Connecticut History Online

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Question: what was the date that Gov. Grasso closed the state of Ct?

Response: Why did Grasso "close" Connecticut? I suggest that if this is a real question, you call the State Library -- www.cslib.org.
Response Date: 02/07/06

Question: Are the Connecticut Sanborn Maps available electronically such as a digitized or scanned map?

Response: Thanks for your query to askCHO. The Sanborn maps are available on microfilm at the map library in Homer Babbidge Library at the University of Connecticut. They are not available online. Other historical maps can be found online, through the UConn Libraries map library, at http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/. Go to the historical maps section for these digitized maps.
Response Date: 01/23/06

Question: How can I obtain a Sanborn map of New Britain,Ct 1950's era

Response: Thanks for your query to askCHO. Sanborn maps from 1884-1954 are available on microfilm at the University of Connecticut Libraries in Storrs, in the Map and Geographic Information Center. You are welcome to come to the library at any time to do your research. You will find here information about the library's hours (http://www.lib.uconn.edu/campuses/storrs/hours.html).
Response Date: 01/05/06

Question: There is a "notch' in the Connecticut-Massachusetts border, which is otherwise quite straight, just north of Granby. Is there a reason for this? My "historical" former neighbor from Cleveland (Connecticut's Western Reserve) is puzzled by this. Thank you. Dr. Lee Sataline

Response: Thanks for your query to askCHO. The Connecticut State Library has a good website that explains the origins of the Southwick Jog, at http://www.cslib.org/jog.htm. It reads: The notch in Connecticut's northern border, just above Granby, is sometimes called the "Southwick Jog". In 1642 Massachusetts hired two surveyors, Nathaniel Woodward and Solomon Saffery, to survey the boundary between that colony and Connecticut. However, the point they established as the western end of the line was disputed by Connecticut and ultimately found to be eight miles too far south. According to a pamphlet in our vertical file, for the next 60 years, "surveyors hired by either Connecticut or Massachusetts set a number of boundaries favorable to the colony that employed them. The only result of these surveys was increased animosity between the two colonies. Even a joint survey in 1702 did little to settle the affair. "To complicate matters, the citizens of Enfield, Somers, Suffield and Woodstock, unhappy with Massachusetts' high taxes, applied for admission into Connecticut in 1724. These towns claimed they were included within Connecticut's original boundaries and were entitled to return to that state." "Naturally, Massachusetts refused to give them up, but in 1749 Connecticut voted to acquire them. A verbal battle raged for years, reaching crisis proportions. Appeals to England were ignored, since that country was embroiled in the Seven Years' War." "In 1768, Massachusetts laid formal claim to the four towns; however, Connecticut did nothing about the edict and continued to govern them." Following the Revolutionary War, in 1793, both states appointed Boundary Commissioners to run a straight boundary from Union, Connecticut to the New York state line. In 1797 the Commissioners recommended that a disputed 2.5 square mile tract be awarded to Massachusetts as compensation for its earlier losses of Suffield, Woodstock, Somers, and Enfield to Connecticut. However, it was not until 1804 that Connecticut agreed to yet another compromise that partitioned the 2.5 mile area at Congamond Lakes with Massachusetts receiving 5/8 of the disputed parcel along the west shore and Connecticut receiving the remainder, along the east shore.
Response Date: 11/07/05

Question: Why do some of the Connecticut cities end in "bury"?

Response: Thanks for your query to askCHO. Many towns in Connecticut were settled by people of English heritage, and in England a town was referred to as a "borough". "Bury" is a derivation of the suffix "borough", so my guess is that is why so many towns end in "bury". Laura Smith Curator, Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries
Response Date: 08/25/05

Question: please- who was the Ct woman who "sat in" voting boothes to challenge the privacy of the vote when a bell used to ring if the party lever was pulled- therefor others could tell that you voted a straight ticket. Approx 1950's.

Response: Thanks for your query to askCHO. The woman you are thinking of was Vivien Kellems of Stonington. Better known as an opponent of the IRS, in 1964 she sat in a voting both for nine hours to protest the difficulty of ticket-splitting on the voting machines used in the state.
Response Date: 05/24/05

Question: I find your website very interesting and thank you for providing this info. I have one comment. The photo identified as: Accession number UC16-0025 Photo CD Number IMG0085-1451 Location Ber-Che/Bridgeport Community Correctional Center appears to have the wrong date. Your info states it was taken in 1957. But, the car parked in the driveway is a 1959 Chevrolet. Thank you Peter Wilson

Response: Many thanks for your comment to askCHO, and thank you for the correction! We rely on people who know such details to help make the descriptions of our images as accurate as possible. I have forwarded your correction to our cataloging staff and it will be corrected as soon as possible.
Response Date: 04/18/05

Question: I need information on CT for a fith grade report.

Response: Thank you for your query to AskCHO. CHO is currently an online database of images. For textual information of the kind you seek, please go to the following page from the Connecticut State Library: http://www.cslib.org/faq.htm. You will find sections on the history of Connecticut, writing reports about Connecticut, and research guides.
Response Date: 01/04/05

Question: I'm trying to find information about a medallion with Hartford, Connecticut dated July 4, 1911

Response: Thank you for your question to AskCHO. CHO is an image database and the AskCHO service is intended to help those with the database and its contents. Although your question is outside the scope of our service, I will try to help you with the next steps in your research. If you are interested in learning more information about your medallion, I would recommend contacting a certified appraiser. You can find information on appraisers at the following About.com website, http://antiques.about.com/cs/valuingantiques/?PM=ss11_antiques, which is dedicated to antiques. I hope this information is useful. Good luck with your research.
Response Date: 11/09/04

Question: Dear CHO, I am doing a Social Studies project on the old Ellington Railroad Station, and I wanted to know what the dimensions were for it- Height,Width,Length. That's all, thanks!

