tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313811932012-01-23T17:26:18.336-05:00Conversation, Community, Connections, and Collaborationsharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.comBlogger631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-10163614840987037392008-08-16T19:10:00.001-04:002008-08-16T19:22:21.268-04:00

I've been seeing these orange plastic bags of phone books around town since last week. They certainly do appear to be unwanted, and they're going straight to the recycling bin in many homes and businesses. I wonder how many trees had to be sacrificed to produce this latest unwanted batch.Is this the beginning of the end of unsolicited printed phone books? I sure hope so.These are some of my

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-87826037465450902882008-05-27T00:40:00.002-04:002008-05-27T08:56:26.883-04:00

Ever since I went digital, I've been taking the shotgun approach to events like this. There are nearly 300 photos in this set (once I finish uploading them all), so if and when you get tired of watching the slideshow, you can just click through to MainStreetDanbury's Flickr account.Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-28012250133280539382008-05-21T13:38:00.001-04:002008-05-21T13:44:36.168-04:00

Director Rocco DeVilliers's film "The Flyboys" was shown to a very happy, very excited, and very full house last night at the Palace Theater, at the opening night of the CT Film Festival. There are five more days of this extraordinary event still to come, with venues all over downtown Danbury: The Palace, the Library, the WCSU Student Center Theater, Heirloom Arts Theater (formerly the Empress

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-61574853808416752472008-04-13T09:37:00.006-04:002008-04-13T10:24:28.178-04:00

William Webb Sunderland was a prominent local builder who, along with his son Philip, constructed Mark Twain's home "Stormfield" in Redding. In 1873, Sunderland built the the first structure to house a Danbury newspaper. The building was remodeled and expanded in 1893 and the distinctive clock tower—which unfortunately is obscured by the tree in this photo—was added. Philip Sunderland's son

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-50829245592197732022008-03-20T16:54:00.003-04:002008-03-20T17:12:28.170-04:00

Today's News-Times online edition has good news for everyone who commutes between Danbury and Waterbury. Three buses during peak commuting hours could potentially take 120 cars off the road. That hardly puts a dent in the 7,000 cars that make the trip each day, but it's a start. And it's better than doing nothing.HART expansion proposal would expand bus service to WaterburyBy Mike Russo Staff

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-69851744958389183252008-03-14T10:27:00.003-04:002008-03-14T11:13:29.650-04:00

The Main Street post office opened for business on September 2, 1916. The city's four wards met at a point in the middle of the street directly in front of the post office, so it literally was at the center of town.This week the News-Times reported that the USPS is considering whether to close the downtown post office. This doesn't really come as a surprise, since all mail processing operations

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-79774799925396861752008-03-08T15:53:00.007-05:002008-03-08T17:17:42.027-05:00

In 1852, when the Danbury & Norwalk Railroad started operation, a one-way trip on the 23.6 mile line took 75 minutes using two Hinkley Steam Engines named "The Danbury" and "The Norwalk." The route was electrified in 1925 and de-electrified in 1961. We've been talking about re-electrifying it for as long as I can remember. You can read the March 2006 Electrification Feasibility Study here in a

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-87248474643792047662008-02-23T11:46:00.007-05:002008-02-23T14:51:28.506-05:00

In an article for the March 2008 issue of The Atlantic Monthly provocatively titled "The Next Slum?", Christopher B. Leinberger asserts that the subprime crisis is just the tip of the iceberg. Fundamental changes in American life, he writes, may turn today’s McMansions into tomorrow’s tenements."For 60 years, Americans have pushed steadily into the suburbs, transforming the landscape and (until

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-29195920700356454952008-02-08T00:10:00.002-05:002008-02-20T13:24:44.813-05:00

Think you're seeing a lot of these now? You'll be seeing even more of them this year.On Wednesday night the Danbury Common Council voted 19-2 to allow the Danbury Police Department to be trained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "handle" undocumented immigrants. The exact details of the deal are not known at this time. The Council voted on the proposal with nothing in writing, as I

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-12318671520573653832008-02-02T11:51:00.001-05:002008-02-02T12:01:10.225-05:00

No Impact Man and his family just completed a year-long experiment in minimizing their impact on the environment. They shut off the electricity, walked or rode a bicycle everywhere, and ate only food that was grown or raised within 100 miles of their home in New York City. In the course of the year, they rediscovered community, which is something that those of us who spend an hour or more in our

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-24558438410666994332008-01-30T20:50:00.000-05:002008-01-30T21:18:47.871-05:00

Union Savings Bank moved into this building, designed by the New York City firm of Berg & Clark, on Tuesday, March 29, 1887, after the first floor was completed. You can read more about the history of Union Savings Bank here."Intuition is not raw feeling. When you turn design over to intuition, you imbue the design with a system of proportions. Proportion, how one shape relates to another, is at

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-29207018758633704072008-01-21T17:28:00.000-05:002008-01-22T12:28:47.628-05:00

"There is nothing, except a tragic death wish, to prevent us from re-ordering our priorities, so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war."Declaration of Independence from the War in Vietnam, delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., April 1967, at Manhattan’s Riverside Church. Click here for the full text and a portion of the audio of the speech.NOTE: I have replaced

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-89349244864119470722008-01-15T19:54:00.000-05:002008-01-15T20:08:14.509-05:00

It's still intersession at school, and instead of all the web programming projects I had lined up, I've been learning the ins and outs of selling on eBay and Amazon in an effort to make ends meet for this one last year of graduate school. (Seller name firstgentrekkie on both, if you're interested.) So I haven't been out taking pictures lately, although I did snap a few photos of Monday morning's

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-7779913241456386002007-12-20T22:38:00.000-05:002007-12-21T09:40:49.285-05:00

I remember how exciting it was to get my driver's license and my first car. I was 21 and had just moved to Connecticut after graduating from college. I had lived in New York City for four years and Dallas, TX before that, both of which have pretty good public transportation, and I had never before needed a car. It took many years for the novelty to wear off, but wear off it did, and I think it

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-85940360368063210092007-12-14T17:12:00.001-05:002007-12-14T18:34:48.052-05:00

When I came to Danbury, this was the "five-and-ten-cent store"—Woolworth's, to be exact. You can still see the evidence inlaid at the entrance. Today it's the Danbury Dollar & Gift store. Inflation will do that. A portion of the south side of the original store has been split off into a Chinese take-out restaurant. Just as today we criticize the big-box stores for driving out locally owned and

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-54578263169859355982007-12-07T12:12:00.000-05:002007-12-07T12:22:09.539-05:00

This building was starting to show some signs of neglect even back in 1985, when it was still Sears, Roebuck & Co. Then the mall came and dealt it the final blow. But it still stands, now housing the Salvation Army Thrift Store, and I've always loved the glass block wall on the second floor. I wonder if this building was originally Sears, or if it was built to house some other business first?

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-88388106762327291082007-12-01T10:56:00.001-05:002007-12-01T12:40:36.493-05:00

I never meant for this blog to be political--I have other outlets for that--but I just received the 5-year revaluation for my house. It's 50% higher than it was just 5 years ago. WTF? Real estate prices are dropping and inventory grows every week. When I thought about selling two years ago, no agent would even look at my house, which is over 50 years old and less than 800 square feet of living

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-9245979025048786942007-11-29T09:26:00.000-05:002007-11-29T09:32:40.423-05:00

Lots of activity going on here at the former home of a furniture consignment shop, in the shadow of the Kimberly Place high-rise next door. The whole exterior of the building, including several residential units behind and above the store, is getting a facelift. This is what we like to see!

