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1956 - A third wave of Hungarian men moved to Wallingford after the abortive revolt agains the Russians and the regime. 1956 - Three consecutive explosions destroyed a two-story factory building on Wallace St. where the Backes Co. stored gunpowder used for making caps. 1957 - Alfred Audisio, while excavating at the former DiChello Bros. Distributing building at North Cherry & Silk Sts., unearths about 100 sundial pocket watches. 1958 - Current Lyman Hall High School on Pond Hill Rd. opens 1959 - Rock Hill Elementary School was built in the “California-style” schools, as individual modules with totally open walkways between the modules. Aptly named, it was built on a side hill with rock ledge outcroppings. 1959 - Highland School, along with Rock Hill, were “California-style” schools, originally built as individual modules with totally open walkways between the modules. It draws its name from high land overlooking both Sheehan High School and Moran Middle School. 1960 - Yalesville Little League is formed. 1961 - In June, by a 3054-2498 vote, Wallingford adopts a Mayor-Council form of government. 1961 - William DeForest Bertini is elected as the first mayor -served 1961-1969. 1961 - Dag Hammarskjold Middle School is built 1961 - Moran Middle School is built 1961 - Evarts C. Stevens Elementary School, 1961, served as a K-6 school for over 50 years 1962 - On July 4, 1962, the Farms Country Club opened on land leased from Gaylord Hospital. 1962 - Clifford Backes announced that the Backes Company would no longer produce fireworks. He blamed increasingly stringent restrictions. 1963 - The Hotel Central burns - formerly the Wallingford Hotel & the Ingraham House. One person died in the fire. 1963 - W.T. Grants at N. Orchard & Center burns to the ground 1963 - Church of the Resurrection is started (Masses were said at LHHS until the church was built) 1964 - In 1964, Cook Hill School is the next to last of the elementary schools to be built during the major period of population growth of the 1950s & 1960s. The original, one room Cook Hill School was located down Schoolhouse Road at the corner of Cook Hill Road. It was the last of the one room schools to be utilized, lasting until 1935. It was named after Samuel Cook who was the first of his line on the west side of Wallingford. 1964 - A new post office building officially opened for Federal and Post Office operations on the corner of Main and Center Streets. 1965 - Wallingford lights are darkened by the “Northeast Blackout” 1966 - I-91 officially opens between New Haven and Meriden. 1966 - The American Silver Museum of Meriden officially voted to transfer its silver collection to the Wallingford Preservation Trust, to be displayed at the Franklin Johnson Mansion. 1968 - Pond Hill Elementary School is the newest of the elementary schools built to meet the need of the baby-booomer generation. The first Pond Hill School was a one room school, which served the south central part of town for over 100 years. This was one of the “Farm District Schools,”
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WALLINGFORD COMMUNITY THEATRE 1776 PLAY HOST & SPONSOR ANTHEM BLOCK DANCE MAJOR SPONSOR MEMBERS FIRST CT CREDIT UNION BLOCK DANCE MAJOR SPONSOR AUDI OF WALLINGFORD BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SUPPORTER CONNECTICUT GI BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SPONSOR INFRA-METALS BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SPONSOR NUCOR STEEL CONNECTICUT BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SPONSOR SOUTH BROAD PAINT AND HOME CENTER BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SPONSOR TELEFLEX MEDICAL BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SPONSOR BURNS & MCDONNELL BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SUPPORTER ONESOURCE BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SUPPORTER GAYLORD SPECIALTY HEALTHCARE BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY HOST SPONSOR FERGUSON & MCGUIRE INSURANCE BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY MAJOR SPONSOR KAMCO SUPPLY CORP. OF NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY MAJOR SPONSOR THE HANOVER INSURANCE GROUP BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY MAJOR SPONSOR ALLNEX BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY PRESENTING SPONSOR • BYK USA BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY PRESENTING SPONSOR ROHM AMERICA BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY PRESENTING SPONSOR QUINNIPIAC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY SPONSOR AND HOST CONN STREET ROD ASSOCIATION CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER SPONSOR EXECUTIVE AUTO CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER SPONSOR • EXECUTIVE DODGE CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER SPONSOR MERIDEN HYUNDAI CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER SPONSOR VALENTI PORSCHE AUDI BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SUPPORTER, CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER SPONSOR WALLINGFORD BUICK -GMC CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER SPONSOR, BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SUPPORTER CONNEX COUNTDOWN MEDIA SPONSOR • FELDMAN ORTHODONTICS COUNTDOWN MEDIA SPONSOR TILCON COUNTDOWN MEDIA SPONSOR • ACES COUNTDOWN MEDIA SPONSOR SISTERS PROJECT COUNTDOWN MEDIA SPONSOR AND WOMEN'S DAY SPONSOR WALLINGFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY DIVERSITY DAY HOST AND SPONSOR QUINNIPIAC RIVER LINEAR TRAIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE DIVERSITY DAY WALKATHON AND SPONSOR MASONICARE FIREWORKS MAJOR SPONSOR AND FOUNDING JUBILEE SPONSOR CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL GALA BALL MAJOR SPONSOR, FAITH DAY SPONSOR AND AND FOUNDING JUBILEE SPONSOR B.C. BAILEY FUNERAL HOME GALA BALL SPONSOR • WALLINGFORD FUNERAL HOME GALA BALL SPONSOR WALLINGFORD PRESERVATION TRUST HISTORY & DIVERSITY DAY, FAITH DAY & JUNETEENTH OBSERVANCE SPONSOR WALLINGFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY HISTORY & DIVERSITY DAY, HOST & MAJOR SPONSOR, INTERNATIONAL NIGHT MAJOR SPONSOR CENTER STREET CEMETERY HISTORY DAY REENACTMENT HOST JIM SEICHTER INDIVIDUAL DONOR: PARADE JONATHAN JUDD INDIVIDUAL DONOR: PARADE • PATRICIA KOHL INDIVIDUAL DONOR: PARADE TOM /JOHN HALL INDIVIDUAL DONOR: PARADE • WADSWORTH FAMILY FOUNDATION INDIVIDUAL DONOR: PARADE HUBCAP WALLINGFORD JUBILEE HEADQUARTERS AND MEETING SPONSOR WALLINGFORD MAGAZINE MEDIA MAGAZINE DONATION RECORD-JOURNAL MEDIA GROUP MEDIA SPONSOR, BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY MAJOR SPONSOR WALLINGFORD CENTER INC. MERCHANT STROLL HOST AND SPONSOR ULBRICH STAINLESS STEEL PARADE MAJOR SPONSOR, BUSINESS, BUSINESS & AGRICULTURE DAY EVENT SUPPORTER AND FOUNDING JUBILEE SPONSOR BARBERINO PARADE SPONSOR • BARROS CONSTRUCTION (BTTF DELOREAN) PARADE SPONSOR DRILL MASTERS - ELDORADO TOOL, INC. PARADE SPONSOR • G&G BEVERAGE PARADE SPONSOR MULE SECURITY PARADE SPONSOR • WALLINGFORD SENIOR CENTER SENIOR DAY HOST AND SPONSOR THE LIBRARY WINE BAR AND BISTRO WINE TASTING HOST AND MAJOR SPONSOR WALLINGFORD COMMUNITY WOMEN WOMEN’S DAY HOST AND MAJOR SPONSOR MUTUAL SECURITY CREDIT UNION WOMEN’S DAY MAJOR SPONSOR MIDSTATE MEDICAL CENTER WOMEN’S DAY MAJOR SPONSOR, SENIOR DAY MAJOR SPONSOR WALLINGFORD PARKS AND RECREATION YOUTH DAY HOST AND SPONSOR WALLINGFORD YMCA YOUTH DAY HOST AND SPONSOR • MCDONALDS YOUTH DAY SPONSOR KIWANIS OF WALLINGFORD WALKATHON AND FAMILY EVENT SPONSOR
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of which there were seven, plus two schools in the center of town, in addition to Yalesville, in the northwest. 1969 - Joseph C. Carini is elected as second mayor of Wallingford. He served 1970-1974 and died in office. 1969 - Wallingford approaches a Tercentenary observance with some 36,000 inhabitants and a grand list assessment of $160,943,057. 1971 - Rosemary Hall returns to Wallingford and, with The Choate School, becomes Choate Rosemary Hall in 1974 1971 - Town names new high school on the west side of town for Dr. Mark T. Sheehan, WW I veteran, family doctor, and Town Health Officer for many years 1972 - The Redwood Flea Market opens on Hartford Turnpike. The market started 43 years ago, when waitresses at what’s now the Redwood Grille on South Turnpike Road thought it would be fun to have a Saturday tag sale in the parking lot. Now (in 2015), more than 2500 visitors pass through in a weekend. 1972 - Spanish Community of Wallingford (SCOW) is founded to integrate Latinos into the community 1973 - The Senior Citizens Center moved to the newly renovated railroad station in March, 1973. 1974 - Rocco J. Vumbaco is elected as third mayor of Wallingford. He served 1974-1983. 1975 - Gil & Eleanor Kelman authored “From These Roots: A Bicentennial History of a New England Town” 1976 - 911 Emergency service comes to Wallingford 1977 - First church service is held for the Heritage Baptist Church in a rented building at 12 Chapel St. in Ylsvl. 1978 - The former electric generating station on Washington Street was renovated to become the Senior Center facility. 1978 - Community Lake dam burst - 100+ year old, 12-foot dam was built by the Wallingford Community 1982 - Margaret Taber helps in laying the cornerstone for the current library on her former property on N Main St. 1982 - Heritage Baptist Academy, began in August 1982 with 42 students, K-4 through 12th grade. 1983 - William F. Dickinson elected mayor, currently in 18th term (2018) 1983 - Colony Cinema 1-5 opened in 1983 in the former Colony Shopping Plaza. 1987 - The Bristol-Myers Company’s move to Research Parkway in the mid-1980s sparked concerns from some town officials and residents living near the facility because of environmental and financial factors. The facility eventually grew to nearly 1 million square feet of building space and a helipad on 177 acres of land. 1988 - When the state decided to move away from landfills in the 1970s, it promoted the construction of six trash-to-energy plants, including the Wallingford First national Bank 1917
plant in Wallingford. Connecticut Resource Recovery Authority (CRRA) issued bonds for construction of the Wallingford Project Trash To Energy facility at 530 South Cherry Street. 1990s - Yalesville School was rebuilt in the 1990s. The current building is at least the third school on this site. This started as a two classroom school, while its 2nd floor was used for meetings and other activities until more classrooms were needed. June 1992 - Garden Road, a new street of year-old houses about 75 feet from the Quinnipiac River, was under water from a major flooding of the river. 1993 - The Wallingford Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 1993 - Wallingford Public Access Association (WPAA) incorporated 1994 - The railroad station and a portion of Wallingford’s downtown have been placed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. 1995 - The Center Street Park, in front of the original railroad station at the foot of Center St., is dedicated as the Johanna Manfreda Fishbein Park. Johanna Fishbein who was referred to as “The Grande Dame’’ or the “First Lady of Celebration,’’ was a former teacher of dance and etiquette classes and the recipient of awards from a half-dozen civic organizations. 1997 - Phase I of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail opened, providing a one mile paved walking, biking and skating trail from Community Lake Park to the Quinnipiac River. Several benches are located here. 1998 - The old Muddy River schoolhouse is donated to the WHPT and is disassembled and put into storage until such time as the land and funds are available to reconstruct it as a historic one room schoolhouse. 2000 - Town Population 43,000 2001 - The Wallingford Senior Center moved into the beautiful new facility on Washington St. that was designed and built by the firm of Lazarus and Sargeant. 2001 - Residents protested while hate group leader Matthew Hale gave his white supremacist speech Saturday under the pavilion at Community Lake. Hale spoke for 90 minutes from under the pavilion roof, flanked by four guards wearing black uniforms and white berets. Protesters shouted through bullhorns and the incessant tweet of whistles, along with a hovering police helicopter, drowned out Hale’s words. After the rally, police escorted the supremacists through the parking lot toward the nearby Wilbur Cross Parkway. 2005 - WPAA open 1st community TV station on Center St 2005 - Holiday Cinemas renovated the old Kmart building at 970 N. Colony Road, opened in 2005, and is the only remaining theater in Wallingford. 2007 - Dorothy M. Kosinski, who grew up in Wallingford, has been named director of the Phillips Collection of Modern Art in Washington DC. 2010 - Covanta, a private energy company, purchased the trash-to-energy plant for $1 in 2010 after CRRA’s 20-year contract expired. As the host town for the plant, Wallingford receives payment in lieu of taxes from Covanta based on the tonnage of trash received at the plant, in addition to property taxes. 2010 - WPAA renovated an in-town property, formerly a cattle barn, into a nonprofit owned community TV station 2012 - In September 2012, Choate students moved into the new $20 million Kohler Environmental Center’s 32,000-square-foot facility, alongside a field filled with solar panels that produces 294 kilowatts of power 2013 - The Coalition for a Better Wallingford is formed to raise awareness about substance abuse and prevent drug overdoses. 2014 - Wallingford Buick-GMC celebrates 100 yrs - oldest auto dealership in Wallingford 2015 - The Bert & Harry Subkowsky Bark Park opened in December 2015. 2015 - Proton OnSite will take part in what officials at the company are saying is the first large-scale project to use electricity from renewable sources to make carbon-free hydrogen gas to be stored for producing power at a later time. 2015 - The Wallingford Family YMCA celebrates its 70th birthday. 2015 - Phase II of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail opens. The project was the grand entrance to Phase III to Fireworks Island. It took 5 years to get approval for the bridge and the tunnel under the Wilbur Cross parkway. A tunnel under the parkway had never been approved for any project until our Trail project. The bridge over the Quinnipiac River at the .9 mile marker on the Trail was built out West and transported to the Trail by tractor trailers. 2015 - World renowned local resident known as ARCY (Ryan Christenson) painted 2-story photo-realistic mural of a Tiger on WPAA-TV building (Public Art) 2016 - Ulbrich is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, — During the early 1920s, Fred Christian Ulbrich Sr. opened a scrapyard in town, taking apart cars and farm equipment to sell to steel mills and repair shops. In 1924, the Fred Ulbrich company started and would eventually become Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals Inc. 2016 - The North Farms Volunteer Fire Dept. celebrated its 70th anniversary. 2016 - Troop 5 BSA celebrates 100th anniversary - oldest Boy Scout troop in Wallingford 2016 - Phase III of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail opened on July 8 and extends the trail from Fireworks Island across the Yalesville Raceway to Main St. in Yalesville. 2016 - The Villa Capri on Rt. 5 closes after 56 years. 2016 - In Wallingford, the day before Thanksgiving also means the first and longest running powder puff football game in the nation. Since 1972, senior girls from Lyman Hall and Sheehan high schools have squared off in the Samaha Bowl, named for Judy Samaha, a former Wallingford legend, who started this flag football game. The 50th anniversary of the Samaha Bowl kicks off in 2021. 2016 - Covanta Energy has begun negotiations with the town to shut down its trash transfer plant, a move that would result in a significant loss in tax revenue for the town. 2016 - A project to build a new solar energy generation facility atop a landfill in Wallingford has received initial approval from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The solar facility will produce 19.99 megawatts of energy, which will go to a regional electrical grid. 2017 - Amtrak and the Connecticut Department of Transportation are adding a new rail service called the Hartford Line. A large new station is under con-
Dr. John T. Spignesi
practiced medicine in Wallingford from 1935 until his death in 1979. He graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine, and was a member of the American Medical Association. He was director of public health for 10 years.
CONGRATULATIONS WALLINGFORD!
Linda Craig
Director/Owner
License Number: HCA.0001468 In-Home Care & Assisted Living Referral Services
20 Ives Road, Suite 202B • Wallingford, CT Office: (203) 269-1522 • Mobile: (203) 494-9789 Fax: (203) 269-1529 lcraig@abc-seniors.com www.ABCgreaternewhaven.com
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WALLINGFORD GIRLS SOFTBALL LEAGUE
Connecticut’s only slow pitch youth softball league - WGSL - wishes our hometown of Wallingford the Happiest of Birthdays!
Come out and join our family this fall! Learn more by visiting: WGSL.org
WGSL.org linkedin.com/company/wallingford-girls-softball-league-inc facebook.com/TheWGSL instagram.com/TheWGSL twitter.com/TheWGSL
Holy Trinity School
has been serving the Wallingford community for 109 years.
Faith - Knowledge - Success
11 North Whittlesey Ave www.hts-wallingford.org
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Jennifer Micacci, Au.D.
Doctor of Audiology
HAPPY 350
Wallingford Jubilee
Come see us at Best Life Hearing Center where we have helped thousands of people hear better.
HELP US DEFEND OUR ~ Est. 2003 ~
Italian / American / Pub CuisineTITLE AND
Happy 350th Birthday Wallingford! - Come Visit :)SUPPORT A LOCAL BUSINESS! DiFonzo's Restoration is a family owned and operated Connecticut business with over 30 years of experience and is fully licensed and insured. We offer financing to those who qualify through The Wells Fargo Home Projects Credit Card Call for a FREE ESTIMATE 203-605-9250 FULL BAR • PRIVATE BANQUET ROOM • SEASONAL OUTDOOR SEATING Located in the center of Beautiful Uptown Wallingford Something for Everyone! 40 N Main Street, Wallingford • 203-294-1114 • www.gaetanostavern.com Winners in the North Haven Citizen 2020 Best Roofing & Siding issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or Company (Subject to credit approval for residential projects only) visit our website
SPECIALIZING IN ALL ASPECTS OF: *Residential/Commercial Roofing *Siding at www.difonzos.net CT LIC.# 0580648 GAF LIC.# CE25227 *Repairs/Maintenance *Windows & Doors And much, more! HELP US DEFEND OUR HELP US TITLE AND DEFEND OUR SUPPORT A TITLE AND LOCAL SUPPORT A BUSINESS!
DiFonzo's Restoration is a family owned and operated Connecticut business with over 30 years of experience and is fully licensed and insured. We offer financing to those who qualify through The Wells Fargo Home Projects Credit Card issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (Subject to credit approval for residential projects only) SPECIALIZING IN ALL ASPECTS OF: *Residential/Commercial Roofing *Siding *Repairs/Maintenance *Windows & Doors And much, more! Call for a FREE ESTIMATE 203-605-9250 or visit our website at www.difonzos.net DiFonzo's Restoration is a family owned and operated Connecticut business with over 30 years of experience and is fully licensed and insured. We offer financing to those who qualify through The Wells Fargo Home Projects Credit Card issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Subject to credit approval for residential projects only) SPECIALIZING IN ALL ASPECTS OF: *Residential/Commercial Roofing *Siding Call for a FREE ESTIMATE 203-605-9250 or visit our website at www.difonzos.net CT LIC.# 0580648 GAF LIC.# CE25227 LOCAL BUSINESS! Winners in the North Haven Citizen 2020 Best Roofing & Siding Company 251498 CT LIC.# 0580648 GAF LIC.# CE25227 Winners in the North Haven Citizen 2020 Best Roofing & Siding Company
*Repairs/Maintenance *Windows & Doors And much, more!
Call for a
FREE ESTIMATE
203-605-9250 or Subject to credit approval for residential projects only) visit our website HELP US at www.difonzos.net CT LIC.# 0580648 GAF LIC.# CE25227 Congratulations Wallingford! DEFEND OUR TITLE AND SUPPORT A LOCAL BUSINESS! DiFonzo's Restoration is a family owned and operated Connecticut business with over 30 years of experience and is fully licensed and insured. We offer financing to those who qualify through The Wells Fargo Home Projects Credit Card Call for a FREE ESTIMATE 203-605-9250 Winners in the North Haven Citizen 2020 Best Roofing & Siding issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or Company (Subject to credit approval for residential projects only) visit our website
SPECIALIZING IN ALL ASPECTS OF: *Residential/Commercial Roofing *Siding at www.difonzos.net CT LIC.# 0580648 GAF LIC.# CE25227 *Repairs/Maintenance *Windows & Doors And much, more!
