Aliyya Swaby Photo
Greenberg.
Robert Greenberg gave New Haven a unique birthday present — a permanent installation showing off his extensive collection of artifacts documenting the city’s history and present.
Greenberg was one of three sets of artists who unveiled commemorative installations at Wednesday afternoon’s celebration of New Haven’s 378th birthday in the City Hall atrium, among live music, theatrical performances, and speeches of recognition.
Greenberg, a local artist with strong family ties to the city, curated and digitized images of 203 artifacts in New Haven pop culture, now arranged in an extensive collage-mural on the ground floor of 200 Orange St.
The installation was inspired by his two grandfathers — Simon Evans, a local collector, historian, and antique dealer, and Joe Greenberg, who starting ACME Moving Storage Company in 1912 in New Haven. Robert Greenberg works with his father now to continue the moving company at 33 Crown St. offices.
What many might not know is that the building doubles as a museum. The company acquired furniture and larger objects from businesses that went defunct and Greenberg saved them at 33 Crown.
Since then, he has gone searching for and received donations of smaller artifacts that symbolize the city’s history, including a photo of Winchester Arms Factor workers, a photo of the famous Franklin elm tree planted in 1799, relics from his favorite pizza places Sally’s and Pepe’s, and many photos of items manufactured locally, included a hair dryer and a New Haven clock.
Feiner.
He also included modern New Haven in the collage, including a photo of a Devil’s Gear Bike Shop memorabilia, which he shared with the store’s founder Matt Feiner.
All of the photos are replicas of the originals or photos of actual artifacts — all of which he owns, not to sell but to share with the community.
“Young people need to understand the amazing events in New Haven,” he said. “I will have built a museum that will live beyond me.”
Harp.
Mayor Toni Harp thanked Andy Wolf, the event’s organizer, who last year had civic organizations sponsor two apple trees and three magnolia trees on Church and Orange Street, each representing a century of the city’s history. The trees were in full bloom Wednesday, she said, “which symbolizes a city also in bloom.”
Harp also recognized four New Haven innovators and events. She thanked ACES/ECA CEO Tom Danehy for fighting to turn the historic John Slade Ely House into a home for its visual arts program.
“Grace Ely is smiling down upon us this afternoon,” she said, referencing the last resident of the house, who created a trust to run the home as an arts center.
Jaye Bailey, Dennis Papazian, Julia McNamara, Tom Denahy, Roslyn Hamilton.
Harp also referenced the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1841 decision to free Sierra Leone captives who revolted on a slave ship and were taken prisoner in New Haven. The decision hit its 175th anniversary in March. New Haven’s Amistad Committee helped to prepare the defense for the escaped enslaved people.
The committee’s vice president Roslyn Hamilton read aloud a letter from President Barack Obama commemorating the decision. The acquittal of the captives “gave voice to the abolitionist movement,” she read.
Southern Connecticut State University President Mary Papazian and Albertus Magnus President Julia McNamara also received accolades Wednesday for their work leading major universities in the city.
City Bench-made benches out of the Lincoln Tree.
Also revealed at the celebration were two benches City Bench artists Ted Esselstyn, Zeb Esselstyn and Ben Komola made from remnants of the New Haven Green’s “Lincoln” tree, knocked down by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 to reveal buried human skeletons. And in the Board of Alders chambers hangs a painted map of New Haven’s nine squares, surrounded by representations of its important landmarks.
Greenberg said he is taking donations and visitors to his informal museum at 33 Crown St. Contact him at rsgreenberg@earthlink.net.