On April 26, the College of the Environment hosted a discussion on “Middletown/Mattabesset and the Connecticut River: Past, Present and Future” in the Community Health Center in Middletown. Several Wesleyan staff and faculty attended, along with members of the Middletown community.Panelist Stephen Devoto, professor of biology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, is a community activist who is a member of the Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission.The panelists shared short vision statements on Middletown’s past, present and future and discussed what will and should the Middletown/Mettabesset look like in 50 years. Panelists welcomed questions and comments from the audience.William “Vijay” Pinch served as the moderator. Pinch is professor of history, chair and professor of environmental studies.Other panelists included Meg Walker, vice president of Project for Public Spaces in New York; Erik Hesselberg, president of the Middlesex County Historical Society; Lucianne Lavin, director of research and collections for the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, Conn. and John Hall, founder and director of the Jonah Center for Earth & Art in Middletown.Attendees continued their conversation at a reception following the event. (Photos by Richard Marinelli)
Olivia Drake
Mike Mavredakis
Ziba Kashef
Andrew Chatfield