In an effort to boost membership and bring more town residents into the community of people who celebrate Waterford’s history, the town’s historical society is hosting a year-long celebration of the group’s 50th anniversary.

The historical society, which owns the 18th century Jordan Schoolhouse, the historic Beebe-Phillips House and an old blacksmith’s shop on the Jordan Green at Avery Lane and Rope Ferry Road, once had thousands of members.

Now, according to recently elected society president Kristen Widham, that number is down to about 100, but an effort is underway to bring Waterford’s history back into people’s lives.

The group hosted a candlelight tour of the Jordan Green buildings and a caroling last week, a sheep shearing demonstration earlier in October and a cleanup effort in the Jordan Schoolhouse in the spring.

Widham, whose parents were two of the founders of the historical society, said the group’s new leadership has focused on fixing up the Jordan Schoolhouse, cleaning its windows and putting electric candles in the windows.

“When we saw these building a year and a half ago, they were a mess,” she said, walking around the Jordan Schoolhouse last week. “They hadn’t been cleaned in 20 or 30 years.”

Now the schoolhouse and the other two historic buildings on the Jordan Green are a little brighter and a little less cluttered, and Widham wants more people to be able to visit them.

Widham and several other members of the society have started putting out a newsletter and planning events for 2017. They also bought a cell phone that interested visitors can call if they want a tour of one of the Jordan Green buildings.

On Feb. 2, the group will host a class with a local metal detector enthusiast for people who want to find historic artifacts or lost belongings made of metal. They’ll then send participants to an 18th century house foundation to put their detection skills to work.

Widham said the group is also exploring the possibility of clearing a walking trail through Waterford, and continue to add to a new website. It’s all in the interest of bringing people back into the historical society and teaching them about their town’s history.

“We’re stretched out,” Widham said. “But many hands make light work.”

To see a full schedule of upcoming events visit the Waterford Historical Society’s website at waterfordcthistoricalsociety.org or call (860) 389 7529.

m.shanahan@theday.com