'Turnback Tuesday' highlights Housatonic River

Turnback Tuesday looks at the Housatonic River or "Ousatonic" in its original spelling. Named by the Paugussett Tribe as "Potatuck" which means “river with falls” or “great river," the Housatonic starts near Pittsfield, Mass. and runs for 148 miles to Long Island Sound.

In the early 1800s, factories were built along the river in Birmingham and they 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. Recreational boating was very common. The Yale University crew team even used the river to practice and race.

This picture was taken in 1904 from the Derby/Shelton Bridge.

You can see the dam in the background and Oak Cliff Cemetery to the right on the hill.

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

'Turnback Tuesday' features Naugatuck River in Derby

This week's "Turnback Tuesday" features a photo of the Naugatuck River as it goes under the Route 34 bridge and alongside downtown Derby. 
The Naugatuck River proper starts in Torrington where its east and west branches meet. The total length is 40.2 miles, and the river empties into the Housatonic River at Derby. 
“Naugatuck” is derived from an Algonquian term that means “lone tree by the fishing place.” Originally, the Native Americans used the river’s abundant food source. 
Since the 19th century, the Naugatuck River has had a long history of industry using the water for washing and power generation. Due to this industry, the river suffered great damage by 1915 that wasn't improved upon until the early 1970s. With the help of the DEP and the Valley community, progress has been made towards the river’s restoration. Passageways have been constructed at the dams along the river. 
Having made great strides with cleanup efforts, the return of fish is now quite apparent. This can be seen on any given day in the spring and summer along the Derby Greenway. Bald eagles and osprey can be spotted in the trees along the river, as well as nests from our aquatic birds that dot the edge.

Thanks go to the Derby Public Library for sharing this local history each week!