The Romance of Norwalk

CO |_( M-l in u. Q <u 55 -s c £ -5 3 co rj I— I « rt 1 : *Z X ^ G rt Crt <U e rt G M-J *j3 °£ <u o *-< c ^ § <u x -4-> rt <U £ <u X C/3 o *o 6 § ' ISLANDS— CLUBS 4i7 with the property on which it stood, about 4 acres. It was purchased by Thurston O. Stabell, then janitor at the Nor¬ walk Yacht club, who still owns the house and four acres. The lighthouse has not been in use since the erection of Green’s Reef Light, off Rowayton. Two acres of the island belong to Agnes G. Cavanagh, who also has a house on the island, while the rest, 46 acres in all, belongs to Robert L. Corby, 51 East 42nd st., New York City. L’Hammock Island, between Ram and Sheffield, is di¬ vided into a number of different sections, the following being owners: John N. Kline, Downes L. Russell, Highland ave., George F. Holloway, 513 West 135th st., New York; and the easterly part by Mrs. Helen Poole of New Rochelle, New York. The island is about 2^ acres in size. Little L’Hammock also known as Temperance Island, and lying next to L’Hammock, is owned by Riccio Brothers of South Norwalk. Peach Island, one acre plus, off Harbor View, also belongs to Riccio Brothers. This island has been the scene of several disasters. In 1926, Effinger White and Frank Thompson were drowned in a storm when their boat overturned near Peach Island. December 8, 1928, Alton W. “Bink” Reynolds, electrical contractor and athlete, and Herbert Preston, painter, both of Gregory boulevard, were drowned near Peach Island. They had been duck hunting on the island; the day was stormy, and their boat capsized two hundred yards off shore. Alton W. Reynolds, jr., 15- year-old boy who was with them, was saved after he had clung for three hours in the storm to the overturned boat. Pilot or Tavern Island, off the Wilson Point shores, also has an interesting story. At one time Drs. Parker and Lambert of New Canaan owned and used it as a sort of Brighton beach adjunct to their home. In the early 1840’s it was leased by Captain Nathan Roberts, from Moses Byx- bee in part. In 1848 Captain Roberts who was a Norwalk pilot and Oliver W. Weed built a house, later tenanted by Pilot Joseph Merrill. Roberts and Weed farmed about 1-3 of an acre on the island for a time. The property is ROMANCE OF NORWALK 418 now owned by Marghretta O. Wickenhauser. It includes about four acres. LESSER ISLANDS In addition to the 13 officially recognized islands already mentioned, Norwalk has within its harbors, many other tracts of land wholly or partially surrounded by water. There is for instance Judah Island, now Shorefront Park, South Norwalk. To this piece of land is attached a long story which is given in part. September 18, 1666, Judah Gregory, son of John Gregory the settler, was voted the island “west of Gregory’s Point,” which he named for him¬ self, Judah’s Island. The same name was retained as late as the sale of the property for $100 on December 29, 1803, by Josiah Smith to Absalom Day. Mr. Smith, on the day of sale, received for the island, just twenty-five cents more than he had paid for it on the preceding February 3 when he had purchased it from the executors of Eliakim Ray¬ mond. A noble profit! April 6, 1857, Judah Island, then consisting of four acres, was sold by William A. Guyer to Benjamin P. Reed. Six years later Mr. Reed acquired three more acres of salt meadow. For a time the island was known as Reed’s Island. Later, Reed sold to James M. Lane who on September 18, 1869 sold to Elbirt A. Woodward, for $10,000. A few months later, Mr. Wood¬ ward sold the island to Andrew J. Garvey, said to be a mem¬ ber of the famous Tweed ring, for $12,000. Immediately after acquisition, Mr. Garvey commenced building an elab¬ orate house on his Judah Island. By May, 1872, finding that he could not finish paying for the home, Mr. Garvey sold the Island to Knapp and Fitch, his contractors for the house, and September 21, 1872, Knapp and Fitch sold Judah Island to Commodore Francis Burritt for $25,000. It had now grown to eight acres. The buildings on the island were brought to completion by Commodore Burritt who expended much money in de- ISLANDS— CLUBS 419 veloping the spot. His love for aquatic sports led him to build, at different times, 23 different yachts, the largest of which was the “Estelle” named after his wife. May 9, 1906, Commodore Burritt sold Judah Island to John Mc¬ Mullen, the island then consisting of four acres, with eight acres of salt meadow “adjoining and surrounding said island.” In 1921 the island was valued at $75,000 to $125,- 000. In 1924 the Shorefront Park Co., bought the prop¬ erty and the year 1929 finds it one of the most select resi¬ dential sections in the city. The “old McMullen place” has long since given way to a group of modern little homes, and little remains to remind the old timer of the “good old days.” Keyser Island, which at various times has borne the names Bouton, Raymond, Comstock, Keyser and now Manresa Institute, is also a part of the mainland, connected by a narrow strip of land, and is at the head of the western