Response: Thanks for your query to Connecticut History Online about the dimensions of the Ellington Station. Your question was passed on to me, the curator for the railroad history collections at the University of Connecticut. I'm sorry to tell you that the collections do not have the information you're looking for. Good luck to you. Laura Smith, Curator, Railroad History Collections
Response Date: 05/05/04

Question: how did connecticut get it's name?

Response: Thank you for your question to AskCHO. CHO is an image database and contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut. For your research purposes, you will find information on the history of the state on a website developed by the Connecticut State Library. Please visit the following webpage for specific information: http://www.cslib.org/history.htm.
Response Date: 04/05/04

Question: on the subject of an antique trunk manufactured by the Vanderman P.&H. Co., Willimantic Ct. Pat. July 13, 1897. Very heavy steel trunk bound by three rows of hardwood on sides, top, and bottom. One double handed handle each end and two single handles each side. Top of trunk lid and top of trunk body have forged corners w/ corresponding holes matching each vertically. What was it's purpose and for who was it made?

Response: Thank you for your query to AskCHO. CHO is an image database and the AskCHO service is intended to help those with the database and its contents. Although your question is outside the scope of our service, I will try to help you with the next steps in your research. If you are interested in determining the purpose, value and/ or who may have commissioned the antique trunk, I would recommend contacting a certified appraiser. You can find information on appraisers at the following About.com website, http://antiques.about.com/cs/valuingantiques/?PM=ss11_antiques, which is dedicated to antiques. I hope this information is useful. Good luck with your research.
Response Date: 03/08/04

Question: What is the origin of the name of the town of Cromwell, CT? Is it related to Oliver Cromwell?

Response: Thank you for your question to AskCHO. CHO is an image database, and therefore, contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut. For answers to your questions, you may wish to contact the Connecticut State Library's History and Genealogy Unit at http://www.cslib.org/handg.htm. The Cromwell Public Library may also be able to provide additional information on the history of the town, http://www.cromwellct.com/library.htm.
Response Date: 10/15/03

Question: What year was Connecticut founded?

Question: Are you all still in Business I have a clock that my great grandfather passed along and I wanted to know the value of it.

Response: Hello and thank you for your question to AskCHO, a reference service for the resources contained in the CHO image database. Your question is best answered by a certified appraiser. You may wish to contact the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), or the Appraisers Association of America (AAA). For a fee, you can request an online appraisal from the website, http://www.appraiseitnet.com, which allows you to request appraisals from members of the organizations listed above. I hope that this information is helpful to you. Good luck with your research.
Response Date: 09/19/03

Question: when was connecticut found, who found it, why did they settle there.

Response: Thank you for your question to AskCHO. Connecticut History Online is an image database and contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut. For your research purposes, you will find information on the history of the state on a website developed by the Connecticut State Library. Please visit the following webpage for specific information: http://www.cslib.org/history.htm. We hope that you will visit CHO again in the future.
Response Date: 09/17/03

Question: What was the first capitol of Connecticut? Was it New Haven or Bridgeport?

Response: Thank you for contacting us via AskCHO. CHO is an image database with little textual information, except as narrative in the Journeys section. However, you can find information about Connecticut's state capitols at the following website maintained by staff at the Connecticut State Library: http://www.cslib.org/faq2.htm#StateCapital
Response Date: 08/29/03

Question: Hi I have heard that at the turn of the century 1900, ther were no deer in ct. ad no forest as we know them now, isthis true? thank gene

Response: Thank you for your query to AskCHO. Connecticut History Online is currently an image database and contains little textual information. However, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's Wildlife Division has several information fact sheets available online. There is a fact sheet online about white-tailed deer and their history in Connecticut that you may find helpful: http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/factshts/wtdeer.htm Regarding the history of Connecticut's forest coverage, yes, it is true that the forest coverage now is greater than it was during the early 1900s. I confirmed this with Robert M. Ricard, Extension Educator for Urban and Community Foresty at UConn's Cooperative Extension Center in West Harford, CT. He recommends consulting the book, History of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA). We do not have this book at UConn, so you may wish to contact the CFPA directly at 860.346.2372, for more information. Good luck with your research.
Response Date: 08/11/03

Question: Looking for the meaning of the word Connecticut. How did the state get it's name?

Response: Thank you for your query to AskCHO. Connecticut History Online is an image database, and, therefore, contains little textual information. However, the official state of Connecticut's website provides the following information on the origin of the state's name: The Name Origin/Indian: Quinnehtukqut -- Mohegan for "Long River Place" or "Beside the Long Tidal River" For more information about the State of Connecticut, you may wish to visit the following website: http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=843&q=246434
Response Date: 06/06/03

Question: Hi Im from RI I recently took a river trip in my kayak down the Farmington river.One section in particular was called Satans kingdom Im just curious as to how this area got its name?

