The Charter Oak The great white oak was easily the tallest tree in the forest. It was over five hundred years old when the first white man laid eyes upon it in 1614, as he stood on the deck of a wooden ship anchored in the Connecticut River. … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian's Corner
Historian’s corner
Blessed Are The Merciful If you happen to visit Bradley Point this summer, think about this a moment: Long before Veterans Walk ever existed, a small band of West Haveners that included Thomas Painter stood on that very same shoreline firing their … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
July 5, 1779 July 3, 1779 was a Saturday. For Adjutant William Campbell and more than 3,000 other British and Hessian soldiers based in New York City, July 3 proved to be one terribly uncomfortable night. Soldiers, horses, cannon, and gear were … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
If only the West Haven Green could talk about the July Fourths in its past. Without doubt, the most memorable was 239 years ago. Being a Sunday, the Green was filled with West Haveners on their way to services at the First Congregational Church. … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
The Twilight League See part two here. See part three here. With thanks to Harry Noyes III and the late Vin DiLauro In 1959, The Boy lived on Kelsey Avenue; on summer nights, he was allowed to ride his bicycle up to Painter Park each night … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
The Waddingham Mansion: Exactly Where was It? Part V See part 1 here. See part 2 here. See part 3 here. See part 4 here. Though it is difficult to estimate angles on a flat photo, as well as perspective, and Hildrich cannot show his … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
The Waddingham Mansion: Exactly Where was It? Part IV See part 1 here. See part 2 here. See part 3 here. See part 5 here. The April 18, 1991 article in “The West Haven News,” p. 15, by the late City Historian Harriet North gets the … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
The Waddingham Mansion: Exactly Where was It? Part III See part one here. See part two here. See part four here. See part five here. City resident Steve Hildrich has not been able to locate any maps or diagrams of the Mansion House’s … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
The Waddingham Mansion Exactly Where was It? Part II See part one here. See part three here. See part four here. See part five here. Note: We are grateful to Steve Hildrich for his extensive research on this subject, and for sharing … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner
Historian’s corner
The Waddingham Mansion Part I See part two here. See part three here. See part four here. See part five here. Way back in the 1950s and 1960s, Lorraine Wood Rockefeller was a reporter for the Town Crier. Her stories of Old West Haven … [Read more...] about Historian’s corner