August 23, 1996

The defeat in Tuesday’s referendum of a proposal to spend $840,000 renovating Town Hall South has left town officials scrambling to decide what should be done with the deteriorating building and the staff that works there. Seven percent of the town’s 11,767 registered voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s referendum, defeating the proposed expenditure by a vote of 537 to 307.

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Taunton Hill residents living in the area proposed for the 15-lot Wedgewood residential subdivision have told Planning and Zoning Commission members they strongly oppose the development because it would overcrowd the area, jeopardize existing well supplies, cause drainage problems, and create added traffic hazards. The site proposed for development is on the east side of Taunton Hill Road, just west of Cannon Drive.

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It’s possible that construction of water mains could begin as early as next spring to alleviate groundwater contamination problems in the Appleblossom and Cedar Hill Road areas, according to Newtown Health District Director Mark A.R. Cooper. Fifty property owners attended an informational meeting in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall last week hosted by the State Department of Environmental Protection. The project, Cooper told the group, needs to first be approved by the State Bond Commission.

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The Legislative Council has decided to eliminate nearly all of the $9,000 payment in lieu of taxes that had been assessed against Nunnawauk Meadows for the past five years. Acting on the recommendation of its finance committee, which met Monday night, the council voted Thursday to reduce the assessment against the 120-apartment complex on Nunnawauk Road from $75 per unit per year to $1 per unit per year.

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ON THE ROAD… WITH SHANNON HICKS: Went to the Meadows last week to see another great concert. Hootie and the Blowfish, you may recall, was the first band to perform at the Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford when it opened last July. They rocked the house then, and they did it again last Wednesday night. The guys played just about everything off their first album, Cracked Rear View, and much from their new one, Fairweather Johnson. That album has a lot of good material on it, and it really sounds great live.

August 27, 1971

The boys who caddy all summer at the Newtown Country Club had a tournament of their own on Monday, August 23. Ron Coleman was low net winner, and Kip Bowers was second low net winner. Kevin Cragin was low gross winner, and Joe Gallo was low gross runner-up. Also competing were Phillip Bell, Richard Blood, Kevin Booker, Kip Bowers, Tom Bresson, Ron Coleman, Joe Fico, Larry Gallo, Pat Quigg, Scott Rogers, Dave Severs, Mike Sikorski, Dave Tilly, and Steve Wehmeyer.

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Twelve volunteers from Newtown Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 responded to a call for a car fire on Route I-84 at 7 am August 26. According to Chief Lee Glover, the car was completely involved by the time the men arrived at the scene. The fire started with a deflated tire which had been run a distance, and friction caused the tire to overheat and set the car on fire. It was reported to be a total loss. Responding were Engine No. 1 with Tom Anderson and Llew Rowe with Engine 11 with George Mayer and Richard Liska. Chief Glover was in charge of the call.

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Because windy days are approaching, Dan Lee, who is collecting papers for recycling, has asked the people on his route to please tie their bundles of paper from now on so that they will not be blown around.

August 23, 1946

State Highway Commissioner William J. Cox has announced the beginning on Monday of this week in the Danbury-Bethel-Newtown area of a traffic origin and destination survey which is part of a statewide study. The survey will continue through August 27 unless weather conditions necessitate extending the time. Results of the survey will serve as a basis for planning the development of Routes U.S. 6 and U.S. 7 in this area, with the possibility of relocating these routes through Danbury and U.S. 6 toward Southbury.

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A sizeable crowd attended on Wednesday evening the opening of the Pohtatuck Grange Carnival, being held on the Grand grounds in Sandy Hook. A goodly supply of hamburgers, hot dogs and soft drinks were sold by “Jay” Drew and Frank Leaver. Freddy Hamilton proved to be a popular man with the younger folks, in taking charge of the pony rides around the grounds. Both the penny pitch and Hoop-La attracted the crowd, and the nylon, grocery, and bingo booths were kept busy dealing out the many worthwhile prizes to those who were lucky in winning. The carnival will continue each evening through Saturday, August 24th, with round and square dancing in the Grange Hall. Come and enjoy the fun!

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During the next few weeks the Cyrenius H. Booth Library will display a joint exhibit of paintings by Mrs Stockton Mulford, a talented resident of Sandy Hook, and photography by Carl Berberick. Mrs Mulford’s canvasses were painted last March when she visited the west coast of Florida.

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Mrs Edward Knapp and Mrs Bert Dean attended the baptismal ceremonies in New York City, Sunday, performed for their young nephew, Gordon Brown, Jr., son of Mr and Mrs Gordon Brown, of New York City.

August 26, 1921

EDITOR SMITH HONORED (from The New Haven Times-Leader): Editor Allison P. Smith, of The Newtown Bee, one of the best known and respected members of the press of Connecticut, has been appointed a trustee of the Middletown State Hospital to succeed Mackenzie of Bethel, resigned. The appointment was made by Lieut Gov Templeton of Waterbury, acting governor during the absence of Gov Lake, and it has the full approval of the governor. Mr Smith is particularly well qualified for this public service and the state is honored by his acceptance of the trust.

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Pootatuck Grange held its regular meeting, Tuesday night, with the following interesting lecturer’s [sic] program: Recitation, Mrs Austin B. Blackman; Vocal Quartet Selection, H.N. Tieman Sr, Raymond L. Hall, Mrs A.B. Blackman, Miss Isabelle Tiemann; Report of the New England Lecturer’s Conference, Mrs Wallace N., Mitchell; Reading, Paul Cavanaugh; Reading from Kipling, “How the Rinocerous Got His Skin,” Miss Anna May Betts; Original Poem, C.M. Beresford; Informal Talk, Rev J.L. Lasher. Brother O. Howard Hall presented to the Grange a new flag staff for the national colors.

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The Development Company have sold 600 lots in Paradise Lane and no end of discussion is taking place by the new-comers over names of lake and roads. The deeds and records call the road, “Great Quarter road,” while large signs are displayed terming it “Paradise Lane.” The new lake is more often spoken of as Lake Zoar, which is indeed most appropriate, as old Zoar bridge was well known and before the dam was built the school and church were always spoken of as Zoar church and Zoar school. Lake Humphrey’s however is favored by some but the people have not been able to find out who the originator of the name is.

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Mr and Mrs A.J. Smith and sons, Paul and Earle Smith, were guests, Sunday, of Mr and Mrs F.B. Hubbell of Westport.

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Mrs W.A. Canfield and Miss Pearl Canfield returned on Saturday from Beacon, N.Y., where they passed a few days with Mrs Lilian Jaynes.

August 28, 1896

Mrs Martin Hook has entertained quite a number of relatives from New York for the past three weeks, who have enjoyed the breezes of Toddy Hill.

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Saturday’s excursion to Glen Island, given by the Consolidated road, was patronized by about 40 from Newtown, while many more went from Hawleyville. Those who went were enthusiastic over the trip and would like to see the excursion repeated.

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The friends of E.L. Goodsell are pained to learn of his serious illness with a complication of diseases. A counsel of doctors was had on his case on Friday last.

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James B. Beers of Brooklyn, during his stay here, last week, called on his school children of former years, Mr and Mrs Charles Henry Peck. He enjoyed very much Mr Peck’s large collection of relics.

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The first annual fair of the Newtown Agricultural Association, to occur on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, September 29 and 30 and October 1—promises to be a booming success. The first premium list of the first annual fair, a business-like pamphlet of 60 pages, is being distributed, and those who wish to obtain a copy can do so on application to Secretary Beers.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.