Archives

History articles published in town newsletters since February 1992:

A Brief History of Bolton, Special Edition

The Settling of Bolton Special Edition of the Bolton Community News Celebrating Bolton’s 275th Anniversary – October 1995 Edited by Don Costello Introduction This brief article will attempt to describe what the Bolton area was like prior to and during its establishment as a Connecticut town in the year 1720. It will touch upon the … Read more

Bolton Art Colony & Gershom Bartlett

January 24, 2015

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in Bolton Horizons, June 2010; Revised Jan. 2015) The Muses, according to Greek mythology, are spirit sources of the knowledge, … Read more

How The Town of Bolton Got Its Name

November 4, 2014

by Hans DePold, Town Historian (November 2014) Introduction: Bolton was recently visited by officials of the town of Bolton, England. In preparation for their visit, I … Read more

Bolton Grange No. 47: The 100th Anniversary of Town Hall

May 4, 2014

by Hans DePold, town historian (Written in May 2014, for the 100th Anniversary of Bolton Town Hall, formerly Bolton Grange Hall) For many years, Bolton Town … Read more

Gay City or Factory Hollow

February 4, 2014

by Hans DePold, town historian February 2014 (first written in 2006) Gay City State Park is the location of an ancient mill town, Factory Hollow. The … Read more

Short Historical Updates

April 24, 2010

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in Bolton Horizons, April 2010) Private Bolton Artifacts Back in Bolton Hands In 1995 I located all the sites of … Read more

Jared Cone House Ghost Stories

February 12, 2010

by Hans DePold, Bolton Town Historian (Published in Bolton Horizons, February 2010) Bolton militia Captain Thomas Pitkin was a brother to author David Pitkin’s direct ancestor, … Read more

Black Sal’s Cave

December 12, 2009

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in Bolton Horizons, December 2009) On Box Mountain, to the west of Squaw Cave, is Black Sal’s Cave, the home … Read more

The Morgan Horses of Bolton’s Fernwood Farm

October 12, 2009

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in Bolton Horizons, October 2009) When you visit Fernwood Farm on Hebron Road in Bolton you can still see Morgan … Read more

Bolton Flagging

August 12, 2009

by Hans DePold, Bolton town historian (Published in Bolton Horizons, August 2009) I recently came across this article in The Manufacturer and Builder Journal from May … Read more

Herrick Memorial Park

June 12, 2009

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 2009) The land that is now Herrick Park has a lot of history and … Read more

Squaw Cave

February 12, 2009

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2009) The black hole to my left is more than man-sized and seems to … Read more

Uncas Helps Tontonimo

August 12, 2008

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, August 2008) By working with the colonists, the Mohegan “sachem” ( (chieftain) Uncas became a … Read more

Uncas and Miantinomo

June 12, 2008

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 2008) Uncas was indeed the embodiment of the wise sachem (chieftain) that James Fenimore … Read more

A Bloody Bolton Story – The Hard Luck Regiment (Part 2)

April 11, 2008

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in Bolton Community News, April 2008) In the last issue I wrote about lucky Charles Lyman, but now it’s time … Read more

Charles Lyman, Bolton Civil War Hero

February 11, 2008

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2008) Charley’s story began with some original research that Bolton resident John Maston did … Read more

The Connecticut Hard Luck Regiment

December 11, 2007

Men of Bolton Serving in the War of Rebellion by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2007) The Civil War (the … Read more

The Changing Face of Bolton’s Heritage Farm House

October 11, 2007

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 2007) Just a spoonful of verified heritage saved Bolton Heritage Farm from development, but … Read more

Heritage Day 2007 Photos

September 29, 2007

September 29, 2007 (Click on any photo to see a larger image.) Veterans Monument Dedication (Portraits by Kyle Dooman) “Historic Headstones” Tour of Bolton Center Cemetery … Read more

The Brick Tavern

June 11, 2007

by Jacqueline Langdon (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 2007) This information is excerpted from a school assignment researched and written by Ms. Langdon. We … Read more

Prelude to w3rnht Victory

April 11, 2007

Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 2007) Bolton has been at the forefront of the effort to create the Washington Rochambeau … Read more

The Less Delicate Arts of Rural Bolton Life

February 11, 2007

by Hans DePold, Bolton Town Historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2007) Their whips were impressive instruments of encouragement, guidance, and motivation. Bullpunchers, with … Read more

The Dew Drop History Mystery

December 11, 2006

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2006) In reviewing early pictures from several sources I noticed that several Bolton historical … Read more

