USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Norwalk > The romance of Norwalk > Part 33
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the present owners, the Manresa Institute of New York. The property was valued at $142, 100 in 1921. The island, now closed to the public, is used as a retreat for Catholic clergy and has taken the name Manresa Institute or Island. It includes some 25 acres on which stand a chapel, exempt from taxes, a dining hall, and seven other buildings.
Mention is made in the appendix of Pine, Campfield or Canfield, Half Mile, Stephen's, Little Tavern or Pilot and Stuart Islands, Sension or St. John's Beach, West White Rock or White Rock, East White Rock, Crow Island, Dog Hammock, Race Rocks, Grassy Hammock, Long Beach, The Plains, Sheep Rock, Daskam Island, Tempest, Hoyt's, Bell Island, Sandy Hammock and Cedar Hammock, all of Norwalk; and Seymour Rock, Kitts Island, Duck Island, Sprite, Cockenoe, Goose, Butler, Contentment and Fish Islands, often thought to be part of the "Norwalk Islands" but actually belonging to Westport or Darien.
THREE HUNDRED CLUBS
The first clubhouse for women in the city of Norwalk was acquired by the Woman's City Club, organized in May, 1927 and an outgrowth of the Woman's Club, one of the oldest organizations for women in the community. When the old and honorable Woman's Club of Norwalk was or- ganized in January 1885, it had for its object, the forming of an "organized center for the intellectual culture of its
members." In 1927, when the club dissolved into the Woman's City Club with headquarters in the newly acquired clubhouse at I Arch st., the scope was greatly broadened. Today, the activities of this group include the fields of music, art, lecture, handiwork, acting, education, interior decorating. The Woman's City club which now has about 150 members, is a member of the Connecticut Federation of Women's Clubs, even as was the Woman's Club. Miss Margaret Brendlinger was first president of the Woman's
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City Club, Mrs. George Scott Hubbell being vice president and later president.
There are now in Norwalk, some 300 clubs and organi- zations of all kinds, big and little: service clubs, religious organizations, masonic and fraternal lodges, patriotic, labor, musical, political, educational and social institutions. There are three men's service clubs in town: Kiwanis, organized in the fall of 1920, charter received January 19, 1921, Frederick L. Lamson, first president; Lions, organized October 30, 1925, first president, Philip Jakob; Rotary, charter received April 22, 1929, Charles Maschal, first president. Another well known men's organization in town is the Toreadors. The club, now in its sixth year, has about 30 members. Lawrence K. Paul was first president.
One woman's service club has Norwalk, Quota, organized by the Bridgeport Quota club, first supper meeting held October 14, 1926, Mrs. Sara E. Lane, first president. Other prominent women's organizations are: Norwalk Business and Professional Women's Club in its third year with about 75 members, Mrs. Frederick Hoelscher, first president; Norwalk League of Women Voters, organized May, 1921, with Mary Kirby Jennings as president; present membership, 165. The Norwalk-Westport branch of Amer- ican Association of University Women, met for the first time June 18, 1923, Mrs. Douglas Nash, first president. Present membership is 75. The organization meeting of the Norwalk Republican Women's Asosciation took place October 15, 1920. Mrs. Leo Davis was first president. Present membership is 2,800. The Democratic women, re- organized during the past year into the Town Association of Democratic women, state a membership of about 1,500. Mrs. Adolphus Russell is first president after reorganization.
Of religious organizations there are many : Catholic, Protestant, Jewish. The Catholic men are organized into a very large group and have a club house known as the Catholic clubhouse, also called Hibernian hall and Knights of Columbus hall at 666 West ave. The Ancient Order of
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Hibernians, Division No. I, a large group, meets twice a month. There is also a Ladies Auxiliary' A. O. H. The Catholic women work in several different groups. First there is the Norwalk Council of Catholic Women, a very large organization with some 800 members. Mrs. Fred- erick Moran was first president. The Council is five years old. Then there is the Catholic Daughters of America, with two Courts: Court Cecile, organized in April, 1909 with Mrs. W. J. Tracey as first regent, present member- ship II0; and Court Laurel, organized May 9, 1909 with Mrs. Jennie McNamara, first regent and 20 years regent, present membership 150. In addition there is the Children of Mary Sodality, of St. Mary's R. C. church, 53 years old, with a membership of 175; and the Children of Mary of St. Joseph's church; and the Calvert Club, literary group, in its fifth year with 25 members. Mrs. Frederick J. Moran and Miss Anna L. McMahon were the organizers of this last club.