Response: Thank you for your question to AskCHO. Connecticut History Online is an image database and currently contains little textual information. However, for more information about the Farmington River and its history, you may wish to contact the Farmington River Coordinating Committee (FRCC). The FRCC has an extensive website at http://www.farmingtonriver.org./
Response Date: 05/28/03

Question: I wanted to thank you for making a very thorough and detailed site. I am currently working on a preservation and access project and was incredibly impressed with your documentation, especially the cataloguing manual. This is really high level work...thanks. Tony

Response: Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments to AskCHO. We are delighted that you have found the website useful and that it has helped you with your research. Phase II of the project is underway, so we hope that you will visit the website again in the future.
Response Date: 04/15/03

Question: Can someone advise where the original Connecticut birth records are located? My ancestor was born in Haddam in 1760 and was not listed in the Barbour records.

Response: Thank you for your question to AskCHO. As Connecticut History Online is principally an image database at this time, it contains little textual information. However, for specific genealogy assistance, you may wish to contact the Connecticut State Library's History & Genealogy Department which has a website at http://www.cslib.org/handg.htm. On this website, you will find contact information as well as a link to information about vital records. The CT State Library's Barbour Collection includes most vital records for the state of Connecticut to c. 1850. Your email does not indicate if you consulted the actual Barbour Collection at the CT State Library or if you searched in the independently published "Haddam" book which, according to staff at the CT State Library, reproduces only part of the vital records in the Barbour Collection. Best wishes with your research.
Response Date: 03/27/03

Question: I'm descended from William Williams. I'm having trouble finding anything about him on this web site. He was married to Mary Trumbull, and there was much about the Trumbulls. I'm looking for information on their son, William Trumbull Williams. He married Sarah Trumbull, his cousin, and they had Mary Ann Williams. A book "The Signers of the Declaration of Independence, the Descendents of" had William William's other two children's descendents listed, but not William Trumbull William's. Can You help me? Thanks. Anne Scott McElroy

Response: Thank you for your inquiry to AskCHO. CHO is an image database and, at this time, is not intended for genealogical research. You may wish to contact the Connecticut State Library's History & Genealogy Department for more information: http://www.cslib.org/handg.htm.
Response Date: 03/15/03

Question: Loved your website. My ancestors from Cotton Hollow 1870's-1890'sso appreciated images and writeup on it so much. I'm looking for any further info on Cotton Hollow during that time , including City Directories, newspaper articles or Sanborn maps. Can you help? Thank you and thank you for website--Excellent.

Response: Thank you for your positive comments about Connecticut History Online. We are happy that you have found the website useful to your research. All of the Cotton Hollow-related photographs currently in the CHO database are part of the Connecticut Historical Society's collections. For additional information about Cotton Hollow, you may wish to contact the Connecticut Historical Society to see if they have any other relevant images or information in their collections. Connecticut Historical Society, One Elizabeth Street, Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org. We hope that you will visit CHO again in the future.
Response Date: 03/15/03

Question: I would like a report on the history and the government of Conecticut

Response: Thank you for your inquiry to AskCHO. However, Connecticut History Online is an image database and contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut. For your research purposes, you will find information on the history of the state on a website developed by the Connecticut State Library. Please visit the following webpage for specific information: http://www.cslib.org/history.htm.
Response Date: 03/15/03

Question: In 1808 a group of citizens in New York City founded the Washington Benevolent Society. It spread rapidly to R.I., Mass and to cities and towns in New England. Any record of W.B.S. in CT?

Response: CHO is an image database and contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut. A keyword search in the CHO database for the phrase "Washington Benevolent Society" returned no hits. However, you may wish to contact the Connecticut Historical Society directly to see if they have any relevant images or information in their collections. Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org.
Response Date: 12/17/02

Question: I thought I could see old images of "Storm Larry" which was a fierce blizzard that caused the Hartford Civic Center roof to collapse. Instead, my search for "Hartford Civic Center' AND 'blizzard' retrieves stories going back to the 1800's and early 1900's. I wanted to see what the state looked like when Gov. Ella Grasso shutdown the state in 1978.

Response: Connecticut History Online currently provides access to 19th- and early 20th- century Connecticut images. So, unfortunately, images of the 1978 blizzard are not represented in CHO. You may want to contact the Connecticut Historical Society to see if they have any relevant images in their collections. Connecticut Historical Society, One Elizabeth Street, Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org. You may also wish to contact the Hartford Courant to see if they have any images in their photo archives: The Hartford Courant, Photo Reprint Department, 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115 USA Phone: 860.241.3970 Web: http://www.ctnow.com/about/custom/thc/thc-photos.htmlstory
Response Date: 12/17/02

Question: I was trying to find pictures of the old Bulkeley Stadium with the baseball fields and motorcycle track around the outside where Bob Steele had his first job. Do you happen to have any photos or know where I might look???

Response: Thank you for your inquiry to AskCHO. All of the images that we currently have available electronically are online. However, you may wish to contact the Connecticut Historical Society directly to see if they have any relevant images in their collections. Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org.
Response Date: 12/16/02

Question: You have two photos identified as the fire at Pequot House New London. This is not the Pequot House. IF you look at other photos of the hotel, which burned in 1908, you will see the huge difference. One being the building itself, the other that the Pequot was not on a hill and the burning hotel seems to be. Photos are # CD 2824, File images 0036.pcd and 0037.pcd.You probably should correct this mistake?

Response: Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments to AskCHO. We will forward your comments to the Connecticut Historical Society, which owns both of these photographs, so that the accuracy of the cataloging information may be verified.
Response Date: 12/13/02

Question: might you have a photo or picture of the edgecomb hotel, predecessor of the fort griswold house? thanks for your help!

