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Gc 974.602 W73 1796659
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01147 6832
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The WINSTED, Conn.
TATTAW TERCENTENARIAN
August, 1935
1.
i story Begins. : *?
. Chuck. 1.69
Winchester Soldiers Memorial Tower
Erected in 1890 in memory of the heroes of the Civil War, 1861- 1865. Standing upon a hilltop, it is Winsted's principal landmark and is visible from every section of the city. Winsted's contributions to the Civil, Spanish-American and World wars were large ones. The town is justly proud of the splendid records made by its sons.
Published for the Winsted Tercentenary Committee - Price Twenty-five Cents
1796659
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F 84695 .97
The WINSTED tercentenarian, August, 1935 ... .. [Winsted, Conn. jWinsted tercentenary committee [1935] 67р. 31cm.
SHELF CARD
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Gift '35
NL 35-7637
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
FEHL.
Winsted, from Veterans' Cobble Memorial Park Looking East. Left. William L. Gilbert Home and Horseshoe Park; above; right, top, West Hill, Barkhamsted
Winsted's System of Parks
WINSTED is fortunate in having a number of beautiful parks. small in size but conveniently located. adding greatly to the attractiveness and pleasure of its citizens. The Win- sted Park was laid out originally as a parade ground about 1800 with North Main Street passing through the mid- dle of it. Soon after the Borough was incorporated in 1858 Warden William H. Phelps and others laid out and im- proved the park as it is today. The Soldiers' Monument in the park wa- the gift of General Charles H. Ping in memory of the veterans of the Civil War. The drinking fountain was given by his sister. Mrs. Jane Pine Nisbet. The Mitchell Fountain is at the north end. .
The Winchester Soldiers' Memorial Park was given by Hon. John T. Rock-
well. the Winsted tanner. to the Win- chester Soldiers' Memorial Association. consisting of two acres. for the Soldiers Memorial tower, dedicated in 1890 in memory of the veterans of the War of the Rebellion. One of the largest givers to the tower and gateway was Mrs. Maria Brown. The park was later coll- roved to the town.
The Dudley Memorial Park wa- given to the town in 1926 in memory of Hon. George Dudley. Winsted tan- ner and banker. by his grandchildren. Dudley L. Vaill and Mary Vaill Tal- cott. and a second gift was made in 1934 extending it north on both side- . of Mad River to the Indian Meadow Brook bridge with another section north of the Meadow Street bridge.
Continued on Page 57
The late George Dudley
The Winchester Green
Winsted Park and Soldiers' Monument
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Winsted from Veterans' Cobble Memorial Park. Il ospital in foreground; left, Case Mountain; right. Ward Mountain. 1,260 Feet
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Winsted, the Laurel City
Ideally Situated in the Litchfield Hills, in the Heart of the Mountain and Lake District of Connecticut-A County Seat Town, Shopping Center for 20,000 People-Ten Improved Highways Leading Into It
WINSTED, a typical, progressive, small New England city, is ideal- ly situated in the heart of the recrea- tional section of Connectient up in the Litchfield Hills, where the mountain scenery, the swift-running streams and babbling brooks, the silvery lakes and all nature join with the handiwork of man in a strong appeal to visitors to enjoy the many advantages which it offers, whether it be a permanent home or for a season or a day. The invita- tion never ceases and the welcome is a hearty one.
Winsted, with a population of 9,000, is the natural trading center of twenty towns and villages with a population of 20,000 people and an increase of 5,000 more in the summer season, driv- ing here from twenty miles or farther to do their shopping.
Winsted has many high class stores. With a business section a mile and a quarter long, two villages having grown together, there is keen rivalry in trade which has kept the merchants "popped up" and. with their unusual buying facilities. Winsted stores, with large fresh stocks, modern fronts and the latest store equipment. would do credit to a eity four times it- size. The heavy street traffic, alive with hundreds of busy shoppers, and the large deposits in Winsted's four banks indicate thrifty I usiness. It has many impressive busi-
ness buildings. including two new bank- ing houses that cost over $100,000 rach.
Winsted has twenty miles of paved. well-lighted streets, beautiful residen- tial sections with attractive homes. well-kept lawns and gardens, and work has been started on a sewage disposal system.
Winsted has an elevation of 700 to 1,500 feet. Main Street at the Beards- ley Memorial Library is 765 feet. High - land Lake 900 feet. Second Cobble 1 .- 200 feet. Ward's Mountain 1,260 feet,
Platt Mountain 1,460 feet and Mt. Chamberlain 1,500 feet.
