My
name is Brent Colley. I grew up in Redding, CT on Peaceable
Street in the Georgetown section of town.
My
family came to Redding in the late 1800's and settled on Peaceable
Street. Since then five generations have grown up in Redding.
The Next
Generation: Brent M. Colley & Emma G. Colley
My
interest in the town's history got a late start. Throughout
my life my grandfather let me know about the town's history
and showed me all the important areas, but for some reason
it wasn't until 1998 I became fully aware of the town's rich
history.
In
the Fall of 1998, I came up with the idea for the site. I
was hiking in "the Rock Lot" across the street from
my parent's house exploring the stone walls on the Seventy
Acres side and I started thinking about how I could help others
enjoy what I was finding so enthralling.
Initially
I went to a designer to create the site, but choked on the
price tag of over $2000 and opted to purchase the Microsoft
Front Page98 web design program to do it myself. The program
was so easy to pick up that it took me just two months to
complete and post the site. Since then I've been adding to
the site with the help of individuals around the world that
have forwarded me information and pictures from their private
collections. The response to the site has been overwhelming.
My
move to the Northwest corner of the state (Sharon, CT) in
2000 was a tough decision but I am very happy to have made
it. The farmland is vast and the people are incredibly friendly,
it's much like the Redding I remember growing up. I'm an avid
outdoorsman and I have much to explore in these hills. History
surrounds me, there are iron furnaces, limekilns, riverside
mills and blacksmith shops throughout the region. I've found
countless artifacts on my hillside exploration trips, so needless
to say I'm right at home.
The
future of the History of Redding site is very bright. I still
have many years to cover and I hope that with the help of
individuals I can continue to add to the history of the town
and it's wonderful people. Financing the project has been
my greatest hurdle. Without sponsorship I have been forced
to treat the site as a hobby and not devote as much time to
the project as I would like to. If you have any ideas or would
like to sponsor me in the quest for history I would greatly
appreciate it.
Help
me expand the site. Donate
to the History of Redding.
I
have made room for Redding Businesses, Restaurants and Organizations.
Ad space is available in text, banner ads, or full page spreads.
Proceeds from ad sales will go towards the service fees, maintenance
and expansion of this site. You can e-mail me at: bcolley@snet.net
or phone me at 860-364-7475 for information about sponsorship
fees or visit the Ad Space page.
Short
Bio for Media:
Brent
M. Colley is an amateur historian who has been documenting
and promoting the history of Branchville, Georgetown, and
Redding, Connecticut via his web site www.historyofredding.com
since 1998. In addition to the web site, Mr. Colley leads
yearly walking tours, slide shows and speaking engagements
that showcase the people, places, and events that have enriched
the histories and shaped the landscapes of Branchville, Georgetown,
and Redding. Born and raised in Georgetown, his ties to Georgetown
and Gilbert & Bennett date back to the late 1860's when his
great-great grandfather arrived from England on a ship carrying
Barnard, Bishop & Barnard power twisters used by the G&B factory
to produce Galvanized Poultry Netting. Brent is the 5th generation
of Colley's to call the Georgetown section of Redding, Connecticut
home.
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