The South Danbury Christian Church will be sponsoring a summer speaker and performance series on Friday evenings throughout July and August. “We’re hoping to rekindle a tradition that dates back to the 19th and early 20th centuries,” says Kathy Neustadt, one of the events’ organizers, “of community lyceums and public performances, which were fun and engaging for everyone who participated.” The events begin at 6:30 PM and are free to the public, with light refreshments (donations accepted) served at the end of the programs.
The July schedule kicks off on July 5 with a rousing, patriotic talk on “New Hampshire in the American Revolution: The Battle of Bennington,” given by local historian Tom Curren. Although it is one of the few original colonies that does not have a Revolutionary battle site, New Hampshire’s participation at the Battle of Bennington was responsible for its success, which, in turn, led to victory at Saratoga, which many agree was the turning point of the Revolution. “I’ve always thought,” says Curren, “that the role of John Stark and the New Hampshire patriots was a great story as well as great history.”
On July 12, Danbury’s leading musical historians, archivists, and collectors—local musicologists Carl Hultberg and Tom Curren—will present “Roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” a lively reincarnation of a 1950s rock ‘n’ roll radio show. Through the miracles of electro-phonic recording, listeners will be able to hear some of the key musical performances that revolutionized American popular music in the 1950s. Be there or be square!
On July 19, the former Secretary of Agriculture for the State of New Hampshire, Steve Taylor, will present “Sheep Farming Brings Prosperity to New Hampshire, 1810-1830.” Much acclaimed as a speaker, Taylor is also a farmer, and his talk is particularly timely given the growing popularity of farmers’ markets (like those in Danbury and Wilmot) throughout the state. Anyone interested in farming, history, and local culture – as well as the sustainability theme being promoted by the Danbury Grange—will find this a fascinating discussion.
On July 26, Nancy Berliner, curator of Chinese art formerly at the Peabody Essex Museum and currently at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, will speak on “Walls and Voices from a Mountain Village: Bringing a Chinese House to America and Other Exchanges.” Berliner, who has a home in Danbury, conceived and developed the Yin Yu Tang House project, which—over the course of nearly 7 years—brought a 200-year-old rural Chinese merchant home to the Peabody Essex Museum, where it was reconstructed and opened as an exhibit in 2003. This is a rare opportunity to learn from the source about a fascinating cultural exchange project.
The August schedule promises to be equally diverse and lively.
The South Danbury Christian Church is located at 1411 U.S. Route 4 in South Danbury. For more information about the summer series, call 768-3834.