Exploring the Early Years of New Haven
John Davenport’s ambition brought 500 settlers to the New Haven Colony in 1638. Early on, Puritan traditions took root in the Colony, shaping everyday life, education and religious toleration. To celebrate the 375th anniversary of the English settlement of New Haven in 1638, the New Haven Museum presents The Reverend Stephen R. Davenport Symposium on Saturday, April 13 from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, with support from the Davenport family and the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University. Four distinguished scholars of early American history will reveal the social impact of women’s roles, the desire for education and the importance of religion in the Puritan culture of the New Haven Colony. Lunch on your own from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. During the lunch break, the Symposium will feature a self-guided walking tour of the New Haven Green or a special teacher workshop for educators interested in integrating primary resources and early New Haven history into their teaching. Admission is free, but registration is required. To register or for more information, contact Michelle Cheng at (203) 562-4183 x11 or education@newhavenmuseum.org.
The Symposium will open with an introduction by Dr. John Demos, Samuel Knight Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University, leading into the following lectures:
- · “Building a Perimeter Fence: Toleration in Early New Haven” by Dr. Francis J. Bremer, Professor Emeritus of History at Millersville University
- · “The Strange History of the Tuttles, A New Haven Family” by Dr. Ava Chamberlain, Professor of History at Wright State University
- · “Women and Domestic Life in John Davenport’s New Haven” by Dr. Rebecca Tannenbaum, Senior Lecturer in History at Yale University
- · “Education and the Struggle for a College in Early New Haven” by Dr. Kenneth P. Minkema, Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University
Additional support for The Reverend Stephen R. Davenport Symposium by The Woman’s Seamen’s Friend Society of Connecticut, Inc. and NewAlliance Foundation.
The New Haven Museum, founded in 1862 as the New Haven Colony Historical Society, is located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue. The Museum is currently celebrating 150 years of collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven. Through its collections, exhibitions, programs and outreach, the Museum brings 375 years of New Haven history to life. For more information, contact Michelle Cheng, Director of Education, at (203) 562-4183 ext. 11 or education@newhavenmuseum.org.
