Bolton Connecticut
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, insight, and inspiration needed for the creation of literature and the arts. A quiet town in northeast Connecticut might seem an unlikely haven for artists, but artists have favored … Read more
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 reviewed the state’s Colonial records of the decision to create and name the town of Bolton. The members of the Connecticut General Assembly and the settlers of Bolton, Conn., … Read more
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 Hall was also used as the Bolton Grange Hall. The ultimate objective of the Bolton Grange was the mutual instruction and development of both its members and the agrarian … Read more
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 park is named after the Gay family, the largest family living there and the last to leave. The Sumner family, who were the most active family there, also suggested … Read more
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 the Connecticut Rochambeau encampments, and had created scaled French map transparencies as overlays for the DEP topographical maps of each Connecticut site. I gave Mark Sutcliffe, the State Historic … Read more
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, Colonel Joseph Pitkin of East Hartford. David Pitkin is writing a book of New England ghost stories and will be included in our Bolton stories. He asked for details … Read more
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 of a Mohegan/African-American family. It is one of five potentially human inhabitable caves in the Bolton Notch region. Darren Wright, an anthropology student from Central Connecticut State University, visited … Read more
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 horses with their deep muscular bodies, lovely heads, and straight clean-boned legs flash by with heads high, eyes bright, and nostrils wide. The entire Massey family takes pride in … Read more
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 1885: “Sixteen miles east of Hartford, Conn., in the town of Bolton, is a quarry of remarkable stone, not duplicated in its qualities by any other in this country. … Read more
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 a lot of beauty. It was for many years part of Charles and Adelia Loomis’s farm. According to Elna Dimock, Adelia was well known in town. Her house (now … Read more