Bev Garvan, one of our very dearest volunteers and friends, passed away last week. Her impact on the Windsor Historical Society cannot be understated. A lifelong Windsor resident, Bev loved this town and its history, and spent countless hours poring over her research.
In 1883, William F. Garvin left his home and family in Windsor and headed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, a young and rapidly growing frontier town. He faithfully wrote each week to his younger brother John. 130 years later, William’s grandniece Bev Garvan donated this collection of 300 letters to the Society. She has transcribed dozens of excerpts to illustrate some of the differences between life in Windsor and in the West.
Central Street is less than 500 feet long, much smaller looking in person than these photographs suggest. Despite its small size, over the years it has experienced many alterations, with only the Windsor train station [...]
Everyone pretends to be a wee bit Irish on March 17, but Windsor has a stronger connection to the Emerald Isle than one day of shamrocks and green attire. In fact, Irish immigrants flocked to Windsor during the 19th century looking for work and a safe place to raise their families. Twenty percent of Windsor’s population was first or second-generation Irish by 1860.