Winsted is a shire town. with two County Courts sitting here regularly; the office of the clerk of the Superior Court being at the Courthouse where there is a fine law library.
Winsted has a grand list of over $14.000.000, besides about $2,730,000 exempt property, which is another in- dieation of its importance, the exempt property being its many fine public in- vtitutions, a testimonial of the thrift,
Main Street at the "Flat" looking East
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
public spirit and generosity of its citi- zens.
Winsted has a commission form of government and is managed ably and economically. It enjoys a low tax rate and has splendid fire, police, public works and health departments. Its municipally owned water system is In- failing and unsurpassed and the water rates are especially low.
Winsted has a $150,000 modern the. ater, a thoroughly up-to-date school system, four publie and a parochial school, a free endowed high school, a
Robert E. Maher, Mayor and First Selectman
a heavily endowed home for dependent children, two splendidly equipped free libraries, a modern hospital, ten mag- nificent churches, an unusually fine cen- trally located Y. M. C. A., four flour- ishing hotels, four publie parks, well- equipped playground. four beautiful cemeteries and a granite chapel, at- tractive elub house, a splendid golf course, a fine athletic field and the highest ski hill in the world.
At the head of the Naugatuck Val- ley, one of the greatest industrial cen- ters in the east, Winsted has ten im- proved highways radiating from it. nine of which are state or state-aid highways, six of tliem trunk line routes. over which comes the through travel from the west, the south. the east and the north. U. S. Route 44. of which Main Street is a part, is the historic Green Woods turnpike, a very beauti- ful scenic drive known as the Hart- ford-Albany stage route. Connecticut Route 8 is the Naugantek-Berkshire route from Bridgeport to Vermont. following the Naugatuck. Still aud Farmington River Valleys for eighty miles, of which Rowley and North Main Streets are a part, intersecting Route 44 at the Winsted Park. a charming drive beside the rivers with lovely mountain scenery. Route 20
originates in Winsted on North Main Street and ents across northern Con- neeticut through Hartland and Granby to Stafford Springs, Ronte 183, through Colebrook Center, starting with Coe Street, is a shorter way to Great Bar- rington and the Berkshires, following Sandy Brook. A second route to Nor- folk leads through Daubury Quarter and Grantville. The Winchester road. passing Highland aud Crystal Lake -. livides into three routes at the Win- chester Green, leading by Lake Win- chester to Norfolk. by Park Poud to Hall Meadow and Goshen and south to Torrington. The Torringford road leads by the Green Woods Country Club to West Hill Lake and south. connecting with Ronte 117 to Harwin- tou and the Roosevelt Highway. U. S. Route 6, at Terryville.
Winsted has excellent train and bus service. It is the terminal of the Naugatuck branch of the New York, New Haven and Hart ford system with through express trains from New York and Bridgeport, and is a terminal of the New England Transportation Com- pany with bus lines operating to Waterbury. New Haven, Hartford and Millerton, N. Y .; also inter-state busses from Pittsfield. Danbury, New York. Hartford and Providence, R. I., and express truck lines running regularly to New York, New Haven, Hartford and Boston.
Winsted has excellent mail service. the first mail train arriving here from New York at 6:30 A. M. and the state newspapers before 6 o'clock. There are three star routes with stages to River- ton, Colebrook River, New Boston. Montville and Sandisfield. Mass .. Cole- brook and Winchester Center: three rural mail routes, including deliveries to Highland and West Hill Lakes, and free delivery within the city. The an- nual postal receipts at the Winsted postoffice are $50,000, having nearly
doubled in the past two decades, a trile barometer of the enterprise and pro- gressiveness of the community.
Winsted has long been noted for its manufactured products and is an ideal manufacturing city because it is easy of access, has a healthy environment with unu-nal advantages. comfortable homes and water power furnished by its streams. Mad River comes tumbling down through a gorge and unites with the Lake stream .from Highland Lake. a vast reservoir of power, supplying eighteen valnable privileges. Winsted
C. Wesley Window, Town Clerk and Clerk of Superior Court
has twenty going concerns turning out a surprisingly large number and vari- ety of manufactured products. incluid- ing clocks that tick in every city and town in the country, underwear and hosiery that are shipped by the carload. sweaters and ladies' knitted suits. pins by the billions, bathroom fixtures of
Continued on Page 8
Town Hall and County Court House
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
Twilight Scene on Highland Lake
Highland Lake, Winsted's Summer Resort Cupped Amid Forest-Clad Hills, Encircled by Seven-Mile Wakefield Boulevard
HIGHLAND LAKE, 900 feet above sea level. one of the largest and most beautiful inland summer resorts in Connecticut. nestled high up among the wooded hills, attracts an increasing number of visitors to its shores each season.
