5 Years Later: Covid-19 Community Experience Survey
The Newtown Historical Society invites you to participate in creating a historical record of Newtown’s local experience dealing with the COVID-19 global pandemic five years after it began. Your contributions will be archived with those of other Newtowners and accessed in the future by scholars, townspeople, students and others who study and look back on this historic time in our modern life.
We were all touched by COVID-19 in very different and personal ways. Children and parents, seniors and students, merchants, highly educated professionals...all creatively finding new ways to work and play safely. Every kind of individual and family has been forced to adopt new habits almost overnight.
Much of the story of COVID-19 will be about hardship and difficulty, but not all. A complete record should reflect new work requirements and adaptations, pastimes, family time, entertainment, steps to protect from the virus, changes in the household and other personal observations describing how our lives have been affected by the pandemic.
Please join us in updating our archive that chronicled our shared experience with COVID-19 five years later. Your contribution, however large or small, is historically significant and will provide a rare opportunity to touch the future.
Upcoming Events
Get our event newsletter sent right to your inbox!
< Click envelope to send us your email address.
The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt
September 21st, 2025
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Newtown Senior Center
8 Simpson St
Leader, survivor, innovator, public servant – these are just a few words that describe Eleanor Roosevelt. Often considered the United States’ most outstanding First Lady, Roosevelt lived an exceptional life. Join the Newtown Historical Society as we welcome back speaker Mark Albertson, who will lead us on a journey through the life and times of Eleanor Roosevelt, including her childhood in New York and London, her time in the White House, her seat at the United Nation’s General Assembly, and her ongoing legacy in modern times.
Connecticut Industries Unite! A WWII Victory
October 19th, 2025
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Newtown Senior Center
8 Simpson St
It is well-known that America’s production of an immense amount of military equipment during World War II was crucial for equipping Allied forces across the globe. But how did we do it? Join us as Sharon Cohen presents an in-depth examination of Connecticut’s innovation and leadership that made possible America’s “arsenal of democracy.”
General Grant: Leadership, Life, and Legacy
November 16th, 2025
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Newtown Senior Center
8 Simpson St
Flawed yet formidable, Ulysses S. Grant was a commoner who became the Union’s greatest general, credited with saving a nation. His presidency brought both triumph and scandal, and yet he stood among the most celebrated figures of his time. Join Sal Camillieri as he presents his study of Grant’s fascinating life and legacy.
Ezra Around Town
Beginning January 2025
Introducing Ezra the Rooster. Follow our "Ezra Around Town" posts on Facebook or Instagram. Ezra the Rooster, named for our first unofficial Town Historian, Ezra Johnson, will be starting his travels around Newtown in January. He'll be visiting locations with a historical significance, but some of the lesser known locations to most Newtowners. Be sure to like our pages in order to receive updates of his travels.