North Brick School House – Rocky Hill

 Click on photo to enlarge

Judy Fleming of Atlanta GA writes: (May 15, 2012)

Came across the attached picture and trying to determine if this Schoolhouse still exists. My grandmother went to school there, it would have been in approx. 1893-1896. It only says “North Brick Schoolhouse” under the picture.

 My grandparents and great grandparents lived in Rocky Hill – Morton’s and Schoenborn’s with Aunt being married to Frank Robbins who had a farm there  in Rocky Hill.

 Any information you could share would be greatly appreciated.

2011 in review; a report to our members and readers:

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,100 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 35 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Rocky Hill Historical Society Presents “Memories of G. Fox”

Sunday November 20, 2011 – Memories of Hartford’s Iconic Department Store, G. Fox… (previously scheduled for October 30)

G. Fox & Co, from an old postcard

November 20, 2011

From Hula Hoops to High Fashion: G. Fox in the 1950′s
The Rocky Hill Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) are teaming up to bring you: “From Hula Hoops to High Fashion: G. Fox in the 1950′s”, on Sunday, November 20, 2011, in Chapin Hall, at the Rocky Hill Congregational Church, 805 Old Main St., Rocky Hill, from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

Elizabeth Abbe, director of public outreach at the Connecticut Historical Society, will lead you down memory lane with a look at Connecticut’s favorite department store.  She will take you back, floor by floor, to the days when G. Fox was the largest privately-owned department store in the U.S.

For most Connecticut residents the words “G. Fox” hold powerful associations.  They remember a tall department store on Main Street in Hartford filled with every imaginable garment, home furnishing or domestic necessity.  They recall the broad front windows decorated for Christmas or shopping trips for back-to-school clothes.  They remember cream cheese on date-nut bread with mother in the Connecticut Room.  Elizabeth herself, who grew up in Wethersfield, says she remembers how special it was to take the bus “uptown” to spend the day shopping with her mother at Fox’s.

Elizabeth will also give you some insight into the woman who made every shopping experience a joy – Beatrice Fox Auerbach.  In addition to a substantial collection of clothing, furniture, and photographs tied to the story of G. Fox, the Connecticut Historical Society houses some of Mrs. Auerbach’s personal records including correspondence between the G. Fox President and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

So revisit G. Fox, where the customer was always right!  Bring your memories along with your favorite purchases from G. Fox.  We’ll have some tables for display of G. Fox treasures and time for you to share a favorite G. Fox story.

There is no charge for this program but freewill donations will be gratefully accepted.  For more information please call (860) 563-6704.

Interesting history of G. Fox & Co. click here

In Memoriam: Peter John Revill

This memorial obituary is reprinted from Hartford Courant, September 22, 2011:

REVILL, Peter John 

Peter John Revill died on September 18. He was born in Wallington, Surrey, England on June 2, 1923, the son of Marion Peacock and John Stanley Revill. The family lived in Geneva, Switzerland for several years of his boyhood. They returned to England when he was 12 and made their home in London. Peter attended Raines Park County School, then received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Battersea Polytechnic Institute. He was employed by the Wandsworth Borough Council until he went to work as a civilian for the British Admiralty during World War II.

The Admiralty sent him to Arbroath, Scotland and to His Majesty’s Dockyard in Bermuda. In Bermuda, he met his future wife who was traveling on terminal leave from the U.S. Navy (WAVES). They spent the first year of their 64 year marriage in Bermuda.

When Peter’s term of service with the Admiralty was up, they moved to CT and Peter went to work for the Metropolitan District Commission in Hartford. There he worked in the Design division of the Water Bureau for 37 years, becoming Chief Design Engineer, until his retirement. The Revills lived in Newington and West Hartford before moving to Rocky Hill in 1959.

Peter took great pleasure in restoring and improving his home. The Revills had a vacation home in Rensselaerville, NY. Peter took a great interest in local history and land conservation. He was active in the Rocky Hill Historical Society for many years, serving as president and chairman of the restoration committee of Academy Hall. He served as chairman of the Land Management Committee of the Great Meadows Conservation Trust for several years, and he was an active member of the Building and Grounds Committee of the Unitarian Society of Hartford. In Rensselaerville, he worked in the Historic District Association.