Extending within the city limits. 147 feet above Main Street at Hotel Beardsley, it is only ten minutes walk to this beautiful sheet of water cover- ing 489 acres sparkling and shimmer- ing in the sunlight. with a shore front of about ten miles. From some van- tage points it resembles a great river as it stretches for a distance of nearly three miles in the long irregular basin. forming three bavs. cupped amid the plum blue hills. its shores bordered by hemlocks, pines. birches and the harder woods with great patches of mountain laurel here and there.
It affords all kinds of water sports. boating, canoeing. surf board riding. bathing and fishing. There are splendid beaches at the parks at either end and one may enjoy pienies, dancing and music. There is unusually good fishing for the lake has been heavily stocked by the State and the Northwestern Con- nectient Sportsmen's Association and many fine catches are reported. With its deep waters and shallow places for breeding. it has been good fishing ground for more than 150 years.
For more than three quarters of a century picnics have been held in the inviting pine groves which are found
here and there along its shores. The real development of the lake as a sini- mer resort began back in the seventies and eighties. when city people coming to the country explored its shores and were charmed with its beautiful set- ting. Dr. Theodore F. Wolfe of New Jersey. author of "Literary Haunts and Homes." erected a log cabin on the west side of third bay in the eighties. the first of the summer homes which now number over 300 and which are multiplying at the rate of about ten a vear.
The lake received its first impetus as a summer resort when the town at the annual meeting in October, 1884. voted to appropriate a legacy of $11 .- 858 from. the estate of Harvey Wake- field to build the Wakefield Boulevard, the seven-mile drive which encireles the lake and is one of the most delight - ful drives in the Litchfield Hills. giv- ing a new and enchanting pieture at every turn in the road. It is along this magnificent drive that every year new seekers of country homes from the city come. are won by its charms, and de-
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First Bay, Highland Lake, from East Shore
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
cide they have found just the spot for which they have been searching. And so today people from nearly every city in Connecticut, from Massachusetts. New York, New Jersey and other States come to the lake and find the rest and recreation they have been seeking.
The resolution to build the boule- vard was offered by Col. Augustus Il. Fenn, later chief justice of the Su- preme Court. and a comunittec. Henry Gay, Dr. 11. Hungerford Drake. John R. Benjamin. Thomas M. Clarke. Rol-
Laurel Field, Far Vier Picnic Ground
lin H. Cooke, Dr. Harvey B. Steele, David Strong. George W. Phelps, Jos- eph H. Vaill and Sammel S. Newton. was appointed. It was opened to Cold Spring July 1. 1886. and to Hatch's Landing at the sonth end in 18SS. The right of way was given for its whole length. A bronze tablet to Mr. Wake- field's memory was placed in a ledge of rock on the west side of second bay.
In 1927 the development of a 600 aere traet on the east side known as the Highland Lake Shores was begun and several miles of beautiful drives were built. many attractive cottages erected and a log cabin clubhouse given to the people. Soon after. electric serv- ice was extended around the lake and each year the town is improving and widening the roadbed of the boule. vard.
The lake has two pleasure parks. the Highland Lake Park at the lower east side with its large pavilion. fine bathing beach and boating facilities. and Woodland Park and Holland beach at the north end. Aquatic meets are held each year. The Winsted Red Cross Life Saving Corps is on duty at the beaches during the summer season.
Highland Lake Camp. a group of fine youngsters. formerly conducted by Emil Von Elling of New York. owner, is a sightly camp on the west shore
with tennis and handball courts. etc. Also on the west side is Roscoe Ben- mamin's driving park, where occasional horse shows have been held in recent years and formerly agricultural fairs and horse races on the half mile track.
Highland Lake is fed by springs and Taylor and Sucker brooks. receiv- ing the overflow from Crystal Lake and Camp Delaware pond on Hubbell brook. furnishing in turn valuable water power for manufacturing pur- poses. The lake is one of Winsten s greatest assets not only because of the large revente from taxes but because it comprises a colony of about 1.200 people and attracts several thousand visitors each season.
