http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/ Welcome to the Richmond Memorial Library web site. Please check back with us as the site progresses. en Copyright 2007 Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:21:19 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Map Name: Marlborough Mills Date of map: 1869 Description: Inset from colored map of Marlborough, showing businesses, schools and districts, and homes. The inset shows the Marlborough Mills area in the north end of the town. Sources: Collection of the Marlborough Historical Society Notes: Original map taken from, “Atlas of Hartford City and County: with a map of Connecticut, from actual surveys”. Baker & Tilden, 1869.]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/1869_map_of_marlboroughinset.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/1869_map_of_marlboroughinset.html Maps Mills Things Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:21:19 -0500 Route 2 follows the path of two 19th-century turnpikes: the Hartford and New London, dating from 1800, and the Colchester and Norwich, dating from 1805. These turnpikes collected tolls for about 50 years. Route 2 had several names in the 20th century, including NE-17. But, it was during the 1950s, when construction began to make Route 2 into the highway it is today. In Marlborough, Route 2 once ran through the center of town, with North and South Main Streets. The new highway would run just to the east of the center, and include several on and off ramps to access Marlborough. The new Route 2 would run through the "Ten Curves" or "Dark Hollow" area of Marlborough. The curves were straightened, but parts of the original road can still be seen at times in the brush. The road was completed in sections, with # Route 17 to West Road, Marlborough, completed Oct. 15, 1964. Portions were only 2 lanes wide, though. # West Road to Route 66 completed in 1966 # Route 66 to South Main St (exit 15) completed in 1964 # South Main St to Prospect Hill Road (near exit 17), Colchester completed in 1959. One of the oddities of Route 2 that Marlborough can claim is the absence of Exit 14. Supposedly, it was to create a Route 66 bypass around the center of Marlborough. When it became too cost prohibitive, the idea was abandoned. Sources: http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/ct2.html]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/building_of_route_2_looking_no.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/building_of_route_2_looking_no.html Things Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:37:03 -0500 Route 2 follows the path of two 19th-century turnpikes: the Hartford and New London, dating from 1800, and the Colchester and Norwich, dating from 1805. These turnpikes collected tolls for about 50 years. Route 2 had several names in the 20th century, including NE-17. But, it was during the 1950s, when construction began to make Route 2 into the highway it is today. In Marlborough, Route 2 once ran through the center of town, with North and South Main Streets. The new highway would run just to the east of the center, and include several on and off ramps to access Marlborough. The new Route 2 would run through the "Ten Curves" or "Dark Hollow" area of Marlborough. The curves were straightened, but parts of the original road can still be seen at times in the brush. The road was completed in sections, with # Route 17 to West Road, Marlborough, completed Oct. 15, 1964. Portions were only 2 lanes wide, though. # West Road to Route 66 completed in 1966 # Route 66 to South Main St (exit 15) completed in 1964 # South Main St to Prospect Hill Road (near exit 17), Colchester completed in 1959. One of the oddities of Route 2 that Marlborough can claim is the absence of Exit 14. Supposedly, it was to create a Route 66 bypass around the center of Marlborough. When it became too cost prohibitive, the idea was abandoned. Sources: http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/ct2.html]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/building_of_route_2.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/building_of_route_2.html Things Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:16:21 -0500 Address: 127 Chapman Road Contemporary Building Name: 127 Chapman Road Historic Building Name: Ryan House, Shevchenko House Present Use: Residential Historic Use: Farmhouse Architectural style: Colonial Date constructed: 1716 (Realtor), 1955 (Assessor Description: 127 Chapman Road is a two and a half story, center chimney colonial with a gable roof. The five bay front facade includes 6-over-9 windows. Sidelights flank both sides of the front door. It includes wide chestnut floorboards and a massive stone fireplace. The four bedrooms are proportional, with a front stairway from the front hall, and a back stairway from the kitchen. It currently sits on 75 acres with outbuildings. Significance: 127 Chapman Road was moved from School Drive when the Elmer Thienes School was built. It was restored in 1955, and attempted to use as much original material as possible. Since it moved and was restored, the assessor shows it's construction date as 1955, and therefore was not included in the 1978 and 1998 historic structure surveys. Sources: Hartford Courant, Real Estate Section G, September 8, 2006. pp. G4-G5. Notes: Joseph Giggey, member of the now defunct Marlborough Historical Society noted that this house was moved from School Drive, and that it was known as the Ryan House. The photo was taken c. 1900. Since it was moved from its original location, was probably another reason it was not included on surveys. However, it should be included in the 1935 survey done by the Federal Writers' Project (notation below.) Keith, Elmer D., director. Works Progress Administration, Federal Writers’ Project, Census of Old of Distinctive Buildings in the State of Connecticut. c. 1935. ]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/127_chapman_roadhistoric.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/127_chapman_roadhistoric.html Chapman Road Historic Buildings School Drive Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:01:08 -0500 Address: 127 Chapman Road Contemporary Building Name: 127 Chapman Road Historic Building Name: Ryan House, Shevchenko House Present Use: Residential Historic Use: Farmhouse Architectural style: Colonial Date constructed: 1716 (Realtor), 1955 (Assessor Description: 127 Chapman Road is a two and a half story, center chimney colonial with a gable roof. The five bay front facade includes 6-over-9 windows. Sidelights flank both sides of the front door. It includes wide chestnut floorboards and a massive stone fireplace. The four bedrooms are proportional, with a front stairway from the front hall, and a back stairway from the kitchen. It currently sits on 75 acres with outbuildings. Significance: 127 Chapman Road was moved from School Drive when the Elmer Thienes School was built. It was restored in 1955, and attempted to use as much original material as possible. Since it moved and was restored, the assessor shows it's construction date as 1955, and therefore was not included in the 1978 and 1998 historic structure surveys. Sources: Hartford Courant, Real Estate Section G, September 8, 2006. pp. G4-G5. Notes: Joseph Giggey, member of the now defunct Marlborough Historical Society noted that this house was moved from School Drive, and that it was known as the Ryan House. Since it was moved from its original location, was probably another reason it was not included on surveys. However, it should be included in the 1935 survey done by the Federal Writers' Project (notation below.) Keith, Elmer D., director. Works Progress Administration, Federal Writers’ Project, Census of Old of Distinctive Buildings in the State of Connecticut. c. 1935. ]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/127_chapman_road.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/08/127_chapman_road.html Chapman Road Historic Buildings Thu, 02 Aug 2007 10:32:13 -0500 Address: 77 South Road Contemporary Building Name: 77 South Road Historic Building Name: George T. Lord House Present Use: Residential Historic Use: Residential Architectural style: Colonial Date constructed: 1740-1780 (Baber), c. 1745 (Keith), 1750 (Assessor Description: In the front elevation, first floor, the central door, which is off center to the south, is flanked by two 6-over-6 windows on each side. Two added gabled dormers are in the lower slope of the gambrel rood at second-floor level. A former square central chimney is missing. On the south side elevation, a 6-over-6 window is followed by a small 6-over-6 window with the pattern repeated at second floor. A small four-pane attic window is in the gable peak. Significance: The George T. Lord House is one of the few gambrel-roofed 18th century buildings in Marlborough. Its relatively isolated works effectively with its surviving range of historic barns to give a good sense of a historic Marlborough farmstead. While at one time this grouping was the norm, it has now become rare. (See also 180 Jones Hollow Road.) The fact that the door is not centered is curious, but might be explained by interior arrangements. The Keith survey (c. 1935) describes the interior: "No front stairs; back stairs are original. Three fireplaces with sunken hearths. Dutch oven in old kitchen. Chair rail in south front room. Featheredge wainscot in dining room. At least two panel doors in ell. No summer beams." The size of the window openings is relatively small, suggesting that they may be the original size, as contrasted to the later enlarged openings found in many 18th century Connecticut houses. At the time of the Keith survey, the owner was Byron S. Lord, following in the footsteps of his great grandfather. Baber states that at one time a shed was a blacksmith shop. Sources: Baber, David. Capitol Region Council of Governments Historic Resource Survey of Marlborough, 1978. Keith, Elmer D., director. Works Progress Administration, Federal Writers’ Project, Census of Old of Distinctive Buildings in the State of Connecticut. c. 1935. Ransom, David. Historical and Architectural Resources Survey, Town of Marlborough, Connecticut. April 1998. Notes:]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/78_south_road_1.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/78_south_road_1.html Historic Buildings South Road Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:16:44 -0500 Name: "Bussy Bee Club" Date: c. 1907 Description: Not much is known about this club, but we luckily have a list of the young ladies in the picture. Back Row (Left to Right): Doris Buell, Marjorie Hall, Myra Lord, Jennie Quigg, Jennie Hodge, Pauline Quigg. Front Row (Left to Right): Lois Lord, Marion Hall, Belle Ryan, Eva Ryan. Sources: Image from the Collection of the Marlborough Historical Society Notes: ]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/bussy_bee_club.