History of Meriden, Connecticut, USA

Journey back in time to Meriden, Connecticut, USA

• "About 1661, Jonathan Gilbert, pioneer, came down from northward and acquired, by virtue of purchase from the Indians, a large tract - practically the whole of the upper part of Meriden - which he called Meriden Farm."
  
  A Modern History of New Haven and Eastern New Haven County, Volume 1 By Everett Gleason Hill
  
  
• 1806 - (Meriden, CT) - Formerly known as North Farms, the area was incorporated as a town from parts of Wallingford in 1806.
  
  connecticuthistory.org/ towns-page/ meriden/
  
  
• 1819 - Meriden
  Meriden is a small post town, situated in the northern section of the county, 17 miles from Hartford, and about the same from New-Haven; bounded on the N. by Berlin, in Hartford county, on the east by Middletown, on the south by Wallingford and on the west by Cheshire and Southington. Its average le...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1839 - Meriden
  Meriden, Connecticut
  New Haven county. This hilly and somewhat mountainous township has, in general, a fertile soil, and is watered by Quinnepiac river. It lies 17 miles S.E. from Hartford and 17 N.W. from New Haven. It was formerly a part of Wallingford, and incorporated in 1806.—Population, 1830,...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1854 - Meriden
  Meriden, a beautifully situated post-village of New Haven co., Conn., on the New Haven Hartford and Springfield railroad, 18 miles N. by E. from New Haven. It contains 5 churches, 4 of them new, a bank, and several extensive manufactories and foundries. Population of the township, 3559.
  A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.
  
  
• 1867 - Meriden, CT became a city
  
  connecticuthistory.org/ towns-page/ meriden/
  
  
•  1870 - Fire
  In Meriden, Ct., on the 15th, at a fire in Wilcox & Co.'s mill, EDGAR C. FENEYAK was killed and two other firemen injured.
  The New Hampshire Patriot
  Concord, New Hampshire
  April 20, 1870
  
  
•  1888 - Fire
  The barns of the horse railroad company at Meriden, Conn., were burned Tuesday night. Fourteen cars were consumed and eighty horses perished in the flames.
  
  The Inter Ocean
  Chicago, Illinois
  January 12, 1888
  
  
•  1889 - Breaking of a Dam
  Seventy-Five Acres of Water, Ten Feet Deep, Above Meriden, Conn., Released.
  MERIDEN, Conn., Aug. 6. - Garlick's dam, holding back seventy-five acres of water ten feet deep, two miles above Meriden, broke this morning at four o'clock and allowed a torrent of water to sweep through a wild valley to t...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1890 - A Train Goes Over a High Bank
  MERIDEN, Conn., Nov. 21. - Train No. 2 on the Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut railroad met with a serious accident at the Southington road trestle, six miles west of here, this morning. The train was a freight, and when midway on the trestle the brake beam of one of the coal cars dropped to the t...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1895 - Meriden
  Meriden, mér’i-den, a city of New Haven co., Conn., 18 miles by rail S.W. of Hartford, and 18 miles by rail N.E. of New Haven, and connected by rail with Cromwell and Waterbury. The city is situated partly in a valley and partly on a hill. It is known as the Silver City, and is one of the most enter...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1897 - Thrown From His Wagon and Killed
  Meriden, Conn., June 3. - Laughlin Stretch, employed by W. C. Twiss, lumber dealer, was killed in a runaway accident. Stretch was driving down a hill when lumber slipped upon the horse's hind quarters and caused the animal to run. Stretch was thrown out and his skull fractured.
  Lebanon Daily News
  Lebanon, Pennsylvania
  June 3, 1897
  
  
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  "1847 Rogers Bros."
  The Meriden Britannia Co., Meriden, Conn.
  
  The Ladies' Home Journal
  March 1898
  
  The Meriden Britannia Company was formed in 1852 in Meriden, Connecticut, as a manufacturing company focused on producing wares in britannia metal. It became, for a time, the largest silverware company in the world. wikipedia
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  Colony Street, Meriden, Conn.
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  City Hospital, Meriden, Conn.
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  Hanover Park, Meriden, Conn. 1901
  "The most popular resort for Sunday Schools in New England."
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•  1903 - Silver Workers Make Demands
  Meriden, Conn., Sept. 30. - A demand for a nine hour day with ten hours' pay has been presented at all the factories of the International Silver company in this city and elsewhere, and it is understood that a similar demand has been made or will be made on every silver shop in the United States and ...Read MORE...
  
  
  
•  1904 - BAD FIRE IN CONNECTICUT. TOWN HALL OF MERIDEN DESTROYED AND SIX FIREMEN HURT.
  Meriden, Conn., Feb. 15. - For eight hours Sunday firemen fought a fire which finally caused the complete destruction of the town hall and injuries to six men of the fire department. The loss is about $130,000, of which amount about $125,000 falls upon the town. The fire caught, it is believed, from...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Castle Craig Tower, 1905
  
  Castle Craig, located on East Peak in the Hanging Hills, is constructed of trap rock and is 32 feet (10 m) in height and has a base 58 feet (18 m) in circumference . A metal interior stairway is used to ascend the observation deck on top. It stands 976 feet (297 m) above sea level and provides an expansive view of the greater Meriden, Connecticut area. Castle Craig, dedicated October 29, 1900 and given to the people of Meriden, Connecticut by Walter Hubbard is part... Read MORE...
  
