The chief item in the short meeting of the Legislative Council May 20 was the setting of the rate of 29.8 mills for 1976-77 based on the $10,746,384.63 budget approved the previous night. While no petitions had actually been received at the time, the council members knew that the budget approval would go to a referendum vote and their decision might have to be changed, and they went ahead with their charter-mandated duty which requires them to set a mill rate within five days of budget approval.

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 Attempted arson at the Sandy Hook Hotel shortly after midnight on Wednesday is being investigated by the police and fire marshal. According to the police, Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood reported to headquarters at 12:15 am that a fire had been started at the hotel. Police report that there was little damage because of a quick alarm turned in by an alert resident who noticed a flash from the hotel. A search of the building revealed two glass bottles and one metal container with gasoline in rooms on the lower floor. Gasoline soaked rags were also found in areas on the same floor. The fire was quickly contained and controlled by the volunteers from Sandy Hook and Newtown Hook and Ladder Company No. 1.

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The Big Brothers of Newtown have elected a new slate of officers to lead the organization into another busy year. President William Denlinger will be supported by vice president Henry Mahler, secretary Betty Gundersen, and treasurer John Wiggins.

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This year Newtown dogs will also get into the Bicentennial spirit by sporting Liberty Bell tags.

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The young, old and middle-aged; the baker, the lawyer and the artisan, they are all pitching in to help make Newtown’s salute to America a memorable occasion. The town’s Bicentennial Heritage Ball, which will take place on Saturday, May 29, from 9 pm–2 am, at Newtown High School, will feature a unique silent action. Included in the auction will be cartoons, oil, water and fabric paintings, collages, and graphics which have been donated by area artists, both professional and amateur.

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With the Heritage Ball coming up Saturday night, May 29, ladies in and around Newtown are now searching their closets for something suitable to wear for the event. Formal balls are always an occasion for people to step out from the day-to-day routine and into an uncommon setting of style and elegance. The Heritage Ball will undoubtably add to the significance of such affairs through its recognition of the Bicentennial. Not quite 200 years ago a young girl named Molly Waterbury selected a very becoming antique green satin brocade gown for a ball commemorating one of the most auspicious events in our nation’s history — the inauguration of George Washington. Mrs J. Edward Behre of Main Street still has the dress Molly Waterbury is believed to have worn to the event. Molly and her father, General David Waterbury, who served in Washington’s army, are ancestors of Mrs Behre, and the gown has been handed down to her through the Waterbury family, which has its roots in Stamford. The gown is surprisingly well preserved, despite its age, even though it has received no special treatment through the years.

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As an appropriate tribute to the nation’s 200th anniversary, the wagons will roll once more. The Bicentennial Wagon Trail Pilgrimage to Pennsylvania is a replay of history — in reverse. A train of covered wagons, one wagon for each state, will traverse the country west to east, adhering as closely as possible to wagon routes and historic trails. A trio of Newtowners, Mrs Vera Weeden of Pond Brook Road and her two children Tina and John, will form a part of the historic occasion. They will travel by box buggy back to the Cradle of Liberty.

 

JUNE 1, 1951

Showing of the US Government sponsored film, You Can Beat the A-Bomb, will feature the mass meeting for all Newtown residents called by the Newtown Civil Defense Advisory Council and to be held in Edmond Town Hall theater next Thursday night, June 7, at 8 o’clock.

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Measures were passed at last Friday night’s town meeting, held at the gymnasium of Edmond Town Hall, limiting the sale of fireworks in Newtown to the member fire companies of Newtown Fire Department. The meeting was well attended, particularly by local firemen. H.R. Geiger served as chairman, with Town Clerk May E. Sullivan as clerk. Two resolutions were presented, one by Walter L. Glover and the second by Albert Nichols, according to which provision was made for limiting the sale of fireworks in the future to the local fire department and establishing detailed regulations for their sale.

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Tryouts for Town Players summer production, Hutchinson Hey Day, an original operetta, book and lyrics by Eleanor Randall and Claire Randall Macgregor, music by Mrs Chauncy L. Williams, will be held this Sunday, June 3, at Mrs Randall’s residence on West Street starting at 4 o’clock.

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Rhoda Hopkins, daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Edwin Hopkins, Open Gate Farm, Hanover District, won the Connecticut State Women’s tennis crown at the New Haven Lawn Club, where she is a member, on Monday. She came out the victor over Kay Hubbell of Conway, N.J., 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.

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Because of the Korean War, there was a restrained public observance of Memorial Day on Wednesday in charge of the Charles Howard Peck Sr and Jr Post 308, Veterans of Foreign Wars, with units of the American Legion Raymond L. Pease Post 163, and the auxiliaries of both posts taking part. The parade from Edmond Town Hall to the monument at the head of Main Street was led by Comdr William Slocum and Past Comdr George A. Jackson of the VFW Post.

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In one of his recent visits to nearby towns, Frank Hamilton, representative for The Newtown Bee, discovered that William H. Salisbury of Middlebury was a carpenter who helped build the original part of The Bee structure back in 1903. Mr Salisbury, who is at present custodian of the Bradleyville school, Middlebury, and is some 71 years old, was in his early twenties when he worked on the building. He says he was employed by A.H. Wilson of Southbury, who was the contractor, and recalls that “Gus” Brink, Jack Pierce and another whose name he could not remember were in the crew. They drove over daily, coming by horse and wagon from Southbury over the old Bennett’s Bridge. On one of their return trips home they found the old wooden railroad bridge over the Shepaug River had burned out. The original building was completed in 1903 in three month’s time. Mr Salisbury’s wage was $2 for a 9½-hour day, six days a week.

MAY 28, 1926

Misses Marie and Edna Meyers of Dresden, Germany, arrived in Newtown on May 11. They are the daughters of the late L.O.P. Meyers, who at one time lived in Newtown, making his home at Grand Central Hotel. The Misses Meyers are making their home in Miss Mary Hawley’s house just south of the Newtown Inn annex so-called.

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Sam Nalven of Huntingtown has sold his store and property to Morris Canter of South Norwalk.

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Mrs R.H. Holcomb of Dayton Street, Sandy Hook, will give a silver tea, Wednesday afternoon, June 2, from 2 to 5 standard time, to raise money for a Sunday school flag for the Congregational Church school.

MAY 31, 1901

Fred Tripp captured what is known as a goslin turtle in Warner’s Pond, Tuesday, which weighed 32½ pounds.

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The 17th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, have just shipped a new flag to Barlow’s Knoll, Gettysburg, where it is kept flying the year round. Capt. A.W. Peck was a member of this regiment.

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James H. Lewis, the veteran horseman, and his son, are at the Fairgrounds with a string of eight horses, and are at work getting them ready for the fall races.

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E.T. Hook contemplates raising several acres of tobacco this season.

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Martin Lillis has sold his horse to Paul Morrow of Botsford.