The Farmington Historical Society

What The Farmington Historical Society does

The Farmington Historical Society is a Connecticut-based nonprofit organization founded in 1954 that preserves and interprets the local history of Farmington through curated archives, exhibitions, lectures, walking tours, and heritage programming. It serves the general public, local families, educational institutions, and historical researchers, with primary service segments spanning heritage tourism (Freedom Trail Tours, Old Stone Schoolhouse visits, Revolutionary War Encampment dinners), community education (lecture series, book clubs, the CT Summer at the Museum free-admission initiative), and archival access via publications and a digital timeline spanning from the 1620s Tunxis Indians through the present day.

The Society's core products include guided tours of the Connecticut Freedom Trail (Amistad sites, Underground Railroad safe houses), the Old Stone Schoolhouse Museum at Red Oak Hill, a publications catalog of Farmington history books, and special patron events priced between $5 (lecture series) and $250 (Art in Farmington Village patron tickets). Its technology stack is a modest WordPress website (fhs-ct.org) currently undergoing a CT Humanities-funded revamp to add mobile-friendly design, digitized collections, and interactive online exhibits. The underlying technical footprint is light by design — appropriate for a small heritage nonprofit — and the organization relies on in-person programming, library exhibitions, and partner venues (Stanley-Whitman House, First Church of Christ, Farmington Libraries) for distribution.

Revenue mechanics combine small state humanities grants (Connecticut Humanities provided $1,000 in 2023 for CT Summer at the Museum and $1,908 in November 2023 for the FVHN "Why They Came" program), membership dues, individual donations (including via Amazon Smile), event ticket sales, and book publication income. The Society is governed by a volunteer board with leadership including President Jean Pickens and past president Dr. Charles Leach, supported by approximately 120 volunteers for major projects such as the 1977 Bicentennial Quilt. It operates as a member of the ten-site Farmington Valley CT Heritage Network (FVHN) and announced a relocation from 138 Main Street to a new headquarters at 729 Farmington Ave in 2025.

Name

The Farmington Historical Society

Legal name

Farmington Historical Society

Website

https://fhs-ct.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Farmington Historical Society is a 1954-founded Connecticut nonprofit that preserves Farmington's local history through artifact archives, Freedom Trail walking tours, lectures, exhibitions, and heritage publications, serving local residents, schools, and regional visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Society Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Historical society services
• Local history preservation
• Heritage education programs
• Museum tour experiences
• Archival research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Farmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Receives grants from Connecticut Humanities and CT Humanities for various projects including website revamp and museum programs
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership program supporting the organization
3. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations and contributions from supporters, including Amazon Smile program
4. Event Tickets: Revenue from special events, tours, and lectures including patron tickets at $250 and individual tickets at $75
5. Book and Publication Sales: Sale of historical publications and books through the society

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Farmington Historical Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1954 that preserves and interprets the local history of Farmington, Connecticut. It operates historic property tours, museum exhibitions, educational lectures, and archival research services for the general public, students, and visiting researchers.

Product overview

The Farmington Historical Society operates as a non-profit historical preservation and educational organization. Its core offerings include historical preservation services, guided tours (such as Freedom Trail Tours and Old Stone Schoolhouse tours), educational programs and events, and publications about Farmington's history. The society is currently undertaking a website revamp project funded by a CT Humanities grant to digitize collections and create interactive online exhibits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and notable.

• Farmington Valley CT Heritage Network (FVHN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023FHS is a member of FVHN, a network of ten heritage sites in the Farmington Valley. Together they present collaborative programs like the Why They Came immigration lecture series, with FHS presenting first-generation immigrant stories from Bangladesh.
• Stanley-Whitman HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Collaborates on FVHN programs; hosted Why They Came presentation featuring Alyce Barlowski in period costume as Civil War widow Julia Roper. Both organizations serve the Farmington community.
• Avon Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023FVHN member partner presenting at Why They Came program about Prince Thomas of Savoy and immigration from Italy in 1917.
• Unionville MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023FVHN member partner presenting Irish immigration story at Why They Came program.
• Simsbury Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023FVHN member partner hosting second session of Why They Came program at Ellsworth Visitors Center.
• Barkhamsted Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023FVHN member partner presenting German immigrant family story at Why They Came program.
• Canton Historical MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023FVHN member partner presenting immigration stories related to Collins Company at Why They Came program.
• Salmon Brook Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023FVHN member partner presenting Granby to White House immigration story at Why They Came program.
• Farmington LibrariescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership for 1619 Book Club, Clare Brett Smith photography exhibition, and other programs at Barney Library and Farmington Main Library.
• Amazon SmileminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2018Amazon Smile program donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to FHS when shoppers use special link.
• Mark Twain House and MuseumnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership for 175th Anniversary of Amistad captives' stay, presenting The Fisk Jubilee Singers at First Church of Christ.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Connecticut Historical Society: Statewide nonprofit that operates the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, curating collections, hosting exhibitions, and providing research and educational programming. A broader incumbent in the same space as FHS, serving a statewide audience versus FHS's town-level focus.

Regional players

• Mark Twain House and Museum: A Hartford, CT-based historic house museum preserving literary and 19th-century history, offering tours, exhibitions, and educational programs. Partnered with FHS on the 175th Anniversary of the Amistad captives' stay and a comparable heritage tourism operator in the same Connecticut market.
• Amistad Center for History & Culture (at Wadsworth Atheneum): A Hartford, CT-based nonprofit museum at the Wadsworth Atheneum preserving the Amistad captives' history and African American heritage in Connecticut. Directly comparable to FHS on the Amistad narrative arc — FHS owns the Amistad captive sites in Farmington, while the Center owns the artwork and curatorial story at the Wadsworth.

Direct peers

• Canton Historical Museum: A Canton, CT-based historical museum preserving local Canton heritage, including Collins Company industrial history. FVHN co-presenting partner of FHS, with overlapping regional heritage tourism programs.
• Simsbury Historical Society: A neighboring Farmington Valley historical society operating the Ellsworth Visitors Center and preserving Simsbury, CT history via exhibits and programming. FVHN co-host of FHS, jointly presenting Why They Came content.
• Stanley-Whitman House: A Farmington, CT-based colonial-era house museum and National Historic Landmark that preserves local history and hosts educational programs and tours. Direct FVHN co-presenting partner of the Farmington Historical Society, with overlapping programs (Why They Came).
• Salmon Brook Historical Society: A Granby, CT-based historical society preserving Salmon Brook / Granby heritage via exhibits, lectures, and walking tours. FVHN co-presenting partner of FHS, presenting the Granby-to-White-House immigration story at Why They Came.
• Unionville Museum: A Farmington Valley museum preserving Unionville's local history through artifacts, exhibits, and educational programming. FVHN co-presenting partner of FHS, presenting the Irish immigration story at Why They Came.
• Barkhamsted Historical Society: A small-town CT historical society preserving Barkhamsted heritage through collections, exhibits, and programming. FVHN co-presenting partner presenting the German immigrant family story at Why They Came alongside FHS.
• Avon Historical Society: A neighboring Farmington Valley historical society that preserves Avon, CT history through collections, walking tours, and lectures. FVHN co-presenting partner of FHS, presenting at Why They Came on Prince Thomas of Savoy immigration from Italy (1917).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/farmingtonhistoricalsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Farmington Historical Society