Madison 200

Hubley Hall, First Congregational Church of Madison

To kick off the year, our nineteenth annual Frederick Lee Lectures will span the era of indigenous people through current times. The first lecture takes place on Sunday, January 25, at 4 pm, at the FCC’s Hubley Hall, where researcher Jim Powers will present “Who were the Hammonassetts? The Interrelationship of Indigenous Communities at the time of English Colonization.” The next lecture, on February 22 at 4 pm, features former Daniel Hand High School history teacher Charlie Fischer presenting “Madison’s Role in the Civil War.” Madison municipal historian and MHS preservation chair Henry Griggs presents the final lecture, “A Postcard History of Madison in the Twentieth Century,” on March 22 at 4 pm. Together, the three presentations create a fuller picture of how Madison began and how it has evolved.

Allis-Bushnell House / MCHC at Lee's Academy / Scranton Library

For the first time, the MHS will display exhibits across three locations—the Allis-Bushnell House, the Madison Center for History & Culture at Lee's Academy, and Scranton Library. Each location will feature a unique subset of the MHS collection, highlighting key people and stories that shaped our town.

The first exhibit opens on March 7 on the lower level of the Allis-Bushnell House, featuring the stories and artifacts of artists, authors, and other influential Madison citizens. The second installment opens on April 1 at Lee's Academy with a display on the military history of Madison. On May 1, the final exhibit opens at Scranton Library in the lobby display case, hosting an assortment of Madison-specific artifacts that will remain on display throughout the month.

Allis-Bushnell House

Our History Happy Hour series continues on Friday, April 17, at 6 pm. Be sure to reserve your seat early for these convivial evenings that pair education and social engagement.

Each History Happy Hour event features a brief but fascinating presentation about Madison history, followed by a chance to socialize and enjoy beverages and hors d’oeuvres with fellow history buffs in the 1785 Allis-Bushnell House.

Mark Your Calendars!

Date: Friday, August 21
Time: 6 pm to 7 pm
Location: 853 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443
Presenter: Larry Ciotti

Title: Madison's Football History

$15 Adults / $10 MHS Members. Registration is requested.

Join Hand High School coaching legend Larry Ciotti for a look back at the early days of Hand Football. Hear about the challenges, milestones, and unforgettable moments that helped establish the program into a proud Madison tradition.

Date: Friday, September 25
Time: 6 pm to 7 pm
Location: 853 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443
Presenter: Charlie Shafer
$15 Adults / $10 MHS Members. Registration is requested.

Join Madison Land Trust’s Charlie Shafer for an evening at the historic Allis-Bushnell House exploring two notorious local murder cases from the 1800s. Discover the infamous Mary Stannard case alongside the lesser-known collier murder, and hear a preview of these chilling stories before they are brought to life during guided Madison Land Trust hikes in October.

Past 2026 History Happy Hour Events:

Date: Friday, April 17
Time: 6 pm to 7 pm
Location: 853 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443
Presenter: Charlie Shafer
Title: Ironwoods Preserve
Suggested Donation: $15 Adults / $10 MHS Members. Registration is requested.

On April 17, Charlie Shafer will present “Ironwoods Preserve.” Charlie has been restoring old houses professionally for 40 years and has been an avid hiker for far longer. He has always combined his love for history and his love for the outdoors by exploring the nooks and crannies of life and industry, in the old mines and abandoned towns of the mountains of Colorado and in New England on its old roads and in its historic structures. He has a special interest in the area’s collier fireplaces, which he has started to document photographically in Madison and the surrounding towns. He also enjoys documenting assorted remnants he finds in the woods, left by older farmers and residents.

The Ironwoods Preserve is one of the Madison Land Conservation Trust’s more interesting properties, as it was in heavy use from the time North Guilford (once known as Bristol) became a specific place as opposed to a loose band of settlers. Initially used as farmland for grazing, by the late 1780s it was the site of a sawmill, then an ironworks, and then a site for extensive charcoal production, before returning to use for livestock grazing. Eventually, after farming died out, it returned to open space, eventually ending up in the stewardship of the Land Trust. At the History Happy Hour, we will take a virtual walk from the top of the ironworks down to Greist Pond, with plenty of interesting history to discover along the way.

Date: Friday, May 8
Time: 6 pm to 7 pm
Location: 853 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443
Presenter: Marty Podskoch
Title: The 93rd Anniversary of Connecticut Civilian Conservation Corps Camps: Their History and Legacy & Camp Hadley

On May 8, author and historian Marty Podskoch will present “The 93rd Anniversary of Connecticut Civilian Conservation Corps Camps: Their History and Legacy & Camp Hadley.” Marty Podskoch is a retired teacher, the author of eleven books, and an expert on the history of the American civilian conservation corps. He writes a weekly column, “Adirondack Stories,” which appears in five Adirondack newspapers. In addition to his other works, he has written several books about Connecticut, Rhode Island, and the Adirondacks. Marty and his wife live in Easton, Connecticut.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began on March 31, 1933, under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” designed to relieve poverty and unemployment during the Depression. CCC camps were set up in a number of Connecticut towns, state parks, and forests. Workers built trails, roads, campsites, and dams, stocked fish, built and maintained fire tower observer’s cabins and telephone lines, fought fires, and planted millions of trees. The CCC disbanded in 1942 due to the need for soldiers in WW II.

Lee's Academy

On Saturday, June 13, the MHS will host the Bicentennial & Flag Day Commemoration outside Lee's Academy to commemorate the 200 years since Madison's first town meeting. Beginning at 11 am, community leaders, MHS trustees, and Madison's poet laureate Ed Lent will speak about the qualities that define Madison. Afterward, guests will be invited into the Madison Center for History & Culture on the lower level of Lee's Academy to view a limited-engagement exhibit of flags from the MHS collection.

Our sincerest thanks to our community partners for their generous support of this event.