Hebron Events Timeline

Husbands and wives of the Shipman and Phelps families were reunited at Prophet's Rock (Burrows Hill Road). Shipman and Phelps were busy establishing themselves as the first settlers of Hebron.  Legend has it that their wives, who were still in the original settlements, decided to find their husbands many miles away.  It became late in the day, they decided to find shelter/protection from wild animals on this large rock, shouted for their husbands and were found!

Hebron was formally incorporated as the 41st town in the State of Connecticut, by act of the General Assembly.  First Town Meeting, although the record of it is illegible, was probably held on September 20. Read more about Hebron's Beginnings here.

By act of the Connecticut General Assembly, First Society of Hebron was organized.  John Bliss named first minister and ordained in 1717.

Birth of the Rev. Benjamin Trumbull in Gilead.  Trumbull wrote the first complete history of Connecticut.

The Connecticut General Assembly approved setting off  the Gilead area of Hebron as a separate parish.

About 60 men from Hebron responded to the Lexington Alarm

Hebron left Hartford County to become a member of the newly incorporated Tolland County.

Samuel Morey of Hebron exhibited his first patent for a “steam spit.”  This was one of the first 50 patents issued in America.  With this concept, Morey built a quasi-steamship, which Robert Fulton later enhanced for his own steamship patent.

John S. Peters, born in Hebron in 1772, was elected governor of Connecticut, a position he held until 1833.

The second (and current) Gilead Congregational Church building was raised on July 23.  The Methodists built a church in the center of town in 1838, and abandoned it a few years later.  Today that building is known as “Old Town Hall.”

The Great Fire destroyed almost all of the north Green area, including the Hebron Congregational Church, and damaged buildings on south Green; the Center School on south Green was also destroyed, and rebuilt as a two-room schoolhouse.

The “Great Blizzard” resulted in 3 feet of total snow accumulation, with snow drifts and banks being as high as 20 feet in the Amston area.

The original Hebron Library was built and formally dedicated.

Charles Ams purchased P.W. Turner’s land and lake.  Within months, he changed the name of the village from “Turnerville” to “Amston.”

Eighty-one Hebron women registered to vote following the ratification of the 19th Amendment; this increased the Hebron voter list by almost one-third. Read more about Hebron's pioneering women here.

United Distillers began manufacturing alcoholic beverages in Amston.

Hebron sent its “Great Cannon” from WWI to be melted down for the WWII effort; it was a huge public event on the Green.

The “Hebron Elementary Consolidated School” (now know as Hebron Elementary School) opened its doors, ending the era of Hebron’s one-room schoolhouses.

Regional School District 8 opened, giving Hebron students their first high school.  Andover and Marlborough are partnering towns in the district.

The present Amston Post Office opened.  The Postmaster was P. John Perham.

The deed was filed in Hebron making the residents of Amston Lake the owners of the lake.

Hebron residents approved building a new fire company #2 building.

Hebron celebrated its 300th anniversary.

“Blizzard of 2013”, the worst blizzard since 1888, dumped over 3’ of snow on Hebron.