The Farmington Valley CT Heritage Network, of which Avon Historical Society is a member, is pleased to present part three of its three-part bus tour series introduced in 2022, “Lively Lore & Legends: Fact or Fiction?”

The tour, taking place on Saturday, April 27, 2024, visits three historic sites in Farmington – Riverside Cemetery, Stanley-Whitman House, and Hill-Stead Museum – with fascinating tales told at each site and in transit on the comfortable bus. Between talks, participants will enjoy a furnished box lunch (choices available) at Stanley-Whitman House.

Admission is $50 per person and includes the bus tour, lunch, and a pre-tour lecture (see below) on Thursday, April 25^th at 7:00 pm. Seats are limited – reservations are required for the bus.

Email [email protected], or call 860.680.5298 by April 12th to reserve your spot, choose a payment option, and submit your lunch choice.

Click here to download a pdf flyer for the event.

To set the stage for our tour of intrigue, a pre-tour talk, “Bad Boys and Wicked Women of Farmington,” will be presented by former Town of Farmington Historian Betty Coykendall on Thursday, April 25^th at 7:00 pm at the Stanley-Whitman House, 37 High Street, Farmington (https://s-wh.org/). Betty will captivate attendees with an unforgettable journey through time, filled with intrigue, mystery, and thought-provoking discussions.

The lecture is open to the public; admission is $5 per person for those not joining the April 27 bus tour, payable at the door.

Click here to download a pdf  with more details about the lecture.

After being entertained and educated about individuals who left an indelible mark on Farmington’s town lore, participants will be primed to dive deeper into the stories of the area and see where (and if) they happened. Tourgoers will meet to board the bus on Saturday, April 27 at 9:15 AM at the Noah Webster School / Barney Library Parking Lot, 2 School Street, Farmington. The bus will depart promptly at 9:30 AM for its first stop, Riverside Cemetery.

At Riverside Cemetery, Joanne Lawson of the Farmington Historical Society will talk about when the cemetery was founded and the first burials there. She’ll introduce participants to Foone, one of the Amistad Africans who stayed in Farmington after the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed the Africans’ freedom, and who drowned in Farmington in 1841. Other notable people buried in Riverside Cemetery also left their mark on the town; we’ll hear about Miss Sarah Porter, Sarah Brandegee Barney, Theodate Pope Riddle, and abolitionist AF Williams, among others.

Departing from Riverside Cemetery, the journey continues up to Stanley-Whitman House. Here, Kate Linsley Rodgers, an esteemed author, local historian, and museum researcher, will present “Here and There with The Smiths,” which unravels the intricate history of Thomas and Mary Smith, the pioneering early occupants of the Stanley-Whitman House, along with their twelve offspring. This presentation offers a rich portrayal of family life in 18^th-century America, emphasizing the contrast between myth and reality, particularly in three children’s narratives. While Rodgers’s talk encompasses the entire Smith family, the spotlight is on these three figures, providing a nuanced exploration of the era’s familial challenges and opportunities. This engaging presentation not only illuminates the historical essence of Stanley-Whitman House but also sets the stage for a delightful lunch at the Whitman Tavern. Participants can unwind and enjoy lively discussions, further enriched by Rodgers’s insights. A dedicated member of the Wednesday Research team at the Stanley-Whitman House and a celebrated contributor to the Journal of Farmington History, Rodgers is also the acclaimed author of Memento Mori Farmington, CT: Remember Death, a work that garnered significant accolades in 2023.

After lunch, the bus will make its final stop at Hill-Stead Museum, where participants will hear about Theodate Pope Riddle’s ardent spiritualism. In addition to being a pioneering architect and agriculturalist, Theodate was a devoted spiritualist who attended seances and sought to communicate with lost friends and family. The subject of psychical research intrigued Theodate so much that she spent countless hours and considerable sums of her wealth supporting the movement. Participants will learn about the spiritualist movement and how Theodate’s survival in the sinking of the Lusitania influenced her beliefs.

After a day filled with fascinating stories, tourgoers will be returned to their cars at the Noah Wallace School / Barney Library parking lot at 2:45 p.m., ready to share the day’s tidbits with friends and family.

Proceeds from the tour benefit The Farmington Valley CT Heritage Network, whose mission is to enhance appreciation of the rich history of Connecticut’s Farmington Valley by promoting collaboration and communication among heritage groups and raising cultural awareness through programming and tours. Learn more at https://www.farmingtonvalleyctheritage.org/.