Local school teacher, Dana Nelson is again encouraging young minds in assigning history projects for these young students and working through the Hagaman Library and the East Haven Historical Society.  One of the topics was "Slavery in East Haven." I've uploaded a number of documents that can be accessed through the library's website on the left sidebar under

East Haven Historical Books and Documents Online

Scroll down once you reach the page.  You may find here the horrifying, as in this 1766 "Deed of sale for a Negro boy"

 

But also a document of abolition. Zebulon Farren, as seen in the document below,  purchased a servant girl, Sophia setting her free the same day for "divers good causes."

The Last Gas Station, Additional Photos

Last April (April 15th, 2013) we featured a story called, The Last Gas Station.  The station, was located at 556 Main Street and owned by Mr. Louis Criscuolo. It was, for many years, the last remaining gas station in East Haven.  We add here, some additional photos of the station.

History Night, Tuesday, March 25th at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Hagaman's Coin Treasures from the Library Vault

 Join us Tuesday, March 25th at 6:30 p.m. here at the Hagaman Library for a program on Mr. Hagaman's coin treasures from around the world. This program is free and open to the public!

Exciting New Local History Programs

Hands on the Past

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I very much like this photograph I am calling "Hands on the Past."  Though there is no indication of who these boys were, my guess is that this daguerreotype is of Isaac Hagaman and his brother, Theodore. Theodore,  four years older than Isaac was born in 1839 and died in 1900.  Isaac Hagaman, who donated the funds for the construction of the present library building, was born in 1843 and died in 1925.

East Haven Topics And Shopping Guide

This 1953 issue of East Haven Topics and Shopping Guide announces the twenty-fifth anniversary of the present library building. The photograph was taken in 1938  when the the building was ten years old just before the hurricane of that year took down the elm tree shown in the picture.

If anyone has issues of East Haven Topics and would be willing to loan them to the library for digitization, please let us know.