In the Protestant churches, the largest men's group is the Everyman's Bible Class, which held its first session, first Sunday in January, 1926 with Dr. James Lee Ellenwood as leader. The class now numbers 1,000 and meets every Sunday morning in the Regent Theatre. Every Protestant church has its own board of directors or board of deacons or both, while most of the churches have men's guilds or clubs as well. The women in the Protestant churches are well organized. Perhaps the largest group is the King's Daughters. The Union of the King's Daughters and Sons, interdenominational, dates back many years when the circles were banded together under the late Mrs. Thomas K. Noble. The present Union, reorganized in 1910, is made up of about 2000 members. The chief mission of the Union is the care of the very lovely home for the aged on Westport ave., and its inmates. Both Trinity and Grace Episcopal churches have women's guilds and also Girls' Friendly So- cieties. The women in the Methodist churches are organ- ized into Ladies' Aid and Missionary societies, while the
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women in the Congregational and Baptist churches have Woman's Associations.
The Jewish men in the community are organized under the name, Young Men's Hebrew Association, with a large clubhouse, 17 West ave. Mention of the association has already been made. There is also an Independent Hebrew Society in Norwalk. The Jewish women not only belong to many of the various groups in the city but they are also organized within themselves. The Norwalk section, Na- tional Council of Jewish Women is a strong group which annually accomplishes a vast amount of good work par- ticularly among the Jews in this country. The Section, which is now in its seventh year, had for its first presi- dent, Mrs. J. E. M. Slobodkin. There are about 110 mem- bers. The Norwalk Chapter of Hadassah has for its par- ticular mission, aid of the Jews in Palestine. The chapter was formed 18 years ago with 12 members, Mrs. Samuel Roodner being the first president. There are now about 200 members. The Norwalk Section, National Council of Jewish Juniors includes the younger girls in the community who have for their objects: service, education, recreation. The section is in its third year. Lists of masonic, fraternal, patriotic, labor, musical, political, charitable, art and literary and miscellaneous organizations are found in the appendix.
MODERN NORWALK
CHAPTER XXXVI
Educational, Intellectual, Social, Business and Homelife Ad- vantages Offered in Norwalk-Vast Number of Articles Made in Local Factories-Art, Literary, Music and The- atrical Colonies-Eminent Men Make Homes Here
MODERN Norwalk is a city of which its residents may rightly be proud. Well situated, healthy, thriving, pro- gressive, a center of industrial, educational, recreational and intellectual efforts, there are few communities in the western part of the state which offer more advantages. True, there is room for improvement. But what city is perfect ? Everyone offers material for the civic betterment associa- tions. Each has its own difficulties, each its own problems, each its own successes or failures. All growth is accom- panied by struggles and Norwalk has not been exempt. In some cases the city has guided its community affairs wisely, in other cases, not so wisely, yet through all, there seems to have been an onward spirit which brooked no drawback, no retarding. To that spirit, Norwalk owes its present prosperity.
NORWALK'S ADVANTAGES
The city in which we live today covers 24.6 square miles, hill and dale, shore and wood, the highest point being 116 feet above sea level. Situated as it is, on Long Island Sound, with fine breadth of beach line, and a sea breeze climate, cool in summer and moderate in winter, Norwalk is first and foremost, a very heathy place in which to live. More, it is convenient. On the main line of the New York,
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Photo By Lt. Peter Hill Of Mitchell Field
AERIAL MAP OF NORWALK Showing upper section of city, the Green, spire of Norwalk Congregational church, bridge, Norwalk river, Wall Street, Main Street, and Winnipauk.
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New Haven and Hartford railroad, a terminal for the Dan- bury Norwalk railroad, on the route of the Boston to New York busses, only 14 miles from Bridgeport, the county seat, just an hour by express train out of New York which is but 41 miles away, and within the metropolitan district, this city is an easy place to get in and out of, at all times of the year. Records of the local railroad station show a total of 547 commuters from Norwalk to New York in January, 1929 (irrespective of number who purchased books in New York) and 846 in September, the latter num- ber including many summer residents. In September also, 87 commuted to Stamford and 52 to Bridgeport.
Norwalk is progressive. It boasts an airport; a building permit list numbering 979 permits in 1928 with an estimated · cost of $4,781,703 ; a list of automobile owners this season totaling 8000; a zoning law which insures seclusion and pro- tection for the residential districts and consideration for the business interests ; and a million dollar sewage disposal plant plan, already in the process of materialization, which will double the worth of all shore estates, greatly increase the value of property throughout the city, place the oyster in- dustry on a more prosperous plane than it has ever before enjoyed, and make Norwalk a cleaner and healthier city in which to live. The population of Norwalk today is 33,292, which comprises 8,449 families, living in 6,947 dwellings, 42 per cent of the people owning their own homes.
