Take a trip down Main Street in Essex Village to capture the rich maritime history of 18th century “Potapaug,” its working waterfront and ship-building prominence in the early 19th century as well as its development as a beautiful visitor destination of today.

Our tours meet at the "Foot of Main Street" in front of the CT River Museum and start at 5:00pm.  Walking tours are open to the public but we do appreciate an RSVP that you plan to attend by emailing our Director at mjosefiak@essexhistory.org.  We ask for a $5 donation per person but tours are free to active 2025 members.

Our walks last about an hour and are on mostly flat ground covering a little less than a mile.  We try to adapt our tours a bit based on our audience of the day, but if  you would like a fully customized tour, please contact our staff 860-767-0681 to arrange, giving us at least 3 weeks to arrange our guide scheduling.

Summer 2025 walks will be on Sundays: June 29, July 27, August 31 and September 28.

Start your weekend off with a peaceful group meditation led by House of the Triple Moon.

Beginning with a blessing to the original inhabitants of the land, this session will include breathing exercises, meditation, and a journaling prompt to help you get into a great mindset for a wonderful weekend.

All are welcome and are encouraged to bring yoga mats in case of damp grass. Donations gladly accepted.

Further information available at www.houseofthetriplemoon.com

Start your weekend off with a peaceful group meditation led by House of the Triple Moon.

Beginning with a blessing to the original inhabitants of the land, this session will include breathing exercises, meditation, and a journaling prompt to help you get into a great mindset for a wonderful weekend.

All are welcome and are encouraged to bring yoga mats in case of damp grass. Donations gladly accepted.

Further information available at www.houseofthetriplemoon.com

EHS is excited to once again participate in Connecticut Open House Day, a state-wide initiative to get residents to explore the cultural locations in their own backyards. Pratt House will be our featured location for Open House Day on Saturday, June 14th. Join us for these exciting events:

• Morning Meditation with House of the Triple Moon at 10:oo am

• Plein Air Painting Group from Lyme Art Association: mid-morning to early afternoon

• Special talk by EHS Director, Melissa Josefiak about blacksmithing in Essex and the Pratt Smithy

• Pratt House Museum Open for Tours 1:00-4:00 pm

More CT Open House participating locations can be found here.

EHS is bringing you a conversation with Rob Harlow from Digging for Good about the treasures one can find in their own backyards. Rob Harlow began Digging for Good as a way to get together with friends to enjoy the outdoors with their children. The group is happy to metal detect on your historic property and dig up items and sometimes stories. Any findings are the homeowner’s to keep. Items unearthed can help tell a larger history of your property, the people who lived there, and historic land use.

In this presentation, Rob will bring items that he has unearthed and speak to the excitement of finding treasures in your own backyard. He will also be able to schedule if you would like Digging for Good to detect on your land. Join us at Hills Academy History Center at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, March 25th. Space is limited so please let us know if you can attend by emailing: membership@essexhistory.org.

EHS hosted Digging for Good at Pratt House in summer 2024 and some of the items uncovered are on display through March at Essex Library Association in our “History Unearthed” exhibit.

Information from their website: Digging for Good is a group of young (and young at heart) people based out of Haddam, who love to dig in the dirt and uncover the past. Inspired by tales of treasure and by finding things long forgotten, they arise early and head out into the fields in search of the past. When you invite Digging for Good to metal detect on your property, they will make a donation in your name to a charity of your choice from our list of suggested organizations. Learn more at diggingforgood.com

Join your friends and neighbors with the return of Essex Historical Society’s (EHS) popular Winter Lecture Series, hosted by our partners at Essex Meadows.  This year’s theme highlights the American Revolution.  The Series continues on Sunday, January 12, at 3pm with the illustrated talk, “By Land and Sea: The Connecticut River During the American Revolution.”  Renowned maritime historian Jerry Roberts recounts several tales of heroism and local ingenuity in the Valley/Shore region during the American Revolution. Learn about development of the nation’s first submarine, the construction and victories of warships in Essex and the heroic tales of local men who fought in battles from Bunker Hill to Saratoga, and more.

The illustrated talk is free and open to the public, held in beautiful Hamilton Hall at Essex Meadows, 30 Bokum Road, Essex.  For more information, please contact EHS at 860-767-0681 or mjosefiak@essexhistory.org

With a career in maritime history from the “Intrepid” Museum to the Connecticut River Museum, Mr. Roberts is the author of several books, articles and works of genealogy.

EHS’s Winter Lecture Series highlights local history during the American Revolution, paving the way for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of the United States in 2026.  This 250th anniversary is also known as the Semiquincentennial (a.k.a. Semi-Q) celebrates all of our country’s history from Indigenous peoples to the present.  Please stay tuned for more collaborative 250th programming at the town and state partners!