The Historical Society has purchased the 1961 Smith & Building (155 Main Street, Middletown) following the recent retirement Scott Bishel, the fourth-generation business owner. The building will double the size and capacity of the Society, which has outgrown the 1810 General Mansfield House, the headquarters since the Society bought the house in 1959, saving it from demolition.
After renovations, the Smith & Bishel Building will house a multimedia learning center for students and visitors of all ages, feature street-level museum space, and greatly increase archival storage capacity for priceless Middlesex County documents, photos, and artifacts.
The Society thanks the dozens of individual donors who have contributed already and Senator Matt Lesser, who secured a $100,000 appropriation from the CT Department of Economic and Community Development that will fund a first round of renovations.
More details will follow in our December Historical Observer newsletter. Stay turned for updates!
