Connecticut Archives Month

Governor Ned Lamont has issued a proclamation recognizing October 2026 as Connecticut Archives Month. This annual event is an opportunity to raise awareness about the value of Connecticut’s historical records and archives. It also recognizes the work of archivists, paraprofessionals, and dedicated volunteers who assess, collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to historical information that protect rights and support cultural identities.

The Connecticut State Historical Records Advisory Board has led the initiative on Connecticut Archives Month since 2005. Activities include an Archives Month poster highlighting images and documents from a variety of repositories. This year’s Archives Month poster is about about showing how people mark important moments in our history. Communities have done this over time, and they continue to do so today. Archivists are guiding and preserving events, programs, and exhibits so future generations can understand how people experienced America 250.

Prior Archives Month Posters

For the sixteenth consecutive year, the State Library will post announcements of activities by historical societies, museums, libraries and archives on its website. If your organization is planning to host an Archives Month event, workshop, conference, or exhibit, please contact State Archivist Allen Ramsey at allen.ramsey@ct.gov.

Archives Month Activities in Connecticut Listed Below

List of Events Through November 2026

Events for Connecticut Archives Month
    • "Rochambeau Day Celebration", Saturday, October 3, 2026, 10:45 a.m.

      More than 245 years after Connecticut stood at the center of the American struggle for independence, the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard will return to one of the most consequential sites in the state’s Revolutionary history for Rochambeau Day on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Connecticut’s Old State House in Hartford. Beginning at 10:45 am, come observe a family-friendly ceremony on the Green by the East Side Entrance.

      Event Details:
      Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 10:45 a.m.
      Connecticut’s Old State House
      800 Main Street, Hartford

      Your RSVP is appreciated! To let us know you are coming, click HERE.

      Come meet Generals Washington (John Koopman), Rochambeau and other special guests!

      Presented in partnership with Connecticut’s Old State House, the Rochambeau Day commemoration will honor the historic alliance between the United States and France and the meeting of General George Washington and French General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, which took place in Hartford in September 1780.

      That meeting helped establish the strategic relationship between American and French forces that would ultimately contribute to the American victory at Yorktown.

      And standing guard for that historic meeting was Connecticut’s own First Company Governor’s Foot Guard.

      Founded in 1771, six years before the Declaration of Independence, the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard remains one of Connecticut’s most distinctive living links to the Revolutionary era. Connecticut’s Military Department records that when Washington and Rochambeau came to Hartford in 1780, the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard provided security for the two commanders.

      The First Company Governor’s Foot Guard, formed in 1771, is the oldest continuously serving military organization in the United States with an unbroken lineage. The First Company Foot Guard was created to serve and protect the Connecticut governor in his travels between New Haven and Hartford.

      For more information please visit their website.

    • "Rebellious Exhibition Tour", Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. What does the Declaration of Independence mean to you? The museum's new exhibition, Rebellious, reflects on moments throughout Connecticut history when its people came together, pushed back, and sparked change to pursue their own visions of life, liberty, and happiness in America. Join a guided tour of the exhibition. This tour is included in admission, and there is no need to pre-register. Details on the Rebellious Exhibition Tour. Questions? Contact Natalie Belanger, Public Programs Manager, at nbelanger@connecticutmuseum.org.
    • "Lunch and Learn – Connecticut Son: Oliver Wolcott Jr.", Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Oliver Wolcott Jr. (1760–1833) was the nation's second Treasury Secretary and a key figure on the national stage during the Federalist administrations of Presidents George Washington and John Adams. After he resigned from the federal government in 1800, Wolcott prospered for many years as a private citizen. He was later elected Governor of Connecticut and served for ten years. In this virtual presentation, Dr. John Lizzi examines Wolcott's contributions to national and state government over nearly forty years of public service. He also discusses how far Wolcott evolved politically during his long career. This virtual event is free and open to the public; get a ticket to receive the Zoom link. Get tickets for the Oliver Wolcott Jr. Lunch and Learn. Questions? Contact Jen Busa, Public Programs Coordinator, at jbusa@connecticutmuseum.org.
    • "Why We Remember the Founding", Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Historian Michael D. Hattem asks why Americans have developed such an emotional connection to the nation's founding for nearly 250 years. He discusses how generations of Americans have told the story of the Revolution and how politics have shaped the way it is remembered. He also looks at how Americans have fought over the Revolution's meanings and legacy, and why it holds such a unique place in the nation's politics and culture. Come early to see the special exhibition, Rebellious. The program is presented in partnership with the Association for the Study of Connecticut History (ASCH). Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 for Connecticut Museum members. The event is free for museum members at the $150 level and above, and for ASCH members. Get tickets for Why We Remember the Founding.
    • "Lunch and Learn – Navigating the Creation of Our Nation", Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. The years before, during, and after the Revolutionary War were a time of transformation. In this virtual presentation, historian Elizabeth Normen discusses her new book, Awakenings and Revolutions: The Harts, Saybrook, and the New Nation. She explains how one colonial Connecticut family navigated the times, from the pulpit to the battlefield and from the high seas to the town square. She will also talk about how the book came to be and answer the question she is often asked: What surprised you the most in your research? This virtual event is free and open to the public; get a ticket to receive the Zoom link. Get tickets for Navigating the Creation of Our Nation. Questions? Contact Jen Busa, Public Programs Coordinator, at jbusa@connecticutmuseum.org.
    • "Teacher Workshop: Connecticut and the American Revolution", Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Teachers learn how to bring Revolutionary-era primary sources into the classroom, and the workshop includes a visit to the museum's collections storage. Free; registration required, and space is limited. Register for the Teacher Workshop.
    • "Lunch and Learn – Lydia Sigourney: Unsung Mother of American Literature", Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Professors Mary Louise Kete and Elizabeth Petrino introduce the Hartford poet, educator and activist, and the Lydia Sigourney Digital Archive Project. This virtual presentation is free and open to the public. Register for the Lydia Sigourney Lunch and Learn.
    • "Behind-the-Scenes Tour: Remembering G. Fox & Co.", Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and Sunday, November 29, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. "Join us for a behind-the scenes tour at the Connecticut Museum to see our collection of memorabilia from Hartford's most iconic department store." $15 per person ($10 for members). Register for the G. Fox & Co. tour.