Peter was predeceased by his twin brother Michael who died in infancy. He is survived by his wife Eleanor; daughter Barbara Lund of Bloomington IN; son Bill and his wife Carol of Meriden, CT; son Gregory of Salem, MA; grandchildren Sara Lund and her husband Aaron Beam of Portland, OR, Anders Lund and his wife Rana de Bey of Portland OR, Aaron Revill and his wife Heather of Middletown, Christopher Revill of Providence, RI and Madeleine Revill of Middleton, MA; and two great grandchildren, Niko Beam and Maianna Lund of Portland, OR.

There will be a memorial service at the Unitarian Society of Hartford, 50 Bloomfield Ave., Hartford on Friday, October 7 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Peter’s memory may be made to the Betty Larus Adult Day Care Center, 705A New Britain Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106.

An online guest book has been established where you may leave remembrances about Peter Revill and convey your condolences to the family.

 

Events Planned for October at Rocky Hill Historical Society

Complete details about all of these events is on the page Upcoming Events…(please click link)

October 9, (Sunday) 2011

The Rocky Hill Historical Society is sponsoring a program on local farm implements on Sunday, October
9, 2011, at the Town Hall Fountain on Old Main St. in Rocky Hill…(complete details click here)

October 29, 2011
Tag Sale

The Rocky Hill Historical Society will be holding a tag sale on Saturday, October 29, 2011, at the
Academy Hall Museum at 785 Old Main St., in Rocky Hill, from 9:00am to 2:00 pm…(complete details click here)

October 30, 2011

From Hula Hoops to High Fashion: Hartford’s iconic G. Fox in the 1950′s…(complete details click here)

Shoes Hidden in Old Houses to Ward off Evil Spirits…

From our Inquiries from Readers page (received today)

Chris M. from Indiana writes:

I am a graduate student at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. As part of my Master’s thesis, I am researching objects deliberately concealed in buildings for good luck. I am particularly interested in the practice of concealing old shoes or boots in buildings, which seems to have been brought to the U.S. from Great Britain.

It is my understanding that a shoe was found in a house in Rocky  Hill, CT. I am trying to find out more about the shoe, where exactly it was found in the building, when it might have been concealed and by whom. If you know anything about this object or any other unusual objects found in the walls, ceilings, floors, or chimneys of other historic buildings in the area (horseshoes, old garments, bottles with unusual contents, strange animal remains, iron tools, coins, etc.), I would greatly appreciate it if you would contact me or forward my email to someone who may be able to help.

I look forward to your reply.

We replied:

“You are in luck as I was one of the persons finding the old shoe hidden as a “concealment piece” (as such things were then known) in the Rocky Hill home where I lived until ten years ago. The shoe was found some 15 years or so ago and after examining, photographing, and exhibiting it to society members we replaced the shoe behind the panelling next the hall fireplace where we found it. (see attached photo 18C Parlor…) The room in the photograph is actually what is known as the hall and the shoe was found behind the panelling near the upper left side of the hearth. The date of the house is c 1750; here is a view from 2006.

The shoe may be viewed in this composite view made in 2009. Other, more detailed views (you can enlarge the images for greater detail) are here,here,and here. If you learned about this shoe from these photos on the web then  you may already have seen them. The shoe is made of leather and is fastened together with wooden pegs.”

Her followup message:

…would it be possible to use the photos of the shoe and house in my thesis? If so, how would you like me to credit them?

“I also wanted to let you know that I sent the photos of the shoe to the cobbler at Colonial Williamsburg and he identified the shoe as a “man’s or boy’s, 1820s-40ish, round toed w/pegged repairs. Waxed-calf with “dog-leg” side seam.” Which is interesting because it post-dates the house, suggesting the shoe was concealed at a later date, perhaps during an episode of repair or remodeling.”

Save the Ferry Public Hearing Tonight!

Please  attend tonight!

DOT Public Information 

Meeting 

on the Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry

August 22,  6:00 

RH Town Council Chambers

Written statements suggested.

Ed Chiucarello

CT DOT Announces Hearings on Ferry Closures – Rocky Hill on Aug 22 & Aug 25 at Chester

 

Please note: The location of the hearing in Rocky Hill will be posted as soon as we receive such information.

Save The Ferries Volunteers Needed

The Conn Department of Transportation is soliciting public comment & response to its proposal to close the Connecticut River ferries at Chester/Hadlyme and Rocky Hill/Glastonbury.

