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MONDAY, JUNE 20 • HISTORY & DIVERSITY DAY
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1881 - In 1881, an Ordinance was adopted which stipulated that citizens were forbidden to clean their privies (outhouses) on certain days in April - October and the contents could not be “carted through any street between 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.” 1881 - Wallingford Community, the “Community of Perfectionists,” dissolves, remnants going to Oneida, NY 1882 - The Wilson Sewing Machine Co. builds a huge brick factory, later know as the Rubber Shop, since rubber clothing was manufactured there. Today it is the apartments at Parker Place. 1882 - The First National Bank of Wallingford was incorporated January 1, 1882 1883 - The Wallingford Gas Light Company was incorporated on April 4, 1881. The Works were erected on the banks of the Quinnipiac River in the fall of 1883. It went into business with $42,000 capitalization (primarily street lighting until after 1890 with the advent of the gas mantle) 1883 - There are two ice houses located in Wallingford. Hallenback & Austin Ice Dealers is in the Silver Pond area and the other dealer is on the Quinnipiac River. 1885 - The Simpson School was built on land donated by industrialist Samuel Simpson. 1885 - Wallingford Grange is started 1886 - Judd Mansion built on S. Main St 1886 - “The Wallingford Witness” , the first local newspaper is incorporated in March 1886 1886 - Shoebox murder discovered, but not solved to this day (articles can be found on the internet) 1886 - Wallingford Sewer System established in 1886. By 1877, H. Wales Lines Co. had completed one mile of sewer at a cost of $8,923.09. In 1887, the Court of Burgesses purchased a large steam-powered stone crusher and large quantities of crushed stone were laid on the primary streets to give them a hard smooth surface. 1886 - Twenty miles of concrete sidewalks were constructed and the Borough claimed more good walks than any other similar size town in New England. 1886 - The Connecticut Legislature voted to establish the Borough Court of Wallingford, with large criminal and civil jurisdiction, and Leverett M. Hubbard accepted the position of its first judge. 1886 - Leverett Marsden Hubbard elected Secretary of the State (served for one term 1886-87) 1886 - In Memoriam Cemetery is established 1887 - Simpson Block Built (4 floors)- became home to the Opera House, the Ladies Reading Room and later the Dime Savings Bank 1888 - The Blizzard of 1888 1888 - Tracy Post Office established with Almon Ives as the 1st Postmaster
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The Winter Exercise Building at Choate School opened its doors in 1932.
Monday, June 20: History & Diversity Day
Sponsor /Host: Wallingford Historical Society
7:30 AM. HISTORY DAY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
Wallingford Historical Society, 180 South Main Street Essay Contest Award Ceremony, featuring Representative Craig Fishbein. Invited: Wallingford Descendants and dignitaries from Wallingford, its daughter towns, Cheshire, Meriden, Prospect, Wallingford, VT, and Wallingford, England Cost: Free Yalesville Fife & Drum Corps will lead those in attendance to the Franklin Johnson Mansion
9:00 AM WELCOMING PORCH DEDICATION
Wallingford Preservation Trust Silver Museum at the Franklin Johnson Mansion 153 South Main Street Dedication of Porch to Rita Katona, who served as Wallingford's "Welcome Wagon", and the Rita Katona Welcoming Porch at the Johnson Mansion
10:15 AM RE-DEDICATION OF THE FOUNDERS' STONE
Parade Ground (in front of First Congregational Church), North Main Street 23 South Main Street, Wallingford Sponsor: Wallingford Historical Society
11:00 AM WALKING TOUR
Walk continues down Center St. to the Center St. Cemetery, oldest cemetery. Actors take on the persona of a number of those interred there.
