In 2005–––

Group Anticipates Newtown’s Tercentennial Celebration

By Jan Howard

Thirteen residents and town officials gathered July 14 to take the first steps toward a celebration of Newtown’s 300th anniversary year beginning in January 2005.

The actual transaction of Newtown’s purchase took place on the banks of the Housatonic River on July 25, 1705. However, in 1750, the calendar was reformed and the date became August 5, Town Clerk Cindy Simon said.

The committee will meet again the first week in August on a date to be announced to establish a tercentennial logo and discuss a letter that would be mailed out to town clubs and organizations seeking participation in planning the historic event. Another meeting is set for September 3 at 3:30 in the meeting room of the C.H. Booth Library when it is expected a chairman would be named.

Residents interested in getting involved with planning for the tercentennial should contact Ms Simon.

Ms Simon and Town Historian Dan Cruson led the July 14 session in discussing possible events, large and small, that would highlight the proposed yearlong celebration, fundraising ideas, and possible committee assignments.

In attendance, in addition to Ms Simon and Mr Cruson, were Gordon Williams of the Newtown Historical Society; Scudder Smith, publisher of The Newtown Bee; First Selectman Herb Rosenthal; C.H. Booth Library Director Janet Woycik; Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian; Wesley Gillingham of the Newtown Forest Association; Mae Schmidle, former town clerk and state representative; State Rep Julia Wasserman; Jennifer Johnson and Brigette Sorenson, newly appointed to the ad hoc committee for a cultural arts commission; and photographer Claudio Basso.

“After inviting people and soliciting information from other towns, I realized it is quite a big thing to be alive at this time,” Ms Simon said. “There are opportunities here to do anything we want. We want to catch as many people and organizations to be involved.

Mr Cruson said he would like to see a series of events throughout 2005. “I see the parade that year dedicated to the 300th.”

Among events suggested for the celebration, in addition to the annual Labor Day parade, were a colonial ball, fireworks, picnic, and concerts.

Mr Cruson said he sees the yearlong celebration as starting slowly in January 2005 and building to a series of events around August 5. “The idea is to maintain visibility, especially at the beginning. Then we can have a whole bunch of things coming together in culmination.”

 Mr Williams agreed events should take place all year long, with larger ones taking place when there would be maximum participation.

Mr Smith noted that events should be geared to all ages, so every age group could participate.

He noted The Newtown Bee would cover the tercentennial events as well as publish special sections in the newspaper, one at the beginning of the year listing a calendar of upcoming events, a history of the town, and old photographs, and another at the end of the year to record what happened during the town’s various celebrations.

Ms Simon said it is expected that a full calendar of events would be set by December 2004.

Mr Cruson suggested that the tercentenary celebration general committee be comprised of 50 to 100 people, with an executive committee consisting of a chairman, treasurer, and at least eight other members. Proposed committees included finance, safety, parade, publicity, decorations, publications, historical exhibits, and special events, which might include fireworks, a colonial ball, a town garden, and bike trail. Also suggested were open-air concerts and other events, such as a townwide picnic, that would take place at the Fairfield Hills campus.

Rep Wasserman suggested that a colonial ball be held during the winter as a fundraiser and an entire weekend of events be planned around the traditional Labor Day parade.

Mr Basso said that open-air events at the Fairfield Hills campus, such as concerts, a ballet, or fashion show, could also be fundraisers for the larger events that would be planned.

T-shirts, reproductions of an 1867 map of the town, flags bearing the tercentennial logo, and commemorative pewter plates were also suggested as possible fundraiser items.

 Mr Williams suggested that a town garden be planted at the entrance of Fairfield Hills as a monument to the future, “to things that will go on.”

Ms Schmidle said the tercentennial might also be the time to publish the architectural review of old houses in Newtown that was completed in 1996. “It was never completed for people to take home.”

Also discussed were a commemorative medal, and copies of the original deed, which could be distributed as a souvenir. Ms Schmidle explained that the return of the original deed, which is currently in Hartford archives, could play a key role in the celebration.

“Newtown has never had a commemorative medal,” Mr Cruson said. “It would also be a souvenir of the events.”

Poster and essay contests for children in the community were also discussed. Ms Schmidle noted that a poster contest is easier for small children, with essays more appropriate for older youth.

“I think it’s very exciting,” Ms Schmidle said of the proposed celebration.

She emphasized the need to have a logo that would be identified with the tercentennial celebration. Ms Simon said a rooster should be incorporated in some way into a logo.

Ms Simon said in 1955 a poster was designed and drawn up for the 250th anniversary to generate interest in people to involved.

Mr Basso suggested that portraits of 300 residents, representing various aspects of Newtown society, be produced in book form to portray Newtown as it is today. “Three hundred years, 300 people, it would be a documentation of who is here today,” he said.

“It was a good start,” Ms Simon said Tuesday of the July 14 meeting. “It got people thinking. I think it will snowball.”