Town Historian Leads Tour On Lure And Lore

Of Sandy Hook Center

By Andrew Gorosko

Although the day was cool and wet, the inclement weather did not deter about 20 residents who gathered in Sandy Hook Center last Sunday afternoon, for a guided tour of the area by Town Historian Daniel Cruson.

Mr Cruson is the author of the 1997 book Newtown, and the 2002 book Newtown 1900–1960. He also wrote the 1995 volume Newtown’s Slaves: A Case Study in Early Connecticut Rural Black History.

Mr Cruson, a raconteur, described the past of Sandy Hook Center, which largely grew due to its proximity to the Pootatuck River, a swift moving stream that afforded early riverside mills the water power required for their work. A grist mill that was built along the river in 1712 was in use until 1845, he said.

The availability of water power made Sandy Hook Center a hotbed of local water-powered industry in an era before electricity was used as a power source. Among that water-driven industry was hat making, an enterprise that flourished when hats were widely worn.

The walking tour began at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Church Hill Road, a landscaped corner that overlooks the northward-flowing Pootatuck River on its way to the Housatonic River.

Mr Cruson described Sandy Hook Center’s topography, explaining how the lay of the land affected the course of the area’s history.

The historian explained the relationship between Sandy Hook and the larger Newtown.

“Sandy Hook was always a separate village, but it was part of Newtown, as it is today,” he said. Although it was a section of the municipality named Newtown, Sandy Hook in the past had an identity separate from the larger Newtown, as it does today, he added.

Wearing parkas and rain hats, and holding skyward broad umbrellas, the walkers followed as Mr Cruson led them up, down, and across the streets of Sandy Hook Center. They stopped at several spots where the historian spoke.

At one point, the group stopped in front of the Sandy Hook Diner on Church Hill Road, where Mr Cruson described various events that have occurred along the section of Church Hill Road lying between the Pootatuck River and Dayton Street. His running commentary touched on the social, cultural, and industrial history of the area.

One stop on the tour was the front stoop of the Red Brick General Store, a commercial property on Glen Road, where the wet walkers ducked under the cover of a projecting roof as Mr Cruson described the landmark structure’s significance.

The building was constructed in 1857 by William Glover. The structure replaced an earlier wooden building on the site. The store contains elaborate moldings and counters, unlike modern stores, which are notable for the simplicity of their interiors. The building was used as a store until the mid 1990s.

Another stop brought the walkers to the lawn at 1 Riverside Road, an elegant red brick building that is now used as office space. The building sits on a rise on the corner of Riverside Road and Glen Road, providing a commanding view of Sandy Hook Center.

Roads in the area served as important thoroughfares during the American Revolution, providing soldiers with avenues for their military transit, Mr Cruson explained.

The historic terrain that the tour participants trod last Sunday is up for some physical changes.

The town is planning for the physical revitalization of Sandy Hook Center, including sections of Church Hill Road, Washington Avenue, Riverside Road, and Glen Road. The multiphased project is intended to economically stimulate the area. Known as the Sandy Hook Center Streetscape Project, the overall program is estimated to cost $1.25 million for physical improvements along sections of the four streets. Work will include the installation of new sidewalks, curbing, decorative street lighting, and crosswalks, plus landscaping elements. The project is intended to improve pedestrian mobility and safety, as well as improve the area’s appearance and functioning.