Included in this collection are some of the earliest
photographs ever taken of Newtown. In addition, Newtown
shows some of the earliest views of the outlying farming
and industrial communities such as Berkshire, Botsford,
and Hawleyville. Many images also recall the town's career
as a resort town--from the earliest Main Street hotels to
the teahouses that sprang up as the automobile grew in
popularity. We also visit the summer recreation communities
that developed on Lake Zoar in the 1920s and 1930s. A
whole chapter deals with the pivotal role that the railroad
played in the growth of Newtown. In addition, there is
considerable coverage of the War Maneuvers of 1912, which
were conducted all over the eastern portion of the town and
finally centered on Castle Hill just west of Main Street.
Newtown includes many photographs newly developed
from glass negatives and several recently discovered
photographs of great significance. These are all being
published here for the first time by Mr. Cruson, a trustee
of the Newtown Historical Society, town historian, and
president of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut.