From the 'Turnback Tuesday' archives: Downtown Derby decorations

 

This week's "Turnback Tuesday" features a festive, holiday-themed photo of downtown Derby, looking east on Main Street and taken near the Elizabeth Street intersection.

The first break between buildings on the left is Minerva Street and off in the distance you can see the Farrel-Birmingham Co. building.

To the right of the photo is approximately where Woolworth's was located. This photo is thought to be circa the 1940s.

Our utmost thanks to local historian Rob Novak for providing this unique photo and information.

[This was first published on this date in 2016.]

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

St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Shop in Derby to hold 'cozy inside' sale this week

Snow sale like a cozy sale! Come on in this week and refresh your closet while helping us elevate our food pantry!

Donations of food, funds, thrift items, clothing, and unusable clothing to be recycled (bagged separately please) all WELCOME!

This is shared from the organization's Facebook page.

'Turnback Tuesday' from 2016 featuring downtown Derby decorations in 1940s

This week's "Turnback Tuesday" features a festive, holiday-themed photo of downtown Derby, looking east on Main Street and taken near the Elizabeth Street intersection.

The first break between buildings on the left is Minerva Street and off in the distance, you can see the Farrel-Birmingham Co. building. To the right is approximately where Woolworth's was located.

This photo is thought to be circa the 1940s. Our utmost thanks to local historian Rob Novak for providing this unique photo and information.

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

Save the dates: Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby to hold holiday tours

DERBY - Mark your calendars for a “Holiday in the City” at the Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave.

The holiday tours will run from Nov. 24-Dec. 16, 2023. 

Tours will be offered Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

On Fridays, Dec. 1, 8, and 15, the museum will present “Twilight Tours” to display the amber glow of the decorations from 4-7 p.m.

For more than 30 years, volunteers have created the amazing holiday decorations at the museum. These talented and committed volunteers are Derby Garden Society, Garden Club of Orange, Garden Club of Woodbridge, Long Hill Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton, Valley Arts Council, Women Redefining Retirement Milford, and Ye Olde Kellogg Garden Club.

For more information, visit https://www.ct.gov/deep/calendar

This is shared from the Connecticut State Parks Facebook page.

Enjoy creative crafting day Saturday at Derby Public Library

 

The Library is at 313 Elizabeth St., Derby.

First United Methodist Church in Ansonia to hold tag sale Saturday

ANSONIA - A "Neighborhood Tag Sale" will be held tomorrow, Saturday, at First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin St. Hours are 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

It will feature books, household items, Halloween, harvest, and Christmas decorations, glassware, toys, and more.

Breakfast sandwiches, hot dogs, and beverages will be available for purchase. Free coffee!

Three Saints Orthodox Church in Ansonia slates annual tag sale

Sharing photos from decorated Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby

Here are some photos of decorations at the Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby that weren't featured in last week's Valley Voice newsletter.

The Garden Clubs and other groups that decorated did a wonderful job with the 'Storybook Holiday' theme. 
They depicted nine fairy tales and four of Aesop's fables.

It's Sneezy, one of Snow White's friends. 

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum from Alice in Wonderland.

The Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood.

Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother. 

The Snow Queen has taken over the Milk Room. 

Cinderella's slippers displayed in the butler's pantry.

The Ace of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland stands guard in the living room.

Wooden soldiers from The Snow Queen stand at attention on the porch.


I recommend visiting the beautifully adorned homestead museum run by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

For information about the tour schedule, please click on the newsletter link above.

Holiday Marketplace is today at Ansonia Armory

*Armory - Correcting the spelling because the artist is a friend. Not being snarky!

Osborne Homestead in Derby features 'Storybook Holiday' decorations

DERBY - I had the good fortune of getting a sneak peek today of the 'Storybook Holiday' decorations at the Osborne Homestead Museum.
Each room in the stately 19th-century house at 500 Hawthorne Ave. was beautifully adorned to depict this year's storybook theme.

I've always loved the story of 'Snow White,' and so the dining room featuring her and the Seven Dwarfs instantly became one of my favorites.

This is part of the studio, which is decorated in a 'Jack and the Beanstalk' theme. That's the giant's foot at the upper right!

