Once again, Branford Patch reader Pete had a correct answer for me: the Branford Town Band was formed in 1949. That's not to say there weren't bands in Branford before that. The Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library's photo archive shows images of a drum corps from at least as early as 1893. Photos from the James Blackstone Memorial Library's Branford Carnival Photographs collection show a group marching to the beat of a big bass drum in 1905, and a full marching band in the 1910 parade.  The longest continuous musical organization in Branford is likely to be the Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps…

The Branford Town Band is a staple of holiday parades and a vital part of the fireworks celebration at Branford Point. But when did the band get started? Band member Steven Vacca challenged us to see how many Branford Patch readers could come up with the answer. While I was poking around pulling research (with the help of the reference department at the James Blackstone Memorial Library), I got this fantastic photo from Branford Patch blogger Tom Raiola. Taken between 1915 and 1920, it shows members of the Branford Italian Band, including Raiola's grandfather Ferdinando, who had immigrated to…

Yet again, Branford Patch readers have shown that they know the town! Several readers had guesses in the right neighborhood, but Pete, Richard Reutenauer, Mike Gallacher, ColleenLepre, and Paulette Hansen all came up with exactly the right answer to last week's question: Main Street and Svea Avenue. In 1941, the intersection was home to Shore Line Bedding Co., and a vacant store. On Svea, the Branford Garage and Branford Laundry stood. The 1953 City Directory lists Branford Motor Co., (likely the gast station in this picture) and Branford Drug Co., Inc as residents of the corner. In the 1960s…

This photo comes from Branford Patch reader Tom Raiola, who thought we might be able to use it for a "Eye Spy" column. Since it's dated 1940, editor Nicole suggested that we let the history readers have a crack at it instead! What intersection is in this photo -- and is there a gas station still at that location?  Post your guesses here or on Facebook, and Nicole and I will post clues as needed!

And here I thought I was being challenging! After posting my quiz question last week asking what the three buildings had in common, I got an e-mail from frequent reader pete, who said I'd posted the question too close to Easter. Given the proximity to the religious holiday, the idea that the three buildings were related to churches was a clear connection. Pete and Karen Wood both knew that the three buildings were rectories or parsonages. Well done! The house on 79 Hopson Avenue was the parsonage for the Swedish Lutheran Church, more commonly known as Tabor Lutheran Church, which was located …

Our very attentive readers figured out too easily the location of the last historical photo I put up, so I thought I'd do something a little more challenging. For this article, I found three images of three different residences in Branford. One is from 1917 and the other two are from 1921. What do these three residences have in common? Make some guesses – and if you need clues, post in the comments! I'll check back during the week to see what people have figured out.

My question was too easy! Several people not only knew where the old Park Theatre used to stand, but one even knew the correct old address! Cal wrote in that it used to be on the corner of Park and Main – and, in hindsight, the theater's name was a very good clue in that regard. Gina wrote in with the correct old street address – 240 Main St., When the numbers changed, the new address became 1022 Main St, – and at 1024 Main St., the closest current address, Branford Book & Card Shoppe now stands. As for what played at the theater: feature films. John "Pop" Dibble, who was the first person to …

The photo above, from the James Blackstone Memorial Library's Baxter album, was taken in 1917. As you can tell from the label, it's a photo of the Park Theatre. The address numbers have all been redone since 1917, but the street corner on which Park Theatre stood is still there, even if the building is not. My question to you: on what corner was Park Theatre, and what stands there now? If you also know what types of productions the Park Theatre were used for, I'd love to hear it! That's what I'll be looking up this week.

When I first started looking into the history of Branford's fire department, it was at the recommendation of Pete, who sent me the incredibly useful link to the history of Company 2 M. P. Rice Hose Company. Pete clipped some of the info that directly pertained to my quiz questions from that page into the comments of last week's column, so to get the short version, head back over and read his notes! The origin of the Branford Fire Department is elsewhere on the fire department's website, written in detail by Dorrance Johnson. From the age of eight, Johnson has been learning about the history …

In honor of the upcoming Branford Historical Society lecture about the history of Branford's Fire Department, "Hoses, Hooks, and Ladders," at the James Blackstone Memorial Library and the upcoming unveling of the new department, I thought we'd have a quiz for Branford Patch readers. How many of these multiple choice questions can you answer? 1) The current Branford Fire Department is comprised of how many Career Professional Firefighters? a) 7 b) 15 c) 28 d) 35 2) How many volunteer fire fighters currently serve? a) under 50 b) between 50 and 75 c) between 75 and 100 d) over 100 3) When was …

