Old Bethlem Historical Society
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SOLD OUT! Thanks again to Susan Castle for her donation of pewter ornaments, and thank you to all that supported us!

We just received some more Bethlehem Christmas Town pewter ornaments today. Thank you to Susan Castle for the donation of 23 ornaments. 9 have already sold so we only have 14 left. They are $10 each for non-members and $5 each for members. Message us if you are interested. 1988 Bells 1989 Stocking 1991 (2) Santa... 1992 (2) Shepherd 1994 Snowman 1995 Gingerbread House 2000 Dove 2003 Fireplace 2004 Ice Skates 2006 Christmas Trees 2008 Russ's Wagon 2014 Tractor See more

Due to the unusual circumstances with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors of OBHS have voted to cancel the annual meeting and voting this year. The Board of Directors will remain as it now exists. The next annual meeting will be in the fall of 2021. Stay safe everyone!

This 1949 Waterbury American article read: "Records for Yule mailing were broken yesterday at the Bethlehem Post Office in the biggest single day of mailing in the Christmas Town's history. Upper photo shows some of the cars lined up about the little post office. As many as 50 cars were outside the office at some times yesterday. Below is a typical scene as the Christmas mailers jammed into the Post Office and kept up a steady thump-thump of the special cachets made available by Postmaster Earl Johnson. A new cachet, depicting a mother bending over a baby in a crib, is expected to be ready today." Sadly, due to Covid, there will be no Christmas Cachet stamping at the post office this year.

The pewter Christmas Town Festival ornaments that were donated to us by Pat Keegan are all sold out! Thank you to Pat for this generous donation to help OBHS, and thank you to all that supported us.

When you are pulling out your holiday decorations, double check your Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival pewter ornament inventory. We have 14 left for sale. They are $10 each for non-members and $5 each for members. Message us if you are interested. 1998 Carolers 2004 Ice Skates 2006 Christmas Trees... 2007 Angel 2008 (2) Russ's Wagon 2009 (2) Nutcracker 2010 Child's Sled 2012 Gift 2013 Bird 2015 (2) Poinsettias 2018 Nativity See more

According to notes of the First Church of Bethlehem historian, Rena Waite, "the Bellamy pulpit was taken from the old church October 2, 1768, and stored in the parsonage attic. After being redressed, it was again placed in the church November 14, 1909, one hundred forty-one years after it was built." George W. Peck was responsible for restoring Dr. Joseph Bellamy's pulpit. This hand-carved pulpit is believed to be the only intact pre-Revolutionary War one in Connecticut and possibly New England. (Rep-Am photo)

This article is from the Waterbury Republican, Sunday Morning, July 8, 1923 FALLING METEOR STARTLES BETHLEHEM FAMILY Thunderous Swish of Heavenly Body Rushing Through Heard by Scores - Large Area of Freshly Turned Earth Leads Later to a Prize Meteor...Continue reading

The District 2 Hard Hill Schoolhouse was built of brick from the Thompson kiln, which was also on Hard Hill Road, c.1850. It was located on the corner of Hard Hill and Kasson Road. Sadly, it was in disrepair and was demolished c.1972. * note the sign on the schoolhouse that "Italian will be taught".

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote, a right known as women’s suffrage, and was ratified on August 18, 1920, ending almost a century of protest. 100 years ago today, on September 18, 1920, thirty-three women are recorded in the town journal as registered new voters in the town of Bethlehem. It is unknown as to why so many are recorded on this one day - maybe they were members of a club, maybe it was the only time the Town Clerk's office was open or maybe the Town Clerk waited to record them all on that day. The reason may be lost to history but here is the list of the first women registered to vote in Bethlehem. Many familiar family names in the town's history.

THEN and NOW - This home was located at 135 Main Street South. It was built sometime before 1829. Dates were found in the attic, where an accounting of stored grain/corn was kept. Sometime before 1900, the house was "improved". At that time many of the old features - wide oak floors and fireplaces - were removed. A small ell was taken down and a large floor-to-ceiling bay window was put in its place. Two floor-to-ceiling windows were placed in the living room. It is s...aid that one of the governors of CT was once entertained at the home and that the large windows in the living room were removed for the party, permitting the guests to pass from the house to the lawn through the openings. Sadly, the house was demolished c. 2007 presumably due to contamination from a gas tank leak from the garage across the street many years earlier. Recently, the land has been cleared and the stonewalls are being rebuilt.

