Avon Talks

Jim Pabich, Terri Wilson

Join new host Jim Pabich as he sits down with members from all corners  of the Avon community every month to discuss Avon, Connecticut's history, landmarks, and current events, brought to you by the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon.

  1. JAN 10

    A Tradition of Service: UNICO and Italian-American Life in Avon

    Avon Talks shines a light on one of Avon’s most active and community-minded organizations: the UNICO Italian American Club. UNICO has a long tradition of service, fellowship, and pride in Italian-American heritage, and the Avon chapter is no exception. From scholarships and charitable giving to local events that bring people together, UNICO plays a meaningful role in the life of our town. Today I’m joined by the chapter’s officers, who will share the history behind the organization, the work they do here in the Farmington Valley, and how they continue to keep Italian culture and community service thriving in Avon.  Be sure to follow Avon Talks by subscribing! Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    50 min

  2. 12/08/2025

    Avon In The Days of COVID

    Welcome to Avon Talks, I’m your host Jim Pabich. William Faulkner once said “The past is never dead, It’s not even past”….. When we look at recent events we have the benefit of both having lived through them as well as the capability of looking at them through the objective eyes of the future. Today, we’re joined by Avon resident Professor Stephan Bullard, a respected scholar whose book “Covid 19: The First Six Months” traces the daily advances and setbacks as they happened.  In this conversation, he brings a clear, grounded perspective on how the crisis unfolded in places like Avon, how it reshaped life across the country, and what its ripple effects look like around the world.  Whether you lived through it on the front lines or felt its weight in quieter ways, Professor Bullard helps us understand what truly happened, what we learned, and how those lessons continue to shape our future. Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    42 min

  3. 11/04/2025

    "Avon Connecticut's First Century" Historian and Author Scott Lewis

    The return of AVON TALKS podcast! Step back in time to discover what life was like during Avon’s earliest days. I'm your new host Jim Pabich and my guest is local historian and author Scott Lewis, whose new book Avon Connecticut's First Century, Visionaries and Victims takes readers through the town’s formative years — a period filled with a mix of ambition, hardship, and transformation. Scott’s stories bring to life the local families who laid the foundation for the town we know today and the national figures who crossed their paths. We’ll talk about what inspired him to write this history, the surprising discoveries he made along the way, and why understanding Avon’s past helps us appreciate the community we live in now. Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    39 min

  4. 12/10/2024

    Avon Volunteer Fire Department with Bruce Appell and James DiPace

    In 1736, Benjamin Franklin founded the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia. This would be the first volunteer fire department of its kind in the United States and laid the foundations for a tradition that continues to be practiced throughout many American towns today. Avon is one such town. The Avon Volunteer Fire Department, with its four stations and almost two-hundred staff, is a completely volunteer-based organization that has been serving the town’s needs for over half-a-century. Joining us for this episode to discuss the history and development of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department are fire chief Bruce Appell and board member James DiPace. Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    39 min

  5. 10/01/2024

    Avon Little League with Bill Severni, David Jadovich, and Kevin Reichler

    Baseball has long been known as America’s favorite pastime. Coincidentally, for many, it also happened to be the only pastime. That was certainly the case for many of those growing up in Avon in the 1950s. With relatively few means of interaction with kids outside any given neighborhood and no formally organized activities, most children in this period resorted to baseball to pass the time. For this episode, we’re joined by Bill Severni, David Jadovich, and Kevin Reichler as they discuss the pivotal role the sport played in the town as it grew from backyard pick-up games to the formally organized community event that it is today through the evolution of the Avon Little League. Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    37 min

  6. 08/21/2024

    The Flood of 1955 with Janet Carville

    In August of 1955, Connecticut was hit by one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s modern history. Over the course of one week, two hurricanes – Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Diane – collectively dropped more than two feet of water and raised the Farmington River by over eighteen inches. These two storms, and the subsequent Flood of 1955 that resulted, ended up causing over 680 million dollars worth of damage across the Eastern Seaboard, with 350 million dollars of that being dealt to Connecticut alone. In response to these damages, Governor Ribicoff declared a state of emergency, requested federal assistance from President Eisenhower, and activated the state’s National Guard. By the end of the Flood of 1955, 87 Connecticut residents had perished, 668 dwellings were destroyed, and over 200 dams suffered partial or total failure.  Avon, located adjacent to the Farmington River, was not able to escape the impact of the hurricane, suffering extreme damage to its public infrastructure, farms, and houses. For this episode, we are joined by Janet Carville of The Pickin' Patch Farm who, being a lifelong resident of Avon, was able to experience the Flood of 1955 first-hand.  Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    31 min

  7. 07/16/2024

    Avon Print Media with Bruce Deckert

    In the 15th century, Johannes Guttenburg introduced the printing press to Europe, which not only defined print media’s dominant role for centuries to come, but also fundamentally altered the social, political, and religious structure of the Western World. However, since the turn of the 20th century, the media landscape has, once again, begun to rapidly evolve with the advent of radio, video broadcasting, and, eventually, the internet. This revolutionary change would not escape Avon. Joining us to discuss the rapidly transforming landscape of print publishing and media digitization in Avon and the Farmington Valley is Bruce Deckert, the founder and editor-in-chief of Today Publishing. Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    34 min

  8. 06/17/2024

    Farmington Valley Arts Center with Carol Kaplan and Melissa Meredith

    Following victory in World War II, the United States was forced to navigate a precarious transition period as it welcomed its millions of veterans back into society. To accommodate many of these returning soldiers and the subsequent Baby Boom that followed, developers across the country found success in creating standardized suburban housing and lifestyles that heralded an extreme period of national uniformity in the 1950s. However, American life would not stay stagnant for long. By the 1960s, the Hippie Movement fought against this uniformity for an era of creative expression and individualism, amongst other goals, like never before. Avon would feel the results of these efforts as it welcomed the Farmington Valley Art Center in 1974. Joining us to discuss the visionary history of this center and its impact on Avon and Valley life are Carol Kaplan, the current Executive Director of the center, and Melissa Meredith, a current member of the board of directors.  Avon Talks is available on: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Podcast Index Amazon Music Avon Talks is a monthly podcast about Avon, CT's history, landmarks, and current events from the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon. It is hosted by Ethan Guo, an Avon Resident and current undergraduate student at Tufts University. Find more Avon Talks info on https://avontalks.buzzsprout.com Have any questions, concerns, or comments? Reach out to: avontalksahs@gmail.com Want to learn more about the Avon Historical Society? Visit www.avonhistoricalsociety.org

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Join new host Jim Pabich as he sits down with members from all corners  of the Avon community every month to discuss Avon, Connecticut's history, landmarks, and current events, brought to you by the Avon Historical Society and Town of Avon.

Information

  • Creator
    Jim Pabich, Terri Wilson
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Avon Talks
  • Show Website
    Avon Talks