Author, war correspondent named Derby Hall of Famer of the Week

Graham Peck

DERBY - Our Hall of Famer of the Week, Graham Peck, was born in Derby and is buried in Oak Cliff Cemetery.

However, he made a name for himself as a distinguished author, artist, and war correspondent who reported events in China (1937-1946) during a tumultuous period of war and revolution.

Read more about Graham Peck - https://electronicvalley.org/.../HallofFame/Peck,Graham.htm

Shared from Derby 350 Facebook page.

From the 'Turnback Tuesday' archives: 'Ousatonic' River

This week's Turnback Tuesday features the Housatonic River or "Ousatonic" as it was originally spelled.

The river was named by the Paugussett Tribe as Potatuck which means “River with Falls” or “Great River”.

The Housatonic actually starts near Pittsfield, Mass. and runs for 148 miles into the Long Island Sound.

In the early 1800s, factories were built along the river. These factories in Birmingham harnessed the water to power their turbines and water wheels. A covered bridge was built in 1839 to connect Shelton to Derby and the Ousatonic Dam was dedicated in 1870. Dikes were installed along parts of the river after the Flood of 1955. Not all use of the river was for commercial purposes as recreational boating was very common. In fact, the Yale University boat crews used the river to practice and race, hence the Gilder Boathouse on Roosevelt Drive.

This picture was taken standing on the Derby/Shelton Bridge in 1904. You can see the dam in the background and Oak Cliff Cemetery to the right on the hill.

[First published on this date in 2017.]

Thanks as always goes to Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.

From the 'Turnback Tuesday' archives: Farm couple in East Derby

This week's “Turnback Tuesday” photo is of Oliver B. Sherwood and his wife, Charlotte (Fowler) Sherwood.

Oliver was born in Greenfield Hill, Fairfield County, and moved to Derby with his father in 1817. Charlotte was born in Milford where the two met. They married on Sept. 3, 1836 and had four children together. Oliver was a farmer aka “seed grower” and distributed his produce all the way up to New York.

The photograph was apparently taken by one of Oliver’s relatives, Elizabeth Sherwood, in front of their home located on Derby Hill.

It was taken sometime during the late 1880s or early 1890s before Charlotte’s death in 1892. Sentinel Hill Road and Sodom Lane were both listed as cross streets, so the house was located somewhere in that area.

Oliver and Charlotte are buried in Oak Cliff Cemetery on Hawthorne Avenue in Derby.

[First posted on this date in 2016.]

Thanks as always to Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.

Sharing historic photo taken in front of home on Derby Hill

This week's “Turnback Tuesday” photo is of Oliver B. Sherwood and his wife, Charlotte (Fowler) Sherwood. Oliver was born in Greenfield Hill, Fairfield County, and moved to Derby with his father in 1817. Charlotte was born in Milford where the two met. They married Sept. 3, 1836 and had four children together. Oliver was a farmer, aka “seed grower,” and distributed his produce all the way up to New York.

The photograph was apparently taken by one of Oliver’s relatives, Elizabeth Sherwood, in front of their home located on Derby Hill. 

It was taken sometime during the late 1880s or early 1890s before Charlotte’s death in 1892. Sentinel Hill Road and Sodom Lane were both listed as cross streets, so the house was located somewhere in that area. 

Oliver and Charlotte are buried in Oak Cliff Cemetery on Hawthorne Avenue in Derby.

*A big thank you to Derby Librarians for sharing this interesting photo on my Facebook timeline.