Dedicated to saving Glastonbury’s historic past : Christine Ritok takes the reins of the Historical Society of Glastonbury
by Peter Marteka
Editor
New Historical Society of Glastonbury executive director Christine Ritok stands in front of the Museum on the Green. (Marteka)
“My father loved the humanities and history,” the West Hartford resident said. “I love working with objects. I love working with things. I love working with people...all history is local.”
Ritok takes over for Robert Laughlin and is a longtime museum professional with more than two decades of experience. The society notes she “brings an extensive background in museum curation, decorative arts, American material culture, and historical research to the Historical Society.”
Ritok will lead the society in advancing its mission to preserve and share the history of Glastonbury through its collections, exhibits, historic properties, educational programs, and community engagement. She will work closely with the board of directors, staff, volunteers, members, and community partners to build upon the society's longstanding commitment to connecting residents and visitors with Glastonbury's past.
“I look at places like this that have such wonderful programs and collections and one thing that has really drawn me to Glastonbury is the human capital. This organization has the amount of volunteers and programs...that’s really extraordinary. It’s rare to have so many people actively helping out,” she said.
Ritok holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Art History from Kalamazoo College and a Master of Arts degree in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from the Parsons School of Design/Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Institution. She has held curatorial positions at Historic Deerfield, the Museum of the City of New York, Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian National Design Museum, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
She began her tenure on Aug. 31. Her number one goal a few weeks into the job?
“I want to learn as much as I can from all of the people in this building. You have people who just know so much. I’m just going to be a sponge for as long as it takes...This could be a real nice fit for me. Consulting is great, but I was ready for a long-term relationship. I’m hoping to be here for a very long time,” she said.
Her scholarship has focused in part on the material culture and craftsmanship of early New England. Together with her research partner, Kevin G. Ferrigno, Ritok leads a long-term study of Hartford County cabinetmakers during the Federal period. Their work has been the subject of numerous public programs and articles.
“Every town I’ve worked in has a deep history,” she said. “I want to grow the back end of the business. You have to think about it from a business perspective and think about the long-term viability of the organization...lots of people love old stuff and history is also happening right now.”
In addition to her curatorial and scholarly work, Ritok is chair of the American Painting, Sculpture and Furniture Vetting Committee for TEFAF New York. She is also a member of the Ellsworth Memorial Association Collections Committee and an active member of numerous professional organizations devoted to curatorial practice and the study and collecting of Americana.
“Christine brings an extraordinary combination of museum experience, scholarly knowledge, and enthusiasm for the material culture and history of our region,” said Barbara Theurkauf, president of the historical society’s board of directors. “Her deep understanding of early American decorative arts and her extensive experience working with museum collections will be tremendous assets to the historical society. We are delighted to welcome her and look forward to her leadership as we continue to preserve, interpret, and share Glastonbury's rich history.”
Ritok said she is “looking forward to working with the board, volunteers, members, and the community to build upon the society's important work.” She noted she is “especially excited about the opportunity to connect people with the objects, stories, and places that make Glastonbury's history so distinctive.”
“There are complicated problems when you start adding old houses and neighbors. It’s a very different set of challenges and I like that a lot. I find a lot of the problems are solvable with the right approach,” she said.
Glastonbury holds the second-highest concentration of genuine 18th century and colonial-era homes in the United States, second only to Marblehead, Massachusetts
“This is a special town in terms of how old the buildings are. You have a lot of history here. It’s really refreshing to see so many 18th century houses...Glastonbury has lots of historical resources just around the structures.”
The biggest issue facing historical societies? The technological component of how historical societies manage their data.
“I think that’s a challenge all museums are facing,” she said. “How do you store data? How do you manage data? What happens if someone pushes the wrong button? Trying to plan how you use your digital content is a challenge for everyone.” GL