Turning Back the Pages - June 25, 2026

125 years ago — June 1901

LIME ROCK — A building burned down here Tuesday afternoon that was built when Lime Rock was young. It was the old structure standing near the north end of the wheel foundry. Years ago it was used as a dwelling, but of late it has served as a store house. A spark from the foundry ignited it on the roof. A large crowd gathered and the new fire hose was brought out for the first time. James McCusker played an inch stream upon the flames and pretty much everything else in the vicinity, including himself, for an hour. The old time buildings with oak frames do not burn as rapidly as the modern balloon and this fire was kept under control from the start.

With the approach of the Fourth comes the danger of frightening nervous horses. It is all right for the boys to burn their powder on that day of days but they should not get premature and set off their fire crackers in the streets, before hand. On the Fourth horsemen are on the lookout for such things but at present they are not expected and a little patience and forbearance may prevent serious runaways. Any right minded person will not indulge in premature celebrating and all others should be made to refrain from it.

The Twin Lakes depot was burned to the ground on Tuesday morning between 11 and 12 o’clock. It is thought a spark from a locomotive started the blaze.

We understand that Judge Jerome and Dr. G.L. Hurd expect their automobiles here in the near future. Judge Jerome’s machine is operated by steam and Dr. Hurd’s by the gas explosive system.

Charles Molesphini of New York has been spending a short time in this village with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Molesphini. He is in this section to rest and recuperate, his health having been impaired by overwork in the capacity of court reporter for the Associated Press.

100 years ago — June 1926

Henry Ford has again reduced the price of his flivvers, and thus increased the hazard to life and limb just that much more. Outside of that fact this is “rattling” good news.

Frank C. Bartle is building a new barn at his place on Bostwick Hill.

No, dear reader, there is no truth in the statement that the new bathing suits will be made of fig leaves. At least not yet awhile — possibly later on.

LIME ROCK — Mr. Salem is having a well drilled on his place.

Fireworks of all kinds are on sale at the home of George Parsons. Telephone orders taken care of.

50 years ago — June 1976

Ralph Ingersoll Scoville of Cornwall was pacing methodically toward the awards table, one of 160 Housatonic Valley Regional High School graduates receiving diplomas during last Thursday’s commencement exercises. The student in front of him accepted a diploma. Then the organist played a fanfare. “Ladies and gentlemen,” intoned Principal Edward M. Kirby over the public address system, ...”with distinction, the 4000th graduate of Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Ralph Ingersoll Scoville.” HVRHS board chairman Adela Eads then handed the surprised Mr. Scoville his diploma while the crowd of 1,000 applauded.

According to the Connecticut Extension Service, the canning lid crisis of 1975 will not be repeated this year. But two Tri-State area businesses asked this week had no lids to sell, and no assurances of receiving any in the near future. Out of the other six businesses questioned, four said they had plenty of lids available, and two said they had some, but were rationing them.

SALISBURY — A set of silhouettes of an old-time Salisbury family, discovered by chance in a 1904 Connecticut magazine, may be seen in one of the houses featured on the coming weekend’s tour of historic homes and sites. The Camp-Ball house on Under Mountain Road now belongs to George Gillette, who believes it to be the oldest home in the town. The silhouettes are of Thomas Ball and his wife, Lois Camp Ball, and their six children, Maria, Robert, Sally, Emily, Caroline and James. Mrs. Ball was the daughter of Deacon Hezekiah Camp, who had built the house in 1746 and members of the Ball family occupied the home for more than 100 years. Robert Ball increased the holdings from 500 to nearly 900 acres, including the Lee farm across the road. The property was inherited by Robert’s daughters, with the Camp-Ball land going to Edith (Mrs. George Clark) and the Lee farm to Mary (Mrs. Donald Warner).

The Canaan Fire Company proudly displayed its spacious new quarters Sunday afternoon as it invited the public to inspect the new firehouse at the intersection of routes 44 and 7.

FALLS VILLAGE — Two men hired to perambulate the borders of Falls Village completed their long walk over three days last weekend, locating all but two of the town’s boundary markers. Howard Reed, a teacher at Lee H. Kellogg School, said he and fellow teacher David Parmelee traversed the distance on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, locating 14 of the markers. Reed said that the search took them through wooded areas and over ledges. Many of the markers were only piles of stone, many hidden by overgrowth. The men failed to find the markers at the Canaan, Falls Village and Norfolk corners and the Cornwall, Norfolk and Falls Village intersection. These markers may be hidden by bushes and the locations may have to be visited again.

NORFOLK — Mary Welz of Norfolk joined other Democratic Town Committee chairmen from the 8th Senatorial District and members of the State Central Committee Wednesday for a luncheon at the Governor’s residence as guests of Gov. Ella T. Grasso.

Joseph Hamzy and Ted Daalhuyzen helped members of the Geer staff take three residents on a fishing trip recently. The fish were caught at Camp Freedman in Falls Village and cooked at the Salisbury Town Grove.

25 years ago — June 2001

SHARON — Patricia Chamberlain has kept a tissue box nearby during her last week as Sharon Center School principal. An open house was held Sunday afternoon in the school cafeteria for those wishing to say goodbye and offer congratulations to the 12-year principal, who will assume the duties of Region 1 assistant superintendent July 2.

FALLS VILLAGE — When the Housatonic Valley Regional boys’ tennis team takes the court for the start of the 2002 season, it will do so without the leadership of the man who has guided the program from the first day of its existence. Russ Coward of Salisbury, known as “Doc” to students and players, has stepped down from the head coaching position of the Mountaineers netmen after guiding the squad since its initial season of competition in 1989.

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