  • "Celebrating 50 Years with La Casa Part I – Stories of Yale's Latine Cultural Center", Monday, October 5, 2026, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. "Join members of La Casa Cultural's Historical Preservation and Education Committee in exploring the Yale archives that document five decades of history at La Casa Cultural de Julia de Burgos." This virtual presentation is held on Zoom, and registration is required. Register for Celebrating 50 Years with La Casa.
  • "Satire, Sympathy, and Social Critique: William Hogarth's Progress Prints", exhibit opens Monday, October 12, 2026, and runs through May 30, 2027, at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. The exhibit shows Hogarth's "progress" print series from the collections of Yale's Lewis Walpole Library. Details on the Hogarth Progress Prints exhibit.
  • "Hogarth: His Art, Life, and Times — A Tribute to Ronald Paulson", Wednesday, October 14, through Friday, October 16, 2026. Times are Wednesday from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday from 10:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Friday from 10:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. This three-day symposium honors Hogarth scholar Ronald Paulson, whose Hogarth papers have been given to Yale. Panels cover Paulson's work on Hogarth, drawing, patriotism and empire, and social critique, and there is a reception at the Beinecke. It is held in the Yale Center for British Art Lecture Hall, 1080 Chapel Street. Free; registration required. Details on the Hogarth symposium.
  • "Cave Canem: A Home for Black Poetry" and "Beauty Unadorned: 'Fire!!' and the Harlem Renaissance", two exhibits that open Monday, October 19, 2026, and run through May 30, 2027, at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Beinecke Library current exhibitions.
  • "Out of the Vault: Selections from Pequot Library's Americana Holdings", Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Special Collections staff present rare books and manuscripts from the library's Americana holdings as part of the library's America 250 programs. It takes place in the Special Collections Reading Room. Free; registration required, and space is limited. Pequot Library's October programs announcement. This event is listed under the America's 250th heading.
  • "Opening Reception: Lines of Liberty: Maps, Power, and the Making of America", Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. The exhibition shows rare maps, military documents and letters from the library's special collections, with a focus on the Revolutionary period and Connecticut's experience of the war. The reception includes music by The Jovial Crew, followed by guided tours. Free. The exhibition runs through January 9, 2027. Details on the Lines of Liberty exhibition.
"Discovering Your Property's Past: An Introduction to Historic House Research", Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. Christopher Shields, Director of Library and Archives, shows how to research a house's history. He covers the Society's maps, photographs, business records and directories, along with town land records and a digitized local newspaper database. Register for Discovering Your Property's Past.
"Genealogy Research Session with the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution", Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Members of the local Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) chapters give hands-on help with tracing family history and documenting Revolutionary War ancestors. It is open to beginners and experienced researchers. Free. 370 Beach Road. Details on the genealogy research session.
"Exploring Hispanic Genealogy", Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Genealogist Irisneri Alicea Flores covers Caribbean genealogy, naming traditions, and Taíno, African and Spanish roots in family records. This is a hybrid program, on Zoom and in the library's Computer Classroom. Registration required. Register for Exploring Hispanic Genealogy.
"Haddam Neck in Pictures", Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. A slide presentation of historic Haddam Neck photographs from the Society's archives and the Walter Olsen Collection. Topics include a former airport, paper mills and a privateering ship. It takes place at Haddam Neck Congregational Church, 408 Quarry Hill Road. $5 for non-members; free for members. Details on Haddam Neck in Pictures. Questions? Contact the Society at 860-345-2400 or director@haddamhistory.org.

“History Center Open (Haunted) House”, Saturday, October 24, 2026, 12-4:30 p.m.

Discover the haunted history of Bridgeport through special activities and crafts for all ages at the History Center. Play games, win prizes, and enter our raffle for a chance to win a special Halloween basket! Kicking off at noon with a special presentation and short walking tour about the mysterious Men in Black by Bridgeport paranormal historian and author Michael J. Bielawa. Michael’s signed books, including “Wicked Bridgeport”, “Wicked New Haven”, and “Haunted Waterbury” will be available for purchase! For more information please visit their website.

    • "Windsor in the Revolution", Thursday, November 19, 2026, 6:30-7:45 p.m. Admission is $10 adult, $8 member, $8 student, children 12 and under free. The year is 1776. The Revolutionary War has just begun. But what does that mean for Windsor? In this lecture with Windsor Historical Society Archivist Michelle Tom, learn how Windsor soldiers, citizens, and society alike were affected by the American Revolution. This program is part of Windsor Historical Society’s WindsorCT250 commemoration activities. To register for this event please visit their website.