The museum will be open for tours starting Friday (Nov. 23) and running through Dec. 16. Hours are 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.
Holiday Twilight Tours are from 4-7 p.m. Nov. 30, Dec. 7, and 14. 
For information call 203-734-2513.

Stay tuned for more photos in the next issue of The Valley Voice newsletter.

Shelton Historical Society to offer tours of decorated Brownson House

Holiday decorations at Brownson House./ Contributed photo

SHELTON - As a gift to the community for its support, the Shelton Historical Society will open its doors for tours of the Brownson House, complete with holiday décor, from noon-3 p.m. Dec. 10. 
Free and open to the public, visitors will enjoy seeing the house dressed for Christmas guests, as well as its new interpretation.  

The historic home at 70 Ripton Road has recently been reinterpreted to the year 1913 to reflect the middle-class lifestyle of its last inhabitants, Harry and Gertrude Brownson.  

After a decade of planning, examining its collections, and raising funds, Shelton Historical Society unveiled its new look earlier this year. The preservation of the structure as a pre-World War I era farmhouse fills a gap in interpretative history in the state, both in terms of the time period depicted and the status of the people it represents.  
This interpretation allows the Society to tell of the symbiotic relationship between the agricultural community of the early 1900s and the industrialized borough of Shelton. 

With the addition of holiday decorations inspired by nature, entering the house will feel like a step back in time. 

For more information visit www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org or call 203-925-1803.


This is a press release from Tracey Tate, executive director, Shelton Historical Society.

Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby to host Holiday at the Opera

One of my favorite local events to celebrate the holiday season is visiting the Osborne Homestead Museum. 
Members of area garden clubs always do a wonderful job decorating the Colonial Revival house at 500 Hawthorne Ave. in Derby.

This year the clubs include: Derby Garden Society, Garden Club of Orange, Long Hill Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton, Oxford Garden Club, Jen Plasky AIFD, Roxbury Bridgewater Garden Club, Women Redefining Retirement Milford, and Ye Olde Kellogg Garden Club. 

This year’s theme pays tribute to Frances Osborne Kellogg’s love of the opera, according to a release from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which operates the museum.
It continues: "Kellogg frequently attended the Metropolitan Opera, and her uncle Henry Krehbiel was a famous music and opera critic.
"As president of the Women’s Club, Frances invited many opera singers, such as Caterina Jarbora, John Brownlee, and Marjorie Lawrence, to perform in Derby. Because of her love of this musical genre, each room will represent operas seen by Frances and her family and friends." 

*Sharing this information from an online community calendar sponsored by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and The New Haven Independent.

Vendors sought for TEAM Festival of Trees and Holiday Market in Shelton

SHELTON - Wesley Village, a campus of senior living communities at 580 Long Hill Ave., is seeking vendors for the annual TEAM Festival of Trees and Wesley Village Holiday Market. 

The fair is being held Nov. 18-19, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. 

If you are looking for a well-attended event in which to sell your special crafts, we have 8-foot tables available for $55 a day or $100 for both days. 

Please contact the Office of Mission Development at Wesley Village at 203-925-4953 or bmarsh@umh.org, to request an application and reserve your table. 

The deadline for vendor applications is July 31.

Wesley Village is a campus of senior living and care communities including Crosby Commons Independent/Assisted Living Community, Wesley Heights Independent/Assisted Living Apartments and Cottages, Lifestyle Transitions Assisted Living & Memory Care, and Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center. The campus is owned and operated by United Methodist Homes, a local, mission-based, not-for-profit organization serving all members of the community. 

To learn more about the continuum of care offered at Wesley Village or the mission of UMH, visit www.wesleyvillage-ct.org.  

This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.

Ansonia extends house decorating contest

Pink tree adorns front of Seymour Police HQ

Photo by Dajana Damjanovich

This tree in front of the Seymour Police Department headquarters on Franklin Street was decorated today by volunteers from Seymour Pink, a community's fight against breast cancer, assisted by two town employees. It looks beautiful!


