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Our church historian and photographer, Nora Howard, grew up in Avon and is the historian of the Town of Avon. She also serves on historical committee of the United Church of Christ-Connecticut Conference. Read more below* Nora’s latest book is Catch’d on Fire: The Journals of Rufus Hawley, 1763-1812. Ten years in the making, the book features Avon’s history through the journals of its pastor. A photograph of our church’s archival collection is included in the book. The book is available from the Avon Historical Society at www.avonhistoricalsociety.org, the church office, at bookstores, and from www.historypress.net.
Read What This Church Means to Me by Historian, Writer and Member, Nora Howard.
Learn more about our historic meeting house on Wikipedia.
“Onward: 1812- 1982” is a small book that was written and compiled by members of the Avon Congregational Church in 1982 based upon their work aggregating and organizing church archival documents. Church members were especially proud of the fact that documents discovered established that famed architect David Hoadley was the designer of the meetinghouse, which is pictured in books and histories of New England meetinghouses, and is included in the National Register of Historic Places. The choice of title and the opening sentence of the book demonstrate the committee’s belief that while the church must acknowledge and respect its heritage, it must also move forward. The book reflects historical materials available to the writer and the committee at the time the book was written. Because it is no longer in print, the book is reproduced here in its entirety. -Susan K. Smith
Three Avon Organizations Receive Historical Documents and Artifacts
It’s not often that a large collection of one family’s historic documents and artifacts make their way back to the Avon, but thanks to one generous donor, that is what has happened.
Members of the Church in 1819
A very small group of 24 people–13 women and 11 men–stood up to become the original members of the the Avon Congregational Church in 1819. (Picture)
Avon (1830-present), A Brief History
Why the name Avon? The accepted version is that the name came from the Avon River in England. “Avon” had been in use here as early as 1753, when church marriage records began to record the bride or groom’s residence as “Avon” or “Northington.”
Archives
The Archives Room: The Church’s archives are in the Michael Covert Archive Room. Michael Covert, son of current member Norma Goralski, was a talented carpenter and a generous donor of his time and talents. (Picture)
*Nora has written extensively on local history, including two books: Stories of Wethersfield, and a vintage photographic history of the town in the Images of America Series, called Avon. Nora holds an M.A. in American Studies from George Washington University, and a B.A. in American Studies from Hampshire College. She has been a Smithsonian Institution Research Fellow, and executive director of the historical societies of Avon and of Wethersfield. Her writings have won awards from the Association for State and Local History, and the Connecticut League of Historical Societies. Her photographs have received recognition in shows sponsored by the Garden Club of America.
Welcome to Meetinghouse Moments. The Avon Congregational Church will soon celebrate a series of 200th anniversaries.
In December, it will be 200 years since a fire destroyed Avon’s original meetinghouse. the actual date is unknown but it is believed to be between Dec. 18 and Dec. 31.
One year from now (October 5, 2018) we will mark the 200th anniversary of our petition to the Connecticut General Assembly to incorporate as the Religious Association of Farmington (also known as the United Society of Farmington).
On September 7, 2019, we will mark the 200th anniversary of the first documented service in the new meetinghouse.
I hope you will enjoy Meetinghouse Moments, as our members have sought to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ over the past two centuries.
This image of the Avon Congregational Church appeared in the two-volume book called History of Hartford County, which was first printed in 1886, and written by J. Hammond Trumbull. The book is part of our archives here at ACC. This photo is in volume 2 and on page 7.
