C. L. Pendleton 1893

Tenant post card early 20th century

Veterans Memorial Park is located where the Post House was built in the 1790’s by Joel Jones. A store stood to the north until the 1930’s when the Post House was moved to Norfolk, Connecticut and the store was torn down. Joel Jones was a wealthy merchant, farmer, and slave owner. Major Charles Post bought the house in 1832 and employed 11-year-old Lucy Peters, a free African American, as domestic help in the 1850’s.

In the 1870’s, the Government of China sent over 140 students who traveled on the newly opened Transcontinental Railroad to New England to learn about western technology. Hebron hosted the largest number of Chinese students of any rural town in Connecticut. Four students lived here, Chen Qian Sheng, Lu Xigui, Cheng Daye, and Huang Wei Cheng. They learned English from their host Miss Mary Jane Post and attended school in Hebron Center. At first, Hebron children made fun of the Chinese students because they were so different. This soon changed when it was discovered that these 4 boys had a hidden talent –baseball. Attitudes toward these foreigners changed rapidly as competing baseball teams tried to get each of the students on their winning side! Eventually all of the Chinese students were recalled to China where they took part in modernizing the country. Today they are revered in China as heroes of the first Chinese students to study abroad.

Think about it

Why do people seem to notice differences between people rather than similarities?

How would you feel if you were one of these boys growing up in a place hundreds of miles away from your family?

Where to go next

Walk down Route 85 toward the United Brethren Synagogue.

Meet Your Neighbors QR Tours funded by the Hebron Greater Together Community Fund in conjunction with the Hebron Historical Society