But Highland Lake was a popular rendezvons long before Winsted was settled and before Hooker and his party tramped from the Massachusetts Bay Colony across the country and established the Connecticut Colony. Dr. Wolfe, who made extensive ex- plorations along the lake shore and unearthed scores of aboriginal treas- ures, in writing of his discoveries qnot- ed an indigenous poet. as follows:
"Once the red ingin here took his delights. Fished, fit and bled-
Now most of the inhabitants is whites. With nary red."
Each summer brings to my notice. wrote the doctor baek in 1889. fresh evidence of the quondam occupancy of the Indian and discloses something of the character and manner of "his de- lights." Half a mile from his sylvan camp. near a streamlet locally known by the inelegant and euphonious name of Sucker brook. is a symmetrical mound or hillock of considerable size which he believed to be the newlydiscovered
site of an aboriginal village or encamp ment in Benjamin Park. The location of the the arrowmaker's wigwam at the westerly extremity of the mound wa- indicated by minnerons chips and take of quartz. agate. sand-tone, etc .. which strewed the ground.
Repeated and careful search over the surface of the mound and its nea: environments resulted in the finding of the following specimens: Fifty-vigh! arrow points, eight incomplete lance heads. ten hunting spears, two fishing spears, three game stones, one clipped knife, one skinning knife, one seraper. one drilling stone. three fragments of pottery, two fragments of banner stone (tomahawks). one hatchet. one axe. olle pestle and some scores of broken and unfinished pointed weapons. In a lengthy description of the relies Dr. Wolfe spoke of some of them as "bean- tiful specimens" and representing "thu highest type of aboriginal art."
"It is believed." contimted the doctor. "that the aboriginal village- around Highland Lake were for the most part summer encampments. rather than permanent abiding place -. They were latterly occupied by Weatogne- of the Farmington Valley on the east or Schaghticokes from the Hon-atonie on the west. probably the former. These were local names of tribes or tribu- taries of the Mohican nation-and these tribes or portions of them were elsewhere known by other names. "
In speaking of the lake. Dr. Wolfe saidl: "It is of pre-glacial origin and has suffered little change in rorent times. The nature of its shore-be- ing both steep and rocky-has pre- vented any material alteration of its Continued on Page 51
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Along East Shore of Highland Lake
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The William L. Gilbert Home and School
William L. Gilbert Home Opened in 1889 Founded by Winsted's Greatest Benefactor-Cares for and Educates 200 Children
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THEN William L. Gilbert, Win- sted's greatest benefactor and philanthropist, whose name is written indelibly in the history and progress of the city, was eighty years of age en December 30, 1886. a dinner was given in his honor at Hotel Beardsley by his fellow townsmen at which abont sixty men and women were pres- ent as a tribute of their esteem for this man of marked integrity and inchistry. The toastmaster, also an honored citi- zen and beloved physician. Dr. Harvey R. Steele, a former State senator. in introducing Mr. Gilbert said: "His money has not only built large indus- trial establishments but he has also dotted the hillsides of Winsted with neat, comfortable, happy homes for its working men." Thomas M. Clarke. mother prominent manufacturer and founder of the Winsted Herald. in speaking of the tons of coal and bar- rels of flour which Mr. Gilbert had sent to families in need. said jokingly but prophetically. he had barely escap- ed being called a "Bill for the Relief of Destitute and Needy Widows and Orphans." It was at this very time Mr. Gilbert was discussing with his partner, Henry Gay, and others. his plans for building the William 1. Gil- bert home for dependent children. which he creeted two years later and for which he left an endowment of $400,000, with the provision that $10 .- ()0) of the annual income be added to the fund each year for 100 years. Mr. Gay gave the original tract of about twenty acres, including the home site on the prominence at the head of Wil- liams Aveune, originally the farm of
Edward Manchester, to which 100 acres was added later for farming purposes.
The William L. Gilbert Home was opened April 1. 1889. with twenty-one children and Dwight S. Case as super- intendent and Mrs. Case as matron. they having come here ten days before from Barkhamsted where Mr. Case had been a merchant, postmaster, town clerk and representative.
After Mr. Gilbert's death, the home passed into the control of the sixteen
William Lewis Gilbert
trustees, who were also to administer the Gilbert School. The establishment of the William L. Gilbert Home was taken advantage of by the County com- missioners to use as the Litchfield County temporary home, which previ- ously had been maintained in Canaan. The number of children was gradually increased, applicants being received from all parts of the State and other states of children who are deprived of the advantage of family life and lack the means to be wholly supported. An isolation hospital was erected for use in case of an epidemic. Dr. Ed- ward L. Pratt. son-in-law of Heury Gay, who had recently established a practice in Winsted. soon became the home physician and he has cared for the children for forty-five years. In 1894 the four-room schoolhouse with an anditorium was erected and in 1900 the number of children had increased to the extent that more room was necessary and the east dormitory was built with a modern kitchen and laun- dry on the first floor.