Pete found a lot of good details while guessing about the identity of the house last week and got awfully close -- especially considering that the home pictured in the image was not actually in Branford! The home was the First Parsonage in America, according to the description of the sketch, which is housed in a frame at Branford's own First Baptist Church. Built in 1705 in Groton, it served as the home for Rev. Valentine Wightman. Wightman was the first Baptist preacher in the Connecticut Colony. Palmer Wightman, who commissioned the sketch, was born in 1820 in Groton, was Valentine Wightman…

While out and about Branford this week, I discovered a fantastic antique sketch that derailed my plans for this week's column. When I saw it, I knew I had to take some photos and quiz my history readers on the significance of the home in the picture! The sketch, drawn in 1865 for Rev. Palmer G. Wightman of Branford, is of a Connecticut home built in 1725. Here is your quiz: whose home is it, and what is their relationship to Palmer Wightman? In addition, what is Palmer Wightman's significance to Branford? Let's see if I can stump you all! I know there's at least one Branford Patch blogger who…

We got a number of correct answers last week: 221 Montowese, which is called "Branford Block" in town records, was originally built by CL&P, just as Jeff Bailey, John Miller, and RB stated. John gave an early memory of the building: When I was a kid my mom would pay our electric bill there. I was always facinated by the bronze letters that were inlaid into the entrance sidewalk. According to Pete, the building was constructed in 1925; my records say it was circa 1930, which corresponds well. Jane Bouley of the Branford Historical Society, who wrote up the history of the building for the …

In a recent "Where in Branford," readers wondered what the history might be behind the building at 221 Montowese St. In the last several years it has been a hair salon (Panache), an artists co-op, and a political campaign headquarters, but what type of business originally inhabited the art deco building? If you know, tell us in the comments! Better yet, tell us what businesses you remember being in 221 Montowese in recent years (and show up this still-recent transplant to Branford). Have photos of this place? Add them to our gallery. 

According to the records from Jane Bouley of the Branford Historical Society, the deepest freezes on Long Island Sound at Branford – the ones thick enough to hold a car – happened in 1917, 1934, and 1976-77. The image posted in last week's article was taken showing the shoreline of Money Island in the Thimbles (answer to our bonus question). But there have been other times when the Sound has frozen over enough for the enjoyment of people – whether through ice skating or ice fishing! Pete wrote in:  I remember ice fishing in the Branford River in 1963 and the ice thickness was about a foot in …

This image above is one of my very favorite in the Branford Historical Society's photo collection. I've been waiting for an excuse to write about it, and now that it's winter, it seems like an appropriate time to bring it out. Last year we had a snowpocalypse, but at least the Sound didn't freeze solidly! Here is this week's question for you all: In the 1900s, the Sound only froze over in Branford three times – hard enough to support the kind of weight being shown here. What years were they? (One hint: some Patch readers should be able to remember one of these occurences. If you have any …

One of the best things about writing this column is the surprises. When I picked the image for the Then and Now that I posted two weeks ago – which many of you recognized as Darbar India (props to Steve from SAAC for being the first response, and being correct!) – I didn't know I'd be discovering something new and fun. But then reader Pete e-mailed me with images he'd found online (shared here) showing that the building didn't start out as Wallacabuckers Social Club – it was originally (and, it appears, primarily) a post office. The post office moved to where the current Board of Education …

Patch readers Tom Grantland and Frank Barron both had great information on Branford's presidential connection question from two weeks ago: Tom knew the story of the old Summer White House on Davis Island, and Frank knew so much that I'm offering his response in full here: Rutherford B. Hayes is connected to Branford because his grandfather was born in Branford in the mid 1700s-around 1756...you should also know that his grandfather is related to two other important Branford familes...the Russells and the Frisbies, too--so the connection has some deeply seated roots in the town's history. Both…

While I'm waiting to sort out some details from last week's question, I have a new guessing game for you. Here is a photo of a Branford building that's still standing. Back in 1917, when Charles Baxter took the photo, it was the Wallacabuckers Social Club. Do you recognize it?  It's not a social club any longer! A quick hint, the location for this article only means the building is located somewhere in Branford Center (rather than, say, Stony Creek). Other than that, you're on your own!

In a recent conversation with Branford Patch reader, Pete, I was reminded of Branford's historical connection to U. S. President Rutherford B. Hayes. Branford also has a connection to U. S. President William Taft. Do you know how those two leaders are connected to Branford? That's your challenge for the week, history buffs – track it down!