Current Exhibits Everyday Heroes: Greenwich First Responders.

Everyday Heroes: Greenwich First Responders

September 14, 2011 through August 26, 2012

In today’s parlance, the term “first responder” is associated with trained emergency professionals, but originally it meant literally the first person to respond in a crisis. This exhibition chronicles the history of Greenwich’s Fire, Police and Emergency Medical Services beginning with General Putman, one of Greenwich’s “first” first responders who, in 1779, rode to warn of invading British troops and whose image now appears on the Town seal, as well as on Greenwich’s Fire and Police Department badges.

The show delves into headline-making Greenwich disasters from 1873 to 2010, such as the Greenwich Avenue conflagration of 1936 and the Mianus River Bridge collapse in 1983, looks at the way first responders worked together to respond to these incidents and at how first response protocols have evolved as a result of experience and technology. At the very heart of the exhibition is an exploration of values underlying civic service, collaboration and acts of heroism by ordinary men and women who face the prospect of being called upon to risk their lives each day. Visitors will be asked to decide in their own minds what qualities define a hero.

Everyday Heroes has been three years in the making. The idea was originally put forth by the Historical Society’s Collection Curator Karen Frederick and former Curator of Library and Archives Anne Young. The Historical Society worked with Greenwich Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services representatives as well as town officials and community focus groups to further hone the show’s content. Along with objects, photos and ephemera from the Greenwich Historical Society collection and loans from the collections of the Fire, Police and GEMS Departments, Everyday Heroes features interactive elements including a revolving timeline and a hands-on gallery where kids can try on real equipment and learn what it takes to become a first responder. A simulated dispatch center punctuates how “sounding the alarm” has changed over time and includes an opportunity to “make” or “answer” a 911 call.

In the initial stages of the exhibition’s development, the Historical Society received planning and development grants from the Connecticut Humanities Council; a subsequent $50,000 grant was given in recognition of the exhibition’s educational and community outreach potential. An Exhibition Patrons Council also was established by the Historical Society to solicit funding, and Moffly Media will be the exclusive media sponsor for Everyday Heroes and its adult and family-related programs planned throughout the run of the exhibition. 

Storehouse Gallery, Wednesday through Sunday, Noon to 4:00 pm

Permanent Exhibition

The Bush-Holley House is currently open to the public through guided tours. The house museum has a dual interpretation including documentation and presentation of two significant periods in the history of the house: the Colonial Period when the Bush family was in residence from 1790 to 1825 and the Cos Cob art colony from 1890 to 1920. Eight evocative, well-documented rooms tell a story of change over time, beginning with the turn of the century and moving backward in time to the Federal era.

Bush-Holley Historic Site is a member of the Connecticut Art Trail, a partnership of 15 world-class museums and historic sites across the state. Discover collections rich in history and heritage, including European masterpieces, American Impressionism, ancient art and contemporary culture. Visit www.arttrail.org for information about member museums.