Monthly Archives: June 2017

Norwich, CT Tales

Fishing has long been a favorite past time in Greeneville, CT and while the fish caught today are farm raised and stocked periodically throughout the year that was not always the case.

Take this story from the Friday, May 1, 1880 Norwich Bulletin.

“The shad fisherman at the Greeneville dam caught five hundred pounds of Shad yesterday which makes nearly half a ton caught in two days. That is old fashioned hard work.”

I am not certain where Mr. Patrick O’Mahoney lived in Norwich, CT but from the May 1, 1880 Norwich Bulletin I learned he had “over a quarter of centuries experience as a gardener,” and had had “ripe strawberries of his own raising for several weeks and some of which measured over four inches in circumference.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could enjoy such strawberry largess today? Perhaps Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie? Strawberry jam? Strawberry Catsup? Strawberry Ice Cream?

No doubt when a tour of Norwichtown, CT is given Adams Tavern receives a mention or two. I can only hope that some of the stories are retold with fun and humor such as this story called Not fooled that appeared in the January 1, 1891 Norwich Bulletin.

“Some jacose individual, yesterday started the story that the two ladies who won the bottle of wine by being the first to sleigh to Adams Tavern this winter were not women but masquerading young men. Mr. Adams was interviewed concerning the story last evening. He laughingly remarked that though he was an old bachelor, he could tell the difference between real and imitation ladies. His eyesight was never dazzled in broad daylight, This report might answer for a New Years joke.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs.

Priscilla Demonstration

By now we are all aware of the Reid & Hughes building in downtown Norwich, CT was once rented to a locally famous department store. Everyone in town knows someone who had a relative or a neighbor who worked there at one point or another. But frequently the stories stop there. No further information is related, re-told or even really available. There are few photos of the store in its celebrated hey-day but hundreds of thousands of photos detailing its decayed state.

So I want to discuss the large advertisement for the Reid & Hughes Company that appeared in the May 1, 1900 Norwich Bulletin on page 5. It is a unique ad and not one seen often on the collectors pages. There is a photo of a woman holding up a lace doily above a bowl of soapy water. The advertisement is sponsored by The Priscilla Mfg. Co., of 41-43 Kinsley St, Hartford Ct and addressed to the “Art Needle Workers and all who are interested in artistic embroidery and the cleansing of the fabrics without fading or or injury are cordially invited to attend our demonstration of Priscilla Compound and its work at the Art Department of the Reid & Hughes Company during the present week.” The art department? What items might they have sold in that department?

“We shall show a beautiful collection of Old Embroideries, Laces and fine Garments that have been laundered with Priscilla Compound and greatly restored and improved.” A bargain at 25 cents for a ½ pound box. They also displayed Priscilla Expansion embroidery hoops, universal hoop holders, embroidery sets, stamping powder and hand powders.” I want to know the name of the demonstrator. I want to hear the funny stories. I want to hear the story of the housewife who brought her old, stained embroideries and laces to be cleaned by the demonstrator. I want to know what the demonstrator used to keep her hands soft after keeping them in water and cleanser all day. I want to know the “Story of Priscilla.” In another ad there is a hint the company was named after “Longfellow.” Priscilla was from 1858 narrative the Courtship of Miles Standish. Most people know the poem as the source of “Taking three steps in advance, and one reluctantly backward,”

Norwich, CT had its own very distinctive needlework style and even its own needlework schools. Did they have a field trip to the store? Did any men participate in the demonstrations? “This presents a great opportunity for all who are interested in embroidery work or the preservation of the same , or in renovating fine fabrics of every description, to learn how this beautiful work can be done quickly and easily, and also how all kinds of fine articles can be renovated and still retain their original beauty and newness.” Have any of the pieces survived?

Once more I want to know the rest of the story. What will you share with me?

A Financial Gift

It is not often that a business is given the truly brilliant gift of a cut in public funding. No I have not lost my mind. I am just encouraging those affected in Norwich, CT to look at the cut in their funding by the Norwich, CT City Council a little differently.