Response: Thank you for your interest in Connecticut History Online. All of the images that we currently have available electronically are online. A keyword search for the "Edgecomb Hotel" and "Edgecomb House" returns only one result, and it is for a photograph of the Fort Griswold House ca. 1884-1905 (Accession number 1983.57.181) at Mystic Seaport. However, you may wish to contact Mystic Seaport directly to see if they have other images in their collections: Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Avenue, P.O. Box 6000, Mystic, CT 06355-0990, USA. Email: cho@mysticseaport.org Web: http://www.mysticseaport.org/
Response Date: 12/13/02

Question: Hello: This is the first time that I have visited your site. I was trying to understand the history of African Americans in Connecticut and your presentation does not seem to be helpful in this regard. There are some isolated commentary regarding African Americans and some photographs with comments, such as, the person on this page looks like an African American. I was hoping that I would be able to find a sense of African American lives from 1638 to now. Maybe you can tell me how I might use your site more effectively so that I can gain an understanding of the place of African Americans in Connecticut. Thank You Earl Shepherd

Response: Thank you for your interest in Connecticut History Online. CHO is an image database and contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut or the experience of African Americans in Connecticut. You might find more pertinent information by contacting the Connecticut Historical Society at: Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org.
Response Date: 12/03/02

Question: I'M TRYING TO FIND A PHOTO OF G,FOX&CO SHOWING THE XMAS VILLAGE ON THE OVERHANG CIRCA 1960-1965.THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP

Response: All of the images that we currently have available electronically are online. A subject browse search for "G. Fox and Co." currently returns eight photos, but unfortunately none of them illustrate Christmas decorations. However, you may wish to contact the Connecticut Historical Society directly to see if they have other images in their collections. Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org.
Response Date: 12/02/02

Question: what famous people lived in the connecticut colony in 1636

Response: Thank you for your submission to AskCHO. Connecticut History Online is an image database and contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut. For your research purposes, you will find information on the history of the state on a website developed by the Connecticut State Library. Please visit the following webpage for specific information: http://www.cslib.org/history.htm. We hope that you will visit CHO again in the future.
Response Date: 11/15/02

Question: what famous people lived in the connecticut colony in 1636

Question: I think the photo entitled "Photo of West Rock, New Haven" [Identifiers: Accession number X.2000.35.128 Photo CD number 2494 img0056.pcd] is misidentified. I believe this photo is of East Rock. The bridge in the scene is East Rock road as seen from the foot bridge. I have an old postcard with almost the exact same scene and vantage point. If you would like to see a comparison email me and I can forward a jpg of the postcard for verification.

Response: Thank you for submitting your comments to AskCHO. We will forward your comments to the Connecticut Historical Society, which owns this particular photograph, so that the accuracy of the cataloging information may be verified.
Response Date: 11/15/02

Question: Hello, I did not find what I was looking for but I have to say that this is a fabulous site - both easy to use and filled with excellent content. I am looking for a photograph of 924 Asylum Avenue, preferably dating from c.1880. I would be grateful for any advice or suggestions you may offer. Best wishes, Brian Thompson

Response: Thank you for your positive comments about Connecticut History Online (CHO). We are pleased that you have discovered the site and find it easy to use. There are numerous photographs in the database depicting Asylum Avenue. But, it appears that "924 Asylum Avenue" is not represented. At this time, CHO includes selections of photographs from all of the partner institutions. Therefore, you may wish to contact the Connecticut Historical Society directly to see if they have other images in their collections. Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org.
Response Date: 11/01/02

Question: I work at an institution founded in 1866. Is it possible to be a part of your online program through a picture or prose?

Response: Thank you for your question and interest in CHO. For copyright and ownership reasons, we are not soliciting images or other content from private individuals or other institutions. We are planning to investigate how that might be done in the future. At this time, all images on the website are owned by one of the partner institutions or have been given copyright permissions to be used on the site. Please check the website again in the coming months for further developments.
Response Date: 11/01/02

Question: Why is Connecticut called the nutmeg state?

Response: Thank you for your inquiry to AskCHO. However, Connecticut History Online is an image database and contains very little textual information about the history of Connecticut. For your research purposes, you will find information on the history of the state, including state nicknames, on a website developed by the Connecticut State Library. Please visit the following webpage for specific information: http://www.cslib.org/history.htm#Nicknames.
Response Date: 10/30/02

Question: Can you help me determine whether or not former Governor Prescott of Connecticut was the grandfather of George W. Bush? Thank you for your assistance.

Response: Thank you for your question. Currently, Connecticut History Online is an image database. The site is not really intended for genealogical research at this time, but we are considering ways to make it more useful for genealogists. There are, however, numerous sites on the Web dedicated to George W. Bush's ancestry. You may find the following website useful in your research: http://www.genealogy.com/famousfolks/georgeb/.
Response Date: 10/29/02

Question: My husband and I was driving in Hartford the other day and noticed an old synagogue at 215 Pearl Street in Hartford. I believe the name is Ados Israel. It said it was founded in 18 something and we were curious if you have any historical information on this synagogue. Thank you.

Response: Currently, Connecticut History Online is an image database containing little textual information, with the exception of narrative in the Journeys section of the website. Your question might be better answered by contacting the Connecticut Historical Society directly at One Elizabeth Street at Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT 06105 Tel: (860) 236-5621 Fax: (860) 236-2664 Email: ask_us@chs.org
Response Date: 10/09/02

Question: What a wonderful site! Is this an ongoing project, and how often do you add new images? Thankyou again for the great pictures, I'll be returning often!

