“The Hatting Industry in Danbury, CT” delves into the establishment, growth, development, and eventual decline of this once-formidable industry in Danbury, CT. Join us as we discuss the industry, the people, and the place that made hatting synonymous with Danbury, CT.

Bio: 

Brigid Guertin has worked for 26  years to promote an appreciation of Danbury’s past as a key tool to providing context to understand Danbury’s present, and help our Danbury community plan for a better future. Working with outstanding volunteers, staff, and two museum boards, Brigid and her team of history enthusiasts have expanded the physical, online, and programmatic reach of the Danbury Museum from 5000 persons impacted to 25,000 plus persons impacted yearly by the Danbury Museum –  both on and off campus.  Additionally, the Danbury Museum’s online reach has expanded to include 125,000 interactions monthly across vibrant social media platforms, used for communication and educational purposes.

A museum professional since 1999, Brigid has an MA in Museum Studies from The George Washington University, and an undergraduate BA degree in History from Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY.  Married to husband Gary for 21 years and with three teenage boys, (ages 19, 17 and 15) Brigid is an active member of the Danbury community. Brigid, is a sustaining member of the Danbury Garden Club and she is a corporator of Ives Bank of Danbury, a member of the FCI Danbury Community Outreach committee, a board member of the Friends of the Danbury Museum, was a decade long Junior Achievement volunteer, is a member of St. Joseph Church in Danbury, was an appointed member of the Danbury Board of Education, was a member of the Planning of Conservation and Development Committee for the City of Danbury (POCD committee), and currently sits on numerous city based committees as part of her work with the Danbury Museum and as Danbury’s City Historian.