Well, 2015 is almost over, and that means we'll be going into 2016 expecting to see more from our beloved town of Hebron, Connecticut.
As 2015 comes closer to an end, let's remember some moments from the year. As far as I know, there wasn't a complete change in the town in 2015. We hosted many of the same events we've hosted in the past, like the Hebron Harvest Fair, the Maple Festival, and the second annual Hebron Day. These are events we've hosted this year and should be back for 2016.
As for new businesses, I noticed that the old Hebron Pharmacy building is getting a new business (Physical Therapy?). We will have to wait and see, but the building will be used for some kind of therapy.
As for attractions, I noticed many more nature paths throughout the town. I'm not sure if these were constructed in 2015 or not, but I had not known about them prior. One of the trails goes from Veteran's Park to Ted's Supermarket, which is a nice walk through some wooded areas and behind new construction. Secondly are the trails behind Burnt Hill Park which extend to roads around the park. Maybe these were here before? I had not known of them before.
In any case, there wasn't too much change overall, but 2016 is coming and we can bring more change to our town in the coming year. What would you like to see? What would you expect from Hebron? Where will we be this time next year?
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Autumn is Here!
Look at the beautiful autumn weather around Hebron! Autumn is in full circle. Hebron really shows its colors at this time (no pun intended). The fair and harvest has come and gone, the kids are in school, and the images of the farm town we know and love has really come to life.
Other than that, missed posting about the fair and Hebron Day. September was a huge month. Kids came back to school, sports were flourishing in the town (autumn baseball and softball, soccer), and we had tons of different events like the Hebron Harvest Fair, Hebron Day, and Hebron Historic Day.
Some pictures below are from the fair from this September, back when it still looked like summer in Hebron, even though Autumn was on the rise.
Autumn has come swift and fast, so who knows when the winter will get here. We still have some time, but be prepared for when the snow hits. In the meantime, enjoy the wonderful rural autumn look around us all! My only suggestion would be to continue the festivities in some way. The fair might be over, but we should still celebrate our town's country life in the autumn.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Hebron Historical Society Helps to Uncover Hebron's Cemeteries
The Hebron Historical Society is currently underway with uncovering the graves at Hebron cemeteries, starting with The Old Cemetery on Wall Street. The volunteers have learned proper cleaning techniques and how to reset the stones. The Historical Society and volunteers know that cemetery maintenance is appropriate because it shows respect to the people buried, and recognizes their contributions to the community. It might not seem like a monumental task, but it takes a lot of hard work. Volunteers can tell you that it is amazing to see the original carved words appear on a grave after being hidden underneath layers of dirt and mulch. When cleaned, many of the graves look like they had been created yesterday, and not three hundred years ago when the town was first established. See the grave pictured below and how it looked both before and after it was cleaned.
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Before
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What is even more interesting is that names of citizens are now becoming visible to society. These particular names on the graves match the three hundred names of individuals on documents from the Historical Society, and their burial locations. The Hebron Historical Society is not only recovering the lost names of individuals in the cemetery, but maintaining historical records, and uncovering additional information about the individuals who lived in Hebron long ago.
The cleaning sessions uncovered many citizens, and much was learned from the hard work of the Hebron Historical Society, including the location and confirmation of several burial sites, one of which was Obadiah Horsford’s. Horsford was a prominent citizen involved in Hebron’s early development. He was Captain of Hebron’s first military company and responsible for establishing this cemetery as Hebron’s burying ground. He died in 1741.
Hosford’s stone is the largest single stone in the cemetery. It was carved by Benjamin Collins, from Columbia, Connecticut. Collins’ stones were ornately carved and his faces more realistic. The inscription on Hosford’s stone is extensive and relates Hosford’s service to the town and his good standing as a citizen. The inscription was not deeply carved. It may be fortunate that the stone lay in the dirt for many years because the inscription is still legible. Without the efforts of the Hebron Historical Society and volunteers from the town of Hebron who helped to clean and restore Hebron's cemeteries, Obadiah Horsford's stone may have never been found. The hard work of Hebron citizens to restore the cemeteries results in not only making our cemeteries a more welcoming place, but also restoring the lost history of our three hundred year old town. This project will take many months, and even possibly years of work. The Society welcomes volunteer assistance. Donations are gratefully accepted and can be sent to the Historical Society @ PO Box 43, Hebron, CT. 06248. Volunteers and those with questions can call Mary-Ellen Gonci @ 860-228-3388 or mergonci65@comcast.net.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Hebron Historical Society Hosts 2nd Annual Hebron Historic Day!
