October 21, 1988

Edward Richardson, a volunteer conservationist, visited Newtown last week, and to his surprise, found the state’s biggest American Ash tree near the corner of Borough Lane and Queen Street. Mr Richardson measured the tree with some difficulty, scrambling over stonewalls, skirting poison ivy and thorn bushes. He recorded the tree’s 20’ 10’’ circumference. He posted 58’ as the tree’s height. Using a giant tape, he measured the tree’s spread and came up with 94 feet.

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That Floyd Nash sure can grow pumpkins. This year, he said he only planted three pumpkin seeds. And up from the ground sprang a 130-pound pumpkin, a 90-pound pumpkin, and quite a few smaller ones. The 130-pounder, by the way, isn’t a record for Mr Nash, who lives at the corner of Queen and Elizabeth Streets. Once, he grew a 146-pound pumpkin.

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Jean B. Klein, Reading Consultant for the Sandy Hook School, was honored recently at the New England Reading Association’s Conference in Portland, Maine. Mrs Klein received the Special Recognition Award for the State of Connecticut. Each year the New England Reading Association awards this plaque to an outstanding person in each of the six New England states for their contributions in the field of reading and language arts.

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The Newtown Lady Indians upped their record to 10-0 last week with thrilling victories over Brookfield, in a game right out of a Hollywood screenplay, and against a state ranked team from Torrington. The proud girls soccer team, minus one of their star players, April Ertl, will face only a few more tests before season’s end.

October 25, 1963

Beautiful planting around the Newtown High School won for the Garden Club of Newtown the coveted Certificate for Civic Achievement at the annual meeting of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc, on Wednesday, October 16, at the Longshore Club Park at Westport. The local garden club was one of only two to receive this award, out of nearly 200 garden clubs in the state.

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On Friday, October 18, the Student Council held its annual High School Awards Assembly. The assembly was conducted by Principal Joseph A. Ozanne with the help of Mrs DeVeber and Margitta Nagy. The purpose was to award scholastic letters to those students having acquired a 90 average or better for a final yearly grade in a subject. A total of 136 awards were given out.

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Over 200 people enjoyed dancing to the music of Joey Zelte’s Orchestra at the annual Scholarship Ball held last Saturday in the Edmond Town Hall Gymnasium. The Scholarship Board is pleased with the fine support received again this year and expects a net of $1,000 to start the fund for the coming year.

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The Parents’ Guild of St Rose School recently launched a physical education program for the children of St Rose School. The Guild is happy to announce that the services of Coach Harold S. DeGroat have been obtained as director of the program. To finance this undertaking the parents are sponsoring “The Harvest Moon Dance” on November 23 at the K of C Hall. Tickets are $5 a couple.

October 21, 1938

The Northeastern Well Drilling company of Botsford have just completed the drilling of a most unusual well for Dr Frank Turchik near Stevenson Dam. At about 200 feet they tapped a vein of water and for three days it acted like a gusher, throwing water four feet over the casing at the top of the well. It is thought that the vein led from an underground reservoir in the hills east of Dr Turchik’s place.

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A lack of understanding or a misunderstanding of the purpose of the white lines on State highways is apparent from the various inquiries received in the office of the State Highway Department. Solid traffic lines are placed on hills and curves with the theory that at no time should the vehicle cross the solid line. On the straight-away the broken line is placed simply as a guide for the motorist as to the approximate center of the highway, also for the convenience in night driving as well as in fog. The crossing of the broken line is permissible when traffic conditions warrant same.

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NEWTOWN Authentic Connecticut Salt Box Type House In good sound condition. Retains all of its original features, including 4 fireplaces, Dutch oven, wide board floors, etc. One practically new dairy barn, hand hewn frame barn, 133 acres, more or less, divided into meadow, orchard, pasture and woodlands. Spring, brook, elevation, views. Located on improved country road, accessible year around. A real investment. $10,000.

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Queen Street’s veteran gardener, “Chief” McKenzie, found time on Tuesday between his duties over Trinity’s annual turkey supper, to pick a few strawberries from his garden. He declined to state, however, whether strawberry shortcake would be served at the supper.

 

October 24, 1913

James Nichols captured one of the largest fish of the season at Taunton Lake, one day this week, when he landed a five and one-half pound bass. It was a handsome specimen and measured about 20 inches in length. Walter Nichols, who accompanied him, caught a pickerel that weighed 4½ pounds and one that weighed 3½ pounds.

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The bridge over the Housatonic river at Sandy Hook is closed for repairs, and automobile travel between Danbury and Waterbury is therefore made difficult because of the long hilly detour to Bennett’s Bridge. The road from the Housatonic river to Waterbury has been greatly improved this summer, a wide state road taking the place of a narrow and sandy road immediately east of the Housatonic. This completes the state road from the river to the Oak Tree Inn at the foot of Southbury Main Street.

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The farm of Mrs J.A. DeVies on Mt Pleasant has been purchased by Mr Mortimer Smith of Stamford. Mr Smith expects to make very extensive improvements on the property during the coming year. A large addition will be built on the west side of the homestead immediately and the bungalow near the lake will be entirely rebuilt and greatly enlarged in the near future.

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Dr C.H. Peck and Borough Warden Charles G. Peck will give a prize of $25 to the person having the best looking grounds about their residence in the Borough of Newtown during 1914. This is a worthy offer and should stimulate effort to keep the lawns clean and attractive. There are fine opportunities for landscape gardening in and about the properties in Newtown Street.