The grand list is now more than $52,000,000. There are within the confines of the community at the present time : 3 I churches, big and little; 25 schools, four theatres, eight beach, golf, country and yacht or boat clubs, a modern hospi- tal, a dispensary, a day nursery, a new Y. M. C. A., a well known sanitarium, "Woodscourt," a town poor farm, a home for the aged, a summer vacation lodge for working girls, a county children's home, 300 clubs and organizations of all kinds, six cemeteries, two convents, five dancing acad- emies, three newspapers, the Evening Sentinel, The Nor- walk Hour and the Hungarian Herald; eight banks with
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total deposits of more than $34,000,000; four libraries, three post offices, a state armory, two large independent groups of reservoirs for water supply; a gas plant and two electric light plants, an efficient police and motorized fire department, an active building and loan association, a Red Cross unit and life saving corps, three public playgrounds, a riding school and a juvenile court with full time woman probation officer.
Norwalk has an embryonic park on Seaview ave., two athletic fields, Amusement Park on Meadow st., and Dunbar Field, Broad River; one of the cleanest and most popular amusement parks in the east, Roton Point, owned by Neville Bayley; a fine public beach, Calf Pasture; 13 large islands · and a number of smaller ones; a river dredged by the U. S. government to permit entry of large freights, ferries, ex- cursion vessels and pleasure craft; a deep harbor protected from storms by the line of islands a mile from shore ; several hundred stores, more than 100 manufacturing establish- ments, a valuable oyster industry, a large commuting popu- lation, a vigorous art colony, and a list of nationally promi- nent figures of which a much larger city might well be proud. To Norwalk's advantage is the fact that it is a port of entry where merchandise from abroad, or from any foreign country for that matter, may come direct and be appraised without first having to pass through the hands of New York officials. Norwalk is District No. 6, Connecticut, and it is served by an appraiser from Bridgeport who totaled $35,- 000 in duties collected last year.
MANUFACTURES
Hats and hardware, coats and caps, shirts and slippers, furs and fabrics, cigars and candy, leather and laces, print- ing and perfumes, mattresses and monuments, corsets and concrete blocks, ice and iron castings, underwear and awn- ings, dresses and dyspepsia tablets, patterns and potato chips, pumps and plating, paper fasteners and playsuits, gas en-
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gines and glass, wire cloth and soda water, cereals and steri- lizers, boxes and builders' materials, oysters and electrical fittings, tires and tubes-Norwalk industries offer such a range of articles that it is difficult to tabulate them all. The state Factory Inspection Bureau in its 1928 report of Conn- ecticut manufactures, gives Norwalk credit for more than 100 manufacturing establishments. The Bureau also lists those factories which employ 50 to 100, 100 to 500 and more than 500 men and women. Local firms were queried, some answering and some not answering. Many did not agree with the state report. In the following list, the state and local versions are combined. Hat and oyster companies have previously appeared in the history.
The following Norwalk factories or establishments are named either by the state survey or by their local owners as having from 50 to 100 employees : The Connecticut Co., of which mention was previously made in the trolley story; Enterprise Century Underwear Co., commenced in 1917, now employs 80, Samuel Dinkowitz, president; Lounsbury and Bissell Co., incorporated in 1845 although there had been a company here some time before that, now employs 70, Judge Henry Gregory, president; Neptune Hardware Mfg. Co., organized August 7, 1906, J. G. Baumbach, presi- ident, 35 employees according to local count; Streb Fur Cutting Co., Inc., 1923, 40 employees, Philip Streb, presi- dent; Pearl Silk Co., 65 employees, Max Goldberg, head; Rosenblatt and Hollub, Inc .; Norwalk Co., originally Nor- walk Iron Works, commenced in 1875, now employs 50- 75, N. J. Conoughey, Cleveland, Ohio, president; R. T. Vanderbilt Co., Inc., founded in October, 1916 with R. T. Vanderbilt at the head of the firm, 50 employees.