This weekend would have been the 96th annual Bethlehem Fair. Our lives are not quite the same due to Covid-19 so the fair had to be canceled for everyone's safety. The fried dough, pork sandwiches, apple fritters, cotton candy will have to wait another year. The Hollerin' Contest, best pie, vendors and rides, apples, flowers, needlework/quilts with blue ribbons will have to wait another year. Tractor pulls, sheep, oxen and horse, chickens, rabbits will have to wait another... year. The photography and art barns showing off so much talent will have to wait another year. Watching the kids come to the Junior Barn to see their entries with a ribbon and a big smile across their face will have to wait another year. Running into your friends that you only see once a year at the fair will have to wait another year. 2021 Bethlehem Fair will be awesome! Stay safe everyone.

Trying something new ~ hope it works. This mini-clip is from one of our annual meetings. Bethlehem's favorite milkman, George Parmelee, gave a talk about Parmelee Dairy and milk delivery in Bethlehem. Hope you like it.

Here are some photos of the 19th century blacksmith shops that were located on Main Street South and Guilds Hollow Road. Smithies did more than shoe horses and oxen. They also prepared metal for most of the common house and farm needs of the day - wagon wheel rims, tool making and repair, hinges and so forth. The first two photos are of the shop that was located across from the current town office building - between the white house and the yellow house. You can see one of ...the three horse watering troughs that were in town. The blacksmith shop was owned by Frederick Candee. The building no longer exists. The second two photos are of the shop located on Guilds Hollow Road. This was Helmuth Gilosky's shop - shown with family members. The blacksmith shop became the studio of artist, Ralph Nelson, sometime after 1940. After various restorations and rebuilds, it is now the art studio of Ralph's grandson, Matang Gonzales. The final photo is from Photo Story Magazine c.1942. "Nowadays the village smithy is one of the busiest places in town. Tony Wilson, the blacksmith, finds a broken shoe on Jerry Miner's big bay Morgan."

THEN and NOW - March Farm - the house in the middle is gone and the trees are bigger but not much else has changed. If you look really closely, you can see the house up on the hill in the NOW photo. Bethlehem is blessed with this gorgeous property and fun, hardworking family.... Excerpt from March Farm website: March Farm is a fourth generation family farm located in Bethlehem among the beautiful rolling hills of Litchfield County. Purchased in 1915 by Thomas and Rose Marchukaitis, the farm consisted of 114 acres and supported 15 cows and 2 horses. In 1937 Thomas and Rose’s son Matthew and his wife Anastasia bought the land and stock. At that time a diversified farm was started and was operated as such for many years. The first tractor was purchased in 1939. During the 1940’s poultry and dairy barns were added to accommodate 50 cows and approximately 600 chickens. During the 1950’s 14 acres of adjoining land was purchased and apple orchards were planted. Throughout the next 3 decades, stock and fruit production were increased until there were 100 dairy cattle, 40 acres of fruit trees, 5 acres of blueberries, and many acres of sweet corn, cabbage, potatoes, squash, pumpkins, and other vegetables and hay. On July 1, 1977, the farm was purchased from Matt and Anastasia by their son Thomas and his wife Susan. 1988 brought changes to the farm. Thomas decided to sell the cows and concentrate more on producing vegetables and fruit. A commercial kitchen was also installed in order to accommodate a bakery business to supplement produce and other items sold at the farm store. The next year a greenhouse was added to produce quality tomatoes. Since that time 11 more greenhouses have been added to produce a variety of tomato types, cucumbers, squash, lettuce & salad greens. Orchard sizes have been increased, as has the production of sweet corn. During the 1990’s Pick-Your-Own became increasingly popular and has been encouraged for berries, fruit, and pumpkins.

THIS DAY IN BETHLEHEM - The First Annual Bethlehem Benefit Horse Show took place 87 years ago today. Ferriday Field was located on the corner of Munger Lane and Bellamy Lane - now a corn field.

Governor Abraham Ribicoff made a tour of Litchfield County in the quest of votes for Senator John F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential nominee. The governor spent a good part of the time talking to school children. Though he dropped politics in his talks to the youngsters, this didn't stop young Margaret Bock (center) of Bethlehem from asking the governor for a Kennedy button of which he was glad to oblige. Paul Paluskas is pictured on the left of the photo. I wonder if she still has the campaign button. * Note - this is not meant as a political statement. It is simply an interest story showing two young children from Bethlehem.

This photo c.1919-1920 shows a teacher and students outside their school - unclear if it was North Carmel Hill School or Woodcreek School. Shown are: Alice Howard, Hannah Assard, Ella Ziegler, Ruth Hannah (teacher), James Assard, Lena Assard, Anna Beers, Margaret Howard, Helen Ziegler, Joseph Assard, Nellie Assard and Katherine Ziegler. Note of interest - sisters Ella and Helen Ziegler married Box brothers.... Thank you Elaine Assard Brodeur for sharing this photo with the museum.