The Objects of Our Desire
(A guide to what we collect)

The Unionville Museum is dedicated to preserving the unique history of the Village of Unionville in the Town of Farmington, Connecticut.

As such, we collect photographs, letters, advertising items, vintage clothing, tools and all other materials either manufactured in Unionville or items owned by Unionville residents, past or present.

A representative sampling of items acquired in the past year by gift or purchase include: 

• Wooden Yarn spindles used by Charles W. House & Co., manufacturers of fine felt (The factory was located in Unionville)
   

• Photographs of local sites during the flood of 1955
  

• A 1960 painting of the old Farmington Town Hall by local artist Ruth Douglass
  

• Civil War Letters and photos of Private George W. Frisbie, a Unionville Civic War Soldier
  

• A 1830's Ogee cased clock manufactured by "Crum & Barber, Unionville"
  

•  Blacksmith's tools used by a former Unionville blacksmith
  

• Milk bottles from local dairies
  

• A skein of yarn manufactured by Myrtle Mills, Unionville, Connecticut
  

• A framed hand-colored triptych picture of the ruins of the Farmington Aqueduct

   

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The Unionville Museum in collaborations with Rebecca White presents:

Faces of Unionville

This exhibit is the idea of Rebecca White, a Girl Scout from Troop 6098 who wanted to capture a time slice of Unionville and preserve it forever. Her simple idea was to take pictures throughout Unionville during a short time period and during Memorial Week, May 26 through June 1, 2002, amateur photographs snapped pictures throughout Unionville and these pictures collectively show our face. The product is not only the images displayed as part of this exhibit but also a collection of over 500 photographs which will become part of the Museum's permanent collection. These may become the subject of another exhibit, say 50 years from now.

A single exhibit of 100 photographs cannot show every face of interest in our village. It cannot capture every building, every function, every person. But it can present the flavor. It can show our Memorial Day Parade in a way that makes you feel the tradition on pride. It can show our people at work. Our kids at play.

This exhibit is a powerful visual image of what we were for a week in the year 2002.

Rebecca White is a senior at Farmington High School and the Grater Harford Academy of Arts. She is also a Girl Scout from Troop 6098 who is a candidate for the Gold Award, the highest rank in the Girl Scout system. This exhibit, that Rebecca conceived and created, fulfills one of the requirements for the Gold Award. In addition, she has completed the required number of Badges and has given significant community service. 

In this exhibit, Rebecca displays her artistic talents, her drive, and her thoughts of future generations.