Connecticut Bicentennial Gazette, 59 South Prospect Street, Hartford, Conn
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lonnedticut Bicentennial GAZETTE The Charter Oak VOLUME IV NUMBER SEPTEMBER 1975 CONNECTICUT TATE LIBRARY SEP 1 8 1975 HARTFORD, •CONNECTICUT ENCAMPMENT AREAS BICENTENNIAL WAGON TRAIN PILGRIMAGE ACROSS CONNECTICUT Conestoga wagons from all six New England states will join together next June to cross Connecticut on the final leg to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. CONNECTICUT UPDATE STATE WAGON MASTER ON THE WAGON TRAIN LIFE-LONG HORSEMAN The route of the Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage Elmer Gladding, the friendly "sheriff" who appears with resembles a watershed map of the United States, with the wagon at state fairs, parades and festivals, works close every state and Bicentennial Community in the nation ly with the Pennsylvania, New England and national co participating. Already rolling in the western states, the ordinators. A one-man committee, he has arranged the fifty state wagons will all gather at Valley Forge, Pennsyl campsites, obtained road permits, scheduled appearances vania on July 4, 1976. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania and is now involved in all the additional planning required ARBC, the Wagon Train Pilgrimage honors Pennsylvania's for next summer. Often accompanied by his wife Ruth, he contribution as the starting point for westward expansion. has taken the wagon to more than a dozen events since It is the largest people-to-people project planned for the July 1. For a parade, he sometimes calls on Sydney Smith Bicentennial and is possibly the largest activity of this na of Southbury for oxen to draw the wagon. He really is a ture ever recorded. sheriff (honorary) in two state counties. His Wagon Train outfit was recently made more authentic with the addition CONNECTICUT FIRST IN THE EAST of a Colt revolver, on loan from Colt Firearms. On June 30, Connecticut was the first state east of the continued on page 4 Mississippi to receive its wagon. It was delivered by Gemme Movers, the local Mayflower Van Line agent. The national Mayflower company will transport wagons to ev ery state and back again after next summer's encampment. PRESIDENTIAL CONGRATULATIONS The Connecticut Wagon is now scheduled to meet the FOR CONNECTICUT Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island President Gerald Ford has sent a letter to Connecticut wagons at the CT-R.I. border on or about June 2, 1976. Governor Ella Grasso extending his congratulations to her Vermont will join this northeastern leg at the first encamp and ". the communities of Connecticut for having be ment. Four sorrel horses, donated by John Kriz of Bethany, come the first state in the Nation to have attained full will pull the state's wagon, which will be under the community recognition under the American Revolution Bi direction of Elmer Gladding of Southbury, State Horse centennial Administration Bicentennial Communities Pro Chairman for the project. Overnight encampments are gram." planned in Lebanon, East Hampton, Meriden, Waterbury, He further stated: "This certainly is in keeping with the Southbury and Danbury. The New England Train will history of your great state and with the spirit of your com then hook up with the New York contingent and travel on munities to assure Bicentennial identification and activities 0 to Pennsylvania. In Connecticut, every town is within one in the development of programs commemorating our Na hour's drive of this route. tion's 200th anniversary." FW5 cV><> v/ H Ho. d stores and the Bicentennial headquarters at 181 Main Street. Mail orders will also be accepted. Write to P.O. Box 1776, Middletown, CT 06457. The l%" silver medal is sold for $12.50, the Us" bronze medal is $3.00. When ordering by mail, add $1.00 for each medal for postage and handling (orders over 3 medals add $3.00 only) and include name, and zip code. ft ft ft ft NEW HAVEN'S "DIALOGUE '76" Based on the American Issues Forum, New Haven's Di alogue '76 has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council. The series of Town-Hall type forums will bring a number of prominent educators to New Haven. Nine monthly seminars, to be held on Wednesday evenings through May 1976, begin Septem ber 3. Looking as though it has always been there, the new Clinton bandstand is flanked by statues of two noted town residents, Charles Morgan and Abraham Pierson. MIDDLETOWN MEDALLION MINTED Outstanding architectural landmarks and the commercial CONNECTICUT'S FIRST and industrial achievements of Middletown are subjects of LASTING REMINDER? the city's newly struck Bicentennial medallion. The coin re The Town of Clinton's new bandstand may be the first flects Middletown's history as a Connecticut River port "lasting