The cut in funding represents a unique opportunity to change how things are currently being done to something new and different without question. This is perfect as a reason to change or drop programs that have not been working out so well but so much time, or money was invested the program was continued anyway. A large loss in funding also is a great door opener for new program funding grants.

After a few cycles it becomes difficult to re-fund on-going programs. A large loss of funding means that you have the opportunity to re-present your program as something new and different. However, while the old program can no longer be presented due to lack of funding, you can now say you have experience presenting the program and can present a new program with lessons learned from the old program. You get to keep the good stuff, the stuff that works and change the items out for new things that didn’t work. Congratulations you have a brand new and improved program you and your clients are familiar with.
Advertising, marketing and promotion are not the same thing. Advertising costs a lot of money so creativity is the key to making your marketing and promotions work for you. You will have to rethink and re-work how you network with your clients, neighbors, and fellow businesses. Go out there and make new friends and alliances.

By working together you may be able to build promotions that you can jointly market and advertise. Its great when a Chamber of Commerce can do this for a large area with many businesses involved but for an individual business to have greater impact its better to keep the number of involved businesses low.

Don’t be afraid to use your words. Whenever you take an action, write about it. Tell people what you are doing, what you are working on, what you are planning, what you are envisioning. Take photos and circulate them widely. This part is scary but take a deep breath and bring in Senior Interns learning to use various media. Semi-retired and retired adults interested in learning about and using social media and other medias such as podcasts and local cable. Mature presenters have a built in trust factor. The trust factor is why I admit there is extra work in the beginning but then with a bit of practice things will smooth out and you have a new audience and possibly some new funding resources.

The City Council of Norwich, CT has inadvertently given you a tremendous gift by reductions in funding. Don’t squander your time and opportunity lamenting the losses. Make the most of this opportunity. I believe in you and your abilities.
Thank you for reading and sharing my blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs.

September Taftville Event

It is so rare especially in Norwich, CT to see someone reaching out so far in advance with the plans for a community celebration. Well done to Greg Schlough, the Taftville Fire Department and the community organizers.

At least once a month someone is reminding the community residents that in September there is going to be a parade in Taftville and representatives of every fire department in the state of Connecticut is coming. Never mind my reciting it here is the Facebook posting from Greg Schlough –

“PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO YOUR TAFTVILLE NEIGHBORS !!
On September 17, 2017, the Taftville Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting the 134th Annual CT State Firefighters Convention Parade. This will be the 1st time this Convention Parade has been in Taftville !!
As part of this, there will be a PARKING BAN on part of Norwich Avenue, North 2nd Avenue, part of South B Street (at the Sacred Heart end), Hunters Avenue (same as South B) and Providence Street.
Roads will begin to close at 11:15 am on this day. If you live on the North Side of the Village, if you do not leave before this time you will not be going out. If you live on the North Side and plan on not staying, put you vehicle(s) in the TVCCA parking lot ASAP on this day so you can leave. We are taking precautions for everyone and will have, minimally, 1 Ambulance located in the North Side.
This is a BIG celebration, and honor, for the Taftville Fire Department and for all of the people living in Taftville. If we all cooperate, this will be a memory that you will have for a lifetime !!”

I only wish Taftville would get together and paint their fire hydrants the way Greeneville did. Firefighters and dogs will still recognize the hydrants as hydrants and they will still wear their florescent collars.

This is an opportunity for Taftville residents to participate in a history making event. Take this future opportunity and make the most of it. Be a loud and proud participant!

Downtown Norwich is moving

Downtown Norwich, CT is on the move with the opening of another brewery. I have not been there yet but I have heard the brews are great and the lines to taste them are out the door!

Three buildings close to City Hall have been sold and more rumors are promising two with new restaurants and one will open a coffee shop. Be still my heart that a cup of coffee will once again be available in downtown.

The new two way traffic arrangement is interesting to say the least but I suppose that eventually the locals will all get used to it and only the visitors to town will have issues being in the correct lane. It is really important that there is planning and observation of the circumstances of an area before changes are made. But I am not going to fret because I know that in a few years someone will have the new and fresh idea to make it one way again.