The archives here at Avon Congregational Church has artwork from our children in church school. This drawing of three trees has the caption, “Nathan T. I am in grade 2.…
The Warren Congregational Church in Warren, CT (built in 1818) has a steeple, exterior and interior that seems nearly identical to what we have here at Avon Congregational Church. The…
In 1932, Sara Roosevelt, the mother of New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, attended a wedding at Avon Congregational Church on May 28. Franklin Roosevelt would be elected president the…
The photo is of the gravestone of the Kellogg family and is adjacent to our church in the East Avon cemetery. The Rev. Bela Kellogg was the first pastor at…
In April 1976, ACC members Walter and Roy Read restored the bell. The two brothers reinforced, tightened and replaced parts on the bell. They cleaned and polished it, and added…
Since 1972, the Avon Congregational Church meetinghouse has been listed on the National Register for Historic Places. This sign is on the front of the meetinghouse. Our application to the…
The initiative to raise funds for the church with a weekly “envelope” donation was begun here at Avon Congregational Church between 1896-1899 during the pastorate of Rev. Charles Frankhauser. Prior…
David Hoadley, a native of Waterbury, designed our meetinghouse in 1818-19. We know this because his name appears in a note in the church archives about the construction. Church historian…
John William Hamilton, Jr., served as pastor at Avon Congregational Church from 1940 through 1942 before he left to serve as an Army Chaplain in World War II. He was…
Co-pastors E. Jerome Johanson and Laura Lane Johanson served Avon Congregational Church from 1949-1964.Theirs was the second longest pastorate at ACC. The longest being that of Rev. Theodore C. Schoonmaker…
After a fire destroyed the original meetinghouse in 1817, the Northington Ecclesiastical Society had to decide where to rebuild. Two hundred years ago, on March 2, 1818, the vote leading…
Avon Congregational Chuch’s Memorial Garden is located in the landscaped area on the west side of the Meeting House. The garden was created in memory of Alice Coombs Sanderson (1916-88),…
The Reverend Charles Pitman Croft was ordained here at Avon Congregational Church in 1871 and served as pastor here from 1871-75. As a Methodist minister, he was expected to change…
Rev. John Smalley Whittlesey (c. 1812-1862) was, it appears, interim pastor here at Avon Congregational Church from 1853-54. He was educated at Yale Seminary. Very little is known at this…
What did an Avon Congregational Church check look like 125 years ago? With our budget meeting coming up soon, it is interested to look back at this payment on August…
This illustration was sketched atop Avon Mountain on October 7, 1834. It appears in Barber’s Connecticut Historical Collections, featuring Barber’s views of many Connecticut towns. The four largest buildings are, from left to…
Happy New Year, 1966! This is our newsletter and forerunner of Parish Tidings, with excerpts of the January 1966 calendar and New Year greetings from associate minister Ed Mayes. Rev.…
This is our first Sunday Bulletin with a color cover, from the co-pastorate of Reverends E. Jerome and Laura Johnson. This Bulletin was for both that Sunday morning and the…
The church in Avon – then called the parish of Northington – was in dire straights. Rev. Rufus Hawley, the pastor for almost 50 years had resigned. The meetinghouse, located…
Our photo is the Sanctuary of the Avon Congregational Church in 1918. The flag is possibly a “Man in Service” flag, and perhaps the 13 stars signify church members who…
Selling Christmas Trees on the Front Lawn In the early 1950s, the church’s Men Club sold Christmas trees to raise funds for building a new Parish Hall. They sold the…
Postcard of Avon Congregational Church This photograph of a postcard from the late 1920s was signed and sent by Rev. Cecil Eli Pearson (1899-1982) and his wife, Mary. Note the…
A Holiday Message from Rev. Woodruff During the time of World War II, The Avon Newsletter served Avon’s military members and their families. The following article by ACC pastor Rev.…
Hundreds of quilts displayed throughout the church Our church presented three landmark quilt shows in 2012, 2013, and 2015. The shows were expertly produced by Susan Elliott and a large…
Donations from many church members The two hymn boards we see on the sanctuary’s north wall were made in 1988 by Walter Kusiak of the Weatogue section of Simsbury. Bob…
Activist, Chinese-American relations Mary Louisa KelloggMary Louisa Kellogg was baptized at ACC in 1852, and grew up in the church. She was the granddaughter of the first pastor, Rev. Bela…
