Museum and Special Collections

​Throughout our 160 years in Torrington, the Library has acquired a variety of historical items. In some cases, we know the donor and date of donation. Unfortunately, and in many cases, we do not know when or by whom the item(s) were donated. 

Below is a listing of some of our popular items located throughout the Library; some are available to view during regular Library hours and others are available to view during public tour and private tours

If you would like to schedule a tour of the Library to view these items, please email Jessica, Library Director. 

To view our Found at the Library presentation, click here. 

Early American Historical Documents

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George Washington Letter
The Library has a collection of original, Early American historical documents available for scholarly or personal research.  With a generous donation for the Lucia Tuttle Fritz Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, and a gift by Dr. David Chait, we were able to scan and frame a large portion of these documents.

The framed documents are located in the ​Large Print Room and near the Audio/Vision Desk on the 1st Floor.  They are available to view during library hours. By displaying these items, all residents of Torrington and the Northwest Corner have the opportunity to view historically significant documents free of charge.

Included are letters written and signed by
George Washington
General John Burgoyne
Daniel Webster
James Madison
​John Brown &
Benjamin Tallmadge 

To view these items electronically, please click here. 

The Board Room

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Holley Gun Collection next to a portrait of Elisha Turner.
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Board Room with view of Solar Time Globe
Located on the second floor of the Library, this room features The Holley Gun Collection.  Mr. Horace Holley was paralyzed from the waist down at age 16 when he fell from a trapeze.
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He spent two years at New Haven Hospital for treatment then returned home. He lived with his brother in Westchester, VA and returned to Torrington years later.  He traveled frequently, including to Cuba and Jamaica. He passed away in 1903 at the age of 43. 

A newspaper history of the library in 1932 by Mrs. A.J. Barker read, “In early nineties the heirs of Horace Holley placed in the Turner museum his collection of small arms and stuffed birds and animals, thereby giving pleasure to the people of Torrington. 

The children thought the alligator is their own and like to look at the gila monster, with its tradition that when alive and a pet of Holley's, its diet was one hard-boiled egg a week.”

Atop the bookshelf at the back of the Board Room opposite thefireplace is a Solar Time Globe. The top dial is for the hour and the bottom dial is for the minute. It was patented by Theodore Ruggles Timby, circa. 1863. Only 600 were manufactured.

This room features our local history collection, which is accessible to all patrons within the library. The entire collection is catalogued and in our online system. Books from this collection cannot be taken from the library.

Portraits include Elisha Turner (large and to the right of the gun collection), John H. Brooks (above the fireplace) Issac W. Brooks (right of the fireplace and closest to solar time globe), and James Alldis (right of the fireplace and closest to secretary desk). 

Ronda and Harold Burns Program Room

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Coe Family Jewelry
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Apostle Spoons Gift to Lyman and Eliza Coe
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Eliza Coe Steamer Trunk
Originally, this space was referred to as the Turner Museum, named after Elisha Turner. It transitioned to the Ronda and Harold Burns Program room in 2016.

Since 1901 it has housed a variety of the Library's historical items collections. 

The glassware collection, including cup plates, candlestick holders, and more, was donated by Ella Coe. Ella was the daughter of original founder, Lyman Coe.
  • In the first display case, you will find Coe family memorabilia, including Eliza Coe’s wedding  jewelry, apostle spoons gifted to Eliza and Lyman on their wedding anniversary, and a collection of photographs of Lyman, Eliza, Adelaide, Ella, and Edward. 
  • A second display case features candle stick holders and other various items donated by the Ella Coe. 
  • The third display case features a tumbler collection was donated by Virginia Weston Brooks.
  • The last display case features the Staffordshire Dish collection belonging to Elisha Turner. 

The space also contains:
  • A purse made from the dresses of Martha Washington. (Item currently unavailable to view due to restoration.)
  • Embroidered back of a seat cushion from Mrs. Washington. (Item currently unavailable to view due to restoration.)
  • Revolutionary War money notes.
  • Cabinet made by Thomas Jefferson.
  • The Turner Book Collection.

The smaller room holds:
  • An international doll collection and Hummel collection belong to Deborah Goldthwaite, which was donated in the mid 1980s. 
  • Local artifacts concerning Major William Besse- Besse was a Swiss immigrant who arrived in the country with little to no money. He became associated with The Brass and spent the last of his 58 years working there. After WWI, he became known as “The Major” because he organized a Home Guard infantry of 210 rifles, 50 machine guns, and a hospital unit. Near the end of his life, the library  become one of his beneficiaries. Besse also donated much of his land to the town of Torrington for recreation, including Besse Pond and Besse Park.
  • Georgian-Period Coat
  • Tricorn Hat
  • Eliza Coe’s Steamer Trunk
  • Peter Pino's HMS Beagle wooden replica

Art Collection

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The Gleaners, 1861 by George Dunlap Leslie
  • The Gleaners, 1861, oil / George Dunlap Leslie (Ronda and Harold Burns Program Room)
  • Episodes in the Life of John Brown, 1937, pencil Sketch / Arthur Sinclair Covey (Large Print Room, First Floor)
  • Abraham Lincoln, Acrylic / Peter Pino (Ronda and Harold Burns Program Room)
  • Red in the Middle, hanging sculpture / Robert Butler (First Floor, Rotunda)
  • John Brown, oil / Newton Timothy Hartshorn (Ronda and Harold Burns Program Room 

Miscellaneous Items

  • Donor Plaques from the now-closed Beth El Synagogue (First Floor, Outside of Teen Room)
  • 1955 Floor panoramic and memorabilia documents (Second Floor, Hallway)
  • Tallcase Clock, Hopkins and Lewis / Litchfield, CT (Ronda and Harold Room Program Room Stairs)