The Connecticut Valley Tobacco Historical Society
Preserving the history of the people and techniques of growing andharvesting the crop that made the CT. River Valley.
Discover how a humble plant grown by various groups over the span of centuries contributed to international trade and cultural change. Located on the beautiful grounds of Windsor's Northwest Park, our museum is a destination for curious people: naturalists, history buffs, former farm workers, and cigar aficionados alike. M.L.K. Legacy Eevent JANUARY 19, 2026 Join us for a special luncheon to support Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., reflecting on the formative summers he spent working on Connecticut Valley tobacco farms as well as the profound impact those experiences had on his early understanding of equality and justice. As a teenager, M.L.K. traveled from racially oppressive Georgia to work in the Connecticut Valley. The contrast between life under Jim Crow America and the relative freedom he encountered in Connecticut left a lasting impression. In his autobiography, he recalled, “After that summer in Connecticut, it was a bitter feeling going back to segregation.” During his time in Hartford, he also experienced integrated dining for the first time, writing to his mother in 1944, “I never thought that a person of my race could eat anywhere, but we ate in one of the finest [restaurants].” The catered experience features delicacies he was known to enjoy: beef ribs, collard greens, sweet potatoes, cornbread. It also honors that pivotal chapter in M.L.K.’s youth and celebrates the region’s historical beneficial role, having influenced the future Civil Rights leader. Click on events for more information and tickets. Our museum remains open by appointment only until the Spring 2026 season begins. Call or email to arrange a tour. Telephone: (860) 285-1888 Email: windsorctmuseum@gmail.com Digitized Archives Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum Collections on the Connecticut Digital archive  Connecticut Valley Tobacco Author: Brianna E. Dunlap Purchase the book |
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