The public has two opportunities to make submissions to the DOT – (1) by mail and email, and (2) at public hearings scheduled for Aug 22 (at Rocky Hill) and Aug 25 (at Chester).

There will be a meeting of volunteers on Tuesday, Aug 9, at Hadlyme Public Hall at 7 PM to organize the community’s response to DOT’s request for submissions.

Volunteers are needed for many tasks in this effort.

This is an opportunity to make a contribution of your time to Save the Ferries.

If you can’t attend the meeting but would like to volunteer, please send an email to hadlymehall@gmail.com no later than Wednesday 10 August. Please include in the email your phone number and preferred return email address

If You Don’t Have Time To Volunteer ….

 ….. Please Send DONATION$$

Hadlyme Hall’s effort to prevent the closing of the Connecticut River ferries has cost more than $1,500 so far, and expenses are continuing to increase. Please consider sending a donation to help in covering these costs.

Make checks out to: Hadlyme Public Hall

Send to:  Save the Ferry Fund

PO Box 25

Hadlyme, CT 06439 

Please forward this email to friends and/or neighbors who might be interested in giving either of their time or a donation.

Thank You

(You may receive this message more than once. If so, please accept our apologies. We have not had time to purge our email lists of duplicates.)

Humphrey S. Tyler

401 Joshuatown Road

PO Box 430

Hadlyme CT 06439

hstyler@comcast.net

Phone: 860-322-4021

Mobile: 518-253-4844

Here is text of hearing announcement for Chester on Aug 25:

Public Information Meeting August 25

Chester-Hadlyme Ferry Service closure

The Connecticut Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting to discuss the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry closure. This closure has been necessitated by the state budget crisis.  The public is invited to listen to a brief presentation about the ferry service and will be allowed make brief statements, which may include ideas and thoughts that may assist the Department regarding strategies for ferry service and operation.

August 25, 2011; 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

The Chester Meeting House

4 Liberty Street

Chester, CT

Free parking is available.

This facility is ADA accessible. Individuals requesting language assistance or accommodations due to a disability may contact the communications office at (860) 594-3061; or (860) 594-3090 (TTY).  For consideration your request should be submitted 7 days prior to the event. The department will make every reasonable effort to provide assistance when possible.

(Urgent!) Volunteers Needed to Distribute Fliers at Rocky Hill Ferry Landing.

Ed  Chiucarello is coordinating the efforts to “Save Our Ferry”. This weekend’s action is to pass out fliers at the ferry landing. Volunteers needed today (Aug 6) for 12-1, 1-2, and 2-3 time slots and tomorrow (Sunday Aug 7) for the 3-4 and 4-5 periods. Contact Ed at <lexarded@cox.net>.

Credit Sean Conor Rocky Hill Patch - Rocky Hill Ferry Landmark

Deep River Ancient Muster-Fife and Drum Corps Galore

58th Annual Deep River Ancient Muster-Massed Fife and Drum Corps-July16, 2011

Everyone loves a parade and what can be more appropriate for a parade than a fife and drum corps marching smartly down the street, banners and flags  unfurled. Better yet, how about several hundred fifers and drummers in a mass parade through a sleepy Connecticut river town.

That is the scene on the third Saturday of every July when the annual Deep River Ancient Muster, a Connecticut tradition since 1885 convenes.  Of this massing of drum corps an excited  newspaper reporter, in a contemporary account, exclaimed;

“The noise shook green apples off the trees, moved a frog onto the railroad track, jolted nails out of the shingles in the roofs, and the hens in the poultry yards along the route laid premature eggs in fright.”

Read more of this interesting article from Time magazine: Time Aug 03, 1970

Video Credit: Footage by L.E. Agnelli/ haddam east haddam patch

The Middletown Press printed an article with video by Claire Michalewicz about the muster:

“DEEP RIVER – The sound of drums was hard to miss in Deep River on Saturday, as 60 fife and drum corps marched down Main Street to Devitt Field for the 58th Annual Deep River Ancient Muster. Once there, the corps performed one by one for hours into the evening…The festivities started with a “tattoo” on Friday night, with a smaller group of corps performing on the field. On Saturday morning, all the participating corps lined up on Main Street and marched down the street to Devitt Field. One by one, they participated in “jollification” – stepping out onto the baseball diamond and performing a few short pieces before the judges and audience…”

Video Credit: Claire Michalewicz, Middletown Press