Local History Collection
The Local History Collection of the Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library is a non-circulating collection comprised of books, photographs, documents, ephemera, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and art work.
Available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 -4:00. Appointments preferred.
The mission of the Local History Collection of the Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library is to document the history of the library, the local area, and the people who live here with documents, photographs, and books.
To search the local history collection in the library catalog type “HC Stony Creek” into the keyword search.
If interested in donating, please refer to our donation policy.
Follow us on Instagram @wwmlibrary to see photographs from our collection.
The Collection is currently closed to the public. Please email cwrightsman@branford-ct.gov or librarystaff@branford-ct.gov with any questions.
Brief Descriptions of Collections
Avery, E.P. – E.P. Avery and his wife, Freddie, lived on Prospect Hill from the 1930s to the 1970s. Avery built wooden boats and duck decoys. The collection includes photographs of his work and related business papers as well as information about the Thimble Islands Literary and Sailing Society.
Hill Family – In 1955 Lester Hill built a steamship, the Zephyr, in his yard in Stony Creek. His father, Charles, had been skipper of the Margaret, a Thimble Islands ferry. The collection contains newspaper articles about the Zephyr and photographs of the Margaret along with other family photographs.
Photographs
Volume 1: Scenes
Volume 2: People – Groups, 1880-1900
Volume 3: People – Groups, 1900-1980; Individuals, 1890-1980
Volume 4: Buildings – Homes, ca. 1889-1980
Volume 5: Buildings, ca. 1889-1981
Volume 6: Buildings – Commercial Structures, 1890-1980; Panorama, ca. 1900-1981
Volume 7: Buildings – hotels, ca. 1890-1981; Railway and Trolleys. ca. 1874-1938
Volume 8: Thimble Islands, ca. 1880-1930
Volume 9: Boats and Water views, ca. 1889-1980
Volume 10: Quarries, ca. 1870-1910
Volume 11: Quarries, ca. 1870-1910
Volume 12: Hurricane of ‘38
Volume 13: Snapshot Series, ca. 1920-1980
Volume 14: Slides, ca. 1955-1980
Postcards
Volume 1: Views and Buildings, ca. 1904-1960
Volume 2: Thimble Islands and other towns, ca. 1904-1960
Stony Creek Association / Women’s Civic Improvement Association (predecessor organization)
The collection contains by-laws, meeting minutes, and other papers of the Association.
Subject Files
This collection includes donated materials and newspaper and magazine articles collected by the library over the years .
Architecture
Bank
Boats
Branford
Businesses
Cemetery
Census
Churches
COVID19
Dock
Events
Fife and Drum Corps
Fire Company
Half Hour Reading Club
Historic District
History – Stony Creek and Local Area
Hurricane ‘38
Images in Advertising
Land Trust
Leatherman
Long Island Sound
Maps
Museum
National Register
News (“Stony Creek” columns)
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Persons / People [files about specific individuals]
Prospect Hill Association
Quarries [also see WWML Exhibits]
Granite
Memorials
Quarries
Workers
Roads
Schools
Theater
Parish Players
Post Road Players
Quarry Players
Macri-Weil Sicilian Puppet Theatre
Puppet House
Thimble Islands
Transportation
Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library - The Library papers document the staff and structure of the library when it opened in 1958. Later librarians cut out newspaper articles to document library events. Documentation about the 2003 expansion and renovation are also included.
Woodring Family – Bill and Kay Woodring, originally from Pennsylvania, both won National Riflery Championships. They moved to Linden Point Road in Stony Creek in the 1930s. Bill worked for over 30 years at the Winchester-Western Company, a gun manufacturer, in New Haven. The collection contains materials about their families and schooling in Pennsylvania as well as riflery competitions and their Stony Creek life of boating and fishing.
Digital Collection
The Library offers a wide variety of free e-books, audiobooks, magazines and movies.
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If you have any questions we are here to help.
203-488-8702 librarystaff@branford-ct.gov
Museum Passes
The library offers passes to local museums and parks. These passes are paid for by the Friends of Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library. Library patrons may check out two separate passes at one time. Passes may not be reserved. They are available on a first come, first serve basis, circulate for 2 days, and must be returned to WWML. Overdue fines for passes are $5.00 a day. Passes may be returned in the outdoor bookdrop in the envelope provided.