Response: Thank you for your positive comments and interest in Connecticut History Online. Yes, we are interested in making CHO an ongoing project. Currently, we are seeking funding for Phase II of CHO, wherein we will add two more institutions' collections. We are also seeking ways to incorporate individual items from various private and institutional collections. Please visit our site from time to time for updated information.
Response Date: 09/23/02

Question: I cannot seem to find images of airplane manufacturing during World War 2. I am under the impression Connecticut was a major airplane builder. Are there no images online or am I entering the incorrect keywords?

Response: Thank you for contacting us about Connecticut History Online (CHO). The images that appear in the database are only those from the three institutions taking part in the project. These institutions, the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center at the University of Connecticut, the Connecticut Historical Society, and Mystic Seaport, were able to include only images that they actually owned or had copyright permission to display on the Web. Although the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center has some archival materials from airplane manufacturers such as Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney, there are no photographs of airplane manufacturing in CHO. Laura Katz Smith, Curator for Business, Railroad, Labor and Ethnic Heritage and Immigration Collections at the Dodd Center, has created a web page with links to related aviation history resources on the Web, http://www.lib.uconn.edu/DoddCenter/ASC/BLC/AviationHistory.htm. I hope this helps with your research. Please let us know if there is anything further that we can help with at this time.
Response Date: 08/20/02

Question: Do you have any information of the effects of the 1955 floods specifically on East Granby and Granby and the rest of Hartford County? And do you have any photos of those areas during or after the floods? My grandparents lived in East Granby and lost their house and all their belongings during that flood.

Response: You may want to contact the Connecticut Historical Society directly at: Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org
Response Date: 07/18/02

Question: what site do i go to to see early pictures of downtown norwich in the 1900 plus arcadia street and hill street sence i was born in norwich ct.and moved away in the early 80's.thank you.

Response: All of the images that we currently have available electronically are online and can be searched using the name of the town. You may want to contact the Connecticut Historical Society directly to see if they have other images in their collections. Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org
Response Date: 07/12/02

Question: hi, i have fallen in love with a Phillip Rhodes designed wooden, cutter rigged, pocket cruiser (LOA 26'6", LWL 19'6", beam 8', draft 4'6", round bilge, full keel). the vendor knows little about the vessel, and i want to know her displacement, ballast, etc. i understand your museum has acquired the rhodes designs and plans after his death. could you please help me find the plans for this little beauty that was built in 1988 in New Zealand? i can send a picture if that would to identify her. many thanks. Rob Pieper, Waitaha, Ross, New Zealand.

Response: You might be able to find information directly from Mystic Seaport. Mystic Seaport 75 Greenmanville Avenue P.O. Box 6000 Mystic, CT 06355-0990, USA Email: cho@mystic.org Order Photos Online: cho@mystic.org http://www.mysticseaport.org/collections/copyright/request.html Copyright Information: http://www.mysticseaport.org/collections/copyright/notice.html Web: http://www.mysticseaport.org
Response Date: 07/11/02

Question: I lilke connectcut. THat is why I am doing resreach.

Response: Thank you for your comment. We hope that CHO is adding to your interest in the State of Connecticut.
Response Date: 07/11/02

Question: I'm looking for a photo of Dr.Fredrick S. Dennis's hill top summer cottage back when it was used as a cottage in 1935, its now a pavilion atop dennis hill state park in norfolk ct.i'd love to see what it once looked like.

Question: Why is CT called the Nutmeg state?

Response: CHO is an image database. You might find more pertinent information at the Connecticut Heritage site. Go to: http://www.ctheritage.org/ You may also want to contact the Connecticut Historical Society directly at: Connecticut Historical Society One Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105, USA Email: libchs@chs.org Web: http://www.chs.org
Response Date: 06/19/02

Question: I am searching for images of the Livery/Sales Stable of Thomas Williams in East Hartford. Upon his death, his business was taken over by three of his sons and became Williams Brothers Horse Market. While he was considered to be a Gypsy, his stable and fine wagons and horses were known everywhere in the area and his business paractices were of the most honest nature. Thomas died in 1895. Is there anything in your local history regarding the Williams family and their business? Thank you, Ruth

Question: i ran across this site by looking for info on johnathon trumble, was he a royal govenor paid by the king or did he get appointed gov. by the colonists of that time,or was he govenor for both at different times? thanks, stella

Question: Hi, My name is Brian Bowden. I live in Connecticut, and I was just wondering if you have archives of the image of Jesus Christ in Wooster Square Park of 1992. I am going to go to the public library and do research, but I was wondering if you have any pictures you can email me. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

Question: I would be happy to correct the errors on your site related to the Mohegan tribe and to provide more info. Melissa Tantaquidgeon, Mohegan Tribal Historian

Response: Thank you for your interest in Connecticut History Online. We would be most pleased to receive any information on errors within the site. Please direct them to me initially and I will send them to the appropriate people. We are seeking funding for Phase II of CHO, wherein we will add two more institutions' collections. We are also seeking ways to incorporate individual items from various private and institutional collections. Please visit our site from time to time for updated information.
Response Date: 06/06/02

Question: DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE "VANDERMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF WILLIMANTIC, CT." I HAVE A METAL/WOODEN TRUNK WITH A METAL TAG ON IT WITH THE FOREMENTIONED INFORMATION. AND WAS CURIOUS WHAT THE TRUNK WAS USED FOR AND INFORMATION ON THE VANDERMAN CO.

