Fall, 2009

Dear Friends:

         Fresh on the heels of the Historical Society’s enormously successful History Weekend, which included a spectacular 50^th Anniversary Party on the banks of the Five Mile River highlighting the grand reopening of the Pinkney House and an exciting new Rowayton event called Rowayton History Day held the next day, the RHS is poised for even more great things in the coming year. We hope you will join us. 2009, the RHS’ 50^th anniversary year, has been a highly productive and exciting one, topped off with the long-overdue renovation and repair of our headquarters, the Seeley-Dibble-Pinkney House.  With that Herculean task behind us, we can now focus our attention on the first critical items on our Five Year Plan:  properly archiving our spectacular collection and opening the Pinkney House more regularly. With your help, we can make that happen.  

         In the first phase of the renovation, a group of volunteers moved the entire contents of the c. 1820 building into storage.  Crumbling plaster was repaired, wiring updated, old carpeting pulled up and beautiful wooden floors revealed, climate control installed to reduce mildew and mold, and a fresh coat of paint put on rooms that had significant repair.  Once the work was completed, we moved the hundreds of boxes back in and began the laborious task of properly archiving and recording each item. The board is thrilled is with the outcome and think you will be too.

         Meanwhile, while the contractors labored, the Board was hard at work on an equally exciting venture, the publication of a new book called Historic Rowayton, an illustrated history of the village’s 140 plus plaqued houses and historic sites.  The book was published in September in honor of the RHS’ 50^th anniversary.  If you would like to purchase a copy, please email us at info@rowaytonhistoricalsociety.org or visit Rowayton Library where copies are for sale.

         This past year was also a banner one for the RHS Plaque Program…the committee awarded historic plaques to over 20 houses, an all-time record.  Among other highlights for the year was winning a grant to hire a consultant to help us to write a five year plan, which is completed and in place.  The RHS also hosted a range of interesting programs, including

·               a celebration of the publication of Historic Rowayton

·               an exciting new Rowayton event called Rowayton History Day, a fun, family-oriented event with activities for all ages, including games for children, an antique car show, walking tours of all three historic cemeteries, old fashioned food, and local groups exhibiting their history plus the official reopening of the Pinkney House.

·               a talk on genealogy

·               an open house at the recently restored Gershom Raymond II           House, c. 1790

·               “Paint Rowayton”, a joint program with the Rowayton Art Center

·               a book talk with the Library on the new book Coastal Connecticut

·               A special tour of the newly renovated Seeley-Dibble-Pinkney house given to members of the Pinkney family, enjoyed as much by RHS members as the Pinkney descendants

·               special plaque dedications at Roton Point and Bayley Beach, and

·               an open house at the historic Mills House at 43 Highland Avenue.

         Thanks again to all of our members and volunteers for their enthusiastic support of the Historical Society this past year.  Without you, we couldn’t have accomplished our goals, and with your continued help, 2010 promises to be even better!

Sincerely,

Wendell W. Livingston

President