Shepaug Libraries Program

Hosted by the Minor Memorial Library Gather ‘round the virtual campfire with Jeff Belanger, one of New England’s premier storytellers! For over 20 years, Jeff has been exploring the unexplained. He seeks out history, folklore, ghosts, monsters, and legends all over the world and in your backyard. New England Legends offers a tour of haunts,…

Hosted by the Gunn Memorial Library We are pleased to welcome back Historian Mark Albertson as he leads a lecture on the Suffragette Movement. This program traces the 19th century struggle by women to obtain the right to vote; in addition to such other issues as divorce, temperance (alcohol and abusive husbands), equal pay for…

Hosted by Gunn Memorial Library More than a generation before the infamous Salem Witch Trials, Connecticut went through a wave of witch trials and executions.  Though largely lost to history now, Connecticut led the way in colonial America on investigating, prosecuting and executing witches.  Jason Scappaticci will facilitate this discussion. Scappaticci is a CT Native…

Hosted by Gunn Memorial Library Susan B. Anthony was a women’s rights activist, and she devoted her life to racial, gender, and educational equality. She is one of the most famous women in American history, she played a prominent role in the women’s suffrage movement; the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote…

Hosted by the Minor Memorial Library Bert terHart is the first North American to sail solo, non-stop, west to east, around the five great capes, using only celestial navigation. Bert, a recipient of an OCC Challenge Grant, returned home this summer after 266 days at sea in his 46-foot sailboat Seaburban. We’re happy to welcome…

Hosted by The Gunn Memorial Library The Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc globally in the sports industry. COVID-19 caused sports league seasons to be suspended and some sports organizations canceled 2020 events including the Olympics, the French Open, Wimbledon and minor league sports. No one knows where the sports world will end up once COVID-19…

Hosted by the Gunn Memorial Library and Historical Museum Join the Gunn Historical Museum and guest lecturer Ken Turino for a free virtual presentation on Zoom about the history of Christmas. This well-illustrated lecture traces the development of the celebration of Christmas from the time it was outlawed in 17th Century New England through the beginning…

Hosted by the Minor Memorial Library Based on Jeff Belanger’s New England Legends “Creepy Christmas” special that aired on PBS! Remember the famous Christmas song which goes, “There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long long ago…”? So what happened to the scary stories? Jeff Belanger brings the spooky back…

Hosted by the Minor Memorial Library Join us for an evening with Jason Scappaticci, who will tell us how New York City, in the name of progress,  has lost some impressive architecture. Many Madison Square gardens, a skyscraper, a train station and multiple mansions have fallen victim to the wrecking ball because of New York’s…

Hosted by the Gunn Memorial Library New to genealogy or want a refresher on the basics of building a family tree? Learn from guest lecturer Marian Burk Wood how to trace your family’s history in five easy steps, starting with what you know about parents and grandparents. Identify gaps in your family tree, focus your…