Naugatuck Revisited

Ron Gagliardi

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2004
• Print ISBN: 9780738536033
• eBook ISBN: 9781439631966
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Naugatuck Revisited is an exciting new look at this historic Connecticut community. Settled in the early 1700s, Naugatuck was incorporated in 1844 and developed through the ingenuity of entrepreneurs who exploited its rivers and railroads. This volume includes images and stories of the borough's many notable luminaries, including inventor Charles Goodyear, resident and World Series Most Valuable Player Frank "Spec" Shea of the New York Yankees, legendary Hollywood fashion designer Adrian Gilbert, and the founders of the Peter Paul candy company, makers of Almond Joy and Mounds. Robert Redford spent time here preparing for the movie The Natural, and Senator John F. Kennedy made an early morning presidential campaign stop here on his way to Waterbury.

Seven

ARCHITECTURE

Naugatuck is one of those rare communities whose architectural heritage is so pervasive that walking its streets feels like the equivalent of strolling the halls of a museum or art gallery. Buildings, monuments, and a historic bridge contribute mightily to the image of this architects’ haven. Naugatuck has more pillars, polished marble, and granite than a borough its size would normally be expected to possess, especially one with the reputation of a factory town. In fact, it was the wealth derived from manufacturing and the philanthropic nature of industrialists like the Whittemores that permitted Naugatuck’s architectural renaissance.

The casual stroller here will see work by the firms of McKim, Mead and White; Jallade, Lindsay and Warren; and such noted architects as Theodate Pope Riddle, James Murphy, and Henry Bacon, the designer of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Take a tour among the next few pages and give some thought to visiting the actual sites of the “architectural museum” that can be found along the streets of Naugatuck.

THE LAND OF JERICHO. The Naugatuck Railroad was granted a charter by the state of Connecticut in 1845 and began operations in 1849. Alfred Bishop and a group of investors were responsible for getting it up and running and eventually stretching the tracks from Winsted to Bridgeport. The railroad was a major factor in promoting Naugatuck’s prosperity, permitting its factories and businesses to receive raw materials and to ship out finished products. It was an invaluable connection to the rest of the country. This print from an original glass-plate negative depicts the 4-4-0 road engine Jericho with a Naugatuck baggage car. Ferroequinologists (students of what American Indians called the iron horse) will be interested to note that the picture was probably taken in the 1860s.

BEHIND THE SCENES. This is the back of the magnificent building that served as Naugatuck’s railroad station for decades beginning in 1910. The station was designed by Henry Bacon. The Naugatuck Daily News operated here for many years. The borough purchased the building and leased it to the Naugatuck Historical Society. It was transformed by a small army of dedicated volunteers into the museum that now occupies it.

THREE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION. The horse, the iron horse, and horsepower, three ways of transporting people and freight, are represented in this postcard. This is a view of the railroad station, facing northeast. There are two wagons and one car, a Ford Model T, c. 1915 at the railroad station awaiting a visit from the next scheduled train. By the way, folks can still catch a train here; they just have to purchase tickets on board.

SALEM SCHOOL. Salem School, located west of the green, has been featured in numerous postcards over the years. The views on this page are seldom encountered. The Salem in the school’s name comes from Salem Bridge, one of the early names of Naugatuck. The school was built in 1894 and is still in use today.

SALEM SCHOOL’S WITCH CONNECTION. There is no relationship between this school and the witches of Salem, Massachusetts. However, Salem School has a witch connection through one of its famous alumni, Gilbert Adrian. Adrian was the famed Hollywood designer for many movies, including The Wizard of Oz. His favorite pastime as a student was designing costumes for Frank Baum’s Oz books. Amazingly, he was given his dream job and used his childhood notebooks to design the ruby slippers and the costumes for the movie, including the witches’ costumes.

A VENERATED STRUCTURE. Ralph Jankins of Waukegan, Illinois, probably collected town hall postcards and must have written Mayor Clark asking for one. Secretary Jayne Quint sent him this card with an arrow pointing to what may have been the mayor’s office. Historians really enjoy postcards that have a story. This card, sent to Wisconsin on June 28, 1956, somehow ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• One - THE EARLY DAYS AND BEYOND
• Two - LOCAL LUMINARIES, RESIDENTS, AND VISITORS
• Three - PLACES, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND STREETS
• Four - BUSINESSES, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES
• Five - THE MILITARY, MONUMENTS, AND MOVING MOMENTS
• Six - GOVERNMENT AND MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS
• Seven - ARCHITECTURE
• Eight - EVENTS, PARADES, AND PERFORMANCES
• Nine - GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS
• About the Author