November 5, 2025 - Engraving of Mystic's Civil War Monument

The Civil War Monument Before Engraving

Employees of Buzzi Memorials Preparing for Engraving the Monument. Adam Rezendes Engraved the Drewry's Bluff Side (Note That the Monument is Misspelled!) and Tim Larson Engraved the Port Hudson Side.

A Job Well Done!

October 25, 2025 - Unveilings at Mystic River Park

Marilyn Comrie and Arleen Andersen unveiling the Cottrell Lumber Co. panel

Rep. Aundre Bumgardner presented citations from the CT General Assembly to Tim DeBell of the Mystic River Park Commission and Steve Menno of MRHS.

Tim DeBell dedicated the plaque acknowledging the Mashantucket Pequot tribe's role in establishing the park.

Jonathan Shockley represented the Mashantucket Pequot tribe.

2024 Mystic Irish Parade

Getting Ready for the Parade.  Steve Menno preparing to afix the MRHS logos to the 1959 Plymouth Sport Fury (left).  Larry Erhart - proud owner and driver of the Plymouth (above).  Thank you, Larry!

Marshall Smith and John Parry hurrying up and waiting to mount out!

Robert Boris in fine Colonial attire, despite choosing not to wear the rest of the uniform!

And we're off!  John Walker (left) and John Parry (right) carrying the MRHS banner and Robert Boris carrying our 1839 replica American flag (26 stars!).  Grace Cleere and Nancy Potter in period dress.

Carol Ambrosch riding shotgun as the Runaway (the appropriately named license plate for the Plymouth) gets underway!

Karl Jensen and Carol Ambrosch apparently enjoying the ride (above).  A good finish to the parade (right).  Thanks to all who participated!

MRHS' 50th Anniversary - September 24, 2023 Birthday Gala

MRHS celebrated its 50th anniversary on September 24, 2023 at the Mystic River Yacht Club. With well over 100 attendees, we were also fortunate to have several Charter (founding) members join us to celebrate .  A great time was had by all.  During this event, a slide show depicting photographs from our past 50 years was shown.  You can see this slide show by clicking this link.

Of course we had a birthday cake!

Well, we were founded in 1973...  Board member Nancy Potter and her husband and our DJ, Larry, got in the spirit!

What year is this again?!

The Anniversary Committee: Lynn Schroder, Steve Menno, Carol Ambrosch, Grace Cleere (co-chair), Larry Potter (DJ), and Nancy Potter (co-chair)

Charter member Niel Spillane

Charter members Kathleen O'Beirne, her guest Kay Janney, and Peter and Karen Stuart

Charter members Lynne and Andrew Langlois

Charter members Andrew Langlois (with his 1986 charter member ID card) and Judith Cady

Charter member Bill Peterson shared some words about the early days of MRHS

Charter member Mike Messick

Mystic Vinyl DJ Larry Potter rolling out the tunes of the '70s (above)

The 50th Anniversary program (left)

Our CT state representative Aundre Bumgardner and his wife, Kayla, joined us for the evening to celebrate

Yes, people danced!

MRHS' 50th Anniversary - 2023 Mystic Irish Parade 

To celebrate MRHS' 50th anniversary, we walked in the Mystic Irish Parade on March 19, 2023.  Here our group is staged and ready to move out.  Thanks to Lenny Bellet and John Parry for carrying our banner and to Robert Boris for carrying our replica 26-star 1839 American flag.

Many thanks to Ginny Wydler for driving her convertible festooned with the MRHS logo.  MRHS vice president Marilyn Comrie rode shotgun.

It got windy on West Main Street!

Mystic's 350th Anniversary

In 2004, Mystic celebrated its 350th anniversary with a year of programs and events. MRHS' entry in the Big Parade was its model of Portersville Academy, along with a vintage classroom and a vintage teacher.

Groton's 300th Anniversary

The town of Groton, CT, celebrated its 300th anniversary during 2005. The celebratory parade included MRHS' model of Portersville Academy, and our
new pedicab.

Downtown Mystic Today

Today the view of our famous bridge is framed on East Main Street by the new incarnation of the Hoxie House Hotel on the left, and S&P Oyster House on the right.

Downtown Mystic 1912

In 1912 East Main Street was still a dirt road and ladies still wore long
dresses, leg-o-mutton sleeves, and picture hats. Power lines
and fire hydrants had already made their appearances.

Old Mystic Today

In Old Mystic, at the upper reaches of the Mystic River, these homes are surrounded by trees today. This view is from River Road on the west bank of the river.

Old Mystic Then

If you look closely, you'll see the identical home on the right. The remaining buildings have mostly disappeared in the last hundred years.

Mystic River Today

This view up the Mystic River from Brewer's Marina shows the red brick buildings that were once the power house and the barn for the trolleys that were once used in Mystic. The railroad trestle crosses the river in the foreground. The river is lined with marinas. The brick buildings are now luxury condominiums.

Mystic River 1907

The Mystic River in 1907 was a far cry from today, and the menhaden industry was part of Mystic's economic foundation early in the 20th century. Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), also known as alewife, bunker, pogy, bugmouth, and fat-back, is the fish that the Native Americans taught the English settlers to fertilize their crops with in the 17th century. Today it is still used for fertilizer, but also to produce oil rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, an FDA approved health food additive, and is harvested and processed further south along the Atlantic seaboard.

Soldiers' Monument Today

The Civil War monument sits at the corner of Broadway and Main Streets. In the background is the Citizens Bank building and to the right, out of sight, is the CVS drugstore.

Soldiers' Monument Then

The Civil War Soldiers' monument a hundred years ago sat amid residences rather than commercial establishments. The trolley tracks in front of the monument ran the length of Main Street. The trolleys were a popular mode of transportation in the early 20th century.