The Home grounds were landscaped and gradually beautified. playgrounds were established. a class of boys was sent to the Gilbert School for a course in mannal training and other boys and girls began attending the high school regularly. The boys were given prac- tical work and instruction in farming and poultry raising under Ernest W. Bovee, who has been farm manager for twenty-eight years, and summer classes were established for the girls in home economics.
After more than twenty years of faithful service, during which thow- sands of children had come to regard
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
them almost as their parents, Supt. and Mrs. Case resigned December 1. 1909. because of the latter's failing health. and Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Morse. graduates of the State Normal School at Cortland. N. Y .. were in charge for four and one-half years, when, on July 1, 1914, Engene Van Why. a graduate of Bucknell College, who had been principal of the Fourth School. was appointed superintendent.
Superintendent Eugene Van Why
Under Mr. Van Why's able man- agement the home has continued in a most efficient manner to carry ont Mr. Gilbert's wish of "affording such assistance and means of educating the young as will help them become good citizens." The home cares for about 200.
The children are sent to the Central School after finishing the seventh grade at the Home and the number who have been going to the high school has increased so that in 1933-34 there were forty-two Home children who at- tended the Gilbert School. and one of them, Bruce Barnes, was valedictorian and entered Bucknell College in the fall. Several have graduated from colleges and a great many girls have become trained mirses. An addition to the school building was erected in 1923 to provide an auditorium.
In April, 1925, a 100-acre farm bor- dering on the Farmington river at Colebrook River was purchased and Happy Valley camp established. where all the children spend the month of August each year. There is a large dining hall, cottage. infirmary, two large sleeping cottages and barn. About one-third of the land is tillable and a large orchard has been set out.
First Superintendent. Dwight S. Case, Iged 92
Ammal exercises are held at the Home in June and at Christmas; also a speaking contest and birthday parties each month.
Miss Mary A. Elliott has been con- nected with the home for seventeen years, four years as school principal and since 1922 as assistant superin- tendent. The present principal, Miss Elsie M. Koenig, has been connecteu with the Home twenty years and the superintendent's secretary. Miss Eliza- beth Shatter, seventeen years.
The officers of the Home are: Presi- dent, Dwight B. Tiffany; Vice-Presi- dent. Wilham H. Phelps; Treasurer. Dudley L. Vaill; Secretary, Luther L. Chase; Home Committee, D. B. Tif- fany, D. L. Vaill, Joseph A. Norton and Hallett F. Clark.
H. S. Comstock, Grocer
THE grocery business has passed through many changes in recent years. Many new food products or old products in new form have been intro- duced and the method of merchandis- ing has been changed. H. S. Comstoek, formerly in the grocery business at Cornwall Bridge, came to . Winsted Nov. 1, 1904, and purchased the gro- ecry department at his present loca- tion, 110 Main Street, of JJ. E. Larkin. who had formerly had Washington I. Sparks as a partner and who previous- ly had been connected with the general store of JJ. Il. and L. R. Norton at the corner of Park Place. The Home block. where the business is located. was built purposely for it and the store is large and well lighted and splendidly adapt- ed for the purpose. There is not a more cheerful or cleaner looking store in Winsted which is very desirable in handling food products and this has
always been one of the practices of Mr. Comstock and another is to have good goods at reasonable prices. always hav- ing the interest of the customer in mind.
Five years ago Mr. Comstock be- "ame a member of the I. G. A .. a pir- chasing organization that has grown to be next to the largest purchaser of food products in the United States. He receives orders by telephone and maintains a delivery service.
Mr. Comstock has worked hard for the advancement and welfare of Win- sted. He is president of the Winsted Building & Loan Association, was a director for many years and president for two years of the Young Men's Christian Association. He has been active in the Chamber of Commerce. is a charter member of the Winsted Rotary Club, is president of the Litch-
II. S. Comstock, Grocer
field County Automobile Club and has been a governor for many years. Mr. Comstock has served as chairman of the First Ecclesiastical Society's con- mittee and has been a deacon of the First Congregational church for ten years.
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