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Community Corner

Ice Cream Social Held To Help Preserve Local History

Running an historic home is a costly affair.

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held their annual Ice Cream Social and Tag Sale fundraiser this past weekend, an effort to raise funds that go toward the preservation of local historical artifacts and locations such as the Oliver Ellsworth Homestead.

"As you can imagine, being a historic property, there's a lot of maintenance," said Vice Regent April Staley.

Located at 778 Palisado Avenue, "Elmwood" was the birthplace of Oliver Ellsworth on April 29, 1745. 

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Ellsworth graduated from the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, in 1766 and began studying law. He was elected to a state office in 1773, and according to research done by DAR, "quickly became one of the most powerful political figures and successful lawyers in Connecticut."  He was a delegate to the Continental Congress.  He was one of the five men who drafted the Constitution and one of the three who proposed the Connecticut Compromise that resolved issues allowing the Constitution to be ratified.

"He's a forgotten founding father that people don't know about," said Staley.

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The Ellsworth Homestead is one of three properties run by the DAR in Connecticut.  As one of their main missions to to keep history alive and and educate others, it is important to Staley and her colleagues in the organization to make the Ellsworth homestead a destination for history lovers and young people who are learning about Connecticut's history. 

The Ice Cream social and a September Ham and Bean dinner are the two fundraisers the DAR holds at the site. They also held a Cival War presentation this past spring.

The cost of running a historic site is hefty.  Recently, they determined that a tree would need to be removed. 

"The tree and branch removal will cost thousands of dollars and we will be obtaining estimates," said Staley. "Recently, the homestead needed a new heating, air-conditioning, and ventilation system and that cost was $50,000," she said. "The homestead’s window repairs will need to be addressed soon. There is always a list of maintenance issues for a historic property and we prioritize the most essential repairs," said Staley.

CTDAR is a vibrant and growing volunteer organization that supports the preservation of the state's history and promotes educational and patriotic endeavors.  They also accept private donations and seek assistance from grant funding opportunities.

The Ice Cream social usually draws in quite a tag sale crowd who also are able to shop from a handful of Civil and Revolutionary War era vendors. The food tent always does extremely well.

The Oliver Ellsworth Homestead and Museum is open seasonally,
between May 15 and October 15 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM. Admission is $4 for adults is requested and children 12 and under, and Connecticut DAR members are free.  For more information go to:  www.ctdar.org.

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