Monthly Archives: January 2019

1910 Recipes

Recipe time! Some oldies but goodies from the January 10, 1910 Norwich Bulletin. Usually tasty and one pot wonders. No muss. Little fuss. Short and sweet and generally inexpensive too.

Stuffed Squash – Select a nice shaped crook-necked squash, split it in halves, lay in a steamer and steam until it can be pierced with a straw [a stiff piece of grass not a plastic drinking straw]; remove carefully to a baking pan and scoop out the seeds. Make a rich stuffing of 1 cup cracker crumbs, ¼ cup butter, 1 egg, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 teaspoon sage, ½ tsp poultry seasoning, cream to make sufficiently moist. Fill cavity in squash. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake until brown. Garnish with parsley.

Sweet Potato Buns. – Boil until tender 3 very large sweet potatoes, rub them very fine, adding one pint of cream. Sift together 1 ½ pints of flour, a pinch of salt, and 1 ½ teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Add this to the potato and mix into a rather firm, smooth dough. Form into round pieces the size of a small egg. Lay on a greased tin and bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes.

Spinach balls – Press all the moisture possible from a cupful of cooked and chopped spinach. Reheat it with two tablespoonfuls of butter rolled in two tablespoonfuls of flour and a tablespoonful of cream. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sugar and mace. Take from the fire and add two eggs well beaten. When cool, shape into balls with buttered spoons. Simmer in boiling water for five minutes, drain and reheat in cream sauce. Many like the addition of a few capers to the cream sauce.

Carrots with Onions. Slice fine enough carrots for five or six people; all three large onions sliced and a scant teaspoonful of salt. Add two tablespoonfuls of flour, salt, pepper; mix thoroughly and chop fine. [Not mentioned in the recipe is any liquid so I might add a hint of broth, or water and heat the mixture over the fire just long enough to cook the flour and create a gravy for the mixture. My friend suggests a few grains of sugar or honey to sweeten the mixture too.]

Mashed Potato Balls. -Take two cupfuls of potatoes, season with salt and pepper, stir in one egg well beaten, half a cup of milk, one teaspoonful of baking powder and one-half cupful of flour.

Mold into balls and fry in hot fat until brown.

Italian Meat Balls – One pound of hamburger steak, one cup bread crumbs, one-half cup grated cheese, two eggs beaten until light, one tablespoon chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

Mix in balls the size of an egg, then drop into soup stock and boil for two minutes, then add two beaten eggs, and one spoon grated cheese and stir in lastly for thickening.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community 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 .

1910 Fashion Described

“And that was the fashion back in the day.” It was? OK. There are photos and descriptions and sketches but every once in a while it would be nice to know the reasoning behind why something was a fashion. So I got a little excited to learn this tiny tidbit of scarf reasoning in a January 10, 1910 Norwich Bulletin.

“The flimsey scarfs, especially those of chiffon, make most attractive artifices of head dress. The scarfs are placed on the head and then knotted at either side over the ears. The knots, artistically tied, serve a useful as well as decorative purpose, for the added weight either side of the head helps keep the scarf in position. The ends of the scarf are left free to throw about the neck or shoulders.”

All the rage fashion directions were short and sweet. “Ribbon and bead trimming. A handsome trimming on a light blue afternoon gown is made of pompadour ribbon, the selvedge being outlined with beads and bugles. The beads are worked into large sized daisy every few inches.” They lost me at pompadour ribbon but it sounds very nice.

I am looking forward to an occasion when I could create my own version of this evening gown. Although I must admit I don’t have a clue to what some of the words mean or refer to. “An effective evening dress is made of gray mousseline de soie over a very deep blue satin. The skirt is cut in a manner to show the plain satin at the front from the knees down. The satin is about six inches longer than the slip all around the hem. The bodice is surplice shaped, revealing the plain satin at the front, where it is heavily encrusted with silver ornaments. A band of silver fringe encircles the neck and surplice fronts.” Do I wear this gown with a scarf?

Would it be fun for any group to try and make doll sized outfits using these directions? There were no photo’s, sketches or pictures included with these directions. The dressmaker interpreted them for themselves.

“Dresses for girls of ten or twelve are handsome when made with long waists, fitted and finished with a plain plaited skirt. The skirt, says the Woman’s National Daily, should fall straight from the bodice. The hairline plaids are nice in this design. When very thin materials, like cashmere, are used, the long bodice may be scalloped on the extreme edge, the skirt set beneath the scallops. Practically all dresses of this description have square pieces over the shoulder, and panal fronts are widened at the flounce top. A long waisted dress of pale blue velvet is made with a scalloped edge – six scallops in all. With a gathered flounce. The sleeves are bell shaped, less than half length and a white lingerie guimpe is worn with it. This makes a very simple dress, rich in material and attractive in design.” I really understood only the words cashmere and white to know that this dress was not for the ten or twelve year old me who was perpetually dirty in her old jeans. Sigh.

