KENT, Conn.— The Kent Historical Society is celebrating a year of significant accomplishments in historic preservation, education, and community outreach, while looking ahead to new initiatives in 2027.
During its annual meeting on Sunday, Nov. 8, Director Chris Adams presented the organization’s 2026 impact report, highlighting a year of renewed momentum, new leadership, successful exhibitions, and improvements to its historic properties.
In addition, incumbent president Deborah Chabrian was re-elected as president.
Following the meeting, which was attended by about 30 individuals, including KHS staff, trustees, and members, and residents, a special program tied into the organization’s 2027 exhibit goal, “Voices of Kent.”
Adams reported the addition of two new trustees joined the board this year: Margie Austell and Frank Tosto. Austell, a lifelong Kent resident and retired special education teacher, brings a strong connection to the community as a third-generation family member to serve as a trustee. Her grandmother and aunt were among the founders of the historical society. Tosto, an avid collector of early American antiques and art, brings expertise in historic objects, architecture and landscape art.
A major highlight of the year was the historical society’s exhibition, “Homespun Kent: Revolutionary Households,” presented at the historical society’s Seven Hearths. The exhibition explored Kent’s contributions to the American Revolution through the experiences of local households and the sacrifices made by residents during the fight for independence. The show attracted hundreds of visitors and was accompanied by demonstrations, book talks and weekend tours.
The exhibition received a merit award from the Connecticut League of Museums in October. Although it has officially closed, tours remain available by appointment, and the Society has made an exhibition video available on its YouTube channel.
The organization also made strides in expanding public access to its collections. A newly improved website went live this year, and a matching grant from the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation is supporting an upgrade of the society’s PastPerfect collections-management software. The transition from a local network to a web-based system will allow the organization to share portions of its collection online as part of a broader Access History Initiative, Adams related.
The initiative will include a digital inventory of the society’s extensive art collection, an especially meaningful project in honor of benefactor George Laurence Nelson, whose legacy includes Seven Hearths and its art collection.
Several historic properties also benefited from improvements. The Skiff Mountain Schoolhouse received a new period-appropriate door, thanks to contributions from Kip Armstrong, the National Society of Colonial Dames in Connecticut and Bill Case. At Seven Hearths, the back porch entry floor was replaced with reclaimed antique pine, and a long-buried well was restored to ground level to help visitors better understand the infrastructure of the historic 18th-century house.
In addition, the dining chamber was restored with new plaster and paint and furnished with an 18th-century bedstead loaned by the Connecticut Historical Society.
Looking ahead, the historical society plans additional maintenance and restoration projects at Seven Hearths, Tallman House, and the Skiff Mountain Schoolhouse in 2027.
Adams emphasized that the organization’s work depends on its members, donors and community partners. The society will launch its annual appeal in the coming weeks and is encouraging continued public support.
“Knowledge of history anchors our personal and collective identities, helps us learn from the past, and provides a clear roadmap for an evolving society,” Adams noted in her report.
‘Voices of Kent’
Marge Smith, curator and archivist at Kent Historical Society, offered a look at how the town’s history can be found not only in recorded interviews, but also in the letters, journals, and personal writings preserved in the organization’s archives.
Speaking about the society’s new “Voices of Kent” initiative, Smith emphasized that written correspondence offers a valuable, often intimate glimpse into the lives of earlier generations and the events shaping their world.
Through letters written by Kent residents dating back to the 1800s, Smith illustrated how everyday correspondence captures the community and greater world throughout history—from politics and business to family relationships, illness, travel, local gossip and community life.
The letters bring history to life in ways that traditional records and textbooks often cannot, revealing personalities, humor, hardships and the everyday details that give the past its human dimension, she related.
Among the examples she shared were letters from Kent businessman Rufus Fuller, describing his travels to Saratoga Springs for medical treatment, discussing local politics and keeping family members informed about happenings at home.
Other correspondence offered colorful accounts of life in South Kent, including local industries, school experiences, marriages and even the challenges of receiving fresh oysters in winter for one local family.
Smith explained that these personal writings are a form of oral history in their own right. Along with recorded conversations, audio archives, photographs and interviews with longtime residents, letters will help build “Voices of Kent,” an expanded effort to capture and preserve the stories that define the community.
The initiative will seek new oral histories in a variety of formats, including individual interviews, group conversations, and opportunities for residents to share brief personal reflections at community events.
The goal is to preserve not just the facts of Kent’s history, but the voices, experiences and memories that make it meaningful, Smith said.
As Smith demonstrated, sometimes a single letter can reveal more about a person, a family or an era than pages of official records. Together, these written and spoken stories will help ensure that the many voices of Kent are preserved for future generations.
