Full Text:

Architectural Tour Set May 9

(with photos)

Hop on the bus May 9 and let Town Historian Dan Cruson guide you on an

Architectural Tour of Colonial Newtown, a fundraiser for the Cyrenius H. Booth

Library. Afterwards, enjoy a dessert while you meet local authors Mary

Mitchell and Al Goodrich who wrote, Touring Newtown's Past: The Settlement and

Architecture of an Old Connecticut Town, the guide from which the tour is

derived.

The 105 houses profiled in the book comprise four tours; Saturday's event will

follow a route that winds through 20 miles of back roads in the southeastern

part of town. Participants will view fine examples of early post-and-beam

houses along Orchard Hill and Huntington roads, then explore Hattertown's

Historic District including Hi Barlow and Aunt Park Lane. Mr Cruson's

narration will continue as the bus makes stops in front of homes along Hundred

Acres, Palestine, Boggs Hill, and Poverty Hollow, and other scenic roads in

that area.

This is the perfect time of year to view the homes, which are all close to the

road, because the foliage has not yet emerged to "hide that telltale central

chimney, the sweeping slope of a saltbox or some eccentric architectural

detail worthy of a second look," according to Mrs Mitchell, who has written

four similar guide books, including A Walk in Georgetown. She and Mr Goodrich

have collaborated once before, on Newtown Trails Book.

In conjunction with the tour, a photography exhibit featuring 20 homes

described in the book will be on display at the library starting Tuesday,

April 28. The town historian has provided a short text that details the

characteristics of these homes that date them to the Colonial period.

During the dessert reception, the authors will be available to sign copies of

their book. The sale of the book benefits the Newtown Historical Society.

Tickets for the tour are $15 and available at the adult circulation desk at

the library. Proceeds will be used by the library to purchase new material for

public circulation.

The tour, which leaves from the parking lot of the library, will begin at 10

am and run one to one and a half hours. If demand warrants it, a second tour

will be scheduled for 2 pm, preceded by the dessert reception.