Winter Work

 Art in Process

Flood of '55

Ansonia Neighborhood

     My present passion is the Flood of '55, Naugatuck River.  Recently, in October, we did the estate of Miss Strong in Oxford, CT.  When sorting, we found memoribilia from the flood; commemorative booklets and pictures of Ansonia's floodwaters. 

 Commemorative Flood Book

One of these booklets, pictured above, I found as plentiful in the houses of the Naugatuck River Valley as similar books on Kennedy.

     In Miss. Strong's back yard there were two gravestones.  I asked the executor of the estate about their story; he told me that during the flood of '55, the graves had washed away and the stones were found along the the flood's remains. The Strong family brought their gravestones to their new home built high on a hill in Oxford.

This picture, from the afore mentioned commemorative book, is of Seymour's Union Cemetary.  The caption reads,

"SEYMOUR"S UNION Cemetary looked like this close-up view which shows how vaults were exposed and tossed every which way as the Naugatuck River washed away thousands of feet of soil.  Headstones, Vaults, caskets, and remains of bodies were carried down the river."

    I sensed that the Flood was a milestone in her life. One of her pictures was of the whole neighborhood gazing at the street invaded by floodwaters.  Even I could feel the pain they were feeling.  It was a picture I had to paint.

   The year 2011 was one of the wettest years on record for this area and my own personal "trail of tears".  Coming home from a funeral on a cold rainy day in December, I glanced at the Naugatuck River.  The cold waters frothy breaking through the gates of the overflow; the flood of '55 became the topic.  Dad remembers not being able to cross the river to get home, my step mother remembers having to get typhoid shots; which made me think there were alot more memories out there to be found and shared.

     As a child of about eight years old, I remember playing in the remains of a one room shack that was washed down the Weekeepeemee River During that same time.  The shack was buried in layers of sand that we got to excavate.  It was my first "archeological "dig.  There was a little old woodstove, a metal cot, pieces of a crazy quilt and enamel wear imbedded and preserved in the sand. That was the flood memory that stayed with me.

    I'm looking for memories from the Flood of '55 that are still alive for you and would like you to share them with us.  If you have pictures or stories, please contact me either through the website or at either of my phone numbers. 

 Work in Progess

The Flood of '55

Downtown Naugatuck

Second Version

Howard Whittemore Memorial Library

243 Church St.

Naugatuck, CT

Easy to find, just off Route 8:

Directions:

mapq.st/tZxpOH

In the late 19th century, the Whittemore Family brought in the top architectural firms of New York City and transformed Naugatuck from a simple manufacturing river town into a first rate cultural and architectural center, meant to inspire all who visit with creativity and innovation.

The Howard Whittemore Memorial Library is open:

Tuesday             10 am - 8 pm

Wednesday         10 am - 8 pm

Thursday            10 am - 6 pm

Friday                10 am - 4 pm

Saturday            10 am - 2 pm

Library Phone:    203-729-4591

www.whittemorelibrary.org

Below are photos of the elegant foyer and ceiling as you enter the Whittemore Library.



The intricate frescoes, beautiful paintings &  marble floors echo the grandeur of the past!

Landing at the Whittemore Estate in Middlebury at the end of the day, overlooking Lake Quassapaug.

The estate is lined with lovely stonewalls, open fields and views of the lake and valley below.