The Roman Catholic nationality Parishes of Meriden, Connecticut served their respective immigrant populations in assimilating and Americanizing throughout the course of their development, starting in the early nineteenth through to mid-twentieth century. The development of each parish allowed immigrants to create their own support network, practice their unique cultural and religious beliefs, distinguish themselves from other immigrant groups, and ultimately assimilate into one community. By forming into seven different parishes, combined with an overall reduction in religious participation across modern American society, church resources have been stretched. As a result, the nationality parishes have recently been shut down or combined with other parishes by the Archdiocese of Hartford to conserve resources and to minister to the current needs of the communities where they exist. For many Catholics in the Archdiocese, this has been a difficult transition, as they have had to move away from their traditional church buildings and specific customs. This thesis combines a study of the secondary literature on nationality parish formation across the Northeastern United States with a study of parish histories, local histories, demographic and material studies to create a narrative of the formation of the Roman Catholic nationality parishes in Meriden. This thesis contends that the nationality parishes no longer fill a once necessary function, and in order for the church to meet the needs of its communicants, it must reform. Understanding the origins of the parishes in Meriden and their intended purpose could shed light on the necessary but uncomfortable transition, as well as assist the church throughout the state and region in meeting the needs of its newest, non-European, immigrant members.

In 1882, the Roman Catholic priest in Lakeville, Connecticut, erected a 12 foot crucifix on the lawn of his parish church. The following summer, the local Protestants, offended by this structure, petitinoed him to remove it. His parishioners retaliated by boycotting the Protestant merchants, and the merchants called upon the local iron magnate to fire all his Catholic workers. It happened that the local iron magnate was also Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and one of the leaders of the irate Protestants was a fomer Governor of Connecticut. Predictably, the story did not end there.

Local historian Peter C. Vermilyea tells stories of some forgotten moments in Litchfield County, CT from Native American legends to Cold War relics. Traces of Litchfield County's past are hidden in plain sight. Vestiges of long-abandoned railroad tracks crisscross the county while a decaying and unmarked cinder block structure in Warren is all that remains of a cornerstone of national defense. All but forgotten today, a fire roared through Winsted in 1908, causing residents to flee their rooms at the Odd Fellows boardinghouse. In Bantam, art deco chairs made by the Warren McArthur Corporation prompted the War Department to order bomber seats from the company during World War II. Author Peter C. Vermilyea explores these and other obscure tales from the history of Litchfield County, Connecticut.