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM THE LEBANON MILITIA, A REVOLUTIONARY WAR ERA RE-ENACTMENT
Sponsor: Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust Location: American Silver Museum at the Johnson Mansion 153 South Main Street, Wallingford Free
1:00 PM 4:30 PM CO. F OF THE 14TH CONN. VOLUNTEERS, CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTORS
Samuel Parsons House, 180 South Main Street, Wallingford Sponsor: Wallingford Historical Society Free
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM BEACH PROPERTY OPEN HOUSE/ WALK
Wallingford Land Trust (Opposite the entrance to Ashlar Village) Sponsor: Beach Family and the Wallingford Land Trust Walk the Zerah Beach Preserve on Cheshire Road, part of the Beach family since 1670. Zerah Beach was a blind poultry farmer, descendant of one of the town's founding families, and relatives of Moses Beach. His son, Guy Beach, donated this property to the land trust. The family will have a historic display about the Beach family and give guided tours of the property. Hike: .5 mile loop of mixed forest, fields and stream
2 PM DEDICATION OF THE YALESVILLE HISTORIC SIGN
Yalesville Center, Chapel & Main Street Sponsor: Wallingford Historical Society
2:30 PM DEDICATION AND DONATION
Wallingford Public Library 200 North Main Street, Wallingford Holt Association of America, Donation of Chair to the Wallingford Public Library and Dedication to the Memory of William Holt, (1616-1683) settling in Wallingford CT in 1673 from England via Bermuda. The Holt Family will present on the 100th Anniversary
6:30 PM - 8:45 PM WALLINGFORD VIRTUAL HISTORIC HOMES TOUR
Host: MaryBeth Applegate Wallingford Public LIbrary, 200 North Main Street, Wallingford Featuring North and South Main Streets Historic Homes Attend in person or live streamed
1:00 PM - 4:00PM LEBANON MILITIA RE-ENACTMENTS
Sponsor: Wallingford Preservation Trust Franklin Johnson Mansion, 153 South Main Street Join the Lebanon Militia, an historic re-enactment group, as they demonstrate the folkways of 18th century America Free
DESCENDANTS COMMITTEE
1669, In Memoriam To The Founders, the families that established the town of Wallingford, Connecticut are recognized on the Town Hall property and commemorated with a Founders Rock. Inscription: CHOSEN BY THEM In the continual remembrance of a glorious past. Individuals and nations find their noblest inspiration. FOUNDERS LIST: Signers of the Plantation Covenant • Samuel Street • Abraham Doolittle • Samuel Andrews • Samuel Hall • Nathaniel How • Joseph Ives • Samuel Munson • John Miles • Simon Tuttle • James Heaton • Benjamin Lewis • Thomas Hall • Jehiel Preston • Nathaniel Merriman •John Brockett • Samuel Cook • Joseph Benham • William Johnson • John Peck • Nathan Andrews • Samuel Miles • Daniel Hopper • Thomas Curtiss • John Beach • John Mosse • Jeremiah How • John Hall • Zachariah How • Samuel Potter • Eliazur Peck • Samuel Brown • John Ives • John Harriman • Samuel Whitehead • Thomas Yale • Eliazur Holt • Eliasaph Preston Thank you to the hard work of the Descendants Committee to plan and commemorate the founding families of Wallingford: Descendants Committee: Chair: Bob Beaumont,
PUBLISHING COMMITTEE: PUBLISHED BOOK
Authors: Beth Devlin, Dawn Gottschalk Contributor/ Foreword: Tarn Granucci, Bob Beaumont Authored a Commemorative Book about Wallingford Town History, capturing stories and pictures unseen! 126 Pages; 2000 pictures, Arcadia Publishing
Available for sale online – Wallingford 350th Jubilee Store: Official Jubilee merchandise available online: https://wallingford-350-plus2.square.site.com Thank you to Beth Devlin and Dawn Marie Gottschalk for your immeasurable editing and authoring, and to Tarn Granucci and Bob Beaumont for your support and efforts.
