The WestConn Archives was thrilled to receive a box of lantern slides via a donation this month. The slides are mostly of places around Danbury, but notably it includes many images of the 1902 New Milford fire damage, and two images relating to Danbury in the Civil War. One these images shows four men, perhaps veterans, standing on a hillside with an American flag planted in the ground at their feet. The image is labeled, “Battlefield of Charcoal Run .” Likely, the image was captured in 1911 on the 50th anniversary of the “battle.”
Another image in the collection shows the Danbury company of the First Connecticut Volunteer infantry, whose veterans were involved in the Charcoal Run “battle.”
Coincidentally, Mike Allen will be hosting a program about the “battle” at the Bethel Public Library [in the Parloa Room, 189 Greenwood Ave, Bethel, CT, 06801] and on Zoom
Monday, April 20, 2026 — 6:30—7:30 PM. Register online.
All the slides are viewable online thanks to the work of WestConn student archives assistant Mckaila McAleer and SCSU library science intern Rachel Ohring.