Enter Laurel Hill

The residents and taxpayers of Norwich, CT need encouragement to see the beauty of the city around them. The newspaper helped its readers see some of the more obvious points around them by printing articles such as The Good Roads and Beautiful Drives of Norwich in the January 1, 1908 edition.

The 1908 article begins with a discussion of Laurel Hill, Washington Street and Broadway. Today we rarely find even a mention of Laurel Hill. But reading their description will have you taking a second and third look at the hill.

“A wider variety of beautiful and artistic scenic effects will be found in Norwich CT then in most cities of its area and population in the country. Nature laid the foundation for beauty when she planned the hills, valleys, rivers and broad plains with which this locality is favored. Coming into the business section of the city from the commanding elevation of Laurel Hill, the view is magnificent, grand, inspiring. The stranger who catches sight of the circular range of hills thickly dotted with buildings of various description is impressed by the wonderful and striking layout of the scene. Looking down from an almost dizzy height, the eye encounters the waters of the Shetucket river rushing into those of the Thames, while from the opposite shore the less ambitious Yan
tic steals modestly into the harbor and mingling with its greater contemporaries they pass on and down to the deep waters of Long Island Sound. The picture is beyond the ideal of man. With a cloudless and perfect sky to accentuate the beauty which is here in all its glory, as far as the eye can reach, not a single blot is there to mar the grandeur of the outlook.”

Today’s residents need to step back and then step up to the beauty of Laurel Hill. It is time for Laurel Hill to once again focus on its beauty. To clear the trash and the brush that has been allowed to grow. It is long past time to claim back the business opportunities that once spread thru the area. It was not the quiet residential area that modern people have decided, without evidence, it once was.
Laurel Hill is a gateway to the downtown area of Norwich and we need to recognize it for all that it was and can be again. It is time for the armchair historians of Norwich to look to the past of Laurel Hill for the future of the downtown and waterfront of Norwich.

It is time to examine in detail the Norwich City Directories for the realities of the businesses and lovely homes that dotted the landscape on the hill. It is time to demand walking tours of the area with discussions of the new discoveries of the past. The future of Norwich is not in re-creating the past as it was, but in creating the future as we want it to be. Laurel Hill is an untapped resource for the future of the City of Norwich and now is a good time to begin using it.

Etiquette for the 1908 Man

Once upon a time there was an art to visiting another persons home and the newspaper would publish the rules so everyone would have a point of reference and the opportunity to try and out do one another. Take for example this article from the January 9, 1908 Norwich Bulletin but originally printed in an earlier edition of the Chicago News. After reading this blog binge watch those old black and white movies.

For every action there was a rule. Very distinct and different rules for the males from the females.
“First and foremost, all who have reached the age to count calling among their pastimes should have cards engraved.” Of course, the engraved cards should not be used on informal occasions but on all formal occasions when your name is not familiar, as an enclosure with gifts, when sending regrets, cards are a necessity. Cards should be engraved with the full name, prefixed by the title “Mr.” Addresses on men’s cards are seldom used. Having a sample or two from an ancestor is still a treasure for a family genealogist.

A young man , in calling should remove his hat and coat and leave them in the hall, or if there is no place provided, he should lay them on a chair in the parlor near the door. The floor is not an option. If he is wearing gloves, the right one should be removed before shaking hands with the host. It is extremely bad form to keep on an overcoat while in the parlor, no matter how short the stay. Twirling your cane, or playing with your gloves during the evening is taboo. When the girls mother enters the room, he must rise to greet her. In cities, 8 o’clock is the earliest hour for calling, but in country towns they can be made as early as 7:30.

If a young man has been entertained by a married woman – has been a guest at a dance she gave or has dined at her table – he must call on her within two weeks after the event. Because she is married is not a release from the obligation. Sunday afternoons is a nice time as you will find her husband at home as a rule, and probably have a nice family chat. Any time after 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon is a proper time.

It is always a proper thing for a man to ask permission of a girl to call. There are occasions when a woman takes the initiative but the rule remains that the man should ask the woman. It is for him to show the desire to pay attention to her. Having asked for the privilege he should call within a few days and stay for only a short time for the first time. Lengths of call should vary. An hour is an average call, and no man should stay until the hostess is bored. Ten o’clock is the time to go home, even if you are engaged to the girl.

