USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Meriden > Years of Meriden 150: published in connection with the observance of the city's sesquicentennial, June 17-23, 1956 > Part 21
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BUILDING SUPPLIES
In the field of building supplies, the Lyon & Billard Company, founded in 1847, is the oldest concern. It was established by John D. Billard and George W. Lyon at 13 South Colony Street. In 1873, John L. Billard, son of John D., was admitted to partnership. The business was incorporated in 1878. John L. Billard became president in 1902. He retired in 1923, when he was succeeded by A. J. White as president.
The Meriden Lumber Company at 174 State Street was started in 1859 by Lyman & Clarke. The firm later became Clarke & Converse and, still later, Converse and Seymore. The business was incorporated in 1890 under its present name. W. F. Terrell, the present general manager and treasurer, became associated with the company in 1922. Charles H. Cuno is president, and Herbert J. Reeves vice president and secretary. After a fire, which wiped out most of the yard two years ago, it has been completely rebuilt.
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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Parks and Playgrounds
THE HANGING HILLS overlooking the city and visible in almost every part of it are a constant reminder that Meriden possesses one of the most beautiful recreation areas in the entire country. These hills, known as East Peak and West Peak, are located on the western boundary of Hubbard Park, comprising approxi- mately 1,200 acres of carefully kept woodland, lake, and stream, with playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming and wading pools, flower gardens, and picnic spots among their attractions. An extensive state park runs along the western ridge of mountains adjoining the land owned by Meriden.
Hubbard Park does not stand alone. Spotted throughout the city are other conveniently located parks and playgrounds, each serving principally for a particular section, but open to all residents, young and old.
In 1899, by an amendment of the city charter, the first park commission was created and placed in charge of all the parks. The playgrounds, as they developed, were administered separately under a recreation commission until the two boards were com- bined February 3, 1950 as the Meriden Park and Recreation Commission with four members. A full-time park superintendent and a director of recreation work together in supervising the care and maintenance of the parks and playgrounds, and guiding the activities of the planned program. During the summer months, the playgrounds are staffed by well qualified leaders and assistants. Lifeguards are stationed wherever there is public bathing, and free instruction in swimming is furnished to children and adults.
HUBBARD PARK
Most of the land in Hubbard Park was presented to the city by the late Walter Hubbard, who was president of the Bradley & Hubbard Mfg. Company, later absorbed by the Charles Parker Company. He gave it outright, with no strings attached, except that everything connected with the park was to remain free for the people of Meriden, and that no concessions for profit were
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ever to be allowed within the park area. In spite of sporadic efforts to obtain permission for refreshment stands on a commercial basis, the wishes of the donor have never been violated. This complete freedom from all types of commercialism is one of the principal charms of the park for nature lovers.
Mr. Hubbard created a trust fund of $50,000, the interest on which was made available toward the upkeep of the park. Clarence P. Bradley, the son of his business partner, Nathaniel Bradley, set up a trust fund of equal amount in the terms of his will. Today, the sum realized from these two funds annually defrays only a small part of the expense of maintaining the park, due to the extensive improvements which have been made and the increasing cost of caring for the facilities.
But the donor spent largely during his lifetime to develop the park according to his ideas. The outlay from his own resources amounted to between $400,000 and $500,000. Beginning in 1897, he cleared the land in the lower park, built numerous roads and trails and constructed Mirror Lake. The tower on East Peak, known as Castle Craig was another of his projects. It was patterned after the towers built by the Turks along the Danube River in the 12th century.
These jutting, precipitous formations which overhang the pleasant valley of Meriden date from the glacial age, and are of especial interest to geologists. But East and West Peaks, for the average resident, have interests far separated from scientific research.
West Peak was once the site of a number of summer homes. The first to build on the top of the mountain was W. H. Catlin, whose cottage was occupied for a number of years by Police Sergeant Herman Schuerer. Wilbur H. Squire built a spacious home later used by the Y.W.C.A. during the summer. The site was sold in 1939. Cornelius J. Danaher, Sr. erected a summer residence on the mountain, which he and his family used for 35 years. Mr. Danaher also acquired about 40 acres of land near the summit, and 60 acres in addition on the plateau below the peak. Others who owned cottages on the mountain were Fred Hotchkiss and Thomas H. Burkinshaw. Some who had bought land did not build. Nearly all traces of the little colony have disappeared.
