Derby 350 Plaque of the Week features historic downtown hotel

Our Derby 350 History Plaque of the Week brings us back to a time when Derby still had hotels - it has none today.

However, Elizabeth Street next to the Sterling Opera House was the site of the Hotel Clark and its predecessor Bassett House, which was originally the residence of Sheldon Bassett.

Both hotels were the centers of community and social life in town, and the Hotel Clark was also the place where the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club was started.

We want to thank the Rotary Club and Tom D'Addario and Capwood Associates, current owners of the office building on the Elizabeth Street site for purchasing the plaque.

We also want to thank Derby DPW for installing it.