Turning Back The Pages

100 years ago — November 1920

SALISBURY — Mr. Alexander Suydam was 86 years of age on November 16th, and celebrated the event by attending a moving picture performance in Lakeville. Next to Messrs. Charles H. Bissell and James Martin, Mr. Suydam is the oldest citizen in the town to our knowledge. He is enjoying good health and his faculties are as keen and clear as a boy’s. 

LAKEVILLE — Myron Holley is making some changes and alterations to the rear of his residence. The ice house has been moved to a site near the barn and a new milk and cream room has been built on the spot vacated by the ice house.

50 years ago — November 1970

The lowering of Lake Wononscopomuc, approved at a special town meeting Sept. 18, has been virtually accomplished. The water level of the lake is now two and a half to three feet lower than at the project’s inception, with an average of 40 to 50 feet of shoreline exposed. The success of the project from this point on depends largely upon the efforts of lakefront dwellers and local volunteer groups. 

A warm and buoyant indication of neighborly appreciation was given Saturday afternoon when more than 200 people attended the festive reception for Mr. and Mrs. Frank O’Nell at Elsa’s Kitchen in Taconic. The O’Nells, who had owned and operated the Taconic general store for 45 years and the small local post office for 36, retired as of Nov. 1.

25 years ago — November 1995

SALISBURY — The Scoville Library officially enters into the new age of technology Dec. 1 with automated circulation, an automated catalog and such luxuries as a CD-ROM index that makes any story in the last five years of the N.Y. Times retrievable. However, librarian Martha Darcy wants to assure users of the library that nobody, but nobody, has to use the new computer if they don’t want to.

Wal-Mart is coming to Torrington’s East Main Street by the end of 1996, a move long rumored but officially announced by the giant discount chain only last week. Several merchants in the Northwest Corner this week downplayed the impact Wal-Mart’s arrival would have on business here.

Chris Kupferer, who began his newspaper career at The Millerton News and The Lakeville Journal, has been named a copy editor at a major metropolitan newspaper, the Philadelphia Enquirer. He is the son of Bruce and Anna Mae Kupferer of Millerton.

CANAAN — The ball is in his court. A Granite Avenue resident who circulated a petition calling for the removal of the fire siren was made an offer by the Canaan Fire Company. Since sending his petition to the CFC this past summer, John Taylor has said that he would consider modifications to the siren. In a letter sent to Mr. Taylor last week, Chief Charlie Perotti said that they would do just that, providing someone comes up with the $1,000 estimated cost. “We just don’t have the money to pay for it,” Chief Perotti said.

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