April is always busy at the King House Museum & Barn as the Historical Society prepares to open for the season. However, there has been an exceptional level of excitement for this year’s opening day on May 3. Most of the energy has been fueled by an overwhelming response by town residents, past and present, to participate in “Artists of Suffield,” a unique event celebrating the intersection of art and history in our community. This event, detailed in a separate article, holds a special significance for the King House Museum as it showcases the artistic talent within our community. Additionally, the Society has been entertaining historical architects who will be submitting bids to conduct our long-awaited Condition Assessment and HVAC Feasibility Study. Opening Day and the contractor’s selection for that project coincide closely with an auspicious date in King House history, May 4, 1985, the day the King House Museum re-opened after a devastating fire on Dec. 30, 1983.
Many Suffield residents may not be aware of or remember that fire, which caused so much damage that the Society had to seek a variance from the Planning and Zoning Commission to rebuild the historic House. The ribbon-cutting ceremony 40 years ago was a celebration of the commitment of our community to maintain a significant piece of Suffield’s past. The King House’s rich history and cultural significance testify to our shared heritage. Similarly, the upcoming Condition Assessment is the first major step toward restoring the House to stand proudly for another century, preserving our town’s history for future generations.
The Condition Assessment, which the State Historic Preservation Office requires to apply for a restoration grant, will help the Board of Trustees plan for the coming years. The chosen architectural firm will conduct an assessment of all the systems and infrastructure of the House over the summer. It will result in a prioritized list of repairs or improvements needed to meet the purpose of the building and current standards. The final report will provide the Board with information critical to long-term maintenance and budget planning.
The Society is sponsoring several other events at the King House during May. There will be an Antiques Appraisal Day on May 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $5 per item. On May 17, there will be a Plein Air Painting Class on the lawn from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $75. More details are available on the Events page of the Suffield Historical Society website.
On Thursday, May 22, curator Christine Ritok will talk about Dr. Mason Fitch Cogswell (1761-1830), a physician born in Connecticut, who spent most of his career in Hartford County, and is best known today as one of the founders of the American School for the Deaf. He helped his friend, renowned American portrait painter Ralph Earl (1751-1801), avoid debtors’ prison by serving as his court-appointed guardian, making possible Earl’s series of extraordinary portraits of prominent Connecticut citizens. Cogswell pioneered cataract surgery in the United States and was the first American doctor to tie a carotid artery successfully. But it is his daily life as a practicing physician, as documented in his day books in the collection of the Connecticut Museum of Culture & History, that best shed light on the practice of medicine in New England at the end of the 18th and in the early 19th century. The content of these day books and what they reveal about daily life will be the focus of this talk.