What do you know about your hometown other than the places to go, the people to see? How did your hometown come to be? I'm sure you've heard the phrase "home sweet home," though maybe you wouldn't imagine the same phrase for your home if you imagined the town years and years before we had the same technology we have now.
On September 19th, Hebron residents and town visitors will have the chance to learn about their town's history. Come join the Hebron Historical Society at the Old Town Hall, where you will be given a map of historical sites throughout Hebron, view exhibits in the museum, and shop at the local country store.
There will be several Hebron Historical figures and sites awaiting your arrival, including Burrows Hill Schoolhouse, the Civilian Aircraft Observation Post, Prophet's Rock, and several churches that have grown over the 300 years of Hebron. You can learn about how all these sites and figures have shaped Hebron into the town it is today.
This event will last from 10 to 4, so please be sure to stop by to educate yourself and learn about the origins of your hometown. It will be a fun and engaging experience for everyone, whether you are a student trying to learn about your heritage, or an adult who would like to be informed and educated about the town they live in. See you there!
On September 19th, Hebron residents and town visitors will have the chance to learn about their town's history. Come join the Hebron Historical Society at the Old Town Hall, where you will be given a map of historical sites throughout Hebron, view exhibits in the museum, and shop at the local country store.
There will be several Hebron Historical figures and sites awaiting your arrival, including Burrows Hill Schoolhouse, the Civilian Aircraft Observation Post, Prophet's Rock, and several churches that have grown over the 300 years of Hebron. You can learn about how all these sites and figures have shaped Hebron into the town it is today.
This event will last from 10 to 4, so please be sure to stop by to educate yourself and learn about the origins of your hometown. It will be a fun and engaging experience for everyone, whether you are a student trying to learn about your heritage, or an adult who would like to be informed and educated about the town they live in. See you there!
Monday, March 23, 2015
Review of the 2015 Hebron Maple Fest
I went to the Maple Fest this past weekend. It was very enjoyable, though I must say I have noticed a similar trend of changes that have happened in the past couple of years. Let me start by reminding people of the questions I've heard so many others ask, especially out of towners: "Where can I buy maple syrup?" "Where are the maple sugar houses?" I'm still unable to answer the fisrt question, and the second one I can answer, but much easily than I would have been able to years ago.
Has anyone noticed that the Hebron Maple Festival is becoming less of a treasured social event about maple syrup, and more of a business vendor in downtown Hebron? As much as I love passing by vendors selling treats and goodies, I must say that this shouldn't be sole the focus of the event. Increasingly over the years, it seems like the vendors have taken precedence over what the festival is truly about: making maple syrup and sugar.
Surely, there are still signs of maple sugar making throughout the festival. The maple sugar houses are up and running for people to go to, maple syrup is sold, and there are pancake breakfasts. However, these events are hardly advertised and aren't easily accessible. As early as three or four years ago, when walking around the center of town, people were able to walk up to demonstrations of maple sugar making and ask about how one was able to make maple syrup. I vaguely remember a boy with his parents talking about how it would be interesting to make his own maple syrup from a maple tree after Wayne Palmer had demonstrated how to retrieve sap from a maple tree.
Just three or four years ago, people were able to buy maple syrup at a clearly seen booth in the front of town. You could smell the sweet sap of maple sugar in the air.
I didn't feel this same passion for maple sugar making as I did in the past, so I must ask, "Where is the passion, and what is the event truly about?"
It seems as if the social event itself has dwindled down to various vendors uptown, where all the maple sugar making and teaching has moved to the maple sugar houses. And the maple sugar houses used to be easily reachable: there used to be a shuttle bus that would take people to and from the various spots along Hebron's maple sugar houses and other Maple Fest events throughout the town. This is no longer the case. The shuttle bus has disappeared, leaving the main section of the festival apart from the maple sugar houses.
