Last update: 2/28/2015 4:22 p.m.
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News from the Bryan-Andrew House!
Buttery shelves from a MA home ca. 1760. Original lath on the wall and ceiling has been plastered over.
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The bee hive oven gets tested after the flue was exposed.
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Joe Carney inspects his work.
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We're in the newspaper again. Click here! The 9-ft Keeping Room fireplace was restored several years ago and on the several visits has warmed the guests as they roamed through the house, feeling how it was to live in 1740 so many years ago. One thing became apparent to restoration contractor Edd Oberg and mason Joe Carney, that the beehive oven didn't draw correctly. The smoke from some small pieces of kindling reached into the room. Upon inspection, the team found that the flue was hidden with a half dozen bricks and 2 inches of concrete. They went to work removing the material and without a hitch, a fire, built in the oven took off and burned with great ease. The two of them waited until Ginny could arrive and they inaugurated the oven for future use. Now the entire Keeping Room fireplace is ready for some hearth-cooked dinners.
Open House
The 19th of October has come and gone but not without excited visitors as they walked through the oldest house in the Town of Orange. Fires were lit in the parlor, hall and keeping room with visitors admiring the effort put forth by the OHS to bring the house back to its beginnings. The CT Trust for Historic Preservation matching grant, which the society received, has been spent plastering the walls, resurfacing feathered edge walls, laying down original flooring and restoring the parlor fireplace which had been dismantled sometime in the 1930's and replaced with modern firebrick. Although the original side walls had been removed, the inner hearth was covered with the yellow brick and when removed revealed the original hand made bricks as originally laid in 1740.
One aspect of the home which is unique is the porch. Known to us as a foyer, one would step into this area from the front door and be met with a painted feathered edge wood wall in the best color available. For the Bryan family, Prussian blue was the color of choice and since the original walls had been removed, OHS bought old ones from a home in Massachusetts. Karan Oberg, historian and artist, replicated the original color using a section of doorway that had once been covered with wallpaper.
The house is available for families and groups for a tour, a meeting or a meal. Until the society has facilities to offer food to the public, people are invited to bring their own meal, celebrate a birthday, a new member in the family or a reunion of friends and family. The atmosphere is so inviting and brings one back to quiet times where hustle and bustle were not part of the daily 18th century lifestyle.
The society is fortunate to have found two restoration contractors for the interior with Joe Carney, a master mason and refinishing the wood walls and placement of the floors by Edd Oberg. The original restoration, over the past 14 years, was ably handled by Wess Corjuc of Historic Preservation and his brother Joseph.
For information call 203 795-3106 and leave a message. All calls will be returned.
Open House
The 19th of October has come and gone but not without excited visitors as they walked through the oldest house in the Town of Orange. Fires were lit in the parlor, hall and keeping room with visitors admiring the effort put forth by the OHS to bring the house back to its beginnings. The CT Trust for Historic Preservation matching grant, which the society received, has been spent plastering the walls, resurfacing feathered edge walls, laying down original flooring and restoring the parlor fireplace which had been dismantled sometime in the 1930's and replaced with modern firebrick. Although the original side walls had been removed, the inner hearth was covered with the yellow brick and when removed revealed the original hand made bricks as originally laid in 1740.
One aspect of the home which is unique is the porch. Known to us as a foyer, one would step into this area from the front door and be met with a painted feathered edge wood wall in the best color available. For the Bryan family, Prussian blue was the color of choice and since the original walls had been removed, OHS bought old ones from a home in Massachusetts. Karan Oberg, historian and artist, replicated the original color using a section of doorway that had once been covered with wallpaper.
The house is available for families and groups for a tour, a meeting or a meal. Until the society has facilities to offer food to the public, people are invited to bring their own meal, celebrate a birthday, a new member in the family or a reunion of friends and family. The atmosphere is so inviting and brings one back to quiet times where hustle and bustle were not part of the daily 18th century lifestyle.
The society is fortunate to have found two restoration contractors for the interior with Joe Carney, a master mason and refinishing the wood walls and placement of the floors by Edd Oberg. The original restoration, over the past 14 years, was ably handled by Wess Corjuc of Historic Preservation and his brother Joseph.
For information call 203 795-3106 and leave a message. All calls will be returned.
President's Corner
The Nathan Bryan-William Andrew house was buzzing on November 4th with visitors from the Red Hat Society. Meeting once a month, the women were invited to bring their lunch to the 1740 home to enjoy the 18th century atmosphere. While the weather is turning cold, the large keeping room fireplace welcomed the group, giving a true feeling of living in the past.