Mr. Danaher once proposed the construction of an electric railway to the top of the mountain, but the proposal was defeated
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in a city referendum, mainly on the ground that the water in the reservoirs at the base might become contaminated.
There are now three radio stations on West Peak. The first constructed is owned by Station WDRC of Hartford, one of the first stations in the country to send out frequency modulation broadcasts. It is located on land purchased from Mr. Danaher.
Station WMMW owns a station on the peak, which also does FM broadcasting. It was built on land obtained from the late Levon Kassabian. Station WATR-TV of Waterbury also owns and operates a station on the peak. The Kassabian family still has a cottage on the mountain, the only one remaining of the numerous residences which were built for use there in the summer.
Mr. Danaher has disposed of all his mountain holdings. He sold about 100 acres of land to the State of Connecticut as a State Park which remains as a reservation under state control.
For a number of years, the state has maintained an observation tower there, used for spotting forest fires. It is manned during the seasons where the danger of fire in the woodlands is considered most serious.
A beautiful winding road leads to the summit of East Peak, where the land in the vicinity of the tower has been leveled and turned into a hard-surfaced parking area for the automobiles of sightseers. Fireplaces for picnickers are close at hand. But many come just for the view, which comprises the wide range of territory from Mount Tom in Massachusetts to Long Island on the south. Long Island Sound is visible on a clear day from the top of the tower, which is reached by a flight of iron steps. The city spreads out from the lower fringes of the park, with part of the reservoir system in the foreground, and the high land on the eastern edge of Meriden at the extreme range of vision in that direction. The edges of this vantage point are protected by a stone balustrade and railing.
There are several alternate routes up the mountainside. The more rugged of these are fit only for the hardiest of hikers, but there are easier paths for those with less climbing ability. One route is by way of the Fairview drive at the south end of Merimere Reservoir to the rest house half-way up the mountain, and from there up a steeper trail to the summit.
For many years, motor vehicles were forbidden in the park,
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but those were horse-and-buggy times, when a leisurely drive in the family carriage was a favorite form of recreation. Large numbers of automobiles now pass through the park or halt by the roadside, and the parking area near Mirror Lake is always crowded with cars on week ends, winter and summer.
The lake itself is a focal point for all-season activities. Swimming is not permitted there, and has not been allowed for many years, although at one time the lake shore was a public bathing beach. Fishing is also forbidden, except once a year in the spring, when the "fishing derby" is held for boys and girls, with a long list of prizes for different age groups. Hundreds of children take part in this event annually.
In the spring, the whole lower park is a mass of bloom with thousands upon thousands of daffodils of many varieties. They spread out among the trees bordering the lake and approach the edges of the roadway, forming a sight which draws crowds of visitors, some of whom come for long distances to enjoy this lovely display.
But this is only the season's opener. As it advances, the scene changes as more and more varieties of flowers burst into bloom under the skillful nursing of the park crews supervised by Mr. Barry. Some of the beds which have been developed show elaborate arrangements of plants and flowers developed by the expert gardeners.
In the fall, a magnificent display of chrysanthemums, grown in the park greenhouses, is another attraction. Plant culture in the park began in 1948 when the greenhouse was built by park employees.
Well-kept tennis courts are a feature of the park. They are open to all local tennis players during the season, but reservations must be fitted into a tight schedule due to the large number desiring to play.
One of the most widely used facilities ever installed in the park is the Lions Club swimming pool, dedicated July 8, 1951. The Meriden Lions Club initiated this project and raised the funds to make it possible. Its members not only contributed liberally themselves, but conducted a campaign soliciting the support of the entire community. The money thus raised went far toward the construction of the pool, and the city cooperated to complete the project, which is maintained at city expense. Many types of
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pools were examined before the plan reached final form. The pool as built has proved most satisfactory. It contains 200,000 gallons. During the season, the water is continuously purified. Thousands enjoy the facilities during the summer. Swimming classes and water events are held there. The pool is under constant supervision by qualified attendants employed by the city when it is in use.