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  City of Meriden, Conn., From Pleasant Street
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  Goodwill Avenue
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  View from West Main Street
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  International Silver Co.
  museumofcthistory.org
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  Broad St. looking North from Myrthe St., Meriden, Conn.
  museumofcthistory.org
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  The J. D. Bergen Co.
  Highest Quality American Cut Glass
  Meriden, Conn.
  museumofcthistory.org
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•  1906 - Train Wreck
  MERIDEN, Conn., Nov. 29.- Two light coupled engines, north-bound from New Haven on the main line of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, crashed into a stalled freight train above Yalesville this morning, demolishing the caboose, two box cars, and one flat car, which was laden with oil barre...Read MORE...
  
  
  
• 1906
  Meriden, a city of New Haven co., Conn., in Meriden township (town), on the New York, New Haven and Hartford R., 18 miles S. by W. of Hartford. The city, sometimes known as the "Silver City," is situated partly in a valley and partly on a hill and is one of the most enterprising of New England's cit...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Curtis Homes, 1906
  
  The Curtis Home is a non-profit, 60-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility located in Meriden, Connecticut.
  
  Founded in 1884 by Meriden industrialist Lemuel Curtis, The Curtis Home initially cared for widows and orphans.
  thecurtishome.org
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  Industrial School for Boys
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  The International Silver Company's Shops, Meriden, Conn.
  museumofcthistory.org
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  Colony Street (1907)
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  Meriden Fire Arms Co. N. Coloney Str., Meriden, Conn.
  museumofcthistory.org
  
  The Meriden Firearms Company of Meriden, Connecticut, USA manufactured small arms from 1905 to 1918. The Meriden Firearms Company was formed when Sears, Roebuck & Co. purchased the Andrew Fyrberg & Sons firearms manufacturing plant and moved the plant and machinery to Meriden, Connecticut, in 1905 in the Malleable Iron Company's plant. The company sold their firearms through the Sears catalog as well as via other... Read MORE...
  
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  Library Square
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  Baptist Church, 1910
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  Falls, Hanover Park
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  Home Club, Colony St.
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  St. Stanislaus R. C. Polish Church
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  View of Town Hall on Liberty St.
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  Elm St. from Silver St., Meriden, Conn. (1910)
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  First Congregational Church
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  Veteran Volunteer Hose Co., 1911
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•  1912 - Acid in Holy Water Fatal
  Woman Found in Confessional Box at Meriden (Conn.) With Fatal Draught Near.
  
  Meriden, Conn., July 22. - The body of Miss Cora Dessureau, 30 years old, daughter of Joseph A. Dessureau, was found by the caretaker in a confessional box at St. Joseph's church. There was a glass near her containing wha...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  Curtis Memorial Library
  
  It was designed by New Haven architect Richard Williams in the Classical Revival style, and was completed in 1903. The building was a gift to the city from Augusta Munson Curtis in honor of her husband George, who was one of the city's leading businessmen and onetime mayor. wikipedia
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•  1913 - SCARE ON NEW HAVEN ENGINE JUMPS TRACK - Cars Enveloped in Steam, but Passengers Escape Injury - Driving Rods Broke.
  Special to The New York Times.
  
  MERIDEN, Conn., July 18. - The eastbound express train on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, which left New York at 5 o'clock this afternoon, was wrecked a mile west of Meriden at 7:10 o'clock to-night, when the big Pacific type locomotive left the rails a...Read MORE...
  
  
  
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  New High School, 1914
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  C. F. Monroe Co. Factory and Waterbury Depot, Meriden, Conn.
  museumofcthistory.org
  
  Decorated Opal ware was at the height of its popularity from 1890 to 1910, and the C. F. Monroe Company was one of the largest producers of this type glass. Charles F. Monroe opened his shop first shop in 1880; is was located at 36 West Main Street in Meriden, Connecticut and he dealt primarily in imported glassware. By 1882, Monroe was operating his own glass-decorating studio, and was soon employing highly... Read MORE...
  
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  The International Silver Co., Factory E, and General Office, Meriden, Conn.
  museumofcthistory.org
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  State Armory
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  Bird's Eye View of Meriden, Conn.
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  Derecktor's Block No. 2., Formerly Meriden House
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  West Main St. looking East, National Gas & Electric Light Co.
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  Hall and Lewis Block, Cor. Coloney and Main St.
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  Ev. Lutheran Immanuel Church Parish House
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  N.Y. N.H. & H. Station
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  South Avenue from Winthrop Terrace, Christian Science Church
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  Bird's Eye View of Meriden, Conn.
  museumofcthistory.org
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  City Hall
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  Works of the Meriden Britannia Co.
  museumofcthistory.org
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