7/29/2014 - Community Assistance Sought on Heritage Walk Project

On Tuesday evening, July 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ballroom at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main Street, there will be a presentation and workshop to share the progress made on the development of the Wethersfield Heritage Walk. Through a partnership between the Town of Wethersfield, the Tourism Commission, the Wethersfield Historical Society, the Webb Deane Stevens Museum and a group of dedicated residents and volunteers the walk is taking shape.

Members of the Wethersfield Heritage Walk Committee have been working over the past few months to develop a series of outdoor interpretive exhibit kiosks and wayside panels that will form the basis of a self-guided walking/biking tour of the Historic District. This project was recommended in the Old Wethersfield Master Plan prepared for the town in 2008. Funding for the design and implementation of the project has been generously provided through two grants from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and Connecticut Humanities. The exhibits are being designed to tell the story of the nearly 400 year history of Wethersfield through the use of kiosks and wayside panels installed throughout Old Wethersfield.

At this time, many of the exhibits including the written and graphic materials have been drafted, the proposed locations of the exhibits have been identified and most of the draft designs of the signs have been created. At this meeting, the status of the work accomplished to date will be presented and feedback from the community about the project will be sought. The committee is looking for interesting graphic materials that could be incorporated into the panels (artwork, newspaper articles, artifacts, books, maps etc...) and encourages members of the community to look through their memorabilia and libraries.  Equipment will be available at the meeting to scan materials brought in. Questions regarding this meeting or the project can be directed to Peter Gillespie, Director of Planning and Economic Development at (860) 721-2838 or peter.gillespie@wethersfieldct.gov.