If a man is calling in the company with women he must wait for them to give the signal for leaving. After the women have said their farewells, he may bid the hostess goodnight and follow the women from the room.

A man who has been an usher or best man at the wedding of a friend must call upon the couple with two weeks after their return home. In this circumstance it is permissible to telephone to set up the particulars of the visit.

There are times when a man finds it impossible to accept certain invitations, owing to previous engagements, lack of time or other good reasons. But the fact that he has been invited is sufficient reason for owing the would-be hostess a call. In other words, whether you accept an invitation or not you owe a call to the hostess. There are times when man who has never called upon a girl wishes to take her to some form of entertainment. This is not good form. He should call at her home some evening and while there ask if she would like to go. No girl should accept such an invitation from a man who has never called upon her.

More Mohegans

While in a committee meeting, the name Mohegan Park, the one in Norwich was mentioned. Did you know there are other Mohegan Parks and other places called Mohegan in the United states?

Of course the other Mohegans are not as beautiful as ours but they would make an interesting road trip one day. There is of course Mohegan Lake, NY with its own Mohegan Park which is really an assisted living community but that is a discussion for another day.

There is Lake Mohegan in Fairfield, CT which is a really beautiful 170.4 acres administered as an open space property by their conservation commission with many hiking trails, dog trails, horse trails, playgrounds, a swimming area with ropes indicating water depth, a sandy beach, and more.

ATTENTION NORWICH PARENTS and RESIDENTS. Part of the more is a sprinkler park for children. Built and paid for by the volunteer organization Safe Parks and Recreation for Kids (SPARK), the fun zone is full of spouts, faucets and misters that delight tiny toddlers and their older siblings too. Just a thought that as the Norwich City budget is a bit tight a fundraising committee for a sprinkler in Mohegan Park might be just the thing. Anyway . . . Just a thought.

For those who have ever visited Block Island for a bit of sight seeing you’ll recall the vista as seen from the Mohegan Bluffs which is also known as the fifth stop on the Block Island Bicycle Tour. According to a tourist brochure the bluffs were named after an invading party of Mohegan Indians were driven over the bluffs by the native Manissean tribe of Block Island in 1590. Sound a little familiar?

But then I came across a place called Mohegan I had never heard of. Ever. A place with a rich and very different history than one I am accustomed to. A place called Mohegan, West Virginia. Thats right. West Virginia. First I had to see if it was really a place on a map. It is. Then I checked in the University of Virginia digital library for place names information and history. They referenced a 1926 publication and the Encyclopedia Britannica. You can look up the Encyclopedia Britannica reference yourself but here is the other, “Heckewelder (History of Manners and Customs, p. xli) explains: “The Mahicanni have been called by so many different names (The Dutch called them Mahikanders; the French Mourigans, and Mahingans; the English, Mohiccons, Mohuccons, Muhheekanew, Schaikooks, River Indians) that I was at a loss what to adopt, so that the reader might know what people were meant. Lokiel calls them ‘Mohicans,’ which is nearest to their real name Mahicanni, which of course I adopted.”

Mohegan, West Virginia is an unincorporated community on the Tug River in McDowell County at an altitude of 1,230 feet. Until the 1940’s it was a very active coal mining community and there are quite a number of photos in the Library of Congress . A small stop over place next time you are in West Virginia? Maybe you can find out more about how it got its name and tell us?

A Landlord Share

Some cities have had rather unusual rules in their past that they were willing to share with Norwich, CT. Hartford, CT for example wanted to share a moving day rule in the January 28, 1868 Norwich Bulletin.

The landlords in Hartford have met and agreed for the purpose of changing the annual “moving day” from the 1st of April, 1868 to the 1st of May, 1869, and thereafter to have their leases run May to May. The example is worthy of imitation in Norwich. The 1st of April is too early, too cold and disagreeable for moving. To compel people to shift their domiciles in such weather as we have in April, is cruel. Let’s have a change. Who’ll begin it?

But helpful hints were not restricted to business take for example these Kitchen Hints from January 7, 1902 Norwich Bulletin.

Before putting food in new tins set them over the fire with boiling water in them for several hours.

When roasting meat or frying a steak, turn it with a spoon; a fork pierces the meat, letting out the juice.

Add a slice of orange to cream of tomato soup just before serving to improve its flavor.

To make cake icing that will not crack when cut, add one tablespoonful of sweet cream to each unbeaten egg. Stir together, adding sugar until the icing is as stiff as can be stirred.

Pouring the thickening in while the pan is on the fire is apt to make the gravy lumpy; the better way is to remove the pan until the thickening is well stirred in, then return it to the fire and cook thoroughly.