The following employ 100 to 500 men and women : E. H. Hotchkiss Co., incorporated in December, 1895, now em- ploys 125, Charles F. Kuch, president; Star Union Overall Co., Inc., came to Norwalk from New York in August, 1923, 125 employed, Max Wilker, president; Meyers Mfg. Co., George, Samuel and Henry Meyers, partners, com-
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pany ten years old, 145 employees; Rabhor Co., Inc., organized here seven years ago, 200 employees, Leo C. Safir, head; Fred Huth, glass works, formerly Charles H. Harris, Inc., founded by Charles H. Harris, eight years ago, 200 employed; Leroy Shirt Co., founded in 1909, 200 now employed, Charles Schnitzer present head; Segal Lock Co. and Norwalk Lock Co., each one now employs 275, Louis Segal is head of both; Norwalk Lock Co., founded in 1856; Lockwood Mfg. Co., founded in 1888, Charles W. Beaver is president and 300 are employed there; Norwalk Tire and Rubber Co., founded in 1914, 450-500 now em- ployed, John W. Whitehead, president; J. and J. Cash Inc., now employing 200. The company was founded in 1825; New York office opened in 1865 ; factory built in South Nor- walk in 1906; company incorporated in U. S. A. in 1919, Sidney Cash, president, and Frank Goodchild, vice-president and general manager; Wear Ever Slipper Co., founded in 1926, 150 now employed, Max Becker and Morris Caspler, partners, H. C. Field, general manager; Muller Gloria Mills, commenced in 1903, now employs 100, Richard Muller owner; M. N. Mayehoff, commenced 1914, now employs 200, M. N. Mayehoff, president; Standard Oil Co., South Norwalk branch, established in 1914, James A. Landgraff now in charge.
The following employ more than 500: Cluett, Peabody and Co., Inc., founded in 1851, C. R. Palmer, present head, 650 men and women employed in the local plant, George H. Barnes, local manager; Nash Engineering Co., 400-600, Douglas Nash, president and treasurer, company is 25 years old; R. and G. Corset Co., Inc., commenced January I, 1880, originally Roth and Goldschmidt, now employs 800- 900, W. E. Marvle, president; Charles T. Dimond, vice president; H. Jacob and Sons, Inc., founded in 1890, now employing 1000, Moe Jacob, president; Crofut and Knapp Co., hats, founded in 1858, 1500 now employed, John J. Cavanagh, president. The complete list of Norwalk manu- facturing establishments will be found in the appendix.
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OLD TIME STORES
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In the number of stores in its city center, Norwalk is most generous, having among others: 20 automobile agencies, 19 dry goods stores, five furniture stores, one department store, 114 grocery stores, 17 drug stores, II hardware stores, 18 bakeries, 26 clothing stores, 10 retail cigar and tobacco stores.
One of the oldest establishments in town is Rogers and Stevens, clothing, with two stores, 14 South Main and 27 Wall sts. In 1867 when the business was commenced it was known as the Comstock Brothers. J. Emory Stevens, now in charge of the South Main st. store arrived in 1886 and Charles Rogers, now in charge of the Wall st. store two years later. The downtown store was formerly across the street, South Main st., later next to its present quarters, South Main st., where it has been for 25 years. The store in upper Norwalk used to be on Main st., then where the Central Fairfield Trust Co. now is, and then at a site op- posite the present one on Wall st. The present firm name came into being in 1903. Tristram and Hyatt's, drygoods, 28 Wall st., was commenced in May, 1891. The business which now has an eastern wing, western wing and basement, employs 26. Charles Tristram is president.
Milton Elwood's shoe company, Washington st., now the Emerson-Elwood Shoe Co. was commenced in 1897 by M. H. Glover. The store became Elwood and Glover, and later, the Milton Elwood store. In 1927, after the death of Mr. Elwood, the firm became the Emerson-Elwood Co., with Mark E. Emerson at its head. William Miller, 33 Washington st., has been in the grocery business 43 years. The company was formerly known as Seymour Brothers. Fifteen years ago it became known as the store of "William Miller, leading grocer." H. Krieger and Co., department store, 31 Washington st., was founded in 1868, was first located on Washington st. where the South Norwalk Trust Co. stands-and later in the Mahackemo building, where the
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Beck Hazzard Shoe Co. now is. The rent in the latter place was $33 a month, considered high in those days. In 1891 Samuel Greenstein married one of the Krieger daugh- ters, was taken into the business and the firm of Krieger and Co., organized. The new junior partner enlarged the busi- ness to such an extent that more room was needed and so the old Brown homestead owned by the Ely estate was pur- chased and the present building on Washington st. erected in 1900. Mr. Greenstein is now president of the company.