Response: Connecticut History Online is, at this time, an image database with little textual information except as narrative in the Journeys section. You question might better be answered by contacting the Connecticut Historical Society directly at One Elizabeth Street at Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT 06105 Tel: (860) 236-5621 Fax: (860) 236-2664 Email: ask_us@chs.org
Response Date: 05/31/02

Question: Your photos of Oxford's Stevenson Dam are mislabeled. The dam was built in 1919 and the photos are labeled 1843. Jay Halpern

Response: Thank you for the information. I will forward your comment to the cataloging department. We appreciate receiving corrections.
Response Date: 05/31/02

Question: I'm a collector of Cromwell, CT. memorabilia. I have a few items that might be of interest to you, for use on your CHO site. I have several Cromwell & Middletown, CT. flood photos from the flood of 1936. I have several 1909 Cromwell, CT. postcards. These include postcards of: J&E Stevens Toy Factory, Brownstone Quarry, Dime Bank, Pleasant Street, Meadow Street, etc. I could send you a jpg photo of any item if you are interested. =Brice Stroneski=

Response: Thank you for your comments and offer of images. Because of copyright issues, we have not yet requested images from individuals. All images on the current CHO site are owned by the institutions or they have been given permission to use the images on CHO. Your request will be considered when we enter the next phase of CHO.
Response Date: 05/31/02

Question: I am doing my family Genealogy rsearch and found this site to be very interesting since My grandfather was born in Meriden CT. I believe his father worked for the Meriden Britannia Co. is there any more information on it being in business after the fire in 1870?? Also, his brothers ran a soda works business in Southington CT.& possibly Meriden. The name was Pullan Bros. in 1900+. Is it possible to find information on it?? The name of my grt grandfather was James Francis Pullan, Sons, Edward and William ran soda works. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Response: I apologize for the tardiness of this response. Your message got lost in the computer somehow and has just resurfaced. Questions of genealogy are best answered by the Connecticut Historical Society. Go to the following web site for more information about their services to genealogists. http://www.chs.org/library/geneal.htm
Response Date: 05/22/02

Question: If I had one wish for CT History Online, I'd like to see a redesign of your site using more pleasing colors. The site is amateurishly designed. Black backgrounds are passe. The bluish type is very difficult to read.

Response: Thank you for your response. When we redesign the site, your comments will be taken under consideration.
Response Date: 05/14/02

Question: I am trying to research the construction of the Enfield Canal on the CHO website with no luck. Please advise on how best to locate information on this subject. I've found photo's but at this time I am mainly interested in text.

Question: your photo of the oyster boat "Mobjack" seems to be slightly mis-identified. Accession number: 1976.45.65 Photo CD Number: IMG0098-4204.PCD The photographer is from Woodbridge, but the setting of the photo is probably New Haven harbor -- Woodbridge has no shoreline. I think that some of the photographer's descendents now live in or very near Mystic.

Response: Thank you for your comment, which has been forwarded to Mystic Seaport for consideration.
Response Date: 05/06/02

Question: My cousin from Wales had a family membet traced and was told that William Benjamin Brownson was one of the founders of the first colony Hartford,CT I believe 1653??? She wanted to know if this could be verified?

Question: I'M SURPRISED YOU HAVE NOTHING ON THE PEQUOT WAR OR CT'S FIRST PEOPLES. THOUGH THE ENGLISH WON THE PEQUOT WAR,IT WAS ONLY WITH THE HELP OF THEIR INDIAN ALLIES. HAD THE PEQUOTS WON, AND THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THEY ONLY HAD THE ENGLISH TO BATTLE, THE ENGLISH COLONIALS WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVEN OUT OF CT AND RHODE ISLAND. KEEPING IN MIND THAT THE PEQUOTS FAVORED THE DUTCH, A PEQUOT VICTORY WOULD HAVE GIVEN NEW ENGLAND A VERY DIFFERENT HISTORY. BOB DEGNEN

Response: Connecticut History Online is, at this time, an image database. The three institutions taking part in the project were able to include only images that they actually owned or had copyright permission to display on the web. Many of the images from the period of the Pequot Wars were drawings and possibly portraits which have been reproduced in a number of books. Many of the books on the Pequot Wars should be available at the Connecticut Historical Society. Please let us know if there is anything further that we can help with at this time.
Response Date: 04/29/02

Question: I truly enjoyed viewing pictures from various towns in CT. I have additional pictures of Rockville, CT., The Old Railroad Station in Windham, a picture taken by my Grandfather of the Grist Mill in New London. My Grandfather won second place with this picture in a contest run by The Hartford Courant and printed in the brown section in the Sunday Hartford Courant,long ago. I will attempt to send a copy of the picture to you. I also have a picture of the Amos Read Homestead in Lisbon, CT., also a picture of his rather famous pulpit designed to be folded up and carried on the back of his horse, as he carried out his ministry. He was minister of Lisbon, Preston and Canterbury when they were much larger areas. As you have probably guessed, I do genealogy. Ruth Read Hebenstreit

Response: Thank you for your enthusiastic comment. We are always pleased when the site is useful to our users. At this point, for copyright and ownership reasons, we are not soliciting images from private individuals. We are looking into how that might be done but, at this time, all images on the site are owned by one of the three institutions or have been given copyright permissions to be used on the site. Please stay tuned for further developments. We are always happy to have genealogists use our resources.
Response Date: 04/18/02