And a reminder for this weekend:

Decorated dining room dazzles at Osborne Homestead in Derby

Museum celebrates 'sparkling holiday'

It's difficult to pick a favorite room at the Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby. 
Members of 10 area garden clubs have beautifully decorated the rooms of the Colonial Revival-style home at 500 Hawthorne Ave. using the theme "A Sparkling Holiday." Each room features the color of a birthstone. 
The Roxbury/Bridgewater Garden Club adorned the dining room based on the green gemstone peridot, the birthstone for August. 

Tours will run through Dec. 17. 
They will be offered from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. 

On Fridays, Dec. 2, 9, and 16, the museum will present “Twilight Tours” to show off the shimmering glow of the decorations from 4-7 p.m. 

*Stay tuned for more photos in the next issue of the Valley Voice newsletter.

'A Sparkling Holiday' is planned at Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby

DERBY - Celebrate the holidays at the Osborne Homestead Museum and learn about the legends and origins of gemstones. 

Each room will be brilliantly decorated to the theme “A Sparkling Holiday.” 

The holiday tours will run from Nov. 25 through Dec. 17. Tours will be offered Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.-4  p.m. 

On Fridays, December 2, 9, and 16, the museum will present “Twilight Tours” to show off the shimmering glow of the decorations from 4-7 p.m.

For more than 30 years, volunteers have created the gorgeous holiday decorations at the museum. 

These talented and committed volunteers are members of the Derby Garden Society, Garden Club of Orange, Long Hill Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton, Oxford Garden Club, Pomperaug Valley Garden Club of Woodbury, Roxbury/Bridgewater Garden Club, Women Redefining Retirement Milford, and Ye Olde Kellogg Garden Club.

Visitors will also get a chance to support local farms and small businesses at the Connecticut Holiday Market in the Kellogg Environmental Center located behind the museum. The Holiday Market will be held Dec. 2 from 4-7 p.m. and Dec. 3 from 9 a.m.-noon. 

Choose from a wide variety of products, such as Connecticut Grown produce, meat products, beauty and bath products, teas, and much more.

The Osborne Homestead Museum celebrates the life of Frances Osborne Kellogg, the award winning dairy farmer who bred the legendary Holstein bull Ivanhoe. 

In the early to mid–1900s, she and her husband Waldo Kellogg made Osbornedale Farm second to none in New England with their record-breaking, prize-winning Holstein-Friesian cattle. 

Frances held many high ranking positions in several dairy associations, including President of the American Holstein Friesian Association and Director of the New Haven County Farm Bureau. She also left an endowment to the University of Connecticut which established the Kellogg Dairy Center in Storrs. 

Her cow pastures and farm, which she deeded to the State of Connecticut, are now Osbornedale State Park and the Kellogg Estate in Derby.

Make it a “jewel” of a holiday and visit the Osborne Homestead Museum. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. 

The Kellogg Environmental Center and Osborne Homestead Museum are located at 500 Hawthorne Ave. 

To register for group tours and for more information, call (203) 734-2513 or email donna.kingston@ct.gov.

This is a press release from DEEP.

Osborne Homestead in Derby will feature 'Sparkling Holiday' theme

DERBY - Celebrate the holidays at the Osborne Homestead Museum and learn about the legends and origins of gemstones.  

Each room will be brilliantly decorated to the theme “A Sparkling Holiday.”  

Holiday tours will run from Nov. 25 through Dec. 17.  

Homestead decorated for the holidays in 2015.

Tours will be offered Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  On Fridays, Dec. 2, 9, and 16, the museum will present “Twilight Tours” to show off the shimmering glow of the decorations from 4-7 p.m. 
  

For more than 30 years, volunteers have created the gorgeous holiday decorations at the museum.  

These talented and committed volunteers are members of the Derby Garden Society, Garden Club of Orange, Long Hill Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton, Oxford Garden Club, Pomperaug Valley Garden Club of Woodbury, Roxbury/Bridgewater Garden Club, Women Redefining Retirement Milford, and Ye Olde Kellogg Garden Club.