Beardsley Zoo
$10.00 admission per person, adult or child,
limit up to 6 guests each day
READ MORE
Florence Griswold Museum
pass admits 2 adults and 2 children
under 12 into the museum
READ MORE
Mark Twain House & Museum
buy 1 adult admission, get 1 adult OR
2 children for no charge
READ MORE
Mystic Seaport
50% off admission for 2 adults and 3 children
READ MORE
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Nature Center pass is for one family
(2 adults and children under 18)
READ MORE
Children’s Museum of Southeastern CT
pass admits up to 4 people at half price
READ MORE
Hill-Stead Museum
pass admits 1 adult and 2 children (under 18)
READ MORE
Mashantucket Pequot Museum
$5.00 off regular admissions
for 2 adults and 2 youth (max. 4)
READ MORE
New Britain Museum of American Art
free admission for any 4 people
(one adult must accompany
children under 16)
READ MORE
Stepping Stone Museum for Children
pass for one free admission
with the purchase of one admission
(maximum 3 free admissions
per pass, per day)
Connecticut State Park Pass
pass waives entrance fees for buildings
or museums for 2 adults and 4 children.
Parking is free for CT residents.
READ MORE
Shoreline Trolley Museum
50% off admission for up to 6 individuals
READ MORE
Wadsworth Atheneum
Museum of Art free admission
for 2 adults (age 18 and up).
Free for ages 17 and younger
Buy one, get one free film admission
READ MORE
Passport Services
Appointments:
The Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library offers passport acceptance service, by appointment only. Our passport agents can accept your documentation for a NEW U.S. passport. (Form DS-11)
Renewals must be done by mail if the passport expired within 15 years of issue date and if over 16 years old when obtained. (Form DS-82)
Please call with questions or to make a passport appointment: 203-488-8702. Appointments are made from 11:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Fees:
Adult Passport Book
$130.00
Minor Passport Book
$ 100.00
Adult Passport Card
$ 30.00
Minor Passport Card
$ 15.00
Expedite Fee
$ 60.00
Overnight Return
$ 19.35
Federally Mandated Processing Fee
$35.00 per application, cash preferred
Read the Passport Checklist HERE
Expedited Passport service at a U.S. Passport Center:
For an emergency or urgent international travel in 2-3 weeks call 1-877-487-2778 or visit www.travel.state.gov for an appointment. You will need an application, documentation and proof of international travel within the expedited guidelines. The CT Passport Agency is located at: 850 Canal Street, Stamford, CT 06902.
Passport forms are available at the library or to download on the State Department site.
Notary Services
The Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library provides notary service during most of the library open hours. The service is free for Branford residents. Call the library to make sure there is a notary public available: 203-488-8702. Photo identification required.
Shoutbomb
Text message notification
Shoutbomb is a text message notification service
Signing up is free. Standard text rates apply.
With Shoutbomb, you can receive text messages from the Library when:
Items you requested are ready for pickup
Items you borrowed are almost due
Items you borrowed are overdue
From your Shoutbomb account, you can text the Library to:
See what you have borrowed
Renew your items, even if overdue
Manage multiple library cards in one Shoutbomb account
How To Sign Up For Shoutbomb:
Text the word SIGNUP to (860)345-1307. You will receive a reply asking for your library card number.
Text your library card number (under the barcode). You will receive a confirmation text.
Fax/Scan/Copy services
The library offers FAX service during library hours.
The FAX number is 203-315-3347.
There is no charge for faxing.
The library has a scanner and photocopier for public use. There is no charge to scan to a patron flashdrive. Flashdrives are available for purchase for $5.00. Ten cents a copy for photocopies.
Computers/Printing
The library has 5 public computers with Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Publisher. Printing is ten cents a page. The computers are available on a first come, first serve basis. The staff reserves the right to end a computer session after an hour if there are others waiting.
Questions or Suggestions? Please call the library at 203-488-8702 or fill out the form below