Question: I keyed in the word "NATION" in the search facility as I am researching our Nation family from Connecticut. Nothing came up apart from NATION BUTTER CO on the Main Street, Stamford page. So its a bit of a long shot but have you any information on the NATION BUTTER CO. Might it have been founded by a member of the NATION family and if so can you let me have this information. As NATION is also a noun its possible the Butter Company was just called Nation as being the Nation's butter company! I look forward to hearing from you. Rosemary Nation (Essex, England)

Response: Thank you for your question. This site is not really intended for genealogical research at this time but we are considering ways to make it more useful for genealogists. You might want to contact the Connecticut Historical Society. Contact information: One Elizabeth Street at Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT 06105 Tel: (860) 236-5621 Fax: (860) 236-2664 Email: ask_us@chs.org
Response Date: 04/10/02

Question: This is a very wonderful site. Will you be using user contributed photo's at any time in the future? I am sure there are many family's that have CT photo's that would be interesting to all.

Response: Thank you for your comment and question. Because of copyright issues, we have not yet requested images from individuals. All images on the current CHO site are owned by the institutions or they have been given permission to use the images on CHO. Your request will be considered when we enter the next phase of CHO.
Response Date: 04/09/02

Question: I just found this great progream on the internet. I tried to put in "Vauxhall inn, New London, Ct. and can,t seem to get it. As I am still very new at this, please excuse my ineptness! P. Albers

Response: Not all structures in the state of Connecticut are including in CHO. A basic search for INN "NEW LONDON" found an image for Ye Golden Spur Inn but not for Vauxhall Inn. Thank you for your interest in CHO.
Response Date: 04/09/02

Question: I'm looking for any information on a gentleman that was a fisherman living near New Haven, CT (James Nickelby) the spelling may be wrong. He was born on or around 1863 and died in 1917. Supposedly he was a wealthy fisherman. If you know where I could search these things out or you could help me, please let me know.

Response: We would suggest you contact either the Connecticut State Historical Society in Hartford or Mystic Seaport in Mystic. Either one may have some information on the gentleman you seek.
Response Date: 04/09/02

Question: Many cities, rivers, lakes, etc., in Connecticut have Indian names. Is there a reference in which we can look up the meanings and sources of these names?

Response: Go to this link to find out information on Connecticut place names. http://www.cthum.org/reference/introduction/placenames.htm
Response Date: 04/02/02

Question: I would like information on Revolutionary War Reenactments particularly i Putnam Park, Bethel. Thanks. Catherine

Response: You might find more pertinent information at the Connecticut Heritage site. Go to: http://www.ctheritage.org/ Choose "calendar" then "military" for a list of reenactments.
Response Date: 04/01/02

Question: how do i measure website hits

Response: You question is somewhat ambiguous. Are you asking how do we measure the hits on our site or are you inquiring what software is available?
Response Date: 03/27/02

Question: How would I obtain a high resolution copy of this photo? It is my great aunt's house and I would like to try to see the people in the photo. [Accession number 1998.118.3 Photo CD number 2829 img0011.pcd] I have a very similar photo postcard of this store taken a few years later after the fire, when the house is divided into 2 buildings. Are you interested in a scanned copy? Thank you. Cheryl Stedtler 908-371-1832

Response: I am forwarding your request for a reprint to our photo curator. She will respond directly to you. We are currently working on phase two of the CHO project, which may include provisions for adding images not owned by any of the participating institutions. All images currently in the database are physically owned by one of the three institutions, allowing us to provide accurate copyright information. Please check back occasionally to monitor progress on this aspect of the project.
Response Date: 03/25/02

Question: No questions but simply a comment, This is one of the most disorganized sites I have ever looked at.It is,mixed up,screwed up and technically infantile.I would suggest you get some professional help in organizing this thing. Art Martin

Response: Thank you for your comments. The site was designed by a professional design company with content provided by the three participating institutions. We're sorry that you found the site unusable. You may want to check back at a later time to see if any changes have been made that would make the site easier for you to navigate.
Response Date: 03/25/02

Question: Who was the founder of Connecticut and what was the date the peson founded it ?

Response: CHO is an image database. For your question, go to http://www.ctheritage.org/ There is an encyclopedia there that should give you the answers to your questions.
Response Date: 03/07/02

Question: Hi I'm looking forward to using your site a lot. One comment I have is I am using Explorer 6.0 as a browser and you home page is almost unreadable it is so dark Hope this helps. B. Hall

Response: We are also using Internet Explorer 6.0 at the University of Connecticut. The background for the opening page is black but you should be able to see the rest of the page without problems. Subsequent pages again have a black background but light colored areas for the text. It is possible that your settings might need to be tweaked. We have not received any other comments to this effect.
Response Date: 03/05/02

Question: I was so delighted to learn of this site from "The New London Day's" web page. I have family roots in New London and have traced some of my ancestor's coming into Ellis Island. On the ship's manifest it revealed they were going to TA Scott Company at 292 Pequot Street. From your site I was able to learn what kind of company TA Scott was. Thanks for the invaluable data.

Response: We are pleased that the site has been useful in your research. Thank you for the comments.
Response Date: 02/25/02

Question: I could not load an image of Thompson CT. I got an error message and the notice to contact root@localhost , but this doesn't seem like much of an e-mail address. In general, this would seem to offer more than it can deliver.

