Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago — July 1923

Mr. and Mrs. George Belcher, Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Day motored to Torrington Sunday.

On Thursday of this week a babies’ convention will be held at the Casino with Miss St. James in charge.

ORE HILL — A dance was held at the new house on the Bartle place last Friday evening. Messrs. Robert Garrison and Ray McNeil furnished banjo and violin music for the occasion which all enjoyed.

Mrs. Robert A. Garrison of Ore Hill is driving an Overland car, the gift from her husband.

Mrs. W.K. Wildes,  Mrs. Southerland and Miss Griggs returned Friday from a week’s motor tour to Maine. Roland Beers drove the car during the trip.

50 years ago — July 1973

The Tri-state area may be happily insulated from some of the problems besetting America, but the nationwide surge in food prices this week made itself acutely felt here too. Sharp price increases, both wholesale and retail, have hit the area since President Nixon lifted the food price freeze, effective Monday.

Bingham Pond, an isolated 84-acre northern spruce bog at an altitude of nearly 1900 feet on Mount Riga in Salisbury, has been selected for inclusion in the National Registry of Natural Landmarks, according to an announcement by the office of Rep. Ella T. Grasso.

Land records of Litchfield County accumulated over the past 27 years were destroyed last week when fire swept through the Winsted offices of Charles P. Hurley and Son of Canaan and Twin Lakes. Mr. Hurley, a civil engineer and surveyor, said that the papers dealt with surveying and that no other copies existed.

Earth movers this week began leveling the dirt around the edges of the never-filled dry lake off Reservoir Road in Lakeville so as to reduce the eyesore. George Dyke, the present owner of the property, explained that the objective is to re-create the old meadow and that there is no thought of reviving the original plans for a lake. The 35-acre tract had been excavated by the McTerry Corporation for a lake in connection with the Tokone Hills subdivision. Subsequently the firm went bankrupt and the lake was never completed although dirt had been pushed into berms around the edges.

Described by fire officials as the worst fire in eight years in Torrington, the Gavlick Machine Corp. and the Connecticut Warehouse were completely destroyed by fire Friday evening. Departments from 20 communities surrounding Torrington were called to assist city firemen, and 26 pieces of equipment were used to battle the fire.

Change has come to yet another Canaan business. It was announced this week that Morris Bartot of Norwalk has purchased Kauttu’s Drug Store on Main Street. Carl Kauttu, who has operated the business since Dec. 1, 1941 when he purchased it from Freeman Dempsey, said that the business has had only four owners since it was established in 1843.

25 years ago — July 1998

Sharon Hospital employees have achieved a breakthrough in their efforts to stand up for themselves. Connecticut Health Care Associates filed petitions Wednesday morning with the National Labor Relations Board for the creation of three collective bargaining units within Sharon Hospital’s staff, according to president Mary Lou Millar.

Stock from the Mary Del Farm on Amenia Union Road in Sharon found the electric fence malfunctioning after a storm the night before and took a little wander Tuesday morning. Farmer Philip Grindrod lured the animals back into the pasture with a tempting bucket of grain.

It has been more than four years since the town of Falls Village took possession of the Alston property on Sand Road. Now it appears progress will be made in transferring the land from town ownership to Habitat for Humanity, and removing the current derelict abodes that are on the property.

These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.