By Jan Howard

In the early 1900s, Newtown was a popular resort for summer vacationers because of its rural character and the many inns that were located here. During the summer, numerous guests from the cities came to Newtown via four major railroads in addition to horse and carriage.

But once the automobile became affordable and popular in the 1920s, and day tripping became a leisure activity enjoyed by many, there was a need for places that would provide a good meal as well as occasional overnight accommodations.

Clarence and Eva Naramore opened the Sunset Tavern on November 1, 1929 on the corner of Currituck Road and Academy Lane to serve meals in addition to providing accommodations for overnight guests.

According to an account in that day's Newtown Bee, the 18th Century house, which was surrounded by stately shade trees, spacious lawns, and flower gardens, had been well known in Newtown as Sunset Cottage.

The paper noted that Mr and Mrs Naramore bought the house in 1927 and immediately started to restore it. "The original old oak floors and the fireplaces now present a very attractive appearance," the writer said.

Two enlarged enclosed sun porches had been added, one facing north and the other south. Each would be capable of seating about 30 people.

The paper said the specialties of the tavern would be chicken and steak dinners, with parties, banquets and luncheons by appointment. It could serve 250 diners at the same time. No alcoholic beverages were served.

Over 250 people were present for the opening of the tavern, as reported in the November 8 Bee, which said the house had been most artistically decorated with huge vases of yellow chrysanthemums, red berries, bittersweet and palms. A guest book for that evening at the Sunset Tavern is in the possession of the C.H. Booth Library in its genealogy room.

During the opening, guests were invited to inspect both floors of the tavern, which had been entirely redecorated. The house was steam heated with a new oil burner.

Sunset Tavern was described as a typical mid-18th Century colonial house with wide oak floors uncovered from numerous coats of paint, beautiful mantels, five large fireplaces and the original oak staircase tread.

"The remodeling preserved the old relics with which the house was filled. A huge Dutch oven adjoined the main fireplace in one of the reception rooms."

The first floor was furnished almost entirely in antiques, with Spanish fiddle back chairs, ladder back chairs, lounges, old mirrors, Currier & Ives prints, and bottle lamps and jars. Corner cupboards were filled with rare old pieces of chinaware.

The eight second-floor bedrooms were furnished with old maple and mahogany four-poster beds, chests of drawers, and bureaus. The windows were draped with attractive chintz hangings. All the rooms were described as large and airy.

A social hour was followed by refreshments, which consisted of chicken salad, vegetable aspic, rolls, coffee and cake. Dancing, with music by Speidel's Orchestra of Bridgeport, followed.

Among the guests were Miss Edith M. Peck, Mrs C.S. Camp, Mr and Mrs D.R. Zabriski, Margaret Treadwell of Hawleyville, Mr and Mrs Charles F. Cavanaugh, Mrs Sarah Mitchell, Paul V. Cavanaugh, F.A. Blackman, Mrs Lydia Glover, and many others from Newtown and elsewhere.

That original building had only eight rooms for overnight guests so Mr Naramore purchased and remodeled the house directly across Academy Lane and in 1938 opened it as an annex to the tavern. It made it possible for him to offer seven more guestrooms.

Originally, this house was a Cape Cod, but the roofline was later altered to saltbox lines.

On July 1, 1938, The Newtown Bee rinted photographs of the tavern and a short story about its ninth season under the management of Mrs Naramore. It was said the tavern was widely known for its delicious, home-cooked food. According to the newspaper, the tavern obtained its fresh vegetables, chickens and eggs from its own gardens and poultry farm.

The Naramores operated the Sunset Tavern until 1941 when it became a private residence. In October 1959, Mrs Naramore, then living in Danbury, sold the house, outbuildings, and 17 acres to John Andrasko of Newtown, a builder.

(Information for this story was found in the League of Women Voters Newtown Directions & Images and Dan Cruson's Images of America — Newtown.)