To have the roast beef brown on the outside and juicy and rare within, it should be put in a very hot oven at first, then reducing the heat. The great heat at first hardens and also browns the surface, keeping in the juices. The meat should be basted frequently.

The next time you have raisins to stone, free them from stems, put them in a bowl, cover with boiling water, let stand for two minutes, then pour off the water. You can open the raisins and remove the seeds without the unpleasant stickiness.

Goods Returned

Do you ever read a story in the newspaper or the world wide web that just makes you smile? A story that reminds you that good can follow bad? This story from the January 1, 1902 Norwich Bulletin, titled, Booty Returned By Norwich Burglar, Silverware Taken from Newark House brought back in local newspaper did just that for me. I now imagine a collection of these good hearted local stories for adults titled “Sweet Dreams.” It would make a much better nighttime read than much that guarantees nightmares.

If the burglar who came all the way back from Norwich, to return to Mrs. Jane Jenkinson of No. 24 Baldwin street, Newark, the silver and cut glass he stole a month before, says the New York World, will call or send his address he will receive a vote of thanks and all his expenses.

There was no note with the two big newspaper bundles he left in the back yard, and Mrs. Jenkinson, when she found that the papers were printed in Norwich, cried to think how the poor burglar had come all the weary way to give her back her property.

She thinks he must have suddenly struck religion and become so conscience-stricken that he took the risk of arrest rather than put her to the trouble of going back to Connecticut to recover her goods.

Not one of the articles was lost or injured, and Mrs. Jenkinson, who would gladly have paid a reward of $50 for their return, announces that she will do the generous thing if the burglar will only reveal himself.

Eagle Watch Month

January is National Bald Eagle Watch Month. I have not been able to spot any in Mohegan Park in Norwich, CT but I did however see them when walking the trail near the 8th Street Bridge in the Greenville area of Norwich. I like the trail across the river from the rail road tracks because it is safer than taking the chance of being hit by a train. Also the scenery is far superior as you have a great view of the waterfall and the old mills.

Bald eagles have a wingspan of 6 to 7 1/2 feet. The female is usually slightly larger than the male. Bald eagles sit 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall and weigh 8 to 15 pounds. Their eyes are 5 to 6 times more powerful than human’s.

Their primary food is fish, and will nearly always be seen near water. They also eat waterfowl, particularly the sick or injured, and occasionally carrion. Anyway, because its a well stocked river it has become a great hunting ground for the immense birds.

I have not seen their nest yet which should be easy to spot high in the tree tops as the stick nests can reach over 7 feet across, 12 feet deep, and weigh over two tons. Bald eagles mate for life and nest from November through April.
If you spot the nest do not even attempt to approach it. Nesting is a very critical time for bald eagles.
The female lays one to three eggs and incubation lasts 35-40 days, and the young’s first flight is about 75 days after hatching.

Officially adopted as the U.S. national emblem on June 20, 1782 the bald eagle was chosen by Congress due to its native status and majestic appearance. At the time, bald eagles were common in New England and people watched them hunting for food, feeding and pirating other eagles’ prey.

By 1940, the national bird was “threatened with extinction,” So Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act which made it illegal to kill, harass, possess (without a permit), or sell bald eagles. The greatest treat to the eagle’s population was the chemical DDT so it was banned for most uses in the U.S. In 1972. Eagles became part of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as the Federal and state government agencies, and private organizations, successfully alerted the public of the bald eagle’s plight and to protect its habitat from further destruction. In 1991, a 5- year program to phase out the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting was completed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (bald eagles were dying from lead poisoning as a result of feeding on hunter-killed or crippled waterfowl containing lead shot and from lead shot that was inadvertently ingested by the waterfowl). In July 1995, the Fish and Wildlife Service announced that bald eagles in the lower 48 states had recovered to the point that the status of the endangered populations was only a threatened population.

During the winter, bald eagles are under pressure to consume enough food and expend as little energy as possible in order to maintain body heat. If fishermen, bird watchers, or boaters get too close to the eagles, the birds will waste valuable energy flying away. It exposes them to undue stress and could cause abandonment of a site.

To avoid disturbing the eagles:
Do not get any closer than 400 yards from a perched eagle. If vegetation blocks the eagle’s view of you, still avoid getting closer than 100 yards.
When possible, stay in your vehicle, use a blind, or stand behind stationary objects when viewing eagles.
Stay on the opposite side of the river or lake to allow them a peaceful refuge.
Since over 70 percent of the eagle’s feeding occurs during the early morning, avoid visiting areas that eagles rely on for food before 9 a.m. That will help to allow the eagle enough time to adequately feed before human activity disrupts their foraging.

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