Carl Lounsbury, an expert on ecclesiastical architecture, visited the Nine Partners Meeting House in Millbrook on Sunday, July 27, to talk about the history of the uniquely symmetrical building.
MILLBROOK — The plain but imposing red brick Nine Partners Quaker Meetinghouse was the subject of a detailed exposition by a noted architectural historian during a talk sponsored by the Millbrook Historical Society on Sunday, July 27, the second of two such sponsored talks this summer.
The presentation drew an audience of 70 to hear ecclesiastical architecture expert Carl Lounsbury, professor of history at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, who also serves on the board of Colonial Williamsburg. The College of William and Mary is the second oldest college in the U.S., predated only by Harvard University.
The Nine Partners meetinghouse was completed in 1781 at a total cost of a bit more than 800 pounds. As it stands today, it is well maintained but largely unchanged, serving as one of the earliest examples of interior and exterior symmetry in a Quaker meetinghouse in the Huson Valley.
During welcoming remarks, Millbrook Historical Society President Robert McHugh noted that the summer series of two meeting house talks and open houses has been supported by a grant from Dutchess County.
The principal focus of Lounsbury’s talk was the plan for any standard Quaker meetinghouse building and how the plan reflects changes in Quaker philosophy as the structures evolved over time. The earliest examples of Quaker meetinghouses of the 1600s and 1700s are preserved in England as the Quakers distanced themselves from the Church of England. Quaker migration to the New World brought early colonial Quaker structures in the early U.S. colonies of Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, New Jersey and Rhode Island.
Separation of men and women for worship and business meetings was universal in every meetinghouse. Men participated in the business meetings. In time, women began to hold business meetings, but at first, they were little more than gatherings, with no business conducted, Lounsbury explained. Women’s business meetings were infrequent and brief, and not always at the meetinghouse.
Future generations saw an expanded role of women who engaged in more substantive business meetings and took a leadership role in the women’s suffrage and antislavery movements of the 1800s.
Audience questions followed the talk, including inquiry into meetinghouse locations. Lounsbury said that Quakers were active in areas where the Church of England was not strong. Also, disaffected Puritans might turn to Quakerism.
For those who want to take a closer look at the interior of the Nine Partners Meeting House, McHugh announced that the historic site will be open through the summer until November on the first Sunday of each month, from noon to 4 p.m. Docent-led tours are also scheduled for the same days and hours at four other Dutchess County Quaker meetinghouses. For more details, go to www.meetinghousetour.com.
Groundbreaking of the new pool planned for Eddie Collins Park is now scheduled to begin in 2026 after the Village of Millerton's 175th anniversary celebration next summer.
MILLERTON – During her mayor’s update at the Tuesday, July 29, trustees meeting, a visibly dejected Mayor Najdek shared a significant delay in the timeline for the community park project — specifically the long-awaited swimming pool.
“I’m sure you’ve all seen that construction has not started,” she began. After meeting recently with project engineers, Najdek said she was told that construction would not be feasible before April 2026.
“With that in mind, it was my recommendation that we wait until after the 175th celebration so that we actually have a physical place to host it,” she said. Najdek, who has championed the park project for years, acknowledged the frustration and added, “It will never be ready in time for our celebration regardless of how hard we push any permitting agencies, so we’ll be waiting on that.” The celebration of the Village’s anniversary is scheduled to take place from July 11-19, 2026.
Originally slated to begin this past spring, construction of the park has now been pushed back more than a year, largely due to a slow permitting process related to wetlands on the property, according to Najdek. Roughly a month ago, she warned of potential delays, though at the time, there was hope the setback would be measured in months — not a full year.
Najdek did not elaborate on the reason for the year-long delay during the meeting, but in July she noted that both the Dutchess County Board of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation were still reviewing the project in connection to septic system placement and wetland buffer regulations.
July 25 — Deputies arrested Vicente A. Mejia, age 48, for Felony Driving While Intoxicated subsequent to a traffic stop on Route 55 in the Town of Dover. The subject is to appear in the Town of Dover Court at a later date.
July 26 — Deputies responded to Fairway Drive in the Town of Pawling for a mother-son domestic dispute. Matter resolved without further police intervention.
July 28 — Deputies report the arrest of Abigail C. Sprague (36) for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the third degree subsequent to a traffic stop in the Dover. Subject to appear in the Town of Dover Court at a later date
July 30 — Deputies report the arrest of Elizabeth J. Meuller, age 71, for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the third degree subsequent to a traffic stop in the Town of Pawling. Subject to appear in the Town of Pawling Court at a later date.
July 30 — Deputies responded to 7 Fish St. in Millerton for a father/daughter domestic dispute. Matter resolved without further police intervention.
PLEASE NOTE: All subjects arrested and charged are alleged to have committed the crime and are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are to appear in local courts later.
If you have any information relative to the aforementioned criminal cases, or any other suspected criminal activity please contact the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 845 605 CLUE (2583) or Email dcsotips@gmail.com. All information will be kept confidential.
LITCHFIELD — John Richard (Jr.) Krupinski, of Winsted, Connecticut passed away on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at Hartford Hospital.
Born on Jan. 13, 1948, in Torrington, Connecticut he was the son of John Joseph Krupinski and Eleanor (Kavesky) Krupinski. John grew up in Litchfield, Connecticut and graduated from Litchfield High School in 1967. While still in high school, John was a member of the Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department.
John joined the Air Force in 1968 and was honorably discharged in 1972 as a Sargent. John went on to work for the State of Alaska with the Department of Fish and Game as well as being an Alaska State Trooper. Upon returning to Connecticut John worked for the State of Connecticut as a Deputy Warden for the Forestry Department.
John loved the outdoors, was an avid fly fisherman and from a young age enjoyed tying his own flies. John was known as the best fly tier in Northwest Connecticut. John also competed in Archery, receiving numerous trophies.
John is survived by his daughter, Cheryl L. Bentley, sister, Karen J. Krupinski, and brother, Thomas J. Krupinski. John was preceded in death by his parents, John and Eleanor Krupinski, his wife, Margery Hull Krupinski, and their beloved pets.
Calling hours will be held at Thurston Rowe Funeral Home, 283 Torrington Road, in Litchfield, on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. A funeral service with Military Honors will be held at Hillside Cemetery, 76 Walnut Street, in Torrington, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025 at 12:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Farmington River Anglers Association, Housatonic Fly Fisherman’s Association or Trout Unlimited, Northwest Connecticut Chapter.
To send the family online condolences kindly visit www.thurstonrowefuneralhome.com
