Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago —
 December 1923

H. Roscoe Brinton has installed a special car washing apparatus in connection with his regular heating plant whereby he will be able to wash cars with warm water during the winter.

A Ford car was being driven along the Hammertown Road one evening this week, when suddenly the lights went out. The driver, instead of trying to find out what was the matter, drove on through the dark. The car went over the bank by the little pond and dropped several feet into soft mud. It hit on its nose and turned gently over. The driver crawled out unhurt, and next day a wrecking car went up from Brinton’s Garage and lifted the remains out of the bulrushes. It is better to park your car by the roadside and go afoot for help than to drive in the dark without lights.

Adv: Wanted — A housekeeper. I have a fine home, well furnished. I am alone and lonesome. Please write me for particulars. Address Chas. H. Pitcher, Sharon Valley, Conn. R.F.D.

A new storm shed has been placed over the steps at Best Theatre.

The many friends of Harris Rosseter will be surprised to learn that he took unto himself a wife in the person of Miss Summer of New York on August 23rd last. Belated congratulations are in order.

Display Ad: As electricity is so generally used, what would be more appropriate than any one or more of the following electrical appliances? Curling irons, toaster stoves, flatirons, adjusto lamps, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, hair dryers and sewing machine motors are some of the items on sale at The Connecticut Power Company store in Canaan. Shop early while lines are complete.

50 years ago —
 December 1973

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has been notified that its design for the restoration of the covered bridge at West Cornwall has won first place in the historic sites category of a contest sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration. The award was for an “outstanding example of the preservation, relocation or restoration of historic sites.”

“Are you aware of the type of motion picture you are coming to view?” Richard Masters asks this of everyone who comes to purchase a ticket for the XX-rated movies in Millerton, N.Y. Apparently some people have different expectations and do not realize the type films that are being shown. Richard and Barbara Masters, formerly employed at the Canaan Drive-in in Connecticut, took over as managers of the Millerton theatre on Monday Nov. 26. The Victory Theater Corporation, which bought the Millerton Theater back in June, can explain the run of sex-based movies. Jim Severin, spokesman for Victory, said “No theater goes to X policy through preference, only through darn necessity.” According to Mr. Severin, the Millerton Theater has lost over $5,000 since August: “at this point we’re just looking to meet house expenses. With X-rated films our take is a little bit better.”

Dr. and Mrs. Elbert Gross of West Woods in Sharon gave their annual birthday party for Ludwig Von Beethoven on Saturday evening for approximately 50 friends. Beethoven was born on Dec. 16, 1770. Dr. Gross, president of Music Mountain, decided to move the party ahead a little, since the last two parties took place in serious snow storms and no one wants to celebrate Beethoven’s birthday in a blizzard.

Two old stands of white pine in Cornwall have been listed as safe indefinitely because they are part of the Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to the preservation of natural areas. The Cathedral Pines and the Ballyhack are listed in part of a New England inventory of natural areas which was conducted in Connecticut in conjunction with the State Park and Forest Commission.

Bicron Electronics in Canaan is conducting a two-day school for industries in the use of a contact metal gauge. Bicron President Fred Kent reports the school will be attended by key men in industries from five states and Canada. He said that Bicron is associated with a small German firm which manufactures a contact gauge that can measure differences in metal thicknesses to 80 millionths of an inch, while the metal is on a roll.

25 years ago —
 December 1998

During a meeting of the Kent Center School Town-Wide Building Committee Monday, members talked about the possibility of expanding the building into the courtyard. “We discussed that area a few years ago and when I suggested cutting down some of the trees out there, some people wanted to cut me down — or string me up,” Principal Ed Epstein noted.

Housatonic Valley Regional High School battled Gilbert in the traditional Thanksgiving Day Berkshire Bowl. Gilbert took the contest, 14-12, but Housy’s play provided some optimism for next season.

FALLS VILLAGE — Chief Warrant Officer Marc Mittaud, a former first selectman candidate, has been awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his work during a recent arms inspection. Mr. Mittaud received the award for developing a mobilization plan for his aviation battalion in time of war along with formulating an air crew survival curriculum.

These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.