As a historian, Richard Franklin Donohue presents historical programs throughout the region.  Please scroll down to review his offerings and upcoming presentations.    Fees vary depending on the specific program and distance travelled.  Mr. Donohue writes an article on Cromwell history called Rosetown Review which appears monthly in the Cromwell Life newspaper.  Links to past installments may be found on this page.  

This program begins with Gregorian chant from the 10th century and closes with music from the height of the Victorian era.  Mr. Donohue accompanies himself with several musical instruments including a medieval hand drum, baroque recorders, and a spinet harpsichord.  Each carol is introduced and explained and a printed program with translations is provided to the hosting organization for distribution to the audience.  

Cantica Nativitatis was presented in 2022 in the following places:

Covenant Living, Cromwell, Connecticut ~ Granby Public Library, Granby, Connecticut ~ Hall Memorial Library, Ellington, Connecticut ~  Manchester Public Library, Manchester, Connecticut ~  Chester Public Library, Chester, Connecticut ~Palmer House, Stonington, Connecticut ~ Naugatuck Historical Society, Naugatuck, Connecticut ~ Creamery Brook, Brooklyn, Connecticut ~

2023 Dates:

Friday, November 10, 2023 at 7:30 - Canterbury Historical Society

Monday, December 4, 2023 - Private Event at Addison Place, Glastonbury

Thursday, December 14, 2023 - Private event at Ashlar Village, Wallingford

Friday, December 15, 2023 - Private Event at the Hearth of Glastonbury



The World War One Memorials of Connecticut

This program has been presented throughout Connecticut in the following venues:

Cromwell Historical Society ~ Berlin Historical Society ~ East Lyme Historical Society ~ Andover Public Library ~ Branford Historical Society ~ Bridgewater Public Library ~ Covenant Living of Cromwell ~ Derby Historical Society ~ Derby Public Library ~ East Hartford Public Library ~ Ellington Public Library ~ Essex Meadows ~ Glastonbury Historical Society ~ Goshen Public Library ~ Manchester Public Library ~ Mansfield Public Library ~ Norwalk Historical Society - Southington Historical Society ~ Pomperaug Woods (Southbury) ~ Lutheran Home (Southbury) ~ Watermark East Hill ~ The Village at South Farms, Middletown ~ Granby Public Library ~ Evergreen Woods, North Branford ~ Salmon Brook Historical Society ~ Creamery Brook, Brooklyn ~ Atria, Waterford ~             The Hearth at Glastonbury ~ Old Lyme Historical Society ~ 

Upcoming Dates:

Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 1:00 - Naugatuck Historical Society - Naugatuck, Connecticut

Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 6:00 - Westbrook Historical Society - Westbrook, Connecticut

Monday, November 20, 2023 - Private event at Addison Place, Glastonbury


The Town of iron toys:

the mechanical banks of the J.&E. Stevens Company


The Town of Iron Toys has been presented throughout the region in the following venues: Cromwell Historical Society ~ Covenant Living of Cromwell ~ Village at South Farms. Middletown ~Atria, Stamford~ Evergreen Woods, North Branford~ Village Gate of Farmington~ River Valley Retirement, Trumbull ~  Willington Historical Society ~ Crescent Point, Niantic ~ Woodbury Public Library ~ Stratford Public Library ~ Manchester Public Library ~ Creamery Brook, Brooklyn ~ Rockville Public Library ~ Granby Public Library  ~Slater Library, Jewett City ~ Canterbury Historical Society ~ Masonicare at Ashlar Village, Wallingford ~ Kent Historical Society ~ Richard Storrs Library, Long Meadow, MA ~ South Hadley Public Library ~ Old Lyme Historical Society ~ Andover Public Library~ Granville Public Library, Granville, MA ~ Simsbury Public Library ~ Addison Place, Glastonbury ~ East Hampton Historical Society ~ Enfield Public Library ~ East Lyme Historical Society ~ East Providence Public Library ~ Derby Public Library ~ Newtown Historical Society ~ 

 Upcoming Dates: 



Topics in Cromwell History

Survey Of Cromwell History done in a FAQ fashion 

 Cromwell and the Civil War

 Hallowed Ground- A virtual tour of Cromwell’s Historic Hillside Cemetery with biographies

 Building Cromwell:  a virtual house tour based on a soon to be completed audio tour

 Rosetown Review: a collection of Historic stories

What's In A Name: The origin of the name Cromwell


ROsetown Review

Monthly articles published in the Cromwell Life

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINKS TO READ THE FOLLOWING ROSETOWN REVIEWS:

AN EPIDEMIC OF IMPORTANCE: THE SPANISH INFLUENZA IN CROMWELL

IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO WENT FORTH: CROMWELL'S WORLD WAR MEMORIAL

THE ROSETOWN: CROMWELL'S SCENTS OF PLACE

MISS PIERSON'S FIGHT FOR SUFFRAGE

THE SAGE MYSTERY: CROMWELL'S TALE OF INTERNATIONAL INFAMY

PATRIOT'S CORNER ON STOCKING'S TRIANGLE

THE WOMEN'S RELIEF CORPS HOME

A GENTLEMAN SAILOR WITH A MIND TO MAKE HIS FORTUNE

THE EDUCATION OF WILLIAM REDFIELD

BUILDING CROMWELL: THE ITALIANATES OF MAIN STREET 

SUCH OBJECTS OF BENEVOLENCE: THE LADIES SEWING SOCIETY OF NORTHWEST CROMWELL

LAYING THE CORNERSTONE: THE ZEBULON CROCKER BUILDINGS

THE TOWN OF IRON TOYS: THE MECHANICAL BANKS OF THE J & E STEVENS COMPANY

BECAUSE THEY PREACHED HELL SO MUCH: THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN CROMWELL

A PARISH BY AND OF THEMSELVES: CROMWELL'S COMMUNITY OF FAITH

A SENSE OF PLACE: GOODRICH HEIGHTS

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE: CROMWELL HIGH SCHOOL

CAPTAIN ABIJAH SAVAGE: CINCINNATUS OF THE UPPER HOUSES

THE BARBER AND THE BLIND TIGER

RATHER PIRATICAL: THE DEVIL'S BLOWHOLE

THE SCHOOLBOY & THE SOLDIER

HAL MCINTYRE: THE CROMWELL BOY WITH BIGTIME TALENT

THE QUARRY HOLE: THE PUTRID PAST OF PIERSON PARK

HALLOWED GROUND: THE CEMETERIES OF HILLSIDE ROAD

BULKLEY EDWARDS: THE ULTIMATE CROMWELLIAN

A SENSE OF PLACE: WHERE THE STREETS HAVE OLD NAMES

A MOST BEAUTIFUL PROSPECT

FOR THE MATERIAL AND MORAL BENEFIT OF THE TOWN

HALLOWED GROUND: THE OLD BURYING GROUND

FROM SAIL TO STEAM: THE GOLDEN AGE OF RAILROAD IN CROMWELL