FIREWORKS! FRIDAY JUNE 24th 9:30 PM
Est. Start time
Sponsored by Masonicare Mark T. Sheehan H.S. 142 Hope Hill Road
1878 Blizzard
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1888 - First High School baseball game (also with upper grammar grade boys) - our boys lost 14 to 0 to Meriden High School 1890 - The Rosemary Hall school for young ladies is founded by Mary Atwater Choate 1890 - George Wilkinson, Sr. opens the Opera House on the 3rd floor of Simpson Block, precursor tof several succeeding movie houses. 1890 - New York, New Haven & Hartford Engine #69’s boiler explodes leaving the Wallingford station, - the engineer & fireman are thrown out of the engine, but are not seriously hurt. 1891 - Dr. George Craig starts dental practice in Wallingford, which lasted over 60 years. 1891 - Zion Lutheran Church was organized 1892 - The first telephone pay station in Wallingford is installed in J. P. Stevenson’s store. 1892 - The Wallingford Town Farm was built on the west side to house poor families. The Farm was abandoned in 1953 and its remaining 12 residents were place in homes in nearby towns to board. 1893 - Against the edict of Borough Warden Dennis Morris banning a bonfire on July 4th, one of the Backes boys (a Borough Burgess) pushed a wheel barrel to Main & Center with a good fire in it, and a throng of men and boys with combustibles, all going onto Backes’ fire. The church bells rang all night long, while the men and boys had a rollicking good time. So much for that edict. 1893 - Racetrack for trotter & bicycle racing on William Williams’ property on East Center St (sponsored by the Wlfd Driving & Cycling Assn until 1897) 1893 - In 1893, John H. McCormack took out patents for the McCormack hot water boiler. The increase in the demand for the boilers gradually made such urgent calls upon the time of their inventor, that he formed the McCormack Steam Heating Company of Wallingford. 1895 - A Methodist Church is constructed at the corner of Main and Church Streets nearly 100 years ater the first Methodist services in town had been held in private homes, and more then 50 years before construction of the present church on Rock Hill Road. 1895 - The valuation of the town property at the present time is $5,000,000. 1895 - A fire which broke out at 2 o’clock this morning in Wallingford destroyed Temperance Hall, belonging to Jared Q. Kimberly, Perkins & Maynes, Philip Finnegan, and Patrick McKenna. The loss reaches over $10,000. It was the fourth suspicious fire within the past fortnight. 1895 - The town is furnished excellent street railway service by a line of electric cars, capitalized at $1,000,000, and extending through to Meriden. 1896 - The district schools start teaching Wallingford history to the 4th grade students
Did you know these Wallingford local legends?
By Lauren Takores Record-Journal staff In the 1993 movie “The Sandlot,” the spirit of Babe Ruth tells Benny, who must pluck up the courage to retrieve a lost baseball autographed by Ruth, that “heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” Neighborhood legends often have a basis in truth, even if the details get distorted over time.
In fact, a car accident involving the real-life Ruth became a Wallingford legend that’s still repeated today. On Oct. 2, 1920, the then-25-year-old crashed his car into the brownstone rail bridge spanning Route 150. He collided with a truck while driving a new roadster to Springfield, according to the Morning Oregonian. Fortunately for the New York Yankees, the team Ruth had just completed his first season with, the Bambino left the crash unharmed and went on to hit another 611 home runs in his career.
Here are some other Wallingford stories that have reached the level of local legend. There’s an elephant buried in Wallingford A circus elephant is buried near South Cherry Street, but exactly where remains a secret to protect the animal’s grave. On June 29, 1953, the Mills Bros. Circus performed two shows in Wallingford sponsored by the Lions Club. The circus was set up at the town’s airport, now the property of the Electric Division, near South Cherry Street.
On July 1, the Meriden Record reported that the circus left at 5 a.m. on June 30, “but ‘Miss India,’ a 2,600-pound cow elephant, didn’t know it. She died several hours earlier.”
According to the article, Miss India was 25 years old, the youngest elephant in the show. It was believed she died of a heart attack at about 2:30 a.m. on June 30. After debating what to do with the carcass, “it was decided to bury her where she fell,” just east of the airport hangars, about 25 feet from South Cherry Street, according to the article.
Alfred Audisio, an excavator and owner of the Audisio Excavating Co. in Wallingford, brought a gasoline-operated shovel and diesel bulldozer to dig the elephant’s grave.
Legends continued on page 43
