(rshsdepot) Berlin, CT

["Bernie Wagenblast" <brwagenblast_@_home.com>]

Historical Society sells train calendar

By Karen A. Avitabile, Citizen Editor

For the first time since 1997, the Berlin Historical Society has published a
calendar to raise money for the organization.

The 2002 Berlin Train Calendar is a historical review of railroad activity
in and around the Berlin Depot area.

The topic of the calendar was an easy one for the society. Since the spring,
the exhibit on display in the society's museum has been about the Berlin
Train Station and the railroad system in Berlin, which marked its 100th
anniversary this year.

"I think the anniversary we had on the train station got us thinking this
would be a good gimmick," Alvah Antanaitis, publicity chairwoman of the
Berlin Historical Society, said of the calendar. "It's strictly trains."

The cover of the calendar is a rendering of a train, called Berlin, one of
the very early acquisitions of the Hartford and New Haven railroad which
opened in 1839.

"Berlin" was built at the Rogers, Ketchom and Grosvenor Works of Patterson,
N.J., on Sept. 11, 1845.

Antanaitis' husband, Victor, a retired superintendent of advertising
production at Aetna, drew the cover picture.

All photos used in the calendar are from the Berlin Historical Society's
train collection. Identifications accompany all photos.

The calendars are on sale at the society's museum, corner of Main and Peck
streets, every Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m., through Dec. 29. Calendars cost $5
each. Five hundred calendars have been printed.

Also, calendars can be purchased at Joel's Hair Styling, Plaza/Sandelli
Florist, Johnson Gardens, Berlin-Peck Memorial Library, Berlin Free Library,
East Berlin Library and the East Berlin Post Office.

Photography program

Meanwhile, on Nov. 27, 7 p.m., the Berlin Historical Society will sponsor a
program, Howes Brothers Photography, describing glass plate negatives on
slides of the Southern New England Valley.

The Howes brothers traveled up and down the Connecticut River Valley between
1882 and 1907 as a result of their photography business. Their photos of
people in everyday life lend insight into what was taking place at the turn
of the century.

Their collection consists of more than 23,000 glass negatives.

The free program, open to the public, will be presented at Berlin-Peck
Memorial Library. Refreshments will be available.

Estate jewelry sale

The Berlin Historical Society is sponsoring a first-time estate jewelry sale
with pieces donated by members of the society.

Some of the jewelry dates back to the 1920s.

"This is a first for us," Alvah Antanaitis said. "This is a new thing we are
hoping will take off."

In addition to its Saturday afternoon openings, the society's museum will be
open on Dec. 6 and 13, 5 to 8 p.m., for jewelry purchases.

Besides the jewelry, other items are on sale in the museum to raise money
for operation of the Berlin Historical Society.

Items include: old Berlin maps (with tubes) from 1859 on sale for $5 each;
blue ceramic mugs with the society's emblem, $5; Frisbees commemorating the
Berlin Train Station, $3.50; Berlin barns posters (with tubes), $15; Yankee
peddler pewter ornaments, $5, letter openers, $15 and bells, $16; Berlin
afghans, $50; 100th anniversary Berlin Railroad Station postcards with the
cancellation stamp, $1; and jelly made by Joanne Misterling, $3.

Open house

A holiday open house will take place on Dec. 8, 1 to 4 p.m., at the Berlin
Historical Society. The open house is open to the public.

educational programs

The Berlin Historical Society continues educational programs for children.

Featured is an American Indian display, on loan from Clinton "Kip" Benson of
Berlin, which includes artifacts collected from 1909 to 1950, Alvah
Antanaitis said.

The artifacts were collected by Benson's father, Oscar, and his friend, Fred
Fowler. The artifacts date from 7000 B.C. to 1500 A.D. Arrowheads, pistols,
tools and sinkers are included.

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