mouth of the Norwalk river. March 4, 1833, John Hoyt sold to Algernon E. Beard in trust for John Pogson, de¬ scribed as “a foreigner now a resident of Norwalk,” one third of Comstock Island, consisting of 12 acres, for $130. Two years later when Pogson became naturalized he took title to the one third. The other two thirds belonged to Thomas Nash. Joseph R. Deming bought the whole island a little later for $285. He sold it April 6, 1842 for $800 to William Olmstead. Isaac C. Loper of Brooklyn came into possession April, 1859. During the same month, the land, which up to this time had been known as Comstock Island, was sold to John H. Keyser for $1400, and became Keyser Island. The property included 12 acres, and two tracts of salt meadow, about eight acres. For 30 years Mr. Keyser retained possession of the property, beautifying the grounds, draining and filling the meadows, erecting num¬ erous buildings and laying a half mile race course. Thomas J. Campbell bought the island October 26, 1887 for $32,500 from Mr. and Mrs. Keyser, who were now in somewhat reduced circumstances. He immediately transferred it to 420 ROMANCE OF NORWALK the present owners, the Manresa Institute of New York. The property was valued at $142,100 in 1921. The island, now closed to the public, is used as a retreat for Catholic clergy and has taken the name Manresa Institute or Island. It includes some 25 acres on which stand a chapel, exempt from taxes, a dining hall, and seven other buildings. Mention is made in the appendix of Pine, Campfield or Canfield, Half Mile, Stephen’s, Little Tavern or Pilot and Stuart Islands, Sension or St. John’s Beach, West White Rock or White Rock, East White Rock, Crow Island, Dog Hammock, Race Rocks, Grassy Hammock, Long Beach, The Plains, Sheep Rock, Daskam Island, Tempest, Hoyt’s, Bell Island, Sandy Hammock and Cedar Hammock, all of Norwalk; and Seymour Rock, Kitts Island, Duck Island, Sprite, Cockenoe, Goose, Butler, Contentment and Fish Islands, often thought to be part of the “Norwalk Islands” but actually belonging to Westport or Darien. THREE HUNDRED CLUBS The first clubhouse for women in the city of Norwalk was acquired by the Woman’s City Club, organized in May, 1927 and an outgrowth of the Woman’s Club, one of the oldest organizations for women in the community. When the old and honorable Woman’s Club of Norwalk was or¬ ganized in January 1885, it had for its object, the forming of an “organized center for the intellectual culture of its members.” In 1927, when the club dissolved into the Woman’s City Club with headquarters in the newly acquired clubhouse at 1 Arch st., the scope was greatly broadened. Today, the activities of this group include the fields of music, art, lecture, handiwork, acting, education, interior decorating. The Woman’s City club which now has about 150 members, is a member of the Connecticut Federation of Women’s Clubs, even as was the Woman’s Club. Miss Margaret Brendlinger was first president of the Woman’s ISLANDS— CLUBS 421 City Club, Mrs. George Scott Hubbell being vice president and later president. There are now in Norwalk, some 300 clubs and organi¬ zations of all kinds, big and little: service clubs, religious organizations, masonic and fraternal lodges, patriotic, labor, musical, political, educational and social institutions. There are three men’s service clubs in town: Kiwanis, organized in the fall of 1920, charter received January 19, 1921, Frederick L. Lamson, first president; Lions, organized October 30, 1925, first president, Philip Jakob; Rotary, charter received April 22, 1929, Charles Maschal, first president. Another well known men’s organization in town is the Toreadors. The club, now in its sixth year, has about 30 members. Lawrence K. Paul was first president. One woman’s service club has Norwalk, Quota, organized by the Bridgeport Quota club, first supper meeting held October 14, 1926, Mrs. Sara E. Lane, first president. Other prominent women’s organizations are: Norwalk Business and Professional Women’s Club in its third year with about 75 members, Mrs. Frederick Hoelscher, first president; Norwalk League of Women Voters, organized May, 1921, with Mary Kirby Jennings as president; present membership, 165. The Norwalk-Westport branch of Amer¬ ican Association of University Women, met for the first time June 18, 1923, Mrs. Douglas Nash, first president. Present membership is 75. The organization meeting of the Norwalk Republican Women’s Asosciation took place October 15, 1920. Mrs. Leo Davis was first president. Present membership is 2,800. The Democratic women, re¬ organized during the past year into the Town Association of Democratic women, state a membership of about 1,500. Mrs. Adolphus Russell is first president after reorganization. Of religious organizations there are many: Catholic, Protestant, Jewish. The Catholic men are organized into a very large group and have a club house known as the Catholic clubhouse, also called Hibernian hall and Knights of Columbus hall at 666 West ave. The Ancient Order of 422 ROMANCE OF NORWALK