Surrounded by the recent restorations of plaster walls and original floors, the smell of corn chowder and a fall salad with its colonial touch of cranberries and leafy lettuce rounded out the wonderful experience that members Kathy Steinberg, Jan Clarke and Ginny Reinhard presented to the ladies. Just a few days later, 21 members of area historical societies met at the home to discuss common concerns and how to present history to the public and ways to encourage school systems to arrange for tours of the various buildings each of the societies own or manage. Here in Orange, we have 3 such buildings and need to secure the cooperation of our school administration. A recent trip by Cub Scout Troop 922 was such a pleasure with 8 young boys eager to see how different the 1740 Bryan-Andrew house was from the visit they had to 1830 Stone-Otis House last year. They were surprised with what they saw and didn't see at the homestead. Their questions were thoughtful and their answers creative as I took them through each room, telling about the families that lived there. The evening was too short but homework awaited. Night time at the Bryan-Andrew House is indeed an enchanted place with candle-style lighting, fires in the fireplaces and the smell of various herbs hanging in the buttery. It was a common practice in the 18th century to hang them in various parts of the house as fireplace smoke and cooking smells lingered. Come visit us, bring your family and even bring your dinner. Sitting at the 1760 keeping room table can bring you back to quieter times. Like me, you won't want to leave.
As the weeks are moving along, the original floors, which were stored in the garret, have been replaced in their respective rooms, giving a finished touch to the newly plastered walls. Using cut lath, the walls and ceilings have been carefully restored. Funding remains a challenge so give a thought to becoming a member of the Orange Historical Society. You can find a membership form above under "join." Volunteers are always welcomed to participate in our events and projects which most recently is preparing the Bryan-Andrew House for future "company." |
Calendar of Events
The Antique Shop is open every Saturday from 10:00-3:00 with exciting antiques and collectibles in all price ranges. Come see our collection of political pins and a newly acquired collection of View Master discs and viewer. Live in the 50's again with this unique toy.
See below for details. For information call 203 795-3106 and leave a message. All calls will be returned. Tuesday, March 24, 2015 Joint Meeting with Milford Historical Society Place: Orange Congregational Church, Orange Center Rd., opposite The Academy on the Green. >> Presentation: 7:00 - 8:30 p. m. "Restoring Historic Homes The Bryan-Andrew House." Refreshments served. >> Guided Visit: 8:30 - 9:30 p. m. Tour the Bryan-Andrew House 131 Old Tavern Road, Orange. For information call 203 795-3106 Email: orangehistorical@yahoo.com Saturday, March 28, 2015 1:00-3:30 Josiah Gardiner, Master Mariner The OHS will hold its annual Taste of the Past with Glenn Gordinier portraying the historical figure from the high seas. A light lunch of soups, breads and desserts will start the day with the performance at 2:30. Admission is $25.00. Send your reservations to OHS, P.O. Box 784, Orange, CT 06477 Attention: Taste. Every Saturday, 10:00-3:00 The Academy Museum Antique Shop, 605 Orange Center Road, is open. Come visit the 1878 Academy with historic displays of Orange's past. Available for the first time in many years: 'Scenes of Orange' Crocks. Originally sold by the Orange Community Women, only 2 remain for sale. Also available from OCW are glass ornaments picturing the Town Hall. A recent addition to the already brimming inventory are several 19th century oil lamps in the Victorian style. Unique antiques, books, vintage jewelry, dolls, doll clothes, china, furniture and collectibles of all kinds can be found for those special occasions. Don't forget the hostess gifts for the coming months. For information, call: 203 795-3106 Email: orangehistorical@yahoo.com *************** 
Helping Hands is looking for gently used items of all kinds. OHS gets 13% of every sale!
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Edd & Karan Oberg in the porch.
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Joseph Carney finishing up the Keeping Room ceiling.
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Edd Oberg hand finishing a feathered edge wall.
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The Prussian blue porch walls were recreated by Karan using color remaining on a door frame.
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This fireplace was rebuilt with old bricks replacing a modern one built in the early 1930's.
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Keeping Room fireplace with useable iron cookware.
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Laying original flooring becomes an interesting puzzle.
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The buttery or pantry with a work table.
The bowl and ladle are from the Andrew family.
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The hall where the family would spend time spinning, weaving and cooking simple meals.
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The hall fireplace. Portraits are of the period but the couple is unknown at this time.
