Back To

Putnam Park:

A Lecture

By Dan Cruson

BROOKFIELD — Brookfield Historical Society will host “Back to the Park,” a presentation on the latest archaeological revelations of Putnam Park, on Wednesday, July 21.

The lecture will begin at 7:30 pm and will be presented by Newtown Town Historian Dan Cruson.

A noted author and lecturer, Mr Cruson will give a multimedia presentation of the latest findings on the continuing archeology digs at Putnam Park in Redding, the winter encampment site of General Israel Putnam’s Continental troops from December 1778 until May 1779. The historical site is widely known as Connecticut’s Valley Forge.

When the army broke camp, the deserted camp ground was left to its former solitude, and in the course of a few years, became overgrown with trees and a thicket of underbrush; and it was not strange, that after the passing of a few generations, even the location, or the history of the camp ground, was almost unknown.

The movement to preserve and memorialize the site of the winter quarters of 1778-1779 in Redding began in the late 19th Century.

Connecticut’s oldest state park, Putnam Memorial State Park is dedicated to the role General Putnam and his troops played in the Revolutionary War in helping secure America’s independence.

Mr Cruson is a former teacher of history and anthropology at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, is currently president of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut in addition to being Newtown’s longstanding collector and curator of local history.

Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

The program will be at Brookfield Historical Society’s Museum, 165 Whisconier Road (at the junction of Routes 25 and 133). For more information visit BrookfieldCTHistory.org or call 203-740-8140.