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-37105301084171627262007-11-10T09:56:00.000-05:002007-11-10T10:23:24.486-05:00

My little camera cannot do justice to this magnificent building, which houses the Rectory and Offices for St. Peter Roman Catholic Church across the street on the other side of Elmwood Park. The church's website refers to it as "Danbury's mother Catholic Church since 1851," but there doesn't seem to be any parish history information. This was the best I could find, but there's nothing here

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-39131989438379872942007-11-03T12:06:00.000-04:002007-11-03T12:11:56.817-04:00

Home of the Greenery Cafe and Shop 111, this is another of those "lonely" buildings that must surely have had similar three-story brick neighbors a few decades ago. We can count ourselves fortunate that so many of them did escape the wrecking ball. And the third floor even appears occupied.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-7686096822377580042007-10-30T16:29:00.000-04:002007-10-30T16:40:32.999-04:00

The Casa Nova Churrascaria. Churrascaria is a style of Brazilian cooking and serving meat that has been grilled on a skewer. Low-carb heaven! You can read more about it here at Wikipedia. Before its present incarnation, this was for many years the home of the Brass Jail. I'll bet there are a lot of Danburians and WestConn alumni who have a few stories about the Brass Jail.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-49288752525723022272007-10-26T13:23:00.000-04:002007-10-26T13:44:09.991-04:00

Tom Condon writes about West Hartford Center, Blue Back Square, and the value of walkability in the September 30th Hartford Courant.We need an alternative to endless oil wars in the Middle East and relentless burning of fossil fuels. We need to live more compactly. The trick is to get the benefits of more urban living without the traditional detriments - inadequate stores, poorly maintained

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-62039326238466660912007-10-03T21:37:00.000-04:002007-10-03T22:22:11.411-04:00

I noticed this for the first time a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn't until today that I had a chance to stop and take a closer look. The Danbury Gas & Electric Co. building is getting a makeover! Scaffolding is up—something you don't often see on Main Street— and those are all new windows. Does anyone know what the plans are for it—will it be offices, residential, or both? If there are going to

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-74089665802146235082007-09-23T21:21:00.000-04:002007-09-23T21:25:38.362-04:00

The Ives Concert Park is another one of Danbury's best kept secrets. Why it hasn't yet become the Tanglewood of northern Fairfield County is beyond me.Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-80005403905995054042007-09-05T11:32:00.000-04:002007-09-05T11:40:10.104-04:00

The previous post on Elmwood Park drew the attention of Dennis Elpern, the Director of Danbury's Planning and Zoning Department. Mr. Elpern and I spoke on the phone a few weeks ago, and he gave me some background information on the restoration project.Mr. Elpern, who came to Danbury in 1988, used to drive past the park on his way to and from City Hall each day. He couldn't help but notice the

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-63068109936996221052007-08-07T09:04:00.000-04:002007-08-07T11:52:22.427-04:00

Welcome to all of you who found me from ctblogger's kind mention in Hat City Blog. If you're concerned about local politics, land use policies, open government, and civil discourse, check out Hat City Blog.This post is an experiment in customizing Google Maps with personal photos. I really wanted to use MapLib to create my own map that could then be embedded as a live image in the blog, but I'm

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-87793036860429280052007-07-12T09:42:00.000-04:002007-07-12T09:47:39.578-04:00

Home-Front Ecology: What Our Grandparents Can Teach Us About Saving the World"The World War II home front was the most important and broadly participatory green experiment in U.S. history. Is it a model we should use today?"

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-33667710837051221862007-06-30T12:33:00.000-04:002007-06-30T12:43:28.594-04:00

Gee, it seems as if no one knows quite how it happened, and no one knows what we can do about it. We build, we widen, and still there's traffic congestion. A dedicated bus lane on I-95 is deemed "impractical." New cars on order for Metro-North will barely replace aging cars that will be taken out of service. Bus service between New Britain and Hartford? Forget it! [And bus service between Danbury

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-85429040343658242492007-06-17T14:46:00.000-04:002007-06-17T14:53:30.796-04:00

The Summertime Festival on the Green opened last night with a pops concert from our own Danbury Symphony Orchestra, thanks in large part to the generosity of long-time Danbury Music Centre supporters Fred and Joan Weisman, who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with many of their friends.It's hard to imagine summer in Danbury without the Green now, but its existence came about almost

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-54810078453814124452007-06-10T14:39:00.000-04:002007-06-10T14:47:21.130-04:00

This is without a doubt one of the most attractive buildings on Main Street. Look at the cornice and the detail over each window. It has an attractive storefront that welcomes pedestrians, and the upper floors both appear to be occupied. It does look a little lonely, though. I imagine that once upon a time there might have been an entire block of buildings of similar height and utility, but over

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-47212790304390556752007-06-02T23:54:00.000-04:002007-06-03T00:45:10.286-04:00

I'm taking a class on Digital Libraries this semester, and I discovered this extraordinary video library today.htp://www.ted.com/In particular, I found this video of James Howard Kunstler, whom I mentioned in an early post as one of the influences that prompted me to start this blog. In Mr. Kunstler's view, "public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life and the physical manifestation of

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-52187265936127607022007-05-03T08:48:00.000-04:002007-05-03T09:35:50.521-04:00

Quote of the Day, courtesy of Wordsmith.org."The automobile has not merely taken over the street, it has dissolved the living tissue of the city. Its appetite for space is absolutely insatiable; moving and parked, it devours urban land, leaving the buildings as mere islands of habitable space in a sea of dangerous and ugly traffic."-James Marston Fitch, historic preservationist (1909-2000)How do

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-31748549413321112532007-04-16T12:34:00.000-04:002007-04-16T12:36:17.358-04:00

This is the intersection of Newtown Road (Rt. 6) and Eagle Road this morning around 8:30. Yes, that is a car in the intersection. There are a few more just like it in the Holiday Inn parking lot just to the left of this picture.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-55282370911369099362007-04-14T13:58:00.000-04:002007-04-14T14:39:18.015-04:00

This is a perfect example of what I was talking about yesterday. Who wouldn't want to live over a variety store on Main Street? You could step out your door in the morning, stop and get a cup of coffee and a newspaper, walk to work or to the train station or catch a bus, walk to the Palace Theater (if it were open), walk to a number of good to excellent restaurants, walk to the grocery store and

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-77738276817678114152007-04-14T13:49:00.000-04:002007-06-10T14:36:24.013-04:00

Who wouldn't want to live over Nico's Pizza? And the owner of this building clearly cares about it. Look at the carefully preserved detail over the windows. And yet...the upper floor appears to be vacant. Why? What needs to change before the owner of this building decides to make the third floor available to renters?

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-41105253796321592112007-04-13T07:22:00.000-04:002007-04-14T14:42:19.791-04:00

This building and its neighbors are notable for their arched windows and attractive cornices. The building on the left looks bare by comparison. But the feature that really sets them apart from a lot of other Main Street buildings is that the upper floors appear to be occupied. Far too many buildings have empty second and third floors, and a few are even boarded up. Not very attractively, either.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-72656081586281459702007-04-13T07:14:00.000-04:002007-04-13T07:22:39.398-04:00

I attended this forum on Wednesday night. I am reprinting Robert Miller's excellent report here because News-Times articles generally go to archive within days, and then they are very difficult to find again. It's about time that the City of Danbury, the towns of Fairfield County, and the entire state of Connecticut, asked its citizens what kind of development they want to see here in the next 5,

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-56403482185279894202007-04-12T14:02:00.000-04:002007-04-12T19:17:05.363-04:00

When the last living thinghas died on account of us,how poetical it would beif Earth could say,in a voice floating upperhapsfrom the floorof the Grand Canyon,“It is done.”People did not like it here."Requiem," by Kurt Vonnegut

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-35966693476990814292007-04-12T07:56:00.000-04:002007-04-12T07:58:30.792-04:00

"A city that outdistances man's walking powers is a trap for man." -Arnold Toynbee, historian (1889-1975)(thanks to Wordsmith.org for today's quote)

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-27066000716017105272007-03-25T15:04:00.000-04:002007-03-25T15:13:35.240-04:00