Visitors will also get a chance to support local farms and small businesses at the Connecticut Holiday Market in the Kellogg Environmental Center located behind the museum.  The Holiday Market will be held Dec. 2 from 4-7 p.m. and Dec. 3 from 9 a.m.-noon.  
Choose from a wide variety of products, such as Connecticut Grown produce, meat products, beauty and bath products, teas, and much more.

The Osborne Homestead Museum celebrates the life of Frances Osborne Kellogg, the award-winning dairy farmer who bred the legendary Holstein bull Ivanhoe.  
In the early to mid–1900s, she and her husband Waldo Kellogg made Osbornedale Farm second to none in New England with their record-breaking, prize-winning Holstein-Friesian cattle.  
Frances Kellogg held many high ranking positions in several dairy associations, including President of the American Holstein Friesian Association and Director of the New Haven County Farm Bureau.  
She also left an endowment to the University of Connecticut which established the Kellogg Dairy Center in Storrs.  
Her cow pastures and farm, which she deeded to the State of Connecticut, are now Osbornedale State Park and the Kellogg Estate in Derby.   

Make it a “jewel” of a holiday and visit the Osborne Homestead Museum.  
Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.  

Support Connecticut agriculture and small businesses and by doing your holiday shopping at the Kellogg Environmental Center on Dec. 2 and 3.  

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection operates the Osborne Homestead Museum and Kellogg Environmental Center at 500 Hawthorne Ave.

To register for group tours and for more information, call 203-734-2513 or email donna.kingston@ct.gov.

This is a press release from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

House in Derby lights the night

I came upon this tastefully decorated house last night when I was on Elizabeth Street in Derby and had to stop and take a photo. It put me in a holiday mood!

That gave me the idea to ask readers to submit photos of decorated houses and other buildings in the Valley and surrounding communities.  
I will post your photos here on the blog. You can mention the town if you'd like.

I'll go out to seek some more photo-worthy ones too.

Let's get festive! 


Please send your photos to: pmcv394@gmail.com. 
Thanks in advance.

P.S. We don't have any lights in our yard; at least not yet. Maybe that's why I enjoy looking at others so much! 

History of holiday decorating topic of December sessions at Derby Library

Derby resident Mary Bisaccia talks about the history of holiday decorating Wednesday at Derby Public Library.

I visited Derby Public Library Wednesday to learn about Christmas celebrations through the ages from local history coordinator Mary Bisaccia.

She described a variety of traditions that today range from decorating in an "understated, classical" way with wreaths and candles in windows to colored lights, blow-up characters, and more. Light was always a Christmas symbol, Bisaccia said, and the custom of decorating exteriors of houses became "mainstream" in the mid-1950s, she said.

Valley towns traditionally put up holiday banners, decorate street lights with garlands, and light a community Christmas tree, Bisaccia said. 
She mentioned a generous donation of a live tree to the City of Derby in 2007 from residents Gary and Diane Cirillo. 
The evergreen stands in the center of the Green and it is lit each year on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Bisaccia said trees that are green throughout the year had a special meaning in ancient times. Decorating with evergreen boughs was thought to keep away "witches, ghosts, and evil spirits," she said.

Today's Christmas tree tradition started in the 16th century in Germany, Bisaccia said. Trees were adorned with apples, nuts, and marzipan candies.
Bisaccia said Protestant Reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546) was the first to add lighted candles to an evergreen tree. He wanted to replicate the effect of twinkling stars in the night sky, she said.

Fast forward to the 20th century, and you learn that the 
first holiday tree in Rockefeller Center in New York City was put up by construction workers in 1931. Bisaccia
said the tallest tree to date at Rockefeller Center hailed from Killingworth in 1948. 
Modern-day trees at Rockefeller Center feature more than 25,000 colored lights.

The most popular evergreens used for Christmas trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Frazer fir, Balsam white, and pine.

This is just a sample of the large amount of history and interesting tidbits Bisaccia provides. She outlines Yuletide traditions in Britain, Guatemala, Brazil, Ireland, Sweden, Spain, Italy, the Philippines, and more.

I urge you to stop by the library to discover the interesting history of our many holiday traditions.

Monthly local history sessions are held from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m.-noon Wednesdays at the library, 313 Elizabeth St.