Long-time Ridgefield resident Sylvia Pinchbeck Sturges has recently donated a beautifully restored antique sleigh to Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center (KTM&HC).
“My father used to hitch up the horses and we’d take a ride in the sleigh down Main Street as children,” remembers Mrs. Sturges fondly. “The sleigh has been in my family as long as I can remember. It is based on a Russian design and was produced as early as 1882 in Canada. It’s been meticulously restored and repainted by Amish experts in Pennsylvania and has been kept in my basement as a collector’s item ever since.”
“We’re thrilled to receive this beautiful sleigh,” says Hilary Micalizzi, KTM&HC board president. “The sleigh will be part of our permanent collection. Horse-drawn sleighs were used for winter transportation in the late 19th century, including guests arriving and departing from the Resseguie Hotel. The sleigh will be on display for seasonal and thematic exhibitions and programs, such as this week’s Polar Express family program.”
More information about Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center, including tour hours, can be found at keelertavernmuseum.org.
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