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In the largest purchase of land since 1981, a limited partnership has paid $1 million for the 149-acre Italian Community Center on Route 34 in Sandy Hook. The property, located south of Skidmore Lane, is zoned for one-acre and two-acre houses.

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Under a cloudless June 15 sky, Sherri Lynn Smith and Scott Lee Baggett exchanged wedding vows at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr and Mrs R Scudder Smith. The ceremony took place outdoors in a gazebo surrounded by gardens and a brook. The bride and her father, riding in a horse-drawn carriage, joined other members of the bridal party under a large tree at 12:30 pm.

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The food pantry is full, but takers are few, so the FAITH board of directors has decided to revise their strategy. The consensus was to keep the food pantry open and offer delivery service to shut-ins and elderly who are unable to drive to St John’s to pick up food. The board is also considering becoming a satellite for the Danbury food bank.

 

June 24, 1960

It was highly unlikely on Tuesday morning that any but the very youngest of Newtown’s recently counted 10,939 citizens were unaware of Floyd Patterson’s stunning and historic triumph the night before. Many had visited him at LaRonda to watch his training workouts. In spite of the fact that sportswriters’ datelines from LaRonda frequently deprived us of our second “w” and we emerged as Newton, it is certain that Newtown’s niche in boxing history, though, small, is now secure.

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The second annual Newtown Junior Rifle Championship Matches will be held on the Triangle Range, Currituck Road, on Wednesday, June 29, at 10 am. All Newtown residents who have not reached their 19th birthday are eligible to apply. The course of fire will be 40 shots at 50 yards, ten shots in each position: prone, kneeling, sitting, and standing.

* * *

Judge John F. Holian of the Newtown Town Court, who served for 14 years as chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, was the guest of honor at a testimonial dinner at the Hawley Manor Inn last Saturday evening, when over 100 friends met to pay tribute to his leadership and years of service.

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The Newtown Chamber of Commerce has announced that everything is now all set for the “Shop And Win In Newtown” events which will take place from July 4 through September 3. In next week’s Bee, a complete list of member stores participating in the campaign will be announced.

June 21, 1935

Gorham Bros circus passed through town, toward Danbury, early Thursday morning, with a caravan of about fifteen trucks and trailers all carrying California license plates.

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The Newtown Troop of Boy Scouts was represented by the Eagle patrol at the Camporee at Seaside Park, Bridgeport, last week and won second place in the Rural district. It was a great event and will go down in history. Some of the local Scouts found the sun a bit too strong at time and suffered from sun burn, but that failed to mar the good time.

* * *

On Monday evening, or during the early hours of Thursday morning, an unsuccessful attempt was made to burglarize the office of Dr Maurice D. Corrigan, located in the home of Mr and Mrs A.E. Brinton on Main street. Dr Corrigan discovered that a small flat file had been used in an attempt to open a drawer in his cabinet in which a vial of gold was kept.

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The Hawleyville Fire Company recently reorganized, has started a drive for funds to erect a new firehouse. This response has been most generous and the residents of the Hawleyville section have promised to lend every support to this new movement. Forty members have already paid dues to the new company. Most of them are young men who are working hard to make the fire company an active one.

 

June 24, 1910

The Zoar school, taught by Miss Ella Lillis, closed on Friday, June 17, with pleasing exercises. The schoolroom was decorated with bunting, flags, and flowers and presented an inviting appearance in its holiday attire. After the exercises the children were treated to fruit and candy and the teacher announced that through the kindness of Attorney C.G. Morris, 12 quarts of ice cream were ready to be served.

* * *

Mrs H. Sharp is making extended improvements on her place at Mt Pleasant by moving the barn to the rear and will soon erect a summer house in its place. Taylor & Buckingham are doing the work.

* * *

The big stove which ornaments the Brick store and makes the store a place of comfort in the Zero weather, has disappeared, but in its place has appeared an orangeade outfit and a supply of bottled temperance beverages so dear to the appetite of the me and the ladies, too.

* * *

A pall was thrown over the village of Sandy Hook, Saturday, when it became generally known that Miss Anna Matilda Ottesen, a girl of 18 years of age, had disappeared from her home with Mrs Ruth Augur. She was last seen going by the café of A.J. Gallagher at the New England depot. Sunday morning, Rep H.H. Curtis conferred with Selectman Blackman about the matter and offered a reward of $25 for the recovery of the body. On Sunday morning, H.H. Curtis, Gustave Betts, John Sanford, Charles Tilson and others repaired to the river, and securing long ice hooks, commenced a search. Mr Curtis finally located the body and it was brought to the surface. Matilda was a girl of strong moral character and was possessed of a cheerful and jovial disposition. She came to the home of Mrs Betts when she was 13 years of age. In March of this year she went to Mrs Ruth Auger’s to make her home. Only the Thursday before her death Principal Cook asked her how she was getting on. She answered, “Much better,” and did not appear depressed. Friends interested, recently noticing that she was somewhat melancholy, had taken her to an out of town specialist for treatment.