises: Stories and Science presentation by Alison Guinness
Sunday, June 1, 2025 at 2:00 pm 
PictureLooking out of the cave at Cave Hill. Credit: Alison Guinness
East Haddam resident Alison Guinness has been researching the Moodus Noises for decades. She wrote her Wesleyan University Master's Thesis on the topic, and has been fascinated by these local earthquakes for many years. Her photo here shows the entrance to the Cave.

Inhabitants of this area have been hearing the unique 'Moodus Noises' for hundreds of years or more. Alison will describe the experience of the Indigenous peoples, the early settlers, and the scientific explanations for the Noises in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Noises have been the source of stories, myths, and beliefs -- and now the subject of scientific study. Our seismometer can measure the rumbling, shaking, and booms of the earthquakes, and you can see them on our large screen!
"Dick Everett: Last of a Kind" with John Olin
​Sunday, June 22nd at 2:00 PM
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John Olin's recent biography describes the many talents of Dick Everett -- blacksmith, machinist, and rocket technician. His skills span the timeframe from colonial times to the Atomic Age. John will present an overview of Dick's life through photographs and conversation. Join us to learn more about this fascinating East Haddam resident.
Free Summer Programs - Mark Your Calendar for these Family-Friendly Events!
        Thursday July 17th at 2:00 PM: Bubblemania with Casey Carle
         Tuesday July 29th at 2:00 PM: "Sharks" with Mystic Aquarium
         Monday August 11th at 10:00 AM: The Poop Museum
         Thursday August 14th at 2:00 PM: "Snakes & Turtles" with Meig's Point Nature Center
​See summer program details here! *** Note: The Poop Museum is at 10 a.m. on August 11th, not 11 a.m. as originally published***
"Bubblemania: Comedy with a Drip!" featuring Casey Carle, comic and bubble artist
​Part of our free summer program, this program is on Thursday July 17th at 2:00 PM
Mr. Carle delights audiences everywhere with his amazing bubble tricks and his humor! 

An East Haddam resident, Mr. Carle frequently tours the Northeast and other US venues. He attended Ringling Brothers Clown College, and has performed in over 10 countries, including Mexico, China, Switzerland, Russia, and India. 

This program is free and is sponsored by the Friends of Rathbun Library and Friends of East Haddam Library.
SHARKS with Mystic Aquarium
​Part of our free summer program, this program is on Tuesday July 29th at 2:00 PM
This program will test your shark knowledge in a rousing game of Bingo. Then, utilizing a special scope to magnify the animals on a big screen, the audience will be introduced to invertebrates such as horseshoe crab, lobster, whelk snail and more. This program promises to be an entertaining and educational experience for all!
The Poop Museum
​Part of our free summer program, this program is on Monday August 11th at 10:00 AM
Susie Maguire aka the Poop Lady will bring the Poop Museum to the East Haddam Historical Society Museum. She covers the serious science of poop and pooping and it is delivered with the silliness that you might imagine accompanying a program about poop. During the program she covers many kinds of animal and insect poops but will also talk about human poop.
"Snakes & Turtles" with Meig's Point Nature Center
​Part of our free summer program, this program is on Thursday August 14th at 2:00 PM
Join Ranger Russ' Special Friends in this fascinating presentation. The audience will be introduced to snakes and turtles in a comfortable and safe manner. The program will dispel myths and help attendees understand these unique animals rather than fear them. Meigs Point Nature Center will bring live animals to the Museum.

This free program is part of our Summer Program and is sponsored by the EightMile River Wild & Scenic Watershed. Seats are limited to the first 75 people so please arrive on time.
Wedding Dresses: Heartbreak to Happiness - 150 Years of Wedding Gowns!
Sunday, August 24th at 2:00 PM, our textile expert, Dena Leidke, will talk about these amazing gowns.
You are in for a treat! We have beautiful wedding gowns on display that range from 1852 to the 1990s. You can view the exquisite handiwork and changing styles over the years. The dress in this photo was worn by a bride that was jilted at the altar in 1892. This new exhibit will be on display for the full summer season.
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Dena Liedke has curated eighteen wedding dresses spanning 150 years of East Haddam/Moodus history. See and hear about the ornate, elegant, luxurious, plain satin, velvet, and silk handiwork that adorned some of our most notable residents. Learn of the tragic loss of one bride, and hear of the blissful wedding days of the Malys, the Hungerfords, the Cones, and the Brownells. Dena will share information about wedding dress styles and fashion through the years. This presentation is a must-see for lovers of vintage clothing.

Dena is a retired East Haddam teacher and an active volunteer at the Museum. She specializes in textiles and is an avid quilter.
Connecticut in the Movies, presented by Illeana Douglas
​Sunday September 14, 2:00 PM
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Acclaimed actress, film historian and author Illeana Douglas
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Signed books will be available for purchase
Join acclaimed actress and film historian Illeana Douglas on an exhilarating journey through the overlooked world of Connecticut cinema! In Connecticut in the Movies, Douglas shines a spotlight on over 200 films that have shaped the perception of this charming state, revealing the rich tapestry of Hollywood’s history intertwined with Connecticut’s landscapes.

From classics like Bringing Up Baby and Christmas in Connecticut to the poignant critiques found in Gentleman’s Agreement and The Ice Storm, discover how Connecticut has served as both a cinematic paradise and a canvas for darker narratives.

