Recurring Programs
The museum’s recurring programs include the Washington History Club, Readings from the Archives, the Washington Cemetery Tour, New Years Tea, and History Bites.
Cemetery Tour
14th Annual Washington Cemetery Tour took place on Friday, October 29, 2021
In this year’s tour, new, untold, fascinating stories of those who lived and worked around Washington Green in the past were shared. If you were unable to attend, a film of the tour was created by Phil Dutton and Ulrich Vilbois, that can be viewed here: 14th Annual Washington Cemetery Tour 10.29.2021
The Washington Cemetery Tour is an annual “living history” event produced by the Gunn Museum with the support of local theater luminaries, Doug and Martha Winkel of The Dramalites, showcasing the rich history of Washington using costumed actors to portray residents from the past. Costumed tour guides with lanterns will lead groups of visitors along a magical path of 1,000 luminarias, spanning a quarter-mile from the Gunn Museum through the shadowy Washington Green Cemetery, where the town’s departed citizens will be stationed at their graves to tell their true tales.
There was no in-person cemetery tour in 2020 due to the pandemic. Instead, a pre-recorded virtual cemetery tour was released online. Click here to watch the film by Phil Dutton and Ulrich Vilbois: 13th Annual Washington Cemetery Tour 10.30.2020
Washington History Club
The Gunn Historical Museum’s Washington History Club meets in the morning at the Washington Senior Center and in the evening at the Gunn Library throughout the year to discuss the history of Washington, including the villages of New Preston, Marbledale and Woodville, Washington Depot and Washington Green. Participants are asked to bring their photographs and objects that relate to the monthly topic for show and tell. Everyone interested in the history of our town is invited to attend the free meetings and share their memories in the group discussion.
Washington History Club at Night: Merchants of Washington, Past & Present
Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 6:30pm on Zoom
Click Here to Register
Randy Johnson (On the right. The man on left is unidentified.) owner of The Shepaug Market at 4 Green Hill Road in Washington Depot, CT, circa 1960. Photograph by Fred Stoneall. From the collection of the Gunn Historical Museum.
Join us for a lively group conversation, moderated by long-time Washington resident Dimitri Rimsky, about memorable shopkeepers, pharmacists, barbers, grocers, etc from Washington’s history. Bring your favorite stories and memories to share!
History Bites
Each spring ten heritage sites throughout Northwestern Connecticut present History Bites, a series of free weekly lunchtime programs designed to bring topics of local history to the attention of the regional community. The series is hosted on Thursdays between April and June from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring lunch. Beverage and dessert are provided by the hosting organization. The lectures are free and open to the public. History Bites is sponsored in part by the Connecticut Community Foundation and produced by the Litchfield Historical Society, Topsmead State Forest, Gunn Historical Museum, Torrington Historical Society, Mattatuck Museum, Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden, Old Bethlem Historical Society, Glebe House, Woodbury Historical Society, and Southbury Historical Society.
2020, 2021 & 2022 Meetings: Canceled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic
New Year’s Tea
Ring in the New Year with an old-fashioned free tea hosted by the Gunn Historical Museum. Visitors have the opportunity to socialize with friends in the museum and view the exhibit Washington, Connecticut – An American Story. Guests are asked to bring their favorite tea cup and we’ll provide the rest.
2021 and 2022 New Year’s Tea – Canceled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic
Readings from the Archives
The Curator of the Gunn Historical Museum presents free readings from the archives of the Museum at the Washington Senior Center. A paper about the history of Washington from the Museum’s archive is read, related photographs and artifacts from the Museum are displayed, and attendees share their memories in a discussion that follows.
Next Meeting: TBA
Next Topic: TBA