So great was the success of the swimming pool in the park that the Lions Club has been besieged with requests from parents on the east side to undertake the construction of a pool in that part of the city. On March 2 of this year, the Meriden Lions Welfare Project, Inc. announced that it would build the "Wishing Pool" for east side children, using the same plans that have proved so satisfactory in Hubbard Park.
The Lions Club also sponsored and raised funds for the con- struction of a wading pool in the park for younger children, replacing the old wading pool which had become obsolete. It was opened in 1954.
Camp Hubbard, a day camp for Meriden children, is maintained in the park during the summer by the Recreation Department. The Junior Chamber of Commerce constructed a shelter there in 1953. Buses carry the children to the park daily during the camping season, where they enjoy supervised play, and learn woodcraft and handicraft from the camp's staff of instructors and attendants.
Band concerts in the park have become increasingly popular in recent years. A rustic band shell, placed at the foot of the natural amphitheater which slopes gradually down the crest of the hill overlooking the busiest portion of the park's activities, is an ideal spot for such concerts. A rustic bandstand at the foot of the hill has proved inadequate for the use of the Meriden City Band, made up of members of the local union of musicians, who have given these concerts free of charge for years, with the help of an appropriation from their national headquarters. In 1954, a cam- paign was started to raise funds for a music shell. With the help of the city, the new shell was constructed for the Sesquicentennial.
One interesting feature of the park is a large slab bearing dinosaur footprints which are a reminder of the antediluvian monsters who once roamed this vicinity.
Under rules adopted in 1953, Hubbard Park is closed from
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10 p.m. to 6 a.m. No commercial vehicles are allowed at any time. The speed limit within the park is 15 miles per hour.
In winter, when the ice is pronounced safe, Mirror Lake is an ideal place for skating. The park crews clear the ice as soon as possible after every snowstorm. Lights are strung up for night skating, and the surface is thronged whenever conditions are favorable. A pavilion beside the lake furnishes shelter and a place where skates may be put on in comfort.
Nearby is a playground, with swings and other equipment. Tables and chairs are placed at various vantage spots. On the western shore of the lake is an area much favored by picnickers. Near this area are the shelters for the flock of mallard ducks which lives in the park, under the protection and care of James Barry, park superintendent, and his helpers. The ducks show few signs of wildness in the carefully guarded life to which they have become accustomed.
CITY PARK
City Park is the oldest park in the city. It has been in existence since 1880, and was formerly much more largely used than at present, especially in the years when public band concerts were presented there from a bandstand built for that purpose.
Bounded by Bunker Avenue, Franklin Street, Park Avenue and Warren Street, City Park is mainly a haven for residents of the vicinity. There are nine acres within these boundaries. Some of the park's large trees fell victims to the hurricanes of 1938 and 1944, but enough of them remain to provide delightful shade in summer. The lawns are a playground for the numerous children of the neighborhood.
During World War II, after a long attempt to find a suitable location for quonset huts to be set up as accommodations for the overflow of war workers, it was decided to place some of them in City Park. After the war, when the housing situation was some- what relieved, the huts were removed.
BROOKSIDE PARK
Brookside Park, like Hubbard Park, is a monument to the gener- osity of Walter Hubbard, who purchased the land in 1901 and turned it over to the city for park purposes. It contains 13 acres and extends from Camp to Broad Street on both sides of Harbor
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Brook, a distance of nearly three quarters of a mile. The brook flows through the entire park, and is kept in its channel by retaining walls for part of the distance. At one point, near the lower end, a bathing pool furnishes fun for children in summer. A bathhouse stands beside the pool. A wading pool and some playground equipment add to the pleasures of the park for younger children.
BALDWIN'S BEACH
Before the Lions Pool in Hubbard Park was constructed, Baldwin's Pond had practically a local monopoly as a place for public swimming and bathing. Near the end of North Wall Street, it may also be reached from the prolongation of Britannia Street into Westfield Road. The city maintains a sandy beach beside the pond. Bathhouses are provided, and there is also a refreshment stand. Within easy swimming distance from shore, there is a float equipped with a diving tower. Swimming is under careful supervision by a staff employed by the Recreation Depart- ment. The pond is drained every season, and the water is tested frequently, as a sanitary precaution, after it has been refilled.
