tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-186536502024-03-19T04:47:59.117-04:00Waterbury ThoughtsRaechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.comBlogger721125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-30285376690264513132024-03-02T14:06:00.003-05:002024-03-02T14:06:59.926-05:00Mapping InequalityI haven't been posting here as often as usual, partly because I've been working on several writing projects for publication elsewhere. The first of those projects is completed: a short essay about Waterbury for the University of Richmond's website, Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America. "Redlining" is the term used to describe the work of the federal Home Owners' Loan CorporationRaechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-74557205553359901792023-10-15T14:49:00.001-04:002023-10-16T10:48:55.268-04:00Old Houses at Bucks Hill, Part TwoHere are a few of the great houses in the Bucks Hill neighborhood. To see more, visit Old Houses at Bucks Hill, Part One.
Feodore Liebreich House2658 North Main Street
Feodore Liebreich was a German immigrant who lived in Waterbury at Bucks Hill from about 1873 until his death in 1897. Liebreich was a successful farmer who slowly acquired several parcels of land to expand his farm.
Built
in Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-59637107765405289612023-07-08T16:28:00.001-04:002023-07-16T14:58:12.334-04:00Naugatuck River Greenway and ParkI finally made time to visit the new park and greenway in the South End. The park is small, but delightful. The greenway is a work in progress, a 2.2 mile stretch of roadway now marked for bicycles which will eventually become part of a 44 mile greenway trail running from Derby to Litchfield. The new greenway in Waterbury runs from Bristol Street on Platts Mill Road, then up South Main Street to Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-83898756764481561692023-01-07T18:11:00.001-05:002023-01-07T18:11:50.736-05:00Pritchard Family Farm HousesA few years ago, I noticed a gorgeous house for sale in Waterbury's Hopeville neighborhood and wondered about its age and history. I have finally gotten around to researching its history and discovered that it was part of the Pritchard family's farm two hundred years ago. A second old house, about a block away, was built for the same family.Pritchard Family house on Piedmont Street, built in Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-88557669259983437102022-10-08T14:54:00.002-04:002022-11-02T08:46:07.458-04:00Election Guide 2022It's that time again! Election Day is Tuesday, November 8. On the local level, this has been an unusually quiet election cycle, possibly because many of our elected officials are running unopposed for re-election. Democratic Get Out the Vote Rally in Waterbury, October 2, 2022 There are three ballot measures this year, and some potentially confusing changes to two polling locations. Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-58318036713922648132022-10-03T19:59:00.006-04:002022-10-16T14:36:58.698-04:00Bleeding Kansas, Part TwoFor the first part of this story, read Bleeding Kansas, Part One------------- On March 28, 1856, William Chestnut wrote a letter to the Waterbury American
"to apprise your numerous readers of the progress of events in this
part of the world." Winter was over, and most of his neighbors had
recovered from the "chill and fever" that ran through their community.
Plowing the fields and planting Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-23148793654686606492022-10-01T16:40:00.005-04:002022-10-03T20:01:21.457-04:00Bleeding Kansas, Part OneEvery high school U.S. history class includes at least a mention of “Bleeding Kansas,” the conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces that took place during the 1850s. The legendary John Brown established his reputation for violence during the conflict and is closely associated with the bloodshed that happened there. It turns out there were a number of Waterbury people in Kansas at thisRaechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-39280992889593653342022-07-17T19:40:00.000-04:002022-07-17T19:40:05.185-04:00History in a JugA few years ago, I purchased a Waterbury whiskey jug at a local auction. The jug was originally used by The T. H. Hayes Company, a Waterbury business from over a century ago. Hayes is a familiar name to anyone who knows their Waterbury history -- T. Frank Hayes was the Mayor of Waterbury and Lt. Governor of Connecticut until he was convicted of conspiracy, corruption, fraud, and stealing more Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-58207204515783944012022-04-10T12:10:00.002-04:002022-04-10T12:11:56.528-04:00Historic Building to be DemolishedFour years ago, the City of Waterbury adopted a Demolition Delay Ordinance designed to help prevent the destruction of historic buildings in the city. The first test of the ordinance arrived last month, when the owner of 30 Central Avenue, Building 2 (formerly 38-40 Central Avenue) filed paperwork to demolish the building. The owner's only stated goal is to make space for the church next door.TheRaechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-42189307803229452362021-11-15T20:59:00.010-05:002021-12-16T13:16:52.000-05:00Chauncey Judd, or The Dayton Robbery of 1780
The story of Chauncey Judd is one
of the core histories of the Naugatuck Valley, from Waterbury down to Derby, a
patriotic tale of a young man kidnapped by Tories during the Revolutionary War.