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OHS T-shirts
are selling like hotcakes. Limited stock! |
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See the
Join, Visit, Shop page. Get yours today! |
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New OHS logo!
In May of 1822, a petition was presented to the General Assembly by members of both North Milford and West Haven communities to be incorporated as a separate town. Upon the resolve, a new town was established with boundaries set out to encompass the two communities.
A committee was chosen to select a name for the town and with some differences of opinion, the group chose Orange. Although no longer tied to British rule, with the support given to the Connecticut colony in 1687 by the English monarch, William of Orange, it was agreed to name the new town in his honor. His coat of arms became official in 1972, when the First Federal Savings Bank of New Haven presented First Selectman Ralph Capecelatro with the official Town flag, designed by Orange residents Robert Hiza and Curt Thompson.
The Orange Historical Society has used the center portion of the coat of arms as their logo that was depicted on the original official Town flag but has since changed to the original English version which includes the lion and the unicorn with other symbols of English royalty as seen in the coat of arms throughout history. The logo graces the bottom of each page of this website, as well as being used in our newsletter and on the new T-shirts.
A committee was chosen to select a name for the town and with some differences of opinion, the group chose Orange. Although no longer tied to British rule, with the support given to the Connecticut colony in 1687 by the English monarch, William of Orange, it was agreed to name the new town in his honor. His coat of arms became official in 1972, when the First Federal Savings Bank of New Haven presented First Selectman Ralph Capecelatro with the official Town flag, designed by Orange residents Robert Hiza and Curt Thompson.
The Orange Historical Society has used the center portion of the coat of arms as their logo that was depicted on the original official Town flag but has since changed to the original English version which includes the lion and the unicorn with other symbols of English royalty as seen in the coat of arms throughout history. The logo graces the bottom of each page of this website, as well as being used in our newsletter and on the new T-shirts.
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The Society
Founded in 1964, the Orange Historical Society strives to collect and preserve those items of history that pertain to the settlement of Orange as well as the surrounding area.
In addition to protecting the history and the future of the Town of Orange, the Society maintains the Stone-Otis House, a restored 1830's homestead, The Academy, which was built in 1878 and now serves as a museum housing the Mary Rebecca Woodruff Research Center, and the Bryan-Andrew House, a 1740 residence built by one of the earliest Orange families in the area then known as Bryan's Farms.
The Stone-Otis House at 615 Orange Center Road is open by appointment. The Academy and antique shop 605 Orange Center Road is open Saturdays from 10:00-3:00 P.M The Bryan-Andrew House at 131 Old Tavern Road is open by appointment by call 203 795-6106 .
The Society is always seeking to increase membership and financial support for its preservation efforts. See the Join/Visit/Shop page.
For information call (203) 795-3106 Email to orangehistorical@yahoo.com with questions or comments about our site. Address U.S. mail to Orange Historical Society, P. O. Box 784, Orange, CT 06477.
In addition to protecting the history and the future of the Town of Orange, the Society maintains the Stone-Otis House, a restored 1830's homestead, The Academy, which was built in 1878 and now serves as a museum housing the Mary Rebecca Woodruff Research Center, and the Bryan-Andrew House, a 1740 residence built by one of the earliest Orange families in the area then known as Bryan's Farms.
The Stone-Otis House at 615 Orange Center Road is open by appointment. The Academy and antique shop 605 Orange Center Road is open Saturdays from 10:00-3:00 P.M The Bryan-Andrew House at 131 Old Tavern Road is open by appointment by call 203 795-6106 .
The Society is always seeking to increase membership and financial support for its preservation efforts. See the Join/Visit/Shop page.
For information call (203) 795-3106 Email to orangehistorical@yahoo.com with questions or comments about our site. Address U.S. mail to Orange Historical Society, P. O. Box 784, Orange, CT 06477.
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OHS Officers and Directors
Ginny Reinhard, President
Jill Westgard, Recording Secretary Danielle Izzo, Corresponding Secretary Marlene Silverstein, Treasurer |
Carla Birmingham, Director
Julie Davis, Director Phyllis Gwatkin, Director Susan Noonan, Director Nina Ruckes, Director Kate Taylor, Director Kathy Steinberg, Director |
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Webmaster: Bob Belletzkie
Volunteer Staff Members: Frances Vadney, Jan Clarke, Jane Opper, Rich Breitenbach
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Webmaster: Bob Belletzkie
Volunteer Staff Members: Frances Vadney, Jan Clarke, Jane Opper, Rich Breitenbach
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Visitors since 12/25/2012
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