reminder" project to be completed in Connecticut. city, and depicts the changing forms of river transportation. An important part of the ARBA Bicentennial Communities Proof of the success of the city's merchant ships is the program, a lasting reminder is a Bicentennial project that house of Samuel Russell, one of Middletown's leading in is planned as a permanent contribution to the community. ternational traders. The house, built in 1828, is now the The Clinton Bicentennial Committee is co-chaired by property of Wesleyan University. As can be seen on the Daniel A. Vece and Ernest C. Burnham, Jr. Mr. Burnham medal, it is Greek Revival in style and has been noted as writes about the history of the bandstand project: one of the finest examples of that style in American domes "Clinton's Bicentennial Committee decided that they tic architecture. The Bussell House is listed on the National wanted to build a gazebo or bandstand in the traditional Register of Historic Places. The prize-winning Arrigoni fashion, and further, to complete it early in the celebra Bridge, another of the four landmarks depicted, spans the tion, so that it could be used and enjoyed during the Bi river between Middletown and Portland, and since its dedi centennial. It was built with virtually all volunteer labor cation in 1938 it has become another symbol of the city's and was dedicated in June of this year with a band con link to the river. cert put on by the local high school. Weekly concerts have The other two buildings featured on the medal are the been held since its dedication. The gazebo stands where County Court House and the former municipal building. the former Morgan High School stood, which was donated The Court House is in the Greek Style, in contrast to the to the Town of Clinton in 1871 by the financier and owner 1893 municipal building, which has a facade of local Port of many steamships and rail lines, Charles Morgan, a na land brownstone and rounded towers, one of which holds tive of Clinton. In front of the school there were two large the town bell and clock. life-size statues in bronze, one of Charles Morgan and the The medal went on sale for the first time on July 25th other of Abraham Pierson, the first rector of Yale Uni at the city's Main Street festival. Designed by Richard versity. The first classes of Yale were held in Clinton near Kelsey, a member of the MARBC, the work was com this site. These statues cost $10,000 apiece in 1875. Al pleted under the direction of Sybil Paton, MARBC Co though the old Morgan School was torn down in 1950, the ordinator and John Pickett, chairman of the Middletown statues remain, setting off and enhancing the gazebo, Committee. It is on sale in Middletown banks, Jewelry which stands on Main Street in this historic location." 2 GUILFORD—A TOWN TO REMEMBER Inside the van, to a background of Revolutionary War An architectural montage of 25 historic buildings in music, a visitor can look, listen and absorb at his leisure Guilford, landmarks spanning four centuries, has been documents, maps, art, artifacts and models of Connecticut printed by the Guilford Bicentennial Committee. Guilford's 200 years ago. variety of distinctive architecture in schools, churches and Dramatic actions taken on behalf of the patriot cause private homes is brought together on the montage. The are highlighted. An animated map shows the route of East town was founded in 1639 and what is probably the oldest Windsor's Israel Bissell as he spread the news of the Lex stone house in the country was built by Henry Whitfield ington alarm through the colonies. The story of another that same year. It is now open to the public as a museum messenger is told; that of 16-year-old Sybil Ludington, of the Connecticut Historical Commission. Another out who rode thirty miles through Putnam County, New York, standing example of architecture is the Edwin Leete House mobilizing aid for Connecticut at the burning of Danbury. (1865), one of the few octagon buildings in the state. The Benedict Arnold's taking of the keys to the New Haven finely detailed sketches were drawn by artist J. A. Raynor, Powder House is the subject of a diorama, and a facsimile and are tinted with the soft golds, browns, grays and reds of Nathan Hale's obituary notice is a part of the tribute of early America. to Connecticut's famous patriot spy. The four state signers of the Declaration of Independence and Governor Trum The montage, which measures 18" x 24", is available bull's Council of Safety are subjects of other displays. from the Town Clerk's Office, Guilford; or by mail from H. M. Bullard, Jr., Chairman, Guilford Bicentennial Com Impressive facts about Connecticut's contributions to the mittee, P.O. Box 38, Guilford, CT 06439. The cost is Revolution stand out. The great importance of the state $5.00.