Grant Tullar, Music Publisher

August 11, 2006

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, August 2006) Grant Colfax Tullar was born August 5, 1869, in Bolton, Connecticut. He was … Read more

Photos from Rochambeau Anniversary

June 24, 2006

225th Anniversary of Rochambeau’s March Through Bolton and Encampment at the Minister’s (Rose) Farm June 24, 2006 (Click on any photo to see a larger image.) … Read more

225th Anniversary of Rochambeau’s March Through Bolton

June 11, 2006

by Hans DePold, Bolton Town Historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 2006) June marks the 225th anniversary of the march of Rochambeau and the … Read more

The Belles of Bolton

April 11, 2006

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 2006) The name of Sumner is well known not only in Bolton, but also … Read more

The Oliver White Tavern

February 11, 2006

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2006) Dr. Charles F. Sumner settled in Bolton in 1842 and said that until … Read more

Rediscovering the Minister’s House

December 9, 2005

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2005) The homes of Bolton’s founders present concrete symbols of an idyllic yet very … Read more

Heritage Day 2005

November 9, 2005

Colonial Breakfast Revolutionary War Cavalry Maneuvers “Italians in Bolton” Presentation Photos by Eileen Stanley

Jonathan Edwards in Bolton and in Love

October 9, 2005

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 2005) Jonathan Edwards was Bolton’s first pastor, hired by the Bolton Ecclesiastical Society on … Read more

Open Space — the Great Cathedrals of Bolton

June 9, 2005

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 2005) When we think of great cathedrals we think of places that open new … Read more

Dr. Samuel Cooley of Bolton

April 8, 2005

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 2005) In “Ralph Earl, The Face of the Young Republic,” by Elizabeth M. Kornhauser, … Read more

Bolton’s World War II Vigilance

February 8, 2005

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2005) On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and 2,403 Americans lost their … Read more

The Hans Christian Andersen Montessori School

December 8, 2004

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2004) Maria Montessori, born in 1870 in Chiaravalle, Italy, became Italy’s first female doctor … Read more

Scenes From Heritage Day 2004

October 31, 2004

October 2, 2004 Photos by Eileen Stanley (Click on any photo to see a larger image.)

The First New England Camp Meeting & Lorenzo Dow

October 8, 2004

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 2004) The very first New England camp meeting, which planted the seeds of the … Read more

Bolton’s Mysterious Roving Islands

June 8, 2004

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 2004) On Monday, Feb. 28, 1955, on page 4 of The Bridgeport Telegram, there … Read more

1822 – The Second Awakening and a Bolton Tragedy

April 8, 2004

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 2004) Caregivers, doctors, nurses, and pastors are most exposed to illness today just as … Read more

Bolton’s Historic Moments During the American Revolution

February 8, 2004

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2004; Revised September 2013) The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R©) National Historic Trail (NHT) is … Read more

Jonathan Edwards, Bolton’s First Pastor

December 8, 2003

Jonathan Edwards by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2003) This year, 280 years after he became Bolton’s first pastor, Jonathan … Read more

Another Milestone for the Washington-Rochambeau Route (W3R)

October 8, 2003

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 2003) Our goal since 2000 has been the creation of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route … Read more

Ghosts of Bolton Past and Present

February 8, 2003

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February & June, 2003) A few years ago I was telling a Hartford Courant writer … Read more

Bailey Road a Candidate for National Register of Historic Places

December 8, 2002

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2002) I recently submitted a seven-page report to the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) … Read more

Early Bolton Heroes

August 8, 2002

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, August 2002) Jonathan Birge married Pricilla Hammond on March 24, 1763 and lived on Hebron … Read more

Ruth’s Story – Summer Days on Bolton Lake

April 8, 2002

edited by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 2002) The following is a page in the life of Ruth Johnson Converse, … Read more

The Wisdom of the Rose Farm Preservation

February 17, 2002

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2002) Bolton’s effort to stem the tide of urban sprawl is perhaps the result … Read more

The Many Faces of Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau

December 7, 2001

(Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2001)

Bolton High School Is Making History

December 7, 2001

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2001) Last year, in a meeting at our Bolton Senior Center, Congressman John Larson … Read more

Mystery of the Missing Portrait (George Colton)

August 7, 2001

Men of Great Learning in Bolton -or- The Mystery of the Missing Portrait by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, August 2001) … Read more

Bolton’s Federal Historic District

April 7, 2001

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 2001) There is a legend about 19th century European colonists who went to Africa … Read more

The Quarryville Boom Town

February 7, 2001

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2001) Quarryville was once a bustling boomtown echoing with the hoarse shouts of men … Read more

