Turning Back the Pages - October 15, 2026

125 years ago — October 1901

The New York Condensed Milk Co. are building an ice house and constructing a pond for their factory at Canaan.

An unsuccessful attempt was made to burglarize the Norfolk bank early Wednesday morning. The safe proved too much for the knights of the jimmy, and was a case where the burglars failed burgle.

Last Saturday night there came a break in the Sharon Co.’s line of pipe on New Street, and Sunday morning the residents of that street awoke to find quite a formidable brook coursing down the gutter. The break was found to be serious and necessitated employing a force of men all day Sunday to make the needed repairs, and the water takers were without a supply in their faucets until the work was finished.

Farmers want $2.00 a barrel for apples and one dollar a bushel for potatoes. Grain and hay are high. Every kind of meat is expensive. Coal $7.00 per ton here and no license in Falls Village. If things continue thus the average poor cuss will begin to enjoy what he eats and drinks, that is, when he does so. He will wonder if, after all, Jefferson wasn’t joking when he said “We never repent having eaten too little.”

100 years ago — October 1926

LIME ROCK — Mr. Belter has installed a radio in his home.

The Lakeville Water Co. is making some notable improvements to their reservoir. New retaining walls are being constructed, and new screens being placed over all outlets. In fact everything is being done to put the reservoirs in first class sanitary condition.

Edward Webb Sr., while loading a saddle horse from the Bartle Farm onto the freight train at Millerton recently, was thrown from the car door, falling upon his head. He was unconscious for about an hour and has since been feeling the effects of the shock and shake-up, but fortunately no bones were broken.

50 years ago — October 1976

Tongue lodged firmly in cheek and hard hat firmly on her head, Salisbury’s spritely town clerk Lila Nash stepped gingerly over debris from a collapsed ceiling at the Town Hall. The acoustical tile and plaster fell from a large portion of the ceiling sometime Sunday evening.

The Housatonic River study bill passed its last hurdle Tuesday, when President Ford signed the measure authorizing a federal survey to determine the feasibility of including the river in the national Wild and Scenic Rivers.

William Schneebeli, owner of Valley Kennels in Falls Village, harvested a mammoth pumpkin from his garden this year. The pumpkin, which measures 23 high and 19 inches wide, is estimated to weigh about 85 pounds. Schneebeli produces much of his own food, filling two freezers with garden produce, drinking goat milk and raising some livestock.

The North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps is seeking a home for its ambulance. The corps currently houses its vehicle in the former firehouse, now owned by the Canaan National Bank. Corps spokesman Mickey Madow said this week “we don’t want to give the impression that the bank is throwing us out — they have been very, very nice to us. But we are looking for a garage to keep the ambulance.”

25 years ago — October 2001

In a world of choices, what is more confusing than choosing long distance or wireless phone service? It would seem, at least, that the choice of carriers would be a forthright list. That is hardly the case. The question that prompted an investigation was simple enough: Does our little corner of Connecticut finally have wireless phone service? The answer is “Yes,” sort of. Residents should not run out and buy a cellular telephone assuming that any model will work anywhere. And they shouldn’t start comparing rates until they are sure the carrier can provide the services needed.

CANAAN — A traffic signal that has been plagued recently by operational problems is slated by the Department of Transportation for an upgrade. It is routine equipment replacement that has put the light at the intersection of routes 7, 44 and North Elm Street on the list of 10 the DOT will upgrade as part of a grouped design project.

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