Wallingford CT Historical Society

08/26/2026

Today on What's it Wednesday, Episode 2, we learn about an mid 19th century invention that revolutionized open hearth cooking.

08/20/2026

Today on What's it Wednesday - Episode 1, we learn about Wallingford's own hydroelectric plant.

Enjoy!

08/14/2026

08/14/2026

261 years ago today, patriots gathered around a large elm tree to protest British rule. The tree became a symbol of resistance for those fighting for independence.

Tonight, August 14, 2026, drop by the Center Street Cemetery to witness the dedication of Wallingford's own Liberty Elm Tree, donated by the Wallingford Historical Society. Ceremonies start at 6:00.

If you'd like to learn more about the story behind the original Liberty Tree, please watch the attached video.

08/09/2026

Post 20 of 20

Within days, newspapers begin to tell the story as the news of the "Great Wallingford Tornado" spread across the country. Donations continued to flow in from distant donors.

A man, 65 miles away in Rhode Island reportedly found a mysterious receipt from Wallingford. He later read about the tornado from one of these articles. He gave it to the Providence Journal who then raised $50 to pay for the loss of items on the receipt.

John Kendrick published "History of the Wallingford Disaster" just five weeks after the tornado struck and donated all proceeds to the victims.

Here is just a sampling of the newspaper articles published over the next few days.
Additional publications and commentary can be found online here:
https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/1878-august-9-tornado.../

With this, we bring to a close the coverage of the Wallingford Tornado.

We hope you have enjoyed the adventure.

08/09/2026

Part 19 of 20
Chapter VII "THE CEMETERY" of Kendrick "The Wallingford Disaster" is provided, as is, from the actual book. It may be the only way to portray the somber spectacle that occurred just 48 hours after the tornado swept through the town. If one takes the time to read only one post from this series today, this is one that should be at the top of the list.

With this post, we will close on Mr. Kendrick and his recounting of that terrible day in August of 1878.

If one should have the opportunity to read the entire book, it is well worth the time. The swiftness in which Mr. Kendrick accumulated the information and published this masterful work, was only matched by the swiftness of the Death Angel that swept across our little town.
A digital version of the book can be found here: https://archive.org/details/historyofwalling00kend

08/09/2026

Part 18 of 20

The total loss was estimated at $150,000, and fell chiefly on private property. Besides the destruction of the Catholic church and the injury done to the school-house, thirty houses were completely destroyed; fourteen houses were severely injured; fifteen barns were destroyed, and a number were seriously damaged. Of course, the real loss is not so much in houses and in barns as in homes destroyed, in the dearest ties rudely broken, and in ghastly death.

08/09/2026

Part 17 of 21

The following call for aid was sent to the mayors of New Haven, Hartford, Meriden, Bridgeport, Norwich, New London, Norwalk, Stamford, Middletown, and New Britain:
“Wallingford. August 10th. To the Mayor: A tornado has rendered a large number of our people destitute and suffering. Can anything be done in your churches tomorrow for their relief? - C. D. YALE, Warden”

Responses were received from the Mayor of Waterbury, Mr. Boughton; G. Williams, acting Mayor of New London; H. Wales Lines, Mayor of Meriden; from W. & B. Douglas, for Mayor Douglas of Middletown, and Frank Sumner, for Mayor Sumner of Hartford; Mayors Douglas, Sumner, and Waller of New London, and Shelton of New Haven, were out of town. Mayor Shelton did not receive his dispatch until too late to take action on Saturday.

By September 29th, over $15,000 was donated to a special fund for the victims.
In Yalesville, a large supply of clothing and groceries was given and distributed among the sufferers.

Captain S. P. Crafts of Quinnipiac, gave five thousand bricks.

L. Strauss & Son of New York, gave a cask of crockery.

The Middlesex Orphanage offered to take some of the children without charge, but other disposition was made of them.

The School for Nurses in New Haven makes no charge for the assistance given.
E. H. Ives gave $100 for the relief of John Munson.

Hezekiah Hall expended from his private purse, $28.00 for the relief of the deserving and needy, instead of adding that amount to the general fund.

The workmen of the Community, forty-four in number, gave the wages of one day's work (and A. A. Sperry that of two) for the relief of the Tracy children. This gives seventy-five dollars.

The Hartford Courant gave the proceeds from the sale of five hundred copies

The Mayor of Meriden telegraphed as follows:
“Meriden. August 10th.
Dear D. Yale, Wallingford:
Public meeting already called at town hall this morning. I trust the result will be substantial evidence of our sympathy. - H. WALES LINES, Mayor.”

08/09/2026

Part 16 of 21

Wednesday August 14th

Perhaps "corporations have no souls;" but William D. Bishop, president of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad has an excellent substitute for a heart. When, without any solicitation or expectation on our part, he stated that on Wednesday, August 14th, tickets to Wallingford would be sold from every station on the road, and that the entire gross receipts would be given for the relief of the sufferers, we all commended his wise and generous plan. The railroad company had by means of minted bills advertised their plan, and the result was success. The company were astonished at the crowds, but yet were prepared for them. The tickets were good on any train, but regular trains with extra cars were not sufficient; extra trains were put on, and these were heavily loaded, inside and out.

After Wednesday, for many days, visitors came and still are coming, but there was no great body of them, and they were scarcely noticed after what we had already seen. The number of persons present can never be known.

In the rush, hundreds bought no tickets, paying on the cars; while many, doubtless, escaped payment. Adding to the numbers given, those who came on foot and by teams, a low estimate gives for August 11th, 7,000; August 12th, 6,200; August 13th, 5,000; August 14th, 12,500.

On Sunday the 18th, from actual count, 2,020 teams passed one point on Main Street in forty minutes. The New Haven Register numbers 15,000 teams and five persons to each team; then, by adding to this number, 2,000 persons who came on foot, the number 77,000 is made. One New Haven paper says this number is too large by half. This will give some idea how the immense concourse impressed everyone. However, I do not think we had more than 22,000 with us on Sunday. Many took home with them some relic of the disaster; pieces of the church organ, chair-rounds, and canes from some great tree, are now shown in many homes as relics of the great tornado. One paper estimates that cords of wood were thus carried off.