The Joseph H. Davis store, merchant tailor and men's furnishings, 47-49 North Main is another old establishment. The Jay Cooke panic of 1873 was the direct cause of Israel Davis' coming to Norwalk. Having lost all he had invested in the wholesale clothing trade in New York city, he arrived in this community early in January, 1874, and founded the present Davis store. The store was then on North Main st. In 1880 it moved to the Mahackemo hotel block; in 1899 to 85 Washington st., and in 1924 to the present location. Joseph, son of Israel Davis, is the present owner. Forty years old is Keeler's shoe store, Keeler building, Wash- ington st., founded by George Keeler. It formerly stood on the old wooden Washington st. Bridge. George Keeler and Benjamin Keeler are partners.
On the day the great blizzard descended on Norwalk, March 11, 1888, Thomas O'Gorman commenced the busi- ness which later became so well known as "The Old Boston Store." Two years later, the store moved to the corner of Main and Wall sts. In 1894 Patrick F. Masterson and Peter F. Burns purchased the business from O'Gorman. In 1900, Peter Burns bought out Masterson. In 1928, the Boston Store Inc. moved to its present location, 12 Main st. Francis Burns, son of Peter Burns is now president. Guard- ian of the industrial welfare of the city is the Norwalk Board of Trade, formerly the South Norwalk Board of Trade, reorganized in June, 1928. Robert Benedict was the first president, Ross Kellogg, first executive secretary after
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the reorganization. Emile Hemming is now president and Peter Foley, executive secretary.
RECREATIONAL CLUBS
Whether it be the golf club, the tennis racket, the bathing suit, the sail boat, the motor boat, the card game or the smoker which reveals the recreational desire of the Norwalk- ers, the city can satisfy each and every desire. The Shore- haven Golf Club with its spacious clubhouse, 19 hole golf course, and private swimming pool, is one of Norwalk's most prominent clubs. The Shorehaven Leasing Corporation was organized March 1, 1922. This was amended to change the name to Shorehaven Golf Club, October 11, 1923. The club is noted for its social affairs, balls, costume dances and concerts. The first president was Philip N. Knapp. The Norwalk Country club, Dorlon's or Gregory's Point, was organized in 1908 with the following officers: E. O. Keeler, president; R. H. Golden, vice president; Charles E. Hoyt, secretary; John V. Olmstead, treasurer. The club, which has a large membership, includes tennis, bathing and boating in its activities, in addition to banquets and dances. The Saugatuck Shores Beach and Tennis Club, at Saugatuck Shores, is a new organization, formed in the summer of 1929. The Norwalk Yacht club had for its first commo- dore, Gilbert E. Bogart, 1894-1895. The club, which has an excellent harbor and mooring ground for the many sail and motor craft belonging to its members, is often used as an overnight anchorage by large New York yachts on trips. The clubhouse, which has seen many improvements in recent years is a social center as well as a boating center, and fea- tures dinners, dances and other affairs. Charles H. Harris has been commodore for the past two years. The complete list of commodores is given in the appendix. There are four other boat clubs in town: the East Norwalk Yacht club, organized March 1, 1909 with Harry Rider as first
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commodore; the Ischoda Yacht Club, the Norwalk Boat Club and the South Norwalk Boat Club.
The Norwalk club, 67 Wall st., a social organization, was formed in 1887. A similar organization, the South Norwalk club, formed in 1898, is at 103 Washington st. There are three community houses in the city: the Roway- ton Community hall, under the direction of the Rowayton Library Association; the East Norwalk Community hall, Van Zant st., and the Catholic Community House, Leonard st. The Broad River Community club, Broad River, a social organization, was commenced in January, 1922. The Village Room, Silvermine, music, art, social affairs, 1913- 1914.
SICK, AGED, POOR
A baseball game between the doctors and the druggists of the town in the summer of 1889 provided the first money, $10.85, raised for the establishment of a hospital in Nor- walk. Local hatters, prompted by the women in various factories became interested, and through the combined efforts of all, the Norwalk Hospital Association was formed and the first hospital opened in June 1893 in a dwelling at 24 Leonard st. The association had been incorporated in the fall of 1892 and the first meeting of the corporators was held in the law office of John H. Light. John H. Fer- ris was first president, serving until 1902 when Robert Van Buren was elected. The latter was followed by Christian Swartz in 1906. Very shortly, the Leonard st. house be- came too small and so it was voted to build a 40 bed hospi- tal. The building, on the top of Armory Hill, was opened in August, 1899. In 1916, the Association, John McMul- len, president, voted $100,000 for increased hospital facili- ties. The Stevens St. site was selected and a new building to contain 60 beds started. The site was purchased and given to the Association by James A. Farrell, John Mc- Mullen, F. E. Lewis, 2nd, Jeremiah Donovan, and E. T. Bedford of Greens Farms. This marked the beginning of
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