OTHER RECREATION AREAS
A beach at Beaver Pond is leased by the city to provide additional bathing facilities during the summer months.
Dossin Park, below Hanover Pond, at the intersection of Coe Avenue and the road to Cheshire, was named for the late Oscar Dossin, who served Meriden for many years as a recreation com- missioner. A beach and bathhouse were constructed there for the use of the public, but tests revealed that the water was impure, and swimming was forbidden. The old Red Bridge, just below this point, is a spot where many residents of the older generations swam as boys, long before tests of the water at public bathing places became mandatory.
ATHLETIC FIELDS
The city has seven athletic fields: Columbus Park, on Lewis Avenue, 101/2 acres; Washington Park, 11 acres; Ceppa Field, 41/5 acres; North End Field, 11/2 acres; South Meriden Field, 7 acres; Bronson Avenue Field, 2 3/4 acres; Legion Field, 4 acres (leased by the city for a 10-year period). Some of these fields have been
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extensively developed. Washington Park has tennis courts and a field house, where a caretaker resides. Kindergarten classes are conducted there. Ceppa Field, named for the late Monsignor Ceppa of St. Stanislaus Church, which formerly owned the property, is equipped with lights for night baseball and football. The lights, gift of the International Silver Company, were formerly installed at Insilco Field.
Twenty-three persons under the supervision of Bernard Sprafke, director, compose the personnel for the eight-week play- ground period. Only two school playgrounds are used in con- nection with this program: the Hanover School in South Meriden and the Benjamin Franklin School on the west side.
Park Department employees are Irving Danielson, assistant to James Barry, park superintendent; William Remy, caretaker at City and Brookside Parks, who is assisted by Joseph Carabetta; John Erickson, Guido Bertagna, Fred Rudolph and Durwood Tompkins. Four of the men are stationed at Hubbard Park, but are moved to other areas as work is required. Lawrence Fraser is caretaker of Washington Park and John Borek is caretaker of Ceppa Field. During the summer, the following are engaged to take care of the extra work load: Fred Schlette, Legion Park; Michael Amoroso, Columbus Park; John Patrucco, Little League Field (on Britannia Street); Edward Everard, Bronson Avenue Field.
A new field in South Meriden will be opened for the first time in the summer of 1956. It is on Meadow Street and borders on Hanover Pond. The area has been graded and seeded during the last two years. A backstop will be set up there, and a diamond will be constructed for baseball games.
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CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The Meriden Post Office
MERIDEN POST OFFICE, which now has receipts totaling one million dollars a year, from five different stations, began in 1806 when President Thomas Jefferson appointed Amos White as the first postmaster. The postal service was established in the city the same year it separated from Wallingford, in a building owned by Patrick Lewis at Broad and East Main Street.
The present Federal Building at 87 Colony Street was built in 1902 at a cost of more than $100,000. There is a classified post office, "Station A", at 231 East Main Street, and three contract stations: No. 1 at 445 Colony Street, No. 5 at 120 Springdale Avenue, and the South Meriden Station at 1 Main Street.
A parcel post annex and garage at 141 Grove Street was opened in February 1955 for all parcels and the 14 government trucks. An addition to the Federal Building was completed in 1934.
Joseph R. Ferrigno has been postmaster since March 17, 1955. He was acting postmaster from August 1, 1953 to 1955. Assistant postmaster is Maurice J. Looby, and superintendent of mails is John E. Doherty.
The first postmaster, Amos White, was succeeded after several years by Patrick Lewis, owner of the post office building, who served until 1812. President Andrew Jackson appointed Levi Yale who was postmaster for 12 years. The post office moved in 1828 to what is now 641 Broad Street, near Dayton Place.
President William Henry Harrison appointed Richard Dowd who died after serving six months as postmaster. He was succeeded by Walter Booth who served three years under President John Tyler.
In 1844 the businessmen of "West Meriden" agitated for their own post office. This was established in 1845 on the Guy property on West Main Street, with Joel H. Guy as postmaster until 1849.
