The Suffield Historical Society (SHS) is a private, non-profit organization that relies on donations, membership dues, and grants, not taxpayer dollars from the Town of Suffield. A 15-member Board of Trustees makes the decisions regarding projects and expenditures. Over 20 years ago, the Trustees decided that the stables behind the King House Museum should be taken down to create space for a new facility. The Trustees thought that a new building would be the best way to accomplish our mission: to collect, preserve and stimulate interest in the history of Suffield. Throughout the next two decades, the Board of Trustees made decisions and spent money with that goal in mind.
Helena Spencer built the stables in 1927 to shelter horses for recreational purposes, not farming. During World War II, they became dog kennels. When the Spencers donated their property to the Historical Society in 1960, the stables, built without a foundation, were in bad condition. By 1998, consultants estimated a cost of $20-25,000 to restore them to their original condition. The Board of Trustees decided that was too high a cost for minimal benefit. The money was not spent, and the fate of the stables was set.
The structure continued to deteriorate while the SHS Long-Range Planning Committee worked on a plan for a building that would not only meet our needs but also inspire our members and visitors. This new facility will eventually include climate-controlled storage, an office, and archival, exhibition, research and meeting space. In 2019, the Society hired an architect to provide a conceptual design for this exciting facility. Then COVID-19 struck and stalled almost every project except for one goal the Society had had for years, i.e., a professional employee.
In March 2022, the Board of Trustees voted to hire Christine Ritok as the first employee of the Society. Her appointment was a significant milestone for us, marking a new era of growth and development. Working part-time as Associate Curator to Lester Smith, Christine became an inspiration for change. She became Curator upon Lester’s retirement. Her experience with historic preservation and connections within the museum world have been exciting for the Trustees. In her two years with us, she has created a list of projects that could put the King House into a whole new level of museum that showcases Suffield’s colorful history. For example, Christine’s enthusiasm for the archaeological work in Wethersfield aroused a “what-if” idea for a similar project on the King House property. A photograph from about 1865 recently re-emerged, showing two or three outbuildings behind the house. It further fueled the prospects of treasures below the surface since the structures appear to have been in the same area as the stables.
The combination of a desire to make headway toward the long-range goal of a new building, erase the unsightly, unsafe, and unsanitary stables and investigate archaeological projects motivated me to volunteer to take on the long overdue project of removing the stables. With the support of the Trustees, I represented the Society at three meetings with the Historic District Commission. I contacted the CT State Historic Preservation Office to learn about grant opportunities for archaeological work and restoration of historic buildings.
The Town Building Officer condemned the stables on February 7, 2024, and ordered the Society to demolish or repair the structure to make it safe. The Board of Trustees met on March 13 for one more discussion about whether to destroy the whole building or attempt to save a portion of it. Ultimately, the Board decided that the building was so far gone that the best course of action would be to raze it. I have also recommended that we pursue state grants to restore parts of our most valuable asset, the King House. This 260-year-old house desperately needs repairs to ensure it is used most efficiently and safely as a museum for many more decades.
The Suffield Historical Society is excited to be approaching the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with new-found momentum. We appreciate the continuing support of Suffield residents and welcome your participation in all our activities.