![]() They reportedly took the train several times to search out a suitable site and they settled on Lewis Bradley's 175-acre farm in Orange late in September of 1871. 3 These purveyors of sweet-scented delicacies apparently got a whiff of opportunity from the new railroad that ran near their stores. Philander Ferry operated a confectionary shop that made and sold baked goods and ice cream. Two industrious New Haven 'prospectors,' as Woodruff calls them, conceived the idea of this new suburban metropolis. Samuel Halliwell was the proprietor of the Elm City Tea Store, which, according to the article in the Register, carried nearly a dozen varieties of tea, nine coffees, numerous spices, and wine also. The latter is interesting in terms of the later restriction of the sale of alcohol at the Tyler City general store. More will be found at Track 2, MP 2.2.4 and Track 4A, MP 4.41-4.43. 2 As much as the talk has gained favor about the bubble that burst and Tyler City's seeming lack of importance, we have found events of significance that may put it on the map as it has never been before. 1 Additional detail comes from the 1929 Register article mentioned above, and a follow-up piece in the Evening Sentinel, as well as many other sources we have consulted to put together an all-time, definitive history. ![]() Her book has been digitized by the Case Memorial Library, appropriately located on Tyler City Rd., popular use of this name undoubtedly beginning in 1872. ![]() The fullest recounting of the "The Tyler City Bubble," as she calls it, is by Mary Rebecca Woodruff, a long-time resident. The 'Little Derby' was going to save time and lower costs and a boom town was expected to grow up by the railroad that was touted as the 'Gateway to the West,' a west both near and eventually far, to Danbury, the Hudson River, and beyond. Hitherto, rather roundabout service was provided by the Naugatuck and the New York and New Haven RRs via Naugatuck Jct., today Devon, a circuit that was twice as long as the NH&D's ten miles. Our website name derives from the still-quiet area in the town of Orange where Tyler City came into being in 1872. The New Haven and Derby RR had just opened on August 9, 1871 to offer better freight, passenger, and mail connections between the Elm City and the Naugatuck Valley. 1888, date and pending upgrades by the HRR. With stations at Orange, Derby Jct., and Birmingham also not showing them, the early NH&D seems to have done without. The iconic Bell telephone sign at the doorway, the roof discoloration, and the bay window to come all argue for the later, ca. A 13-mile NH&D running six daily trains each way did not really need this but, with the Extension added in 1888 and fifty trains a day running by 1892, it was indispensable. The clock worked simply by having day-of-the-week, train-type, and time-number cards changed by the station agent. His presence and use, possibly with family, of the living quarters upstairs is verified by the laundry hanging out of the east windows. A significant absence in this photo is the bay window where the agent would observe trains, send telegraph messages, and sell tickets. Also referred to as a "time case," this safety device was in use all along the the HRR by 1890 and seems to date back to 1874 on the NYNH&H. ![]() We speculate that the date is early 1888, sometime after January 16, when the new operator, the Housatonic RR, added a 7:30am train from New Haven that would have passed Tyler City at 7:50 as shown on the 'Dutch clock.' With the other face unseen here, the 'clock' alerted engineers operating in both directions to keep their distance behind the preceding train. T his view of Tyler City station scan from OHS is probably the only photo in existence that shows life at the depot, if not actual people.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |