East Windsor Hill Theological Seminary, the founding institution that is now Hartford Seminary, was located in South Windsor from 1834 to 1865. The Wood Memorial Library in South Windsor is conducting a series of three lectures, a walking tour and a gallery exhibit to explore the insitution’s controversial beginnings and its influence on the town. Three Hartford seminary professors will participate in the series.

In the opening lecture on Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Prof. Steven Blackburn will talk about “Founding and Early Years at East Windsor Hill.” He will cover the “hows” and “whys” of the East Windsor Hill Theological Seminary’s founding, its choice of location, and details of student life on “The Hill.” He wil also discuss the institution’s manual labor philosophy, its impact on the town, its position in relation to other seminary of the day and the reasons for its move to Hartford.

In the second lecture on Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m., Prof. Yahya Michot wil tackle “Islam and the USA: The Relevance of Duncan Black Macdonald’s Approach.” Prof. Michot will talk about one of the seminary’s most well-known professors, a specialist in Islamic thought who taught at the seminary for 40 years. He once wrote to one of his students: “How many people in this country know anything really about Islam? Your job all your life will be to tell people things about Islam.”

In the third lecture on Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m., Prof. Timur Yuskaev and Marwa Aly will talk about “Muslims in American Public Life – Post 9/11.” The two will share a presentation and a dialogue about Muslim philosophy and life today.

On Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m., architectural historian Rachel D. Carley will lead participants on an informal walking tour of upper Main Street to learn stories behind the Greek Revival houses built for faculty beginning in the 1830s. The tour, which will cover other architectural highlights as well as the Institute’s burial grounds, will conclude at the former president’s home.