Turning Back the Pages - September 11, 2025

125 years ago — September 1900

Here’s a fish story that is not a “fish story.” The law has been on Twin Lake bass and so well has it been observed that bass are plentiful and bold there.

A few days ago Dr. Moore and Miss St. John, at J.J. Moorehouse’s, were out boating; the oars were copper tipped, and several times bass made strikes at the glittering copper. That was amusing and interesting. Miss St. John sat face in hands, elbows on lap, leaning forward — she screamed — Doctor looked — she threw up her hand to ward off something that struck her face. It was a monstrous bass — attracted by a ring on her finger the fish made that desperate jump and strike.

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SHARON — Everyone is on the quisitive to know to whom The Man About Town referred when he spoke of certain parties being married and keeping it a secret, and almost every young, or in fact unmarried middle-age person has been suggested by different people as the guilty ones.

Marion Turrentine, the small son of Rev. F.M. Turrentine, had the misfortune to fall from a carriage and break his arm just below the elbow last Monday.

One day recently Evert Rose shot a blue heron near the outlet of Twin Lakes. The bird measured 6 feet 2 inches from tip to tip and was 4 feet 6 inches in height. The bird will be set up by a New York taxidermist.

100 years ago — September 1925

SALISBURY — Mrs. Howard Aller and daughter of Phoenix, Ariz. are guests at By-the-Way.

George R. Belcher has moved his household goods from Lime Rock to the Eggleston house.

On Sunday Charles Hoffman of Amenia with Stephen Reed and two others who got away, got stuck with their car and created a disturbance near the Town Farm. Officer Ringrose arrested the two named and locked them up in Canaan over night. They were tried Monday morning. Hoffman, charged with operating a car while under the influence of intoxicating liquor pleaded guilty and was fined one hundred dollars and sixty-six cents. He did not have the money and his car is held as security. Stephen Reed was just plain drunk. He pleaded guilty and was fined one dollar and costs of fifteen dollars and thirty-six cents, which was paid.

H. Roscoe Brinton has bought out the Hartford Aviation School at Hartford, including the instruction rights and equipment. Mr. P.H. Spencer who has conducted the school has secured from the British government the flying rights for Bermuda and will be leaving Hartford soon for that island. Mr. Brinton will still continue to live in Salisbury, but will continue his studies in flying until he secures his unlimited license as an aviator.

ORE HILL — John Bianchi of Canaan who recently returned from a visit to Italy, was a visitor at Michael Moore’s last Sunday.

Mr. R.F. Schabelitz is constructing an ornamental stone wall at his place on the Sharon road.

The coal strike is on, but the E.W. Spurr Co. have been able to supply the customers thus far and at no advance in price.

The week end and Labor Day traffic was very heavy in spite of the unfavorable weather. No accidents marred the week end a fact which speaks well of the quality of the driving.

A new map of the state of Connecticut has been prepared by the state highway department, which shows the trunk line system in red, the state aid system in green and the country roads by two parallel lines.

50 years ago — September 1975

A controlled program of open hunting to frighten away Canada geese polluting Lake Wononscopomuc in Lakeville was recommended to the Salisbury selectmen Tuesday night. Dr. Richard Collins, asked by First Selectman Charlotte Reid to serve as a citizen adviser on the problem, suggested a split season running from Oct. 18 through Nov. 1 and from Nov. 21 through Jan. 10.

Ribbons and trophies came the way of Linda Bushnell of Salisbury at the recent Summer Dressage Show at the Westchester- Fairfield Association in Old Lyme. Linda, a B member of the Lakeville Pony Club, rode Topay’s Red Eagle, owned by Holly HIll Stables. She won two classes, placed second in another and fifth in yet another. The American Horse Show Association- sanctioned events were tests at the Training level and First level.

The season’s first frost hit widely in the area Wednesday morning, exactly three months after the last frost of the spring.

A big boom is coming to Lakeville — to Lake Wononscopomuc in particular — but if you hear it it won’t be an attack by terrorists or a new chapter in H.G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds.” It will just be Resident State Trooper Robert Smithwick trying out the newest device for scaring geese off the lake — a gas-fired gun like a small cannon — before the town resorts to the more desperate expedient of an open hunting season.

25 years ago — September 2000

LAKEVILLE — High temperatures and a blazing sun gave new meaning to the term “qualifying heats” Saturday at Lime Rock Park, where the annual Vintage Festival was held over Labor Day weekend. Dressed in his racing gear, actor and fancy-food entrepreneur Paul Newman stepped out of his vintage Nissan to cool off as he waited for his second qualifying race of the day to begin. He came in third and was able to participate in the trophy race Monday afternoon.

SHARON — Artist Sybil Perry has recently fallen in love with drawing landscapes showing mist rising off the mountains after a summer rain. Most recently, she entered a pastel drawing of the view of Mudge Pond from Route 41 in a competition for the Sharon Land Trust. This fall, Ms. Perry plans to head off to Kyoto, Japan, to study both landscapes and gardens, her second love. The trip is courtesy of a grant from the Martha Boschen Porter Fund in Sharon which awards worthy artistic projects.