The Town of Southbury will hold an Open House of all three of the town-owned historic buildings on Saturday, June 10th, as part of Connecticut Open House Day and Southbury’s 350th Anniversary.
This rare event is free and family-friendly, and runs from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Everyone in the community and beyond are invited to step back in time and walk inside the Old Town Hall, the South Britain Library and Bullet Hill School. Historical artifacts will be on display, with guided tours, plus games and activities for kids.
The Bullet Hill School, located at 215 Main Street North, is Southbury’s oldest public building. Built in 1762 of locally made bricks, the two-story structure remained in operation as a school for 179 years until December 1941. Today, it serves as a living history museum, a part of the curriculum of the regional school district, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Old Town Hall Museum at 624 South Britain Road was built in 1873, and functioned as Southbury’s Town Hall until December 31, 1963. It was saved from being demolished in 1971 by a group of private citizens who formed an association to restore the building. Today, it is owned by the town, and managed under the Historic Buildings Commission since 1980. It has been home to the Southbury Historical Society (SHS) since 1983. President, Melinda Elliott, will be on-hand, signing copies her new book, ‘No Swastikas in Southbury’.
In 1904, the South Britain Library at 576 South Britain Road became the first permanent library in Southbury, and was the only such resource until 1969. This tiny gem stands in the spot it was built, charming visitors, circulating books, and providing research assistance to genealogists, historical researchers, and other users.
This event is part of the 2023 Connecticut Open House Day, now in its 19th year, and is coordinated by the Southbury Historical Society, the Southbury Historic Buildings Commission and the 350th Anniversary Steering Committee.
The Town of Southbury is holding events and activities all year long to celebrate 350 years of community, culture and history (1673-2023), aimed at highlighting the past and progress of the one and only Southbury.
The 350th Anniversary Steering Committee consists of John Dwyer and Kevin Bielmeier (co-chairs), Brian Jones (vice-chair), Justin Bette, Lynn Dwyer, Melinda Elliott, Michael Ganem, Kara Kenney, Mary Korsu, and Gosia Liedlich.
For information on this, and all 350th events, visit www.southbury-ct.org/350.