Illeana Douglas is known for playing fearless, often outspoken women in films like Goodfellas, Cape Fear, To Die For, and Stir of Echoes. Illeana is the granddaughter of two-time Academy Award–winning actor Melvyn Douglas. Her book, Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia (2023), is now in its second printing. Signed books will be available for purchase.
Belltown Antique Car Show at the Museum
Sunday September 21, 12:00 - 4:00 pm
The East Haddam Historical Society & Museum will host the Belltown Antique Car Club Show on Sunday, September 21, 2025 from 12:00 -–4:00 pm. Cars dated 1985 or earlier are invited to participate. Admission is free for Belltown Car Club members. A $10 entry fee will apply to all other cars in the show, and includes free admission to the Museum.
The show will be held on the Museum grounds, located at 264 Town Street, East Haddam, CT.  For information, contact Cliff Baker at [email protected].
Under the Tuscan Moon celebration & fundraiser
Saturday October 4th, 6:00 - 9:30 PM
Step into an enchanting vineyard within our party tent. Celebrate the harvest season with us; dance to the sounds of 'Java Groove' while handcrafted pizzas are pulled hot from a wood-fired oven.We have one-of-a-kind Live auction items, including a 2-hour private tour of Gillette's Castle for 10 people; a 30-minute seaplane flight from Goodspeed Airport; a 2 hour fly-fishing & fly-tying lesson with expert John Jascot; an original, signed pen & ink drawing by renowned local cartoonist Bill Griffith featuring Zippy the Pinhead visiting Gillette's Castle, and more!
We can't wait to celebrate with you!
Thinning of the Veil 
Thursday ​October 30th at 7 PM
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Click for full size flyer
For the third year, EHHS is pleased to host Thinning of the Veil, a once a year event honoring those who have come before us. Register for the event at www.tensummityoga.com or call 860-262-0248 for information.

Remember those who have come before us at a time when we're more sensitive to the collective, ancestral consciousness. Let's ask the support of our ancestors and those that held this space before us as we heal and open to wisdom. We all have those within our lineage that knew how to live in unity with one another and the earth.

You're invited to bring anything that supports you in remembrance and celebration of this season.
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Andrew Mark Prue will provide sweet sounds that awaken our ancestral roots and an intuitive all levels Yoga flow will be guided by Erin Day (Daksa Devi), followed by a Shamanic Journey with Tim Treebeard.
Mysteries of East Haddam
Note new date: Wednesday November 19th at 7 PM
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Dr. Karl Stofko, historian
Join Dr. Karl Stofko for Mysteries of East Haddam, his annual presentation of weird and wonderful historical events from the town’s colorful past. Dr. Stofko, author and East Haddam Historical Society historian, will delight the audience with intriguing stories of East Haddam residents. You won't want to miss this popular event!This year's mysteries include “Whatever Happened to the Oliver Ellsworth?” The steamship Oliver Ellsworth first plied the Connecticut River in 1825, and continued for most of the 19th century. It was chosen to carry the Marquis de Lafayette on his visit to the United States. The ship was retrofitted into a freighter, but whatever became of it? Did it sink? Where did it end its days? The Museum has a beautiful oil painting of the ship as it passed Lord’s Island in the Connecticut River.

Then there is “The Mysterious Disappearance of Matilda Cone.” There were many stories and rumors about her whereabouts during the 1800s. She disappeared from East Haddam. Was she ever found? Was she alive and living somewhere else?

And finally, a “Close Call for Three Men at Hadlyme.” Dick Phelps was in charge of transporting the mail in Hadlyme in the late 1800s. While transporting the mail across the frozen Connecticut River in March 1895 in a horse-drawn wagon, disaster struck. Find out what happened on that fateful day.
Victorian Christmas Cards and Their History with Shea & Scott Jezek
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 7:00 PM

East Haddam residents Shea and Scott Jezek's Christmas postcard collection began 21 years ago in an antique shop in Vermont. They spotted a binder that contained four old Christmas postcards depicting Santa Claus. Those four cards evolved into a premier collection of antique Santa Claus postcards. This presentation will reveal the early 20th-century vision of Christmas and life in America.

A Holiday Concert with the Colchester Choir
Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM!

Celebrate the holidays with the sounds of the Colchester Choir & Orchestra (CCO), started by conductor John Ringo and his wife Cheryl in 2001-2002. Members range in age from 10 to 70 and range from students to professional music teachers. The concert will feature holiday songs by the choir and a string quartet. Audience participation is welcome! After the concert, join us for holiday treats and refreshments. The event is free for members and children under 12, with a suggested donation of $10.00 for non-members.

The Living Legacy of Alice Hamilton with Janet Lemond
​Sunday January 25, 2026 at 2:00 PM
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Join us for a fascinating presentation about Hadlyme resident Dr. Alice Hamilton, whose scientific breakthroughs improved safety for factory workers in the early 20 century, leading to the development of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Her legacy lives on in the stories of the men and women who worked in toxic and hazardous factories and faced a myriad of serious health conditions as a result of their environment. Janet Lemond, formerly of OSHA and the EPA, will share the positive impact of Dr. Hamilton's work that lives on to this day.
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