Page 25 - Bristol Magazine Spring 2025

cently become one of the first CT opportunities and special cultur-
towns to establish a taxpayer-fund- al and historical programs such as
ed public library and Wooding took local and Connecticut history, bass
the job as librarian. The library that fishing in Connecticut, author pro-
he headed for the next 52 years grams, our programming partner-
soon outgrew its initial location ship with the Carousel Museum.
and moved into one of those for- On the children’s side, the Summer
mer homes of a prominent citizen, Reading Program gives kids the op-
the Charles Treadway House, on the portunity to earn points to spend at
corner of Main and High Streets. our Summer Reading store based
Over his career, Wooding would su- on the number of times they read.
pervise the construction of a dedi- The library is also a location for the
cated Colonial Revival–style build- summer lunch program, which pro-
ing on the site to house the growing vides a free meal to students 18 and
collection and a branch in Forest- under during the summer months.
ville to serve more of the city. Bris- The Children’s Library and Young
tol’s library would serve as a model Adult Department also offer story The first Bristol High School is picture
for many in the state, and Wooding times, music, animal programs and here before the 1908 addition.
would serves as president of the special programs for kids up to age
New England Library Association. Is 18. always available. Please stop in and
it rumored that his benevolent spir- pick one up!
it haunts the main library branch? One building on Federal Hill con-
Of course, it is! structed for its intended purpose The former high school also is home
was Bristol’s first dedicated high to two other museums: The Bristol
school, located on the corner of Sports Hall of Fame and the Memo-
Center and Summer Streets. Built rial Military Museum. Every year,
in 1890, this large red brick build- the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame in-
ing was first in the city provide ducts a class of individuals and or-
one home for secondary education ganizations who represent the best
classes. Soon inadequate to the of Bristol’s athletic history. Those
growing population, this building inductees and their stories can be
would get an addition in 1908 and viewed outside the John Fortunato
eventually serve as a building for Gallery in the building. The Memori-
only the freshman classes, while al Military Museum has rotating dis-
the remainder of the classes would plays of their collection in the Jack
move down to Memorial Boule- Denehy Gallery. This summer and
vard in the early 1920s. These days, for the rest of the year, the Museum
the building serves as home to the is focusing on its Women in Military
Bristol Historical Society, which has project, telling the stories of the
called it home for almost 25 years. women who have represented Bris-
Founded in 1971, the Society has tol in the armed forces. This project
permanent displays about Bris- is the first of this type and scope
in Bristol. The pioneering women
The Charles Treadway House would serve tol’s industrial history and Bristol’s who answered the call and served
as the first free-standing home of the Bristol school history, a research library, in World War II are the focus of the
Public Library. and a General Store exhibit that al-
lows visitors to step back in time a Museum’s 2025 season. Come and
For many Bristol families, no sum- bit. Rotating exhibits highlight inter- learn some of these veterans’ sto-
mer would be complete with library esting parts of the large collection of ries being told for the first time by
programs. This year summer pro- Bristol artifacts or support monthly the project.
grams officially begin at the Library Third Thursday programs. Programs
on June 1 (for adults) and June 23 this late spring and summer will also The same industrial history that is
(for children). The adult programs include a cemetery tour, a scaven- represented at the Historical Society
include earning entries for weekly ger hunt spanning the Cultural Dis- is represented in another unique at-
and end of summer prizes for log- trict that wraps up at the New Cam- traction in the Cultural District, the
ging books or audio books read. The bridge Project brewing company New England Carousel Museum.
reading component is addition to across the street, and walking tours Located in the former home of the
the coffee house monthly music se- of Federal Hill. For those that want Bristol Manufacturing Company,
ries, Coloring Club for Adults, book to take their kids on a self-guided the museum’s very location is a nod
discussion groups, movies, crafting walking tour of Federal Hill, one is to a time when the manufacture

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