‘Factory Life’ lecture set for Oct. 3

TORRINGTON — The Torrington Historical Society will host a free program on Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. in the Carriage House Gallery of the Torrington Historical Society, 192 Main St. The featured speaker will be Todd M. Bryda, who will present “Factory Life during the Gilded Age.” This presentation is one of several programs sponsored by the Torrington Chapter of UNICO National. Admission is free; donations are welcome.

“Factory Life during the Gilded Age” will look at the nation as a whole and in doing so; will shed light on what life was like for residents of Torrington and other factory towns during the late 19th and early 20th century. Torrington, a town with a rich industrial history, was home to numerous factories and most residents of the town were employed in those factories.

Bryda’s program will address such topics as immigration, nativism, populism, the role of progressive reformers of the era, and entrepreneurs of the period. Prof. Bryda’s program will help the audience better understand the realities of industrial and postindustrial cities like Torrington.

Bryda is a full-time history professor at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, where he has been teaching since 1999. Prior to that, he taught at several other schools including Southern Vermont College in Bennington. Professor Bryda received his M.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

For information about the Torrington Historical Society, visit www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org.