There are many grand old homes on Deer Hill, but I'm a sucker for Victorians, though I could never afford the upkeep. This one is my favorite. I can imagine a time when people would sit out on this porch on a summer evening and wave to their neighbors as they promenade up and down the street.Nowadays most homes don't have porches, and most streets don't have sidewalks. I can't help but think that

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-36943357542825717232007-03-21T08:56:00.000-04:002007-03-21T09:01:17.913-04:00

Maybe I really will be able to ride the bus to work one of these days.Here's a link to the story, but they usually go to archives in just a few days. Mar 21 2007 4:12 AMState urged to put buses on the roadsBy Robert MillerTHE NEWS-TIMES[photo: Linda Tarjanyi, of Danbury gets off the bus at the Kennedy Avenue bus stop in Danbury on Tuesday.]Too many people are driving on the state's roads."I-95

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-58247445520656831712007-03-13T19:27:00.000-04:002007-03-13T19:28:58.089-04:00

This is what commuting on I-84 feels like most days. And I'm not usually in the worst of it.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-13437174436253216872007-03-12T20:25:00.000-04:002007-03-13T09:05:21.600-04:00

A story in Sunday's New York Times Connecticut section titled "A Renaissance in Full Bloom for Aging Thearers," by Elizabeth Maker, prompted today's entry.RICK DOYLE remembers when icicles hung from the ceiling and saplings grew amid the mold and broken glass in the lobby of the abandoned Warner Theater in the early 1980s. Despite its artistic history, the 1931 landmark building appeared headed

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-40724299340482707722007-03-06T09:39:00.000-05:002007-03-06T09:57:28.891-05:00

Today's News-Times reports that BRT is definitely going to market its new Crosby Street apartments to WestConn students.Apartments marketed to WestConn studentsBy Elizabeth PutnamTHE NEWS-TIMESBrookview Commons on Crosby Street in Danbury, a 115-unit apartment complex marketed to Western Connecticut State University students, is scheduled to open in August.DANBURY -- A new Crosby Street apartment

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-39007419860788703822007-03-06T09:33:00.000-05:002007-03-06T09:39:51.697-05:00

This story ran in the Monday, March 5 edition of the News-Times. You can read it here on the News-Times website, at least for a few days."City may create review panel: Architectural board would ensure designs comply with others, By Mark Langlois, THE NEWS-TIMES"DANBURY -- The city is considering creating an architectural review commission to make sure new buildings are designed to look compatible

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-55064718014135967452006-12-17T13:47:00.000-05:002006-12-17T14:06:59.923-05:00

St. Peter's Church has for many years been the venue for the annual performance of Handel's Messiah, presented by the Danbury Music Centre, and I am happy to say that tonight's the night! I missed it last year because I was working at the mall, but I'll be there tonight.Quoting from today's New-Times:"The 125 performers of the Danbury Concert Chorus and the Danbury Baroque Chamber Orchestra will

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-13333971825049650062006-11-24T15:36:00.000-05:002006-11-24T16:21:34.413-05:00

We had a heck of a rainstorm here last week, and it knocked down the few leaves that were still clinging to the trees. Since daylight savings time ended, the days have become noticeably shorter, and the sun sets behind the hills in front of my house around 4 p.m. these days. After some unseasonably warm weather, it's obvious now that there will be a winter again this year. And there's something

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1162229046426683122006-10-30T12:05:00.000-05:002006-10-30T12:24:06.446-05:00

The Savings Bank of Danbury was established in 1849 as the first mutual bank in Danbury. It originally operated out of the Main Street home of its first treasury secretary, George White Ives. The building shown here was built in 1909, and still houses the main branch. (Danbury. Danbury Museum and Historical Society. From the series Images of America.)I don't believe the front door is ever open

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1161471881914684242006-10-21T18:46:00.000-04:002006-10-21T19:04:41.926-04:00

"The Danbury Gas-Light Company was incorporated in 1854 and went into operation in 1857 at the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad Depot. In 1913, the Danbury and Bethel Gas and Electric Company purchased this building and electrified its exterior. Built in 1891 by Danbