Life in Newtown, CT

Newtown, CT Holiday Festival 12/4/09 to 12/6/09  Last year, we posted about Newtown's 2008 Holiday Festival.  People let us know that it was a helpful resource and we thought we'd post the details about Newtown's 2009 Holiday Festival.

Newtown's Holiday Festival is one of the biggest annual events in Newtown.  Each year, a variety of events are scheduled for the weekend and this year's events include the following: 

• Newtown Choral Society members in anticipation of the December 6 concert at the Meeting House
• the VNA Thrift Shop behind Edmond Town Hall is stocking its shelves with holiday bargains
• Ann's Place, Home of I Can, in Danbury, is preparing for the 7th Annual Festival of Trees at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library to raise funds for programs supporting families and individuals with cancer
• WIN and Newtown Social Services are knee-deep in putting together Thanksgiving Baskets for the less fortunate among us (monetary donations can still be sent to WIN, PO Box 286, Newtown CT 06470 to support this cause)
• Craftshow at Town Hall
• Victorian Tea at Alexandria Room at Town Hall
• Festivals of Tress in the Library
• Nutcracker performances at Town Hall and various different musical performances around the town center.

The Newtown Holiday House Tour will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2009 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

10 Main Street, Newtown, CT
~ Home of Catherine and Matthew Procaccini

This beautiful colonial-revival style home was built in 1930.  It is of the five-bay colonial form.  Architectural details of the façade of the house include paired windows with six over six arrangement, and Doric columns supporting the front porch.  The original owner had it built as his residence after selling his land to the state as part of the parcel where Fairfield Hills State Hospital would be built.  Previous owners have included a Judge and a doctor who had his office and examination room in the home.  The red barn to the back of the house is original.  There was a pond in the back yard of the house that served as a skating pond for area residents.

1 Schoolhouse Hill Road
~ Home of Meghan Rice

This home is a charming example of the Bungalow-style houses built during the first half of the twentieth century.  Lovingly restored by current owner, Meghan Rice, this home was built on a rubblestone foundation in 1901.  Characteristic of the style, a shed dormer with paired three over one sash windows and exposed rafters are all visible on the home's façade.

This house is best known for its delightful and spacious front porch that extends the width of the house.  A local artist, Barbara Sandmore, was recently commissioned to paint the wonderful murals on the risers of the steps leading up to the porch.

9 Tory Lane *
~ Home of Jeffrey and Judith Norkin

Built in 1930, it is thought that this lovely colonial home was built for Irving Jones when he sold his property to the state for the Fairfield Hills State Hospital.  This charming home sits atop a hill alongside the site of the Tory encampment during the American Revolution.  Architectural features of the home include an oversized stone fireplace, random width wood floors, leaded glass windows and original light fixtures in the foyer and living room.  The home exudes character representative of Newtown during the 1930's.

Irving Jones, the original owner, had been a farmer in his previous location at the Fairfield Hills Hospital site.  He continued his gardening here on Tory Lane, growing vegetables and building impressive gardens on the grounds with many species of trees.  Subsequent owners have expanded the gardens over the years making them the spectacular display they are today.

*This home is currently listed for sale.  If you would like information on this home, please email us.

78 Main Street
~ Home of Andrew and Colleen Bryant

This circa 1760 saltbox is a good example of Revolutionary War-era architecture.  The home was originally built by Eustis Brush.  Brush was an indentured servant who had obtained his freedom and came to Newtown to establish his life.  This home has stood on this lot for almost 260 years and has undergone many changes.  The current owners purchased the house about seven years ago.  They have paid careful attention to the historical detail and period designs in improvement they have made to the home.

65 Main Street
~ Home of Ellen and George Whalen

This home is a beautiful example of a high-style Italianate residence.  It was built in 1867, as indicated by a granite market in the celler, and holds a prominent position at the head of Main Street.

Upon entering this home, one is instantly surrounded by a feeling of grandeur.  Nine-foot ceilings, beautifully detailed crown moldings, wonderful four-over-four rounded high windows and spacious sun-filled rooms are some of the architectural details that make this home such a show-piece.  The current owners have done extensive work to bring the home back to its original beauty.

Graced by a fine old pegged barn, this property was once a small active farm owned by George Mayer.  Although he had mostly retired as a farmer and had moved into town, people would stop at the Mayer house for milk.  Milk was also transported from here to Bridgeport. 

We hope that you enjoy Newtown's Holiday Festival - it's a really great time!

Bob & Richelle Ward, Realtors, ABR
Prudential Connecticut Realty
www.connecticuthomesforsale.com
Cell - (203) 470-9818

December 5th to December 7th is a BIG weekend in Newtown! 

