Wednesday, January 29, 2025 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm EST
Redding Co-Historian Brent Colley discusses how the railroad shaped Gilbert & Bennett’s success and aided the growth of surrounding areas.
On Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 7-8:30pm Brent Colley, the Town of Redding Co-Historian, will examine how the institution of the railroad helped shape the success of the Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill and impacted the growth of the surrounding areas, including Branchville, a section of Ridgefield. This program will take place at The Granite Church at 5 North Main Street in Redding and is co-Sponsored by the Ridgefield Historical Society. Admission is $5 and tickets can be purchased online here: https://thegranitechurch.org/event/a-discussed-history-of-georgetown/
Destination: Georgetown, Part Three
Join us for a five-part lecture series, Destination: Georgetown, where the impact of the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company on the development of Georgetown and surrounding towns will be explored.
The Destination: Georgetown lecture series will explore the lived experience of the Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill complex in Georgetown and its involvement in the creation of “place.” Closed in 1989, the mill remains a landmark tied to the development of the area – the settlement of Swedish immigrants, education and the construction of a school, and the local labor movement. This lecture series will present a new look at the mill and help understand Georgetown as a place of cooperation and diversity.
Brent Colley is the co-historian of Redding, Connecticut alongside Bruce Nelson. A historian and educator known for his contributions to both historical scholarship and innovative teaching methods, Brent’s work often explores the intersections of history, education, and storytelling to emphasize the importance of understanding the past to inform contemporary practices.