A Brief History of Bentley Memorial Library

January 7, 2001

(excerpted from “Bolton’s Heritage,” edited by Bruce G. Ronson) Open House at the new Bentley Memorial Library – November 9, 1975 1881 Bolton Library Association created … Read more

Bolton and the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (w3r)

December 7, 2000

A plan for a 625-mile long National Historic Trail by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 2000) December 16, 1999, marked … Read more

Some of Bolton’s Old Houses

August 21, 2000

(Published in the Bolton Community News, August 2000)

Bolton’s Best-Kept Secret, the Top 100

August 6, 2000

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, August 2000) On the Bolton Community News web site history page we can read about … Read more

A Historic Decision

April 6, 2000

The Rose Farm by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 2000) We now know that Bolton was a thriving town at … Read more

“Promiscuous Singing” in Bolton

February 6, 2000

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 2000) I recently came across an account of a major controversy that was raging … Read more

So Cold, the Rich Had to Beg

December 6, 1999

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 1999) We sometimes hear how the weather is the hottest it has been in … Read more

Dr. Colton of Bolton

October 6, 1999

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 1999) The Reverend Dr. George Colton was born in West Hartford, the son of … Read more

The Stampede of July 4, 1950

August 6, 1999

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, August 1999) There are times when a farmer can’t rightly spit lest he set off … Read more

Camp Johnson

June 6, 1999

A Place That Time Forgot? by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 1999) The recent state documentation of the Revolutionary Road … Read more

Historic Visits to Bolton

April 6, 1999

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 1999) This past month, the Bolton library provided me with a five-volume collection of … Read more

Bolton’s Roads & Railroads

February 21, 1999

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 1999) In colonial times, Bolton residents maintained the town roads in front of their … Read more

Election Day Traditions

October 6, 1998

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 1998) Connecticut has a unique history of government. In 1636 Thomas Hooker led the … Read more

Washington Ate Here

June 6, 1998

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 1998) This past month I uncovered a baffling bit of Bolton’s history-baffling because its … Read more

The Bolton-Titanic Connection

April 6, 1998

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April 1998.) Abraham Lincoln said that we cannot escape history-sometimes I wonder if I’m being … Read more

A Short History of Some Bolton Roads

October 6, 1997

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 1997) The first route in Bolton was the Mohegan Indian trail along the Hop … Read more

Ancient Days in Bolton Notch

August 6, 1997

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in Bolton Community News, August 1997) Bolton Notch mountain forms the watershed divide for three rivers, and at its top, … Read more

The Revolutionary Road

February 6, 1997

Historic Legislation, 1997 by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 1997) State Representative Pam Sawyer will soon introduce a bill to … Read more

“Bundling” in Bolton

December 6, 1996

by Hans DePold, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 1996) It’s time to set the record straight! It’s time to admit that it … Read more

Memories of Bolton Lodge

October 6, 1996

as told by Rick Krause (Published in the Bolton Community News, October 1996) A mile north of Bolton Notch and just a few yards from the … Read more

100th Anniversary of American Automobile Manufacturing

June 5, 1996

(Published in the Bolton Community News, June 1996) This year marks the 100th anniversary of American automobile manufacturing. It is truly amazing to contemplate how far … Read more

Wiring Bolton

December 5, 1995

by Larry Larned, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, August-December 1995) Chapter 1 Have you ever wondered what life was like in Bolton before … Read more

Bolton’s Old Houses

February 5, 1995

by Larry Larned, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, December 1994-February 1995) Chapter 1 During November an article appeared in the Hartford Courant real … Read more

Our Town Hall

October 5, 1994

by Larry Larned, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, April-October 1994) Chapter 1 Bolton town hall is a place where we cast our vote, … Read more

Maude E. White, Postmistress

February 5, 1994

Maude E. White, Postmistress by Larry Larned, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, February 1994) A bit of Bolton history was recalled recently when … Read more

Bolton’s Telephone History

October 5, 1993

by Larry Larned, town historian (Published in the Bolton Community News, June 1992-October 1993) Chapter 1. Prior to 1902, Bolton’s only method of contacting the outside … Read more

Ralph Earl, Early American Portrait Painter

April 5, 1992

(Published in the Bolton Community News, April 1992) In an unmarked grave, presumably in Bolton Center Cemetery on Hebron Road, lies one of early America’s foremost … Read more

For the Train Buffs

February 5, 1992

(Published in the Bolton Community News, February 1992) The state-owned hiking trail that runs through Bolton from Valley Falls Park to Willimantic is an old railroad … Read more