Compiled by Dave Greenleaf
150 Years Ago – March 1872
On Saturday evening there were rowdy times in the saloon neighborhood. Albro Castle, John Atkins, Eugene Lane, Wallace Allen and Sam Barnes, Jr. were in the village and had imbibed as freely as imbibers are apt to do….Two of them went to Duncan’s and called for liquor but were refused and ordered out the door. Allen punched the clerk and got knocked down for his pain. Allen was unable to get up the mountain as far as his house. One of the parties who accompanied him left him by the side of the road, considerately building a fire to keep him from freezing. The next morning he was found in the same spot, sufficiently sobered to tend to the fire but with both feet badly frosted.
The schoolhouse near the ME Church caught fire about 5 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. It commenced under the floor near the teacher’s desk at some distance from the stove. It is suspected that rats had accumulated some combustibles there but how they contrived to set fire to them remains a mystery. The fire was discovered by some parties who drove under the church shed to hitch their horse and was quickly extinguished.
The freshet on Sunday came near to carrying away the dam on Ingraham’s lower fish pond. The frost had lifted the plank raceway so when the water rose rapidly it worked its way under it and threatened to carry away the embankment. By strenuous exertion the dam was saved and no fish were lost.
There was a smart frost in this vicinity Monday night, the thermometer standing at 7 degrees below zero. Such weather is very unfavorable for early gardening. Persons who expect to plant potatoes or corn this week will probably need a pickaxe or a set of blasting tools. We would advise anyone to lay down the shovel and the hoe for a few days.
125 Years Ago–March 1897
A good deal of comment has been made of the plan for the Main Street crossing change submitted by the New England Railroad. If the plans are followed the railroad will appropriate a good slice of highway. The abutments encroach on each side of Main Street by 2 feet and on North Main Street by 6 feet.
It has been determined that the continued use of the old sewer under the Main Street crossing will be a problem during the crossing work and those using this sewer have been ordered to connect to the new Borough sewer. There are currently 27 water closets and six sinks still connected to the old sewer
Work has resumed on improvements to the town green on the hill.
Epaphroditus Peck of Bristol was appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Hartford County.
100 Years Ago–March 1922
The Board of Education voted not to accept a request from the town of Plainville to allow Plainville students to attend the new high school when it opens in the fall due to projected enrollment increase of Bristol students wishing to attend the new school. Plainville students will continue to attend New Britain High School.
The City Council overrode a recommendation and voted to keep regular firemen at the Uncas Hose house to protect the north end.
The city tax rate will increase by 4 mills to 19 mills for the fiscal 1923 year.
The council approved Mr. Rockwell’s recommendations for light fixture designs and chair models for the new high school auditorium. Bristol Community Players will be the first to use the new auditorium.
An ice storm on the last day of the month shut down factories and stalled the trolley lines here as power transmission from the Falls Village station failed.
Sports 100 Years Ago–March 1922
Terryville High School beat Bristol 24-22 before a packed house of over 700 persons in Terryville.
The West Ends defeated the Waterbury All Stars 22-21 in the Tommy Monahan Benefit Night game. More than $250 was raised for the Bristol High Coach.
Bristol High traveled to Meriden to hand Meriden High School its first defeat of the year. The Maroon won again when the two teams met in Bristol to close out the season.
75 Years Ago–March 1947
Bristol state representatives James P. Casey and Leslie S. Manchester announced their opposition to the proposed state sales tax plan being pushed by Gov. McConaughy.
New Departure announced plans to vacate the Ordinance Plant on Emmett Street by June 14. The plant was built by the Federal Government and used to make critically needed ball bearings during the war.
The long awaited double rotary was installed at the intersection of Riverside Avenue, Memorial Boulevard, Blakeslee and Downs St. just hours after a bus vs car collision at the intersection injured two. Rotaries were also installed at Blakeslee and Queen Streets and at the Andrews St., Frederick Street, Preston Street intersection.
Bishop Frederick G. Budlong presided at the cornerstone laying ceremony for the new Trinity Episcopal Church building on Summer Street.
Bristol Teachers approved a new salary schedule to take effect April 1 at an extra taxpayer expense of $200,000. The new schedule includes a starting salary of $2,000 with raises up to a maximum of $3,600.
The Park Board set a fee of $120 per game for use of the new lights being installed at Muzzy Field. Bristol High will be the first to play under the lights when the new system is completed.
Sports 75 Years Ago–March 1947
Bristol High School was eliminated by Stamford 51-41 in the first round of the state tournament in what was by far the worst effort of the season for the Bristol team.
St. Ann won the city grammar school swimming title led by Martel with three first places.
The St. Stanislaus girls basketball team completed an undefeated league season to claim the championship.
The Bristol Tramps crushed New Haven 78-61 to win the best of three rubber match and retain the Eastern League basketball title.
50 Years Ago–March 1972
The Bristol School Board changed its bomb threat policy after a recent rash of school closings. Under the new policy, buildings will be evacuated and searched and once cleared students will return to normal activities. The Board also scheduled three extra days of school in June to make up for days lost to bomb threats earlier this year.
New Departure donated its abandoned downtown buildings to the city. Mayor Frank Longo called the donation of 12 buildings and 8.7 acres of land between Valley and North Main Streets “a king’s ransom” valued at more than one million dollars. Controversy arose over the disposition of the property with some, including ND officials, favoring demolition and a greenway entrance to the city while others proposed leasing the buildings to industry.
Mayor Longo sent a letter to all city employees asking them to forego raises in the coming year.
The Redevelopment Agency considered a plan that would exclude the North Creek conduit from redevelopment proposal as the city awaited approval from the State Water Resources Department.
Mayor Longo asked Gov. Meskill to convene a grand jury to look into alleged corruption in the city’s snow plowing and sidewalk construction departments. Longo later blasted the Bristol Press for publishing news on the grand jury saying the city ”has a better chance of conviction if you can operate without all the people knowing about it.”
St. Anthony School founder Rev. Settimio Crudele retired after 34 year as pastor of the west end church.
Sports 50 Years Ago–March 1972
The St. Paul indoor track team captured its third straight Class B Indoor Track Championship led by sophomore Frank Sanders who was first in triple jump, second in the 300 and fourth in long jump. Ed Croze won the 60 high hurdles and Chris Martin set a new school record of 4:40.8 in the mile.
The Bristol Champlains whipped New Haven 4-1 in the first game of the best of three SNEHL Hockey championship round.
25 Years Ago–March 1997
Federal and State grants were approved for ESPN expansion and Birch Street improvements.
Plans for a football stadium at Rockwell Park were scrapped in the face of strong opposition.
The Finance Board blasted Park Superintendent Dennis Malone for failing to notify them of the nearly $100,000 cost overruns on the new Little League pool construction project.
The Hoppers-Birge Pond Committee solidified plans to keep the area wild, voted down the long debated golf course proposal.
The Federal Highway Administration gave approval for design work on the proposed Rt. 72 extension from the Plainville town line to Middle Street.
Sports 25 Years Ago–March 1997
Bristol Eastern wrestler Ryan Gimpl won the state open title at 103 pounds, the first Lancer underclassman to claim an open crown.
Bristol Eastern’s girls basketball team suffered a two-overtime loss to St. Joseph, 56-53, in the state semi-finals.
Bryan Lalonde had 32 points including eight three-pointers, but it was not enough as Bristol Central fell 77-71 to Kennedy in the second round of the state tournament.
A big watch party at Bleachers saw Bristol’s Stacey Porrini and her University of Maine team bow out of the NCAA tournament with an 88-79 loss at LSU.
From the annals of the Bristol Press.
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