Turning Back the Pages - October 16, 2025

125 years ago — October 1900

A force of about 15 men are engaged in the work of improving the reservoir.

Last Saturday night Carl Stemm of Sharon Valley and James Clark of Sharon Station had a head and head bicycle collision near the old Reinhart blacksmith shop between here and the Valley, which resulted in the death of Mr. Stemm.

The Pawling Chronicle has bought out the Recorder of that place, the field not being large enough to support two local papers.

A.B. Landon started for Vermont Tuesday morning after another carload of cows. This makes the fourth carload he has had this Fall. Mr. Landon says the cows from that section give good satisfaction and sell like hot cakes.

100 years ago — October 1925

Married, October 8, 1925, Mr. Robert John Graham and Miss Mabel Russell, both of Falls Village. The ceremony was performed by Dr. Goddard at his home, By the Way, in Salisbury. The young couple left in their automobile, accompanied by the good wishes of all concerned.

They are still eating sweet corn at Hamlet Hill Farm and they say it is the best they have had yet.

One of the most interested fans in the World series this week has been Mr. William Conklin. Mr. Conklin is nearly 91 years of age, but he has been a keen listener in on W.P. Bishop's radio every afternoon. Nothing got by him, as he followed every play as it was made, and greatly enjoyed it.

The Scoville family expect soon to close Southaway cottage at Barack Matiff and return to New York for the winter.

Gov. Trumbull has selected Mrs. W.B. Rand to paint his portrait for the State Library. Mrs. Rand will begin the portrait in Hartford this month.

The hunting season opened last Thursday. They say the hunting is fine, but finding not so good.

50 years ago — October 1975

Cable television is still planned for Northwest Connecticut but will not become a reality until late in the summer of 1976, according to Nicholas Eddy, a principal of Haystack Cable television. Mr. Eddy said this week that Haystack has received both state and federal approval for cable television in the villages of Canaan, Lakeville and Salisbury. Additional approval for Norfolk and Sharon will be sought.

Gov. Ella T. Grasso visited Lakeville Sunday afternoon to pay her respects to John D. Briscoe, former chairman of the State Board of Agriculture and longtime owner of Silent Meadow Farm, who died Friday of cancer.

The Connecticut Bicentennial wagon will make a special appearance at Sunday's Blackberry River Riders 4-H show in East Canaan. The wagon, owned by Elmer Gladding of Southbury, will be one of several making a trek next year to Valley Forge.

25 years ago — October 2000

SALISBURY — The old perpendicular parking spots in front of the Village Store, the Salisbury Package Store, Salisbury Kitchens and OSCAR's are being removed this week, courtesy of the state Department of Transportation. Verdant plantings and a curbed sidewalk will be added in their place. The change will create a visual cue for truckers and other motorists, indicating they have entered a town center and should slow down.

SHARON — The Board of Selectmen plans to look into an ordinance concerning digging and excavation on town property. The decision to consider putting into place such an ordinance comes after some unidentified New York state residents found some 18th and 19th- century coins and artifacts along Route 41 in Sharon.

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