Past Events & Programs

Past Events & Programs

logo for 1st Wednesday

All programs are at 7:00 at the Norwich Congregational Church.

May 1, 7:00 pm

The Regeneration of an Artist: Frank Lloyd Wright after 1932

H. Nicholas Muller, III

At the age of sixty-five, Frank Lloyd Wright began the most productive decades of his life. H. Nicholas Muller, III, retired executive director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, explores Wright’s prolific career.

Location: Congregational Church, Norwich, VT, 7:00 PM.

First Wednesdays lectures are free of charge.

Sponsors

  • TruexCullins Architects + Interior Design
  • Stave Puzzles
  • Friends of the Norwich Public Library
  • The Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation
  • Ledyard National Bank
  • Mascoma Savings Bank
  • Norwich Historical Society

See schedule for First Wednesdays 2012-13 season in Norwich

charter of celebraton

WW II Remembered: A Sunday afternoon reading & book signing

Sunday, February 26, 2012, 3:00 – 5:00 pm

at the Norwich Historical Society

Clint Gardner and Mary Jenkins will read from their popular 2011 book, a collection of 56 essays written by residents of Kendal in Hanover. Their book was recently featured on the NBC Nightly News. Discussion, book signing and reception follow. Books will be available for purchase – cash and checks only. Seating is limited – please arrive early to assure a seat.

A Tale of Two Charters

On Saturday, September 17, Norwich turned out in fine style to celebrate the return of our newly-restored town charter signed on July 4, 1761 by Governor Benning Wentworth, which created the town of ‘Norwhich.’ The second charter, created by the Marion Cross School and signed by all the students, faculty, and staff, will soon hang in Tracy Hall.

Norwich University’s Color Guard was welcomed back to town that day. The university had its beginnings on our Green in 1820 and remained here until 1866 when a fire destroyed their North Barracks. The Cadets presented the colors and then a flag, flown over the US Capitol, a gift from Senator Patrick Leahy. That flag will soon hang permanently in Tracy Hall as a remembrance of this important anniversary—250 years!

Photographs: Thanks to Steve Flanders and Jim Brown

Norwich at 250!

In 1749, Benning Wentworth, the first royal governor of New Hampshire, issued a charter that established the town of Bennington, VT, which he named after himself. Over the next 15 years, Wentworth issued 129 more charters, which covered over 3 million acres or one-half of present-day Vermont. On July 4th, 1761, he signed the charters for the 12 ‘middle grant’ towns (Fairlee, Hartford, Hart land, Norwich, Thetford and Windsor in Vermont and Canaan, Enfield, Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme and Plainfield, in New Hampshire).

Wentworth was trying to do something with the mass of land between New York and his New Hampshire colony, which was part of the expansion of New York and New Hampshire. He benefitted handsomely from the fees he collected for each ‘grant’ and also from the 500 acres in each grant that he reserved for himself. Wentworth’s grants caused disputes between New York and the residents living in the towns, especially after Britain’s King George III declared the western bank of the Connecticut River the boundary between New York and New Hampshire. This delayed the acceptance of Vermont into the union. Eventually the disputes were resolved, and Vermont became a state in 1791; thirty years after Wentworth signed Norwich’s charter. Those towns all still exist today with only a few name changes and boundary adjustments. Perhaps a tribute to Wentworth’s foresight and vision!

Calendar of Events for 2011

July 9th and July 10th • Norwich Historical Society
Upper Loveland Puppets
3 pm – The Terrible Pignap

July 24th• Norwich Historical Society
Upper Loveland Puppets
Pattie Peals out

July 16 • Norwich Historical Society
2nd Annual House & Garden Tour featuring some of Norwich’s historic homes

September 10th • Norwich Historical Society
7th Annual Norwich Antiques Show

September 17th • On the Green
Norwich Charter Day with Norwich University Color Guard

NORWICH CHARTER DAY with Norwich University Color Guard

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
2pm on the Green

On July 4th, 1761, Benning Wentworth, the first royal governor of New Hampshire, signed the charters for the 12 ‘middle grant’ towns (Fairlee, Hartford, Hartland, Norwich, Thetford, and Windsor in Vermont and Canaan, Enfield, Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme, and Plainfield in New Hampshire)—all celebrating 250 years in 2011!

Saturday, July 1, 2011

2nd Annual House & Garden Tour

Tour seven of Norwich’s loveliest homes and gardens to benefit the Norwich Historical Society. Tickets are $15 for a member or in advance, and $20 on the day-of. A delicious boxed lunch from Delicata Catering will be available for $10. And tickets for a special raffle will be sold 5 for $20 or $5 with the winner taking home a Vermont Garden cart.

7TH ANNUAL ANTIQUES SHOW

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011
10am-4pm
Norwich Historical Society NOTE: We will be open and ready for business on Saturday, despite the news of flooding in Vermont. Interstates are open to Norwich. We hope you’ll join us!

Join us for the 7th annual Norwich Antiques Show to benefit the Norwich Historical Society. This year’s show will feature high-quality dealers from New England displaying their wares inside the Lewis House and under the tent on the corner of Main and Elm Street. Fiddle music and good food too!

Admission is $5.00 20% of ticket sales will support the Upper Valley Haven’s Hurricane Irene Relief Fund, helping victims of flooding in the Upper Valley. The rest of the proceeds will benefit the Norwich Historical Society’s window renovation project.

Informal appraisals will be offered from 2- 4:00 pm for $5 per item (limit of 3 items per customer).

 

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