ANNOUNCING THE CLASS OF 2026
The Meriden Hall of Fame is proud to announce our class of 2026 inductees:
Gary “Tex” Burt, in the category of Community Service Justin Piccirillo, in the category of Literature Michael Roberts, in the category of Sports Ashbil Griswold, in the category of Historic Persons
Join us for the 2026 Induction Ceremony on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 2:00pm at the Meriden Public Library. The event is free and open to the public.
Inductees
Featured Inductee
Maria Louise Sanford (Historic Persons)
1836 – 1920Maria Louise Sanford was born December 19, 1836, in Saybrook, and her family moved to Meriden shortly after her birth. She spent most of her formative childhood and adolescent years in Meriden, studying in common schools until age fourteen and finishing with three terms at the privately-funded Meriden Academy. After graduating from the New Britain Normal School (now Central Connecticut State University) in 1855, Sanford taught in Connecticut schools until 1868. She moved...
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U.S. POSTAL SERVICE STAMPS HONORING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Rosa Ponselle
Inducted: 1977 | Stamp released: 1997
Thomas Anthony "Tomie" dePaola
Inducted: 1985 | Stamp released: 2023
2023 U.S. Postal Service stamp honoring 1985 inductee Thomas Anthony “Tomie” dePaola and his Caldecott Medal–winning children’s book Strega Nona.