The story is retold from time to time in local newspapers and by various
historical societies, although the facts of the story are sometimes muddled. The
retellings are generally based on a novel by IsraelRaechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-77614296966201714552021-09-08T11:34:00.017-04:002021-10-16T14:39:50.772-04:00Queen Anne's War and the Scott FamilyThe story of the Scott family during the early 1700s has been told many times over the centuries as a tale of abduction, torture, death, and “savages,” a tale of life on the frontier for “heroic, rugged and long-suffering pioneers” who settled Waterbury and Watertown. Thanks to the magic of the internet and archivists who have worked to digitize historical documents, a more thorough and balanced Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-67311834951677252892021-09-05T14:45:00.000-04:002021-09-05T14:45:17.438-04:00The Weston HouseTucked away in the middle of a large block on West Side Hill is a house built in the middle of the 19th century for Catharine Weston and her family. The early history of the house's ownership is one of female empowerment and of Black entrepreneurship. 1048 West Main Street (1050 West Main can be seen behind to the left)Architectural StyleThe house was built using wood frame construction in a Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-69561713934406601442021-05-09T19:22:00.002-04:002021-05-09T20:22:54.276-04:00Gold FeverGold! Gold! Gold! The California Gold Rush is legendary. Thousands of people flocked west to mine for gold following the 1848 news that there was gold in abundance. Waterbury was not immune to the "gold fever." An unknown number of people from Waterbury rushed out west following the discovery of gold in California, hoping to get rich quick. Very few had any success. Some lost their lives.Currier Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-13635494424946776392021-02-02T15:07:00.003-05:002021-02-02T15:07:33.524-05:00Public Schools, 1674-1868There’s been some ongoing debate about forgiving students loans and making college free, which piqued my interest in the history of public education. We often assume that what we have now is what has always existed, but of course that’s not true. When Waterbury’s first public high school opened in 1851, it wasn’t free. In fact, legislation protecting the right of all children to attend any publicRaechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-2543218068871840762021-01-10T18:34:00.003-05:002021-01-10T18:34:57.361-05:00Carmine CapobiancoWaterbury lost one of its greats this weekend. Carmine Capobianco lived his live to its fullest and left behind creative work that will help future historians understand Waterbury in 20th century. I consider myself very fortunate to have known him. He was a genuinely kind, warm-hearted person with a sense of humor that made the world a little brighter.Carmine CapobiancoPhoto from his Facebook Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-90620035032904267432020-10-31T17:53:00.001-04:002020-10-31T17:53:18.643-04:00SmallpoxAdvertisement, Middlesex Gazette, 12 March 1791, p. 3 We’ve almost forgotten about it, but for thousands of years, smallpox was a constant threat, a terrifying disease which could cause massive scarring, blindness, and death. It was fatal in about 3 out of every 10 cases. Thanks to an international campaign coordinated by the World Health Organization, smallpox was eradicated in 1979, Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-31909029778522210062020-08-22T18:18:00.002-04:002021-01-24T12:48:45.305-05:00Early JewelersFrom the 1670s through the 1830s, Waterbury was primarily a farming community. During the 1840s, Waterbury's industrial entrepreneurs and financial
speculators helped transform the rural farm town into a bustling center
of commercial activity. A growing middle class and increasing wealth of
the upper class helped support the expansion of retail, personal
services, and luxury goods.
Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-53075388874169455032020-08-07T14:12:00.001-04:002020-10-19T11:12:10.146-04:00The Fight Against Housing Discrimination, 1900-1970
Like other cities in the U.S., Waterbury has suffered from the impact of racism on housing. Throughout the twentieth century, there have been numerous efforts to combat housing discrimination in Waterbury. There is still a lot of research to be done on the topic, but here are some highlights of what I've found so far.
James Kefford and the Waterbury Negro Business League
James Kefford (Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-55027923732555487932020-07-03T14:42:00.002-04:002020-10-25T20:05:51.133-04:00Rat Pack Motorcycle ClubThere was a rally at City Hall yesterday intended to draw attention to the problem of racism in society today. The lineup of speakers included familiar names, Waterbury residents who frequently speak out on issues that are important to them. I figured it would be a pretty straight-forward event, exactly as billed, a series of speakers at a peaceful gathering. I wasn't able to attend, but I was Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-65476654640833145362020-06-28T18:09:00.001-04:002022-11-11T11:22:43.623-05:00Horace Weston, World's Greatest Banjo PlayerDuring the 1880s, Horace Weston was the world's greatest banjo
player. He toured the U.S. and Europe, wrote music, endorsed a line of
banjos, and influenced countless musicians. Weston spent a formative
portion of his childhood in Waterbury, and it was here that he first
learned to play musical instruments, setting him on the path to stardom.
Horace Weston, c. 1880
Harvard Theater Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-50831722290458988402020-06-27T16:32:00.000-04:002020-06-27T16:32:39.243-04:00Waterbury Clock Company ComplexAs announced in the Rep-Am on June 26, the former Waterbury Clock office building will soon be demolished, along with portions of the factory complex. The buildings have been crumbling apart for decades. The factory complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Properties.
The former Waterbury Clock Company office building in 2007
Aerial View of the former Waterbury Clock Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-38930825543598367652020-05-25T16:03:00.001-04:002020-05-25T16:03:18.529-04:00Hall Memorial ChapelLocated next to Route 8, at the entrance to Riverside Cemetery, is a small Victorian chapel in need of repair. Built during the 1880s, the Hall Memorial Chapel was actively used for funeral services until 1971. The Friends of Riverside Cemetery is currently trying to raise money for the building's restoration, saving it from destruction and allowing it to be put back into use as a community Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-53398084633400233532020-04-30T18:57:00.002-04:002022-07-04T14:19:49.767-04:00The Porter HouseOne of Waterbury's most underappreciated buildings is the Porter house on East Main Street, across from Hamilton Park. The history of the house, from its construction to its role as a station on the Underground Railroad, make it worthy of recognition and preservation as an important historic property.
The Porter House, April 2020
Construction
The first owner of the house was Timothy Porter,Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-15387267894721082912020-03-24T19:30:00.000-04:002020-03-25T13:22:43.903-04:00Influenza Pandemic of 1918As we slog our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, I have found some reassurance from studying the 1918 influenza pandemic, the worst pandemic of the 20th century. While the parallels between the two pandemics are frightening, the 1918 pandemic didn't last forever, and this pandemic won't either. We also have some huge advantages that didn't exist in 1918, from ventilators to a drastically better Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18653650.post-80123598440233789292020-02-22T13:04:00.002-05:002020-02-22T13:04:13.583-05:00Unidentified Civil War VeteranEvery so often, I visit the Library of Congress website to see what new Waterbury material has been digitized. My latest search pulled up a photograph of an African American Civil War veteran whose photograph was taken in Waterbury. His name is not on the photograph, so his identity is currently unknown.
Collection of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
The photograph is a Raechel Guesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00877208684670929373noreply@blogger.com0