Call us at 203-741-9943 to schedule your appointment! 850 N Main St. EXT BLDG 1 · STE C1 · Wallingford, CT 06492 bestlifehearingcenter.com 251231
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struction on Parker Street to accommodate the increased number of passengers. 2017 - The Victorian Inn on North Main Street was recently recognized by an international registry of over 300 inns around the world. The Queen Anne-style home was built in 1891 by industrialist Gordon W. Hall as a wedding present for his daughter, Georgianna. Since the 1990s, the house has served as a bed-and-breakfast. 2017 - The five municipalities under contract to send trash to Covanta Energy’s transfer plant in Wallingford have declined an offer by Covanta to shut down the town’s plant and send trash to its Bristol location. 2017 - The Yalesville volunteer fire department closed and was consolidated with the North Farms Volunteer Fire Dept. which has just moved from Barnes Rd. to a new building on North Farms Rd. This leaves the East Wallingford Volunteer Fire Department on Kondracki Lane and two career fire stations, Company 1, at 95 N. Main St. and Company 2, at 75 Masonic Ave. 2017 - Wallingford is one of the first communities in the state to allow beekeeping in residential areas. 2017 - On May 2, 2017, Senior Minister, the Rev. Kathleen Cunliffe, was installed as the 18th pastor at First Congregational Church of Wallingford. She is also the first woman to serve as pastor at the church in its 350 year history. 2017 - Canelli Jewelers celebrates 100 years in Wallingford,encompassing four generations and a fifth in training! 2018 - William Cook’s 1859 Wallingford-made ox cart returned to Wallingford after nearly 40 years of cross-country touring. 2018 - Bristol Myers leaves Wallingford 2020 - Town population: 47,000 (est.)
Moments Committee
Tarn Granucci, Carrie LaTorre, Bob Beaumont, Jim Franchese, Jerry Farrell Jr., Bob Devaney Jr., MaryBeth Applegate, Jim Franchese, Christine Mansfield
Goal: Document the top 350 town moments in history, from founding through today.
A team of historians, school, library and town officials brainstormed and created a list of more than 350 events in a Google shared sheet.
Group reviewed the goal of the Moments Google Spreadsheet created from Wallingford Historical Society, Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust, WPAA TV and other stakeholders. The detail includes category and decade, including 434 total records with Event name, Event description and Picture availability, submitter name, organization and date (350 records when school and church records are removed).
Historians partnered with the school district social studies teachers and created a Wallingford curriculum and professional development workshop based on the Moments list The shared spreadsheet included text and images for educational use.
FILE: An undated photo of "children's hour" at the Wallingford Oneida Community that existed from 1851-1881. Members gathered nightly for entertainment or to hear a speaker, and generally including a children’s hour. | Courtesy of Celeste Yanni
FILE: An undated photo of the Wallingford Printing Company, established by the Oneida Community that existed from 1851-1881. Courtesy of Celeste Yanni
Legends continued from page 43
Mentions in the movies and TV
Wallingford has been portrayed on the screen at least a couple of times. In “Riding in Cars with Boys,” a 2001 movie starring Drew Barrymore, Wallingford was the backdrop to the true-life story of town native Beverly Donofrio. Donofrio grew up in Wallingford in the 1960s and raised her son as a teen mother, eventually graduating from college and moving to New York City. She shared her story in her 1990 memoir of the same name. Although the movie was not shot in Wallingford, the producers reached out to the public library, police station and Record-Journal looking for photos and information to recreate the old look of the town.
Wallingford had another brush with the movies when “The Other Side of the Tracks,” a 2007 indie thriller by writer and director A.D. Calvo, was filmed at Trackside Brick Oven Pizzeria. Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. even had a cameo as a bartender at Trackside, a restaurant inside of a 1920s Philadelphia subway car. Michael Bolton, the Grammy-award winning singer and Connecticut resident, was an executive producer. The lead was played by Brendan Fehr, who starred in the television series “Roswell” and now appears in “CSI: Miami.” The girl in question was portrayed by Tania Raymonde, who appeared in TV’s “Lost.” Also in the cast was Sam Robards, the son of Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall, who was in “American Beauty” and “A.I.: Artificial Intelligence.” Wallingford also showed up on TV. The town’s zip code, 06492, was used as the zip code of the fictional Connecticut town of Stars Hollow on the TV show “Gilmore Girls.”
