New England Hebrew Farmers of the Emanuel Society Synagogue and Creamery Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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New England Hebrew Farmers of the Emanuel Society Synagogue and Creamery Site
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Junction of CT 161 & CT 85, Montville, Connecticut |
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| Built | 1892 |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000039 |
| Added to NRHP | February 28, 2012 |
The New England Hebrew Farmers of the Emanuel Society Synagogue and Creamery Site is a special historical place in Montville, Connecticut. It is where an old synagogue and a creamery once stood. These buildings were part of one of the first Jewish farming communities in Connecticut. The community was started in the late 1800s. A kind person named Baron de Hirsch helped them financially. This site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. This means it is an important place to remember and protect.
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What Was Here?
The New England Hebrew Farmers site is in a village called Chesterfield, near Montville. It's a wooded area, but there's an open, grassy spot. This is where the synagogue used to be. Today, a special stone marks this spot.
In the woods nearby, you can still find parts of the old creamery building. You can also see remains of other buildings from this Jewish community. A small stream called Powers Brook runs through the area. It used to power the creamery.
How the Community Started
A New Home for Farmers
The Jewish community in Chesterfield began in the 1890s. Many Jewish people were facing hard times in Eastern Europe. A wealthy Jewish helper, Baron de Hirsch, wanted to help them find new homes. He helped them move to the United States.
Many of these new settlers first lived in Brooklyn, New York. But they wanted to farm. Land in southeastern Connecticut was not expensive back then. So, Baron de Hirsch and others helped them buy it.
Building a Community
In 1890, the Jewish farmers officially formed a group. They called it Society Agudas Achim. Two years later, in 1892, they built a simple wooden synagogue on this site. A synagogue is a Jewish house of worship.
In the same year, they also built the creamery. This was a cooperative business. The farmers worked together to sell the milk their cows produced. They also built a small power station and a mikvah. A mikvah is a special bath used for religious cleansing.
The End of an Era
The creamery worked for about 20 years. But then, people started buying milk differently. So, the creamery closed down. The building was later turned into an inn. Sadly, a fire destroyed it in 1950.
The synagogue was also damaged in that fire. It was eventually left empty. In 1975, someone set fire to it on purpose, and it was destroyed.
Remembering the Past
Even though the buildings are gone, the story of this community lives on. In the 1980s, some people who were related to the original settlers formed a historical society. They wanted to keep the memory of this special place alive.
Because of their efforts, the commemorative stone was placed. The site is now recognized as an important archaeological site by the state. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This helps make sure that the history of these brave farmers and their community is never forgotten.
