Professor John Burton Hotchkiss

First Deaf Professor at Gallaudet University

John Burton Hotchkiss was born August 22, 1845 in Seymour and grew up on this street. Hotchkiss was hearing until Scarlet Fever deafened him at 11 years old. When he was admitted to the ...

James Holsey Whitcomb

Short-lived Silhouettist

James Holsey Whitcomb traveled from Hancock, New Hampshire to enroll at the American School for the Deaf in 1822. Reverend Thomas Gallaudet wrote a short description of each of the pupils from New Hampshire that received ...

George Washington Lamb and Maria Bailey

Cabinetmaker

Maria Bailey and her sister Harriet were amongst the first students to attend the American School for the Deaf when it opened in 1817.  Even though they were already adults, at 20 and 18 years old respectively, they left ...

The Dillingham Siblings

Deaf Matrons and Teachers

Abigail Dillingham enrolled at the American School for the Deaf (ASD) as part of the first class in 1817. She was already 31 years old when she started school and graduated in 1821. ...

Julia Brace

Education for Those who were Deaf and Blind

Born into a poor family living in Newington, Julia Brace (1807-1884)became the first deaf and blind person to receive an education in America. Her life paved the way for other blind-deaf children ...

John Brewster, Jr.

Artist and Student Later in Life

Dr. John Brewster Senior formerly attended this church lead by Reverend James Cogswell. Cogswell’s son would go on to found the American School for the Deaf and Brewster’s son visited this area. The original ...

Gilbert Family of Hebron

Deaf with Support, but not Education

There had been many families with deaf children long before Alice Cogswell and the formation of the American School for the Deaf. Educational opportunities for these children were limited, but with strong family support ...

Camp Isola Bella

Summer Camp for the Deaf Community

Since 1962, Camp Isola Bella has been home to the American School for the Deaf’s summer camp. Today the camp continues to welcome deaf children and hearing children with deaf family members.

In ...

The Advanced Redoubt

The Advanced Redoubt of Fort Barrancas was built between 1845 and 1870 as part of a defensive network for the Pensacola Navy Yard. Forts Pickens, McRee, and Barrancas protected the entrance to the harbor; the Advanced Redoubt was constructed to ...

Barlow Summit

Ascending from the White River, the emigrants turned up Barlow Creek to try to drive on as far as the base of Barlow Road. The forest was dense. Nowhere could the starving livestock find fodder. Repeatedly the emigrants tried to ...