Response: Thank you for your comment. I checked the four images that we have on the database from Thompson, Connecticut, and they all seemed to load fine. No one has reported receiving the error message you reported. I will check further into the causes. Are you able to open any images?
Response Date: 02/20/02

Question: Hi Content is wonderful. However, the royal blue font is difficult to read. How about replacing it with a lighter color? Thanks.

Response: Thank you for your comment. The display of web pages is dependent on how individual machines and monitors are configured. When we redesign the site, we will review your and other people's comments for possible changes.
Response Date: 02/12/02

Question: I live in Lebanon CT. From what I have heard Lebanon's green is the largest green in CT. If you consider the historic houses around it, including Gov. Trumbells home and the War office, it very significant history. I was very suprised that it was not represented! There are some super images of the green available it you contact Alicia Wayland. Thanks

Response: Thank you for your comment. This site will continue to grow over the next few years. We expect that more towns and additional images of currently represented towns will be added. Thank you for your suggestion of where to find additional images of Lebanon.
Response Date: 02/12/02

Question: Am I correct in thinking that you have no images of Fairfield?

Response: We do have some images of Fairfield County in the database. Do a keyword search on "Fairfield County" and another on "Fairfield." When searching under Fairfield alone, you will retrieve all records with the word Fairfield in them, including any streets named Fairfield in other towns.
Response Date: 01/29/02

Question: Outstanding website! I've spent hours here thus far! Thank you.... Bobby McGrath Ledyard, CT

Response: We are happy that you are enjoying the site. Please let us know if you are having any problems.
Response Date: 01/29/02

Question: I am sorry I cannot make it to the reception today. I just looked at the website and it is terrific. I will set up a hotlink to the site through the social studies section on the Department of Education website. Dan Gregg Social Studies Consultant

Response: Dear Dan Gregg, Thank you for previewing the site. We are excited about its use in Connecticut educational settings. And thanks for adding a link.
Response Date: 01/24/02

Question: This is a great site, bookmarked immediately. Search engine is well done and easy to navigate. Not only is it nice to see the photographs, but the documentation is also interesting. I found the site from an article in the New London Day. Paul

Response: Thank you for your comments. We always appreciate it when someone uses the site and gives us some feedback. If you get a chance to use the Geolocator, we would appreciate comments. Thanks.
Response Date: 01/24/02

Question: I was very interested in looking at your new Web site this morning, particularly the textile area. I noted many photos from Manchester and the Cheeney Brothers mills and others in the Willimantic and Norwich areas. You might add a book, CASCADES AND COURAGE by George S. Brookes. It recounts the history of the Town of Vernon and the City of Rockville. The textile industry was certainly the key to the growth of these areas. The book goes into great detail about these industries.

Response: Thank you for your comment and recommendation. I will pass the information along to the appropriate person. We hope you will continue to use Cthistoryonline.org
Response Date: 01/24/02

Question: I want to link several pictures with their descriptions from my website to be used by 4th graders. I selected about 25 websites which feature the Connecticut River from Haddam to Hadlyme as we are in East Haddam to meet Social studies objectives. First I had just linked the photos but found that there was no description available, so then I searched again and linked the description pages. But those do not work, I get an error message. Please help! Kathleen Nowak East Haddam Elementary School Moodus, CT 06469

Response: The software we are using is based on Voyager, an online library catalog system from Endeavor Information Systems. Because the images are connected to a catalog record, not a simple HTML file, it is more complicated to create links to the images and the descriptions simultaneously. It can be done, as the Journeys show. Our suggestion, unless you have lots of technical expertise, is to link to one of the Journeys, where ther work is already done for you. We realize that this solution doesn't allow you to choose the images. If you would like to have directions on linking your chosen images, please respond. We can supply you with instructions but cannot actually do the work for you.
Response Date: 01/08/02

Question: Where does one find information on Gov. John Webster of Colonial Connecticut?

Response: Connecticut History Online is a collection of images (mostly photographs at this point) of Connecticut History. For textual information of the kind you seek, please go to the following page from the Connecticut State Library: http://www.cslib.org/faq.htm You will find sections on the history of Connecticut, writing reports about Connecticut, and research guides.
Response Date: 10/29/01

Question: I have to do a report on Connecticut's history.So far I can't find any information on it. If you could please help me with it i would be very thankful.Some questions i'm being asked are: - Who are the founder(s) of Connecticut? - What was the reason it was founded for? - What was the climate, geography, and economy of it back then? - What was the religion then? - What was the aspects of colonial life? If you could help me get these answers-- maybe soon too- that would be great thank you.

Question: Hello. I am a librarian working with the Palo Alto Historical Association and Palo Alto Public Library of California in the initial stages of a photo digitization project. Yours is certainly a handsome example of this kind of undertaking. Would you please tell me what software you used? Thank you very much for your assistance. Michael Lapointe Palo Alto Historical Association

Response: Information about the technical aspects of the project may be found by selecting the About button on the main page of the site. Included here are descriptions of the project, the original grant proposal with technical details, and the minutes of all project meetings. The website itself was created by an independent contractor using Dreamweaver UltraDev4 for HTML work.
Response Date: 08/27/01

Question: Comments are welcome

Response: Comments are welcome.
Response Date: 08/23/01

Question: shirley's testing

Response: Hi Shirley. Thanks for sending me an askCHO question. Laura
Response Date: 11/30/99

Question: this is a test, Monday, October 9

Response: test test
Response Date: 11/30/99