My
name is Brent M. 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.
Brent
M. Colley & John J. Merlino
at the Redding Roadhouse.
View more photos.
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.
A
special thank you must be given to my grandfather who has
been extremely helpful and enthusiastic. Without his help
and knowledge, none of this would have come to fruition. From
a young age he has shown me the town as it is and as it was
and told me countless stories of places, people, and events
that have enriched the history and shaped the landscape of
our town. I can not thank him enough for this, I can only
say "this is for you Grandpa, I will always be
grateful."
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my Mission Statement
Short
Bio for Media:
Brent
M. Colley is an local 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. Henry Colley(1), John Colley(2), Harry Colley(3), John
Colley(4), Brent Colley(5).
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