Cheshire Connecticut 06410 Hometown News
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Welcome to The Cheshire Connecticut Phoenix Hometown Online Local News Magazine– Your Home for Cheshire History and Local Stories. We are fully live, operational, and regularly publishing new historical adventures and local tales. While we continue to fine-tune our features behind the scenes, everything you see is ready to explore!
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If you enjoy Cheshire Connecticut history, please join us at Cheshire, Connecticut: Echoes of Our Past
The group is run by Jim Parys and you can find my post under Rick Smith were you can also find the
Cheshire Connecticut History
90 Years Ago In Cheshire
The heat of early July 1936 brought both civic milestones and local challenges to the town of Cheshire, Connecticut. As residents prepared to mark the nation's 160th Independence Day, the community’s focus was split between patriotic celebration, municipal business, and seasonal recreation.
Municipal Enforcement and Civic Expansion
A major point of discussion in town was the crackdown on local tax delinquency. Tax Collector Drurie S. Bristol officially reported that 58 automobile owners residing in the town's first district had failed to pay their property taxes. In compliance with state law, their names were forwarded directly to the state highway commissioner to initiate enforcement actions.
Simultaneously, the town was preparing for a significant infrastructure milestone: the official opening of the new community field on July 4th. Leased from the town by the Cheshire Civic Association, the field was scheduled to open with a full day of public programming managed by local figures such as Frederick S. Baker, Birdsey B. Norton, Arthur N. Sheriff, and Luke H. Stapleton. The scheduled events included a pageant, community races, a baseball game, and a group basket lunch, with free transportation provided from the town hall.
Independence Day Observances
With the holiday approaching, local officials issued a strong public appeal for safety. While the town chose not to ban the sale or use of fireworks, the Civic Association heavily emphasized keeping the day free from injury.
The religious community coordinated a massive union patriotic service scheduled for Sunday morning at the Congregational Church. Organized to draw attendees from across the state, the service featured Charles M. Gardner of Springfield, Massachusetts—the High Priest of Demeter of the National Grange—as the keynote orator. Local clergy, including the Rev. J. Herbert Bainton of the Congregational Church, the Rev. C. Harold Dever of the Methodist Church, and the Rev. Dr. J.D. Skilton of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, all participated in leading the joint services.
Athletics and Social Gatherings
On the diamond, local sports fans followed the Naugatuck Valley league baseball matchup at Recreation Field between the Cheshire "Cats" and the Southington "Sanitary Laundry" team. Despite a strong defensive play by center fielder Savage and offensive contributions from Murphy, Barnum, and Manager Griffin (who hit a triple), Cheshire fell to Southington by a score of 7 to 4 due to a series of costly errors.
In social news, the annual meeting of the Connecticut Ormond Association took place at the Main Street home of Mr. and Mrs. Theron S. French. The group, composed of Connecticut residents who wintered in Ormond, Florida, elected Mrs. Frank Hamilton as their new president and Edmund L. Curtiss as secretary-treasurer. Meanwhile, the Honey Pot Country Club finalized plans for its holiday flag tournament and supper dance, ensuring that despite the pressing summer heat, Cheshire’s social and civic calendar remained fully occupied.
History On Other Websites
This section will take you to third party sites that love to delve into Cheshire Connecticut 06410 History.
Cheshire Historical Society
The 1976 Bicentennial Celebration was a year-long event in Cheshire and included fancy dress balls and parades. The 2026 Cheshire Celebration should also be memorable. The Cheshire Historical Society will participate in history-themed events, possibly walking tours. The Cheshire focus is celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, calling our town event, “America Red, White and Blue.”
Irish in Cheshire, Connecticut
The nineteenth-century history of the Irish in Cheshire, Connecticut, is a story of transformation
Facebook Group
Jim Parys
Jinny Hill Road: The Cheshire Road Name That Carries a Black Woman’s Story
Many of us have driven on Jinny Hill Road in Cheshire. Some of us are even familiar with the old barite mining history connected to that area. But did you ever stop and wonder how that mining story was first discovered — and why the hill carries the name Jinny?