The rest of the news about downtown will be from City Hall. That is if they start speaking to the public again. The budget issues have them all pretty quiet as everyone is wondering what everyone else is going to do.

The Norwich Plant Swap brought people together and the damp weather was perfect for making the plants happy in their new homes. Thank you to all who participated!

Enjoy the warm weather and many thanks and Good Job! To the Norwich City Council and the Norwich Department of Recreation for choosing to continue the beach at Mohegan Park. Swimming is a necessary skill in a city of three rivers.

A Community Patio

Taking a stroll around the neighborhood is always interesting. I live in the older and well-established area of Chelsea Parade but there is always something new for me to discover.

This time my discovery was on the far end of Sachem Street. My mind was busy imagining the area in the late 1800’s when the Falls School was still standing and the houses on the streets were the homes of bank presidents, community leaders, teachers and doctors. That’s when I found it.

Nothing historic but a newly noticed at least by me addition to the community at the home of The Arc, New London County. Surrounded by a lovely white picket fence is a small patio with tables, benches and chairs. On the fence is a welcoming sign that says “Please feel free to enjoy this community patio. – brought to you by our generous neighborhood partners –

Eastern Federal Bank Foundation,
Knights of Columbus,
Norwich Public Utilities,
Chelsea Groton Foundation, and
Mystic Rotary.

All are welcome to enjoy this beautiful space as we make a commitment to supporting our neighborhood in the City of Norwich.

Thank you for leaving this patio as you found it. Please respect our smoke-free zone.

-Achieve with us”

With so many homes throughout Norwich, CT being re-zoned for small and domestic business use and Norwich continuing to work on becoming more of a walk-able community wouldn’t it be pleasant and refreshing if more of these community patio’s appeared?

What a great draw one would be to a small neighborhood business. Instead of just being another business, the business location itself becomes a destination for the walking locals and so the name and the location of the business becomes more well known and fixed throughout the neighborhood. Free word of mouth advertising.

Thank you Arc – New London County for bringing this great and attractive idea to Norwich, CT.

Self-Confidence

Why don’t Norwich, CT residents have confidence in their own leadership abilities?

While the residents will adamantly refuse to seek out advice and use the experiences of other communities to solve our local economic woes; we will however allow and encourage nonresident and non-taxpayers to decide and tell our residents and city councilors how to spend our tax dollars.

Look to the leadership of the most powerful community organizations in Norwich, CT and check out for yourself who their leader is and where there town of residence is. Why are we, the residents allowing this? Why do we not have the confidence in ourselves to step up and take control of our own destinies?

Our Norwich, CT residents have leader abilities. Our Norwich, CT residents have training and education and even leadership experience. So what is the problem? What is it that others see in our community of Norwich, CT that we do not? Why do we, the residents, insist on depending on others to lead our local groups and organizations?

This is especially true for the organizations that are consistently asking for our tax dollars. The leadership has no skin or penny in the game so they make great speeches, pleas and demands without a qualm while we the residents acquiesce, nod our heads and pay up. Then these great leaders go home to their own communities and laugh about what a bunch of fools the residents of Norwich, CT are to follow their costly leadership.

Why are the voters, residents and taxpayers of Norwich, CT so willing to give up the leadership of their wallets to non-resident, non-voting, non-taxpaying people? Why won’t the residents of Norwich, CT step up, believe in themselves, their skills, and their abilities and take control of the leading organizations of their own community?

Everyone talks about our children are our future but what sort of demonstration of leadership are we providing when we, the residents of Norwich, CT so steadfastly refuse to take control of our own community and the destiny we claim we are so concerned about.

Ignoring organizations and leadership opportunities. Not joining or belonging. Not taking an active part. Not participating. IS not working for Norwich, CT. Lets change the present and future by being more active. Lets build Norwich, CT by taking back control of our city, our government, our organizations and make the decisions that matter to us and our pocketbooks ourselves.

Norwich Nuggets

Just another Admin Blog Sites site