Upcoming Events

• Sunday, August 24th @ 2 PM: Wedding Dresses - Heartbreak to Happiness
• Sunday, September 7th from 12 - 4 PM: Belltown Antique Car Show
• Sunday, September 14th @ 2 PM: Connecticut in the Movies

Wedding Dresses -- Heartbreak to Happiness by Dena Leidke

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2025

2:00 - 3:00 PM

Presented by Dena Liedke

Dena Liedke will take us from heartbreak to happiness as she shares information and stories about wedding dress styles and fashion spanning 150 years of East Haddam/Moodus history. The dresses are on display at the Museum. You will see the ornate, elegant, luxurious, plain satin, velvet, and silk handiwork that adorned some of our most notable residents. Learn of the tragic loss of one bride, and hear of the blissful wedding days of the Malys, the Hungerfords, the Cones, and the Brownells. This presentation is a must-see for lovers of vintage clothing. After the presentation, share some wedding cake with us!

Dena is a retired East Haddam teacher and an active volunteer at the Museum. She specializes in textiles and is an avid quilter.

Date: Sunday, August 24th at 2:00 PM

Location: East Haddam Historical Society Museum, 264 Town Street

Events are free for members and children under 12, with a suggested donation of $5.00 for non-members. For information call 860-873-3944 or email museum@easthaddamhistory.org.

Early Bird Registration is Open!

Purchase tickets for our Under the Tuscan Moon celebration and fundraiser before September 5th and save $5 per ticket!

Join us on Saturday, October 4, 2025 from 6 - 9:30 PM for wonderful food, dance to the sounds of Java Groove, and bid on amazing Live and Silent auction items.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PURCHASE TICKETS

Belltown Antique Car Show

at the Museum

The East Haddam Historical Society & Museum will host the Belltown Antique Car Club Show on Sunday, September 7, 2025 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm. Cars dated 1985 or earlier are invited to participate. Admission is free for Belltown Car Club members. A $10 entry fee will apply to all other cars in the show, and includes free admission to the Museum.

The show will be held on the Museum grounds, located at 264 Town Street, East Haddam, CT. Rain date is September 21^st. For information, contact Cliff Baker at ctech1950@hotmail.com.  

Connecticut in the Movies

Presented by Illeana Douglas

Sunday, September 14, 2025

2:00 PM

Join acclaimed actress and film historian Illeana Douglas on an exhilarating journey through the overlooked world of Connecticut cinema! In Connecticut in the Movies, Douglas shines a spotlight on over 200 films that have shaped the perception of this charming state, revealing the rich tapestry of Hollywood’s history intertwined with Connecticut’s landscapes.

From classics like Bringing Up Baby and Christmas in Connecticut to the poignant critiques found in Gentleman’s Agreement and The Ice Storm, discover how Connecticut has served as both a cinematic paradise and a canvas for darker narratives.

Illeana Douglas is known for playing fearless, often outspoken women in films like Goodfellas, Cape Fear, To Die For, and Stir of Echoes. Illeana is the granddaughter of two-time Academy Award–winning actor Melvyn Douglas. Her book, Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia (2023), is now in its second printing. Signed books will be available for purchase.

Location: East Haddam Historical Society & Museum, 264 Town St, East Haddam, CT

The event is free for members and children 12 and under, with a suggested donation of $5.00 for non-members.