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/bussy_bee_club.html People Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:29:34 -0500 Name: The Good Will Club Date of image: c. 1920 Significance: Mary Hall, who became the first female lawyer in Connecticut, later founded the Good Will Club, an organization which housed young, wayward boys. She also founded a camp in Marlborough, where these young men would come for two weeks. This image shows some of the club members in front of the "chow hall". It was originally located on East Hampton Road / Route 66, about where the Liberty Bank is today. Sources: Collection of the Marlborough Historical Society Notes: Today, the Good Will Club is still in operation as is known as the Boys and Girls Club of Hartford. ]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/good_will_club.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/good_will_club.html East Hampton Road / SR 66 Historic Buildings People Things Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:20:27 -0500 Name: Marlborough Town Seal Date of map: 1985 Description: Official town seal, designed by WWII veteran Bill Nystrom Sources: Collection of the Marlborough Historical Society, image from Joe Giggey. Notes: ]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/marlborough_town_seal.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/marlborough_town_seal.html Things Thu, 12 Jul 2007 13:42:47 -0500 Map Name: Marlborough Date of map: 1869 Description: Colored map of Marlborough, showing businesses, schools and districts, and homes. Also includes inset of the Marlborough Mills area in the north end of the town. Sources: Collection of the Marlborough Historical Society Notes: Original map taken from, “Atlas of Hartford City and County: with a map of Connecticut, from actual surveys”. Baker & Tilden, 1869. ]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/1869_map_of_marlborough.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/07/1869_map_of_marlborough.html Maps Things Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:44:46 -0500 Address: 231 North Main Street Contemporary Building Name: Charles Hall Gallery, Marlborough Arts Center and Museum Historic Building Name: Dance Hall, Hall’s Package Store Present Use: Gallery / Arts Center Historic Use: Package store, dance hall, recreational hall Architectural style: Vernacular Date: c. 1940s Notes: The building was originally built in 1920, according to the assessor's office. It was originally the dancing pavilion, and then in 1952, Charlie Hall opened a package store. It closed in the mid-1980s, and the building was left empty until 1999, when the Marlborough Arts Center and Museum purchased the property, and in 2004, moved the building back from the road, and began renovations. The assessor now gives the property a construction date of 2005. ]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/lakeside_filling_station_and_d.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/lakeside_filling_station_and_d.html Historic Buildings North Main Street Stores Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:41:45 -0500 Address: The 5 Corners Date: 1970. Notes: Ofshay's General Store was an institution in the center of Marlborough for about 60 years. Seven months after the building was purchased, it burned down. The Ofshay Brother's rebuilt, and continued on, with one of the brother's son's joining in the family business. Today, the Ofshay's no longer own the store on the corner, but many in town still call it "Ofshay's".]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/ofshays_general_store_c_1970.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/ofshays_general_store_c_1970.html Stores Things Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:37:37 -0500 Address: The 5 Corners, across the street from the Methodist Church Date: 1925. Notes: Ofshay's General Store was an institution in the center of Marlborough for about 60 years. Seven months after the building was purchased, it burned down. The Ofshay Brother's rebuilt, and continued on, with one of the brother's son's joining in the family business. Today, the Ofshay's no longer own the store on the corner, but many in town still call it "Ofshay's".]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/ofshays_first_store.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/ofshays_first_store.html Stores Things Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:30:43 -0500 This is an image of the interior of Walker's Store, with Johnny Walker, taken around 1922. We are currently unsure of where exactly his store was located.]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/interior_of_walkers_store.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/interior_of_walkers_store.html Stores Things Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:22:16 -0500 Address: Rt. 66, just west of Marlborough center, toward East Hampton. Date: first painted in the early 2000s. Notes: This new landmark is not as well know as Eagle Rock, but you definitely can't miss it as you drive into Marlborough from the west. There is no information about the artist at this time.]]> http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/turtle_rock.html http://www.richmondlibrary.info/blog/2007/06/turtle_rock.html Things Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:54:17 -0500