Is it because maple syrup is harder to obtain nowadays? Is the event facing financial issues? Are there different sponsors? I'm sure there are answers to these questions, though I have no idea what they are. In any case, I definitely believe the focus on maple sugar and maple syrup has greatly decreased within the event the past few years.
Despite the inconvenience of access to various maple sugar making activities, there is still much to do. People were happy and joyful uptown, there were lots of booths selling food, crafts, and girl scout cookies, and the tractor parade really made a big scene. The girl scouts are always eager to sell their cookies. There were certainly a fair share of events, but there just didn't seem to be a huge passion for maple sugar making. Most of the event has turned into a social event that is set to make a profit, rather than teach the community the historical and knowledgeable aspect of maple sugar making. I must ask, what has happened to the maple festival that teaches families about maple syrup making and that sells maple syrup uptown? Why are we so detached from this knowledge that made the festival important in the first place?
I'm not saying "let's get rid of the vendors." I'm just saying we should bring back the education that shaped the event along with the vendors that make it a success. It should be as much an event to commemorate our town, as much as it is an event to raise money. Reaching this compromise would work in the interest of everyone. And the transportation to and from events really did help- it brought the various sites of the event together.
Don't get me wrong- I very much enjoyed the event, and I always will. I just feel there are some parts of the event that just fell out the last couple of years, and I believe the event can be made stronger by bringing them back and making the event more of a community event.
I must say one last thing... please don't get rid of Mr. Maple Leaf! He brings joy and compassion to many children and families at the event. I hope he, as well as many of these other events that have fallen off the past couple years will return strong as ever in 2016!
Please share your Hebron Maple Festival memories and pictures here, or email me at hebronmapleleaf@gmail.com. Thank you, and let's hope for another great Maple Festival next year!
Has anyone noticed that the Hebron Maple Festival is becoming less of a treasured social event about maple syrup, and more of a business vendor in downtown Hebron? As much as I love passing by vendors selling treats and goodies, I must say that this shouldn't be sole the focus of the event. Increasingly over the years, it seems like the vendors have taken precedence over what the festival is truly about: making maple syrup and sugar.
Surely, there are still signs of maple sugar making throughout the festival. The maple sugar houses are up and running for people to go to, maple syrup is sold, and there are pancake breakfasts. However, these events are hardly advertised and aren't easily accessible. As early as three or four years ago, when walking around the center of town, people were able to walk up to demonstrations of maple sugar making and ask about how one was able to make maple syrup. I vaguely remember a boy with his parents talking about how it would be interesting to make his own maple syrup from a maple tree after Wayne Palmer had demonstrated how to retrieve sap from a maple tree.
Just three or four years ago, people were able to buy maple syrup at a clearly seen booth in the front of town. You could smell the sweet sap of maple sugar in the air.
I didn't feel this same passion for maple sugar making as I did in the past, so I must ask, "Where is the passion, and what is the event truly about?"
It seems as if the social event itself has dwindled down to various vendors uptown, where all the maple sugar making and teaching has moved to the maple sugar houses. And the maple sugar houses used to be easily reachable: there used to be a shuttle bus that would take people to and from the various spots along Hebron's maple sugar houses and other Maple Fest events throughout the town. This is no longer the case. The shuttle bus has disappeared, leaving the main section of the festival apart from the maple sugar houses.
Is it because maple syrup is harder to obtain nowadays? Is the event facing financial issues? Are there different sponsors? I'm sure there are answers to these questions, though I have no idea what they are. In any case, I definitely believe the focus on maple sugar and maple syrup has greatly decreased within the event the past few years.
Despite the inconvenience of access to various maple sugar making activities, there is still much to do. People were happy and joyful uptown, there were lots of booths selling food, crafts, and girl scout cookies, and the tractor parade really made a big scene. The girl scouts are always eager to sell their cookies. There were certainly a fair share of events, but there just didn't seem to be a huge passion for maple sugar making. Most of the event has turned into a social event that is set to make a profit, rather than teach the community the historical and knowledgeable aspect of maple sugar making. I must ask, what has happened to the maple festival that teaches families about maple syrup making and that sells maple syrup uptown? Why are we so detached from this knowledge that made the festival important in the first place?