Ira N. Yale was named "East Side" postmaster in 1845 by President James K. Polk in 1845 but died after three years and was succeeded by Almerson Ives. President Zachary Taylor appointed Hiram Hall who moved the operation to a brick
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THE MERIDEN POST OFFICE
building just for post office purposes. President Millard Fillmore appointed Asha H. Curtiss and in 1853 Hiram Hall was appointed for the second time and died in office.
President Franklin Pierce appointed Bertrand Yale, who served seven years until President Abraham Lincoln reappointed Asha H. Curtiss. The post office was moved to the Franklin Hall Building, near the Congregational Church on Broad Street. In 1865, Linus Birdsey, appointed by President Andrew Johnson, transferred the post office back to its old site.
Meanwhile, Noah A. Linsley was appointed West Meriden postmaster by President Pierce, and moved the post office to 21 West Main Street on the property of the F. J. Wheeler Company. When Joel Guy returned as postmaster in 1853, he moved it again to the south side of West Main Street, and later to the present site of the Connecticut Bank and Trust Company, 14 West Main Street. Samuel B. Morgan served from 1858 to 1861, then George W. Rogers was appointed by President Lincoln. Postmaster Rogers moved to a brick structure at the corner of Colony and West Main Street, but the building was later destroyed by fire.
A room was taken at 13 Colony Street, and in 1865 Wallis Bull was appointed postmaster. The following year, the operation was moved again to 37 Colony Street, in the north room of the old Byxbee Block.
The East Side post office was transferred after the Civil War to John Ives' brick house at 489 Broad Street. In 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Lon Hall, who served for eight years, 1869 to 1877. His brother, William F. Hall, was appointed by President Rutherford B. Hayes, and in 1880 the post office was moved to 320 East Main Street, now known as "Station A."
The name "Meriden Post Office," the then official designation of the East Side or uptown post office, was moved to the West Side post office. The West Side post office had moved in 1877 to the Hill Building on Winthrop Square after the appointment of Erwin D. Hall by President Hayes. In 1880 the post office was in the Wilcox Block.
The next postmasters were William H. Miller, 1886-1890; Henry Dryhurst, 1890-94; and 1898-1914; John J. Anderson, 1894-98; John F. Penders, 1914-23; James J. Fitzpatrick, 1923-36; and John J. Scanlon, 1936-53.
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THE MERIDEN POST OFFICE
Receipts in 1906, the Centennial year, were $75,000, with 20 carriers and 18 clerks. In 1951.delivery service was extended to South Meriden.
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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Public Institutions
THE MERIDEN HOSPITAL
THE COMPLETELY modernized Meriden Hospital of today is the result of a program which started in 1942 and culminated when the new addition was opened in 1952. Actually, the improvements did not cease at that point, but have been almost continuous since, and new goals appear at intervals above the horizon to keep pace with the needs of the area served. Since 1942, capital expenditures total approximately $2,400,000.
The new building raised the capacity of the hospital to 220 beds and 48 bassinets, or more than double its previous capacity. After it had been placed in service, in March 1952, the old building at the rear was completely remodeled and re-equipped to match the new facilities, providing a hospital plant which compares favorably with any hospital of its size.
Although the first movement toward expansion began in 1942, it was impossible to begin construction during the war period, even after plans had been accepted and the necessary funds had been raised. There were further impediments in the period im- mediately after the war, principally the shortage of structural iron, steel, and other building materials. The first step was to build a new laundry and power house with surplus capacity looking far into the future. Then came the major structure, which had been planned with infinite care, and in consideration of the standards relating to the number of beds per thousand of popula- tion as set up by the U. S. Department of Public Health to provide for the areas of Meriden and Wallingford. During several periods since it was placed in use, the hospital has operated at full capacity.
The history of the Meriden Hospital dates back to 1874 when Dr. James L. Terry, working in conjunction with Dr. E. T. Bradstreet, enlisted the aid of Mrs. Abiram Chamberlain in raising money for the establishment of the institution. As the result of a meeting in the Town Hall, attended by many physicians, and
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presided over by Mayor E. J. Doolittle, the mayor was authorized to seek a charter from the state legislature. The charter was granted by the General Assembly in January 1885.
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