Nora Oakes Howard, grew up in Avon and is the historian of the Town of Avon and historian of the Avon Congregational Church.

She holds an M.A. in American Studies from George Washington University, and a B.A. in American Studies from Hampshire College. She has documented garden history for the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens, and been executive director of the historical societies of Avon and of Wethersfield. Her writings on Wethersfield have won awards from the Association for State and Local History, and the Connecticut League of Historical Societies.