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| Wells Sugar House in Hebron, CT |
I'm not saying "let's get rid of the vendors." I'm just saying we should bring back the education that shaped the event along with the vendors that make it a success. It should be as much an event to commemorate our town, as much as it is an event to raise money. Reaching this compromise would work in the interest of everyone. And the transportation to and from events really did help- it brought the various sites of the event together.
Don't get me wrong- I very much enjoyed the event, and I always will. I just feel there are some parts of the event that just fell out the last couple of years, and I believe the event can be made stronger by bringing them back and making the event more of a community event.
I must say one last thing... please don't get rid of Mr. Maple Leaf! He brings joy and compassion to many children and families at the event. I hope he, as well as many of these other events that have fallen off the past couple years will return strong as ever in 2016!
Please share your Hebron Maple Festival memories and pictures here, or email me at hebronmapleleaf@gmail.com. Thank you, and let's hope for another great Maple Festival next year!
Monday, February 16, 2015
Blast to the Past!
Nothing much new, I just found this old video on youtube of RHAM High School Class of 1998 (there are actually 3 of them). Boy, 1998 feels like yesterday, but it was really 17 years ago! How much time here has aged. These videos aren't really anything of substance, just some typical high schoolers having fun in Mr. Law's math class, though it is interesting to look into the past to see RHAM High School almost 20 years ago.
I wonder if any of these students have looked back to see themselves on film? Were you a former RHAM graduate? Well, in any case, enjoy the nostalgia.
Do you have any Hebron memories you'd like to share? Please send them to hebronmapleleaf@gmail.com and I'd be happy to share them here!
On another note, the 2015 Maple Fest is almost here!
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
2015 Happy New Year!
I've been really bad at updating this blog. It's already almost February, and well, the Maple Festival and spring are right around the corner (I have to make sure to get pics of the Maple Fest this time, but you know it's kind of hard for this Maple Leaf to hold a camera and everything).
In any case, I thought I'd touch on some of events that happened in 2014 in Hebron. A lot were former traditions like the Hebron Harvest Fair and the Hebron Maple Festival, but one event that was new and a success was Hebron Day which was put on by Hebron Parks and Rec. A lot of people attended this event, and it brought the different town venues and clubs together.
I bet you didn't know that 2014 marked the 125th anniversary of The Douglas Library. Yup, it's true. Our town library is now 125 years old. I remember when I was wee young Maple Leaf and the library was in the old building (okay, I don't remember it that well, but it's true).
What other events happened in Hebron? I'm sure there's many more.
Gina Marie's got an expansion to add to an already successful restaurant. It's pretty much become the title of our town restaurant over the past couple of years. Every time I go by, a lot of people are there.
I know the holidays are over, but I thought I'd stop and take a look at these beautiful lights that were at Brain Freezers.
In any case, I thought I'd touch on some of events that happened in 2014 in Hebron. A lot were former traditions like the Hebron Harvest Fair and the Hebron Maple Festival, but one event that was new and a success was Hebron Day which was put on by Hebron Parks and Rec. A lot of people attended this event, and it brought the different town venues and clubs together.
I bet you didn't know that 2014 marked the 125th anniversary of The Douglas Library. Yup, it's true. Our town library is now 125 years old. I remember when I was wee young Maple Leaf and the library was in the old building (okay, I don't remember it that well, but it's true).
What other events happened in Hebron? I'm sure there's many more.
Gina Marie's got an expansion to add to an already successful restaurant. It's pretty much become the title of our town restaurant over the past couple of years. Every time I go by, a lot of people are there.
I know the holidays are over, but I thought I'd stop and take a look at these beautiful lights that were at Brain Freezers.
It was quite a beautiful sight this holiday season. Glad to see Hebron had the spirit and was very creative in its light demonstration.
If you have any more fun Hebron 2014 moments, don't hesitate to share them with me! I'm always looking for stories to add to my blog. What are you expecting in Hebron for 2015? Please share with me at hebronmapleleaf@gmail.com.
And have a happy, fulfilled, and Hebronized 2015!
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