Turning Back the Pages - December 18, 2025

125 years ago — December 1900

A beautiful bronze memorial tablet was recently placed on the organ in the Congregational church in Norfolk in memory of Miss Sarah Eldridge who died a year ago last June. Miss Eldridge gave the organ to the church in 1892. The inscription on the tablet is surrounded by a wreath with foliage in which are several little birds.

Jimmie, the 8 year old son of Milton Rice, sustained a serious and unusual accident on Thursday morning. Walter Loucks was drawing water in barrels in an old fashion spring lumber box wagon, and Jimmie in company with some other boys climbed up the back. The wagon was slippery with ice and in some way Jimmie slipped, and his left leg became caught between the wheel and spring breaking the bone just above the knee. The break was of such a serious nature that the boy after being made as comfortable as possible by Dr. Bissell was placed on a stretcher and taken to the hospital in Pittsfield where he will receive the best of treatment. He bore the pain with great fortitude and exhibited much grit.

T.F. Dexter of Litchfield has been in town the past few days, shipping the machinery from the bicycle factory to Bantam.

Dr. Sellew, who has been very dangerously ill from an abscess of the lungs, has been steadily improving under the care of Doctors Beebe and Bissell.

100 years ago — December 1925

LIME ROCK — The Casino has been closed for the winter, and there will be no more movies until spring.

The United States Gypsum Co. of Chicago has purchased 75 acres of land, including what is known as Point O’ Rocks at Falls Village. It is said that the Gypsum Company will manufacture building material from the stone, and will soon erect a plant to employ a number of men.

Charles Miller is giving his residence a new covering of asbestos shingles.

The Connecticut Power Co. this week is advertising a reduction in residential lighting rates, as may be seen by their large advertisement elsewhere in this paper. This will, in the opinion of the Company, result in a larger use of electricity the lower rates making it possible from an economic point.

Adirondack balsam Christmas trees may be purchased at Martin’s Garage in Lakeville or Salisbury at prices from 75 cents to $1.50 each.

50 years ago — December 1975

Crews from CBS television network have been stalking the area of Barbara Gibbons’ murder and interviewing those who have been involved in the Peter Reilly case for the filming of a documentary for television’s “Sixty Minutes.” Over the weekend, Mike Wallace interviewed Reilly as well as some of those involved in his arrest and in the effort to exonerate Reilly from the conviction of first-degree manslaughter in the death of his mother.

On display at Sharon’s Hotchkiss Library is a marvelous large handmade dollhouse, hinged to let children get a good view of the detailed miniature furnishings. Loaned by Martha Boll, age 7, the dollhouse was built and furnished by her parents, Ray and Peggy Boll. It can be seen during regular library hours.

A.J. Rosenstein, owner of the large Clayton Farms just across the Massachusetts line in New Marlboro, announced that he is donating 28 acres of land and 5 housing units on the farm to the United Nations International School. UNIS will seek endowment funds for the acquisitiion of approximately 472 additional acres and farm buildings. The funds would provide for the land purchase, alterations required to produce dormitory facilities, and support for initial stages of a new approach to environmental and food production studies by UNIS students.

Reaction was mixed this week to a proposal by Falls Village First Selectman David Domeier that the town’s landfill be opened to Sharon and Salisbury. Domeier suggested the move as a means to raise enough money to finance a substantial upgrading of the appearance of downtown Falls Village. The town’s appearance was recently criticized by 27 residents of the community who asked the new selectman to find a means to improve it.

About 100 persons attended a simple ceremony Sunday dedicating a little park at the North Canaan Elementary School to the memory of 6-year-old Michael Joseph Dunn. The park, with memorial stone and plaque, overlooks the kindergarten that Michael attended. The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Dunn, was drowned in an accident last June in Lime Rock.

CANAAN — Housing Authority Chairman Arthur Baldwin this week reported that the first month of operation at Wangum Village has gone smoothly. The housing for the elderly project was opened early in November.

Construction of Templeton Farms Apartments, the 24-unit project for senior citizens in Kent, is progressing rapidly. Completion of the project located on the edge of the village near the intersection of routes 7 and 341, is scheduled for June 1976.

25 years ago — December 2000

A problem with the water supply to the building forced the closing of Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Wednesday. A 90-minute delay had already been called because of an overnight snowstorm when the word went out that high schoolers would get the day off.

Worldwide business conditions are blamed for the need to cut jobs — possibly 10 percent of the work force — at the Specialty Minerals plant in Canaan.

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