The story starts in 1914, when Pawel (“Paul”) Zentek and his wife Aniela (“Nellie”) Zentek settled in rural Cheshire and purchased farmland on Higgins Road.
Cheshire, Connecticut: Echoes of Our Past is a place to share, preserve, and discuss the history, memories, photographs, buildings, people, churches, schools, roads, businesses, farms, railways, canals, and stories that helped shape Cheshire.
This page is for those who love local history, community memory, and respectful discussion. From the First Congregational Church and the old town center, to the Farmington Canal, trolley lines, Waverly Inn, Route 10, historic homes, old businesses, and family stories, this is a place to keep Cheshire’s past alive for today and tomorrow. Jim Parys
 Cheshire CinemaOkay, my Cheshire history friends, once again this is exactly the kind of local history story I think you will love. I have been doing a deeper dive into the old Cheshire Cinema on South Main Street, and this one brings back a lot of memories for me. |  Mark PerkulThis old, 2-story multi-family house at 350 Peck Lane plays a special part in my family’s Cheshire story. In the 1930s, Connecticut performed an aerial photographic survey of the entire state - this image captures the house and surrounding property as it appeared at the time. |  The Abijah Beach TavernThe Abijah Beach Tavern, also known at times as Beach Tavern and later the Benjamin Franklin Inn, stood just south of the Cheshire Green. Different sources give two possible construction dates, 1750 and 1814, but Historic Buildings of Connecticut notes that the Federal style of the building is more consistent with the 1814 date. The Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey also lists the building as approximately 1814. |
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 George Washington in Cheshire CtA little local history just over the hill, Cook Hill from Cheshire… Many people may not realize that George Washington passed through Wallingford — and that matters to Cheshire history too, because Cheshire was once part of old Wallingford. |  Cheshire Ct Temple BethOne of the things I love most about researching Cheshire's history is discovering that a single building can tell several stories at once. Temple Beth David, at 3 Main Street, is one of those places. The more I dug into its history, the more I realized it isn't just the story of a synagogue—it is the story of Cheshire itself. |  St Bridgets of Cheshire CtThe Catholic story in Cheshire begins quietly. The earliest documented Catholic Mass in Cheshire was celebrated in 1843 by Father Bernard Tevin of St. Mary’s in New Haven. It was held at the Booth homestead on Meriden Road. Think about that for a moment. Before there was a St. Bridget Church building, before there was a parish school, before the Main Street campus, before the merged Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish, Catholic worship in Cheshire began in a private home. |
The Cheshire Historical Society collects and preserves those documents, letters, journals, artifacts, memorabilia, and ephemera which constitute part of the record of all aspects of the history of the Town of Cheshire. The Cheshire Historical Society is dedicated to making our collections accessible (online and in-person). Website Facebook Cheshirepedia
According to the detailed records that Rufus Hitchcock kept, he built the Georgian Classical house that now bears his name in 1785, when he was just 25 years old. The cost to build the house was 348 pounds, 18 shillings, 8 pence. And the materials used to build the house included 4550 clapboards, 1600 shingles, 13,572 nails, and 179.5 pounds of large nails.
The Barite Mines of Cheshire by Crawford E. Fritts. This report is referred to in the above article. Citation for report: Crawford E. Fritts, “The Barite Mines of Cheshire,” State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut, Natural Resources Center, Department of Environmental Protection (1962).
by Elizabeth Holmstrom It was my pleasure to donate and plant a row of Daylily plants behind the shed in the Lucile D. Williams Memorial Garden at the Cheshire Historical Society. Daylilies are the perfect perennial; hardy, sun-loving, colorful with easy care. They can range in size from one-to-six feet tall and originated in Japan, Korea, China in orange and yellow colors. The blooms are in shades of red, orange, purple, pink and yellow (except in the colors of white and blue).
Meet our Spirits– and our cast! Over the next several weeks, we will release hints as to each Spirit that will be brought back to tell their tale this October– and the cast member who will do so!
On Saturday, June 6th, Town Historian Diane Calabro led a Cheshire Trail Trekkers walk highlighting Cheshire Patriotism. After meeting at Humiston School, the group headed to the Library to view the display honoring Barney Barnum and showcasing his Medal of Honor, which is currently on loan to the Town.
When placing flags at Hillside Cemetery this past weekend, we came across this monument, which didn’t have the modern military marker. But make no mistake, this individual was definitely deserving of a flag in recognition of his service in the "War of the Rebellion," a.k.a., The Civil War.
Cheshire Ct History
Cheshire Ct History
Pushing Buttons: Ball and Socket Oral Histories featuring Barbara
Babe Ruth's Connecticut Car Crash
VoC Andrew H Foote
Videovations CFD Academy Fire Cheshire Connecticut 06410 Ron Gagliardi.
Cheshire Ct Phoenix Hometown News Favorite Online Research Resources
For all you Cheshire history buffs who like to do your digging online—because let’s face it, your couch is much more comfortable than a wooden chair at the library, Historical Society, or Town Hall—I’ve put together a master list.
These are my absolute favorite free, online research sites and digital publications. Whether you're tracking down an old family name, looking up the history of your house, or just want to fall down an 18th-century rabbit hole, save these links:
The Definitive Local Histories & Timeline
Joseph Perkins Beach’s History of Cheshire (1912): The granddaddy of Cheshire history books. If it happened here before 1912, Beach probably wrote it down.
Cheshirepedia Interactive Timeline: A fantastic, chronological breakdown of our town’s major milestones from the 1600s onward.
The Jube Road History Project: A wonderful deep-dive into local neighborhood lore and historical context that you won't find in standard textbooks.
Connecticut Newspapers Library of Congress.
Houses, Architecture & Historic Districts
CT State Library Digital Historic Building Database: A goldmine of architectural surveys, old photographs, and state records for Cheshire's oldest structures.
Official Cheshire Historic Districts Brochure (PDF): The town’s official map and guide to our local historic districts.
Old Historic Homes of Cheshire (1895): Edwin R. Brown’s classic look at our town's oldest standing homes, complete with early histories.
Old historic homes of Cheshire Connecticut: Cheshire: A beautifully curated, easily searchable visual guide to the town's prominent historic architecture.
Living Places: Cheshire Historic District: Detailed background information regarding the National Register of Historic Places designation for our town center.
Historic Buildings of Connecticut: Exploring the Nutmeg State One Building at a Time
Maps, Photos & Street History
The Cheshire Street Digital Album: A fascinating digital collection focusing heavily on the evolution, homes, and stories of Cheshire Street.
1896 Cheshire Town Map (Library of Congress): High-resolution, zoomable map showing exactly who owned what land at the turn of the 20th century.
Cheshire School & Farmington Canal Culvert Archival Study (PDF): A highly detailed historical and environmental report from the CT DOT on some of our oldest infrastructure.
Aerial Photographs: Aerial Photos: The Connecticut State Library holds several statewide aerial photograph collections & additional smaller collections.
1934 Connecticut Aerial Photographs: Town Map Locator Cheshire
Connecticut Digital Archive: Digital Image Results for Cheshire Connecticut
Vital Records, High Schools & Trails
Vital Records of New Haven (1649–1850): Crucial for early genealogy, since Cheshire was originally part of New Haven and Wallingford.
The Rolling Stone - Cheshire High School Yearbook (1947): A nostalgic look back at post-WWII Cheshire youth.
The Cheshire Trails Booklet: An archival look at the historic paths, walking trails, and open spaces that wrap through our town.
Cheshire Connecticut on the Internet Archives: Book, Videos', Art, Publications and other media.
Community & Crowdsourced History
Cheshire Nursery of the North-Eastern Forestry Company: Publication date 1939 Topics Nursery stock Connecticut Cheshire Catalogs, Trees Seedlings Catalogs, Perennials Catalogs Publisher Cheshire, Connecticut : Cheshire Nursery
Facebook Cheshire History Search: A direct link to filtered historical discussions, rare shared photos, and local memories inside our community groups.
Cheshire Connecticut. Census 1920 Cheshire Connecticut.Census 1950
Happy hunting, everyone! Click around, and let me know what fascinating local secrets you manage to dig up and please send me yours..