This year, Newtown's Holiday Festival will be held from Friday, December 5th to Sunday, December 7th!  The Holiday Festival is an annual event that is the main fundraiser for Newtown Youth and Family Services (a joining of the Family Counseling Center and Newtown Youth Services).  This is the Festival's 23rd year and there are many events over the weekend.  Some of them include:  a Festival of Trees (in the library) that are auctioned off, a Victorian Tea, performances of the Nutcracker and an original holiday play, an artisan's shop, children's activities including crafts and a gingerbread house contest (all at the town hall).  On December 5th, Newtown's Christmas tree will be lit during a ceremony attended by many town residents.  The roads leading to the Christmas tree will be lined with luminaries (decorative bags that candles in them). 

There will be four homes on the Holiday Tour this year - all of which are located on Main Street.  The Holiday Tour will be held on Sunday, December 7th.  You will need to purchase tickets to see these beautiful antique homes.  Below are descriptions and the addresses for each home on the tour.  We will both be volunteer guides at 63 Main Street from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Sunday.

74 Main Street, Newtown - "Hillbrow" - Home of Dorothy and Richard Mulligan:

A colonial Georgian house built about 1720.  It is a fine example of pre-Revolutionary architecture that has been restored and well preserved by its current owners. 

The house's deed calls it "Head of Main Street" because it is located at the top of Main Street where many of the original Newtown settlers lived.  The early owners called the house "Hillbrow" because of its location on the brow of the hill.  They had a granite marker engraved with "Hillbrow" included in the front steps by the rock wall.

The house has two very unusual features; the rare side-by-side beehive ovens at the rear of the huge kitchen fireplace which helps date the house, and the curved entry staircase that splits in two directions on the second level leading to the front and back halls and then continues to the third floor.

The land the house sits on was acquired by John Blackman in 1715 and was passed down through several generations of the Blackman family.  In the mid 1700's the house was acquired by Ziba Blakeslee, the famous Newtown clockmaker, silversmith and bellfounder.  Blakeslee is credited by some as the creator of the rooster that sits atop the original Congregational Church.

It is said that a ghost inhabits the house.  He is the ghost of a main who lived in the house during the Revolutionary War when Rochambeau and his men were encamped in Newtown.  After refusing to give some of the soldiers food (the owner was a British sympathizer) some of the men made the elderly owner run up and down Main Street.  He died that night and has been haunting the house ever since.

63 Main Street, Newtown - Home of Chris and John Reed:

This beautiful Bungalow-style home was built in 1900 as the town library.  The Beach family donated the land to the town.  The cornerstone was laid on July 23, 1900 by John Francis Beach.  Beach was seven generations removed from his lineal ancestor, the Reverend John Beach for whom the library was named and the first Episcopal Rector of Newtown.  The library was dedicated and opened on December 11, 1900 and remained the town library until 1932 when the Cyrenius H. Booth library opened.

The house has a fieldstone foundation and upper story covered by a hip-roof with gables and an arched eave over the front door.  A hearthstone in the house is said to have been original to the Caleb Baldwin house at 32 Main Street. 

This home is currently owned by Chris and John Reed.  Some may know John Reed from the twenty years he served as Newtown's Superintendent of Schools.  The town named the Intermediate School in his honor.

51 Main Street, Newtown - Home of Lucy and Chris Sullivan:

This property was originally part of one of the 1709 home lots of Joseph Gray.  The house was built in the latter part of the eighteenth century as a gable-roofed Colonial with a centered chimney.  The front porch and exterior shingles probably date to the Colonial Revival period, 1900-1930.

In 1867 the house was one of two buildings, the second being 53 Main Street, owned by C. Fairman.  It is believed that 53 Main was built to house the married daughter of this home's owner.  The property just to the south of this one, 49 Main Street, was originally part of this homestead.  The house that currently sits on that lot was moved from across the street.  In the 1930's a Judge who was also a Justice of the Peace lived here.  He kept his law books on the mantle in the home's dining room and there counseled residents on legal matters.  The house was recently used as a two-family home until the current owners purchased it in 2000 and opened up some walls to create a single-family living space. 

12 Main Street, Newtown - Home of Deborah Munday:

This beautiful seven-gabled home began its life with a holy obligation.  In 1874, toward the end of its rector's lengthy tenure, the Trinity Church built the home for The Reverend Dr. Newton E. Marble.  Pallister and Pallister of Bridgeport, respected architects of the era, designed this Eastlake gothic style house.  The staircase is an impressive feature to the architecture.  Built of Georgia pine with a newel which extends to the ceiling of the second floor, the staircase is a featured object of pride in the architects' writings.

There is a corner fireplace between the parlor and the dining room.  Although many Pallister clients desired a fireplace in the center of a side wall, the architects spoke pragmatically to the infeasible economics of this idea.  The architects won the debate.

The house originally had no "water closet" (i.e. lavatory facilities), but it did have a well-ventilated "earth closet" in the rear hall.  Floorings boast Georgia pine also.

The current owner, Deborah Munday, purchased the house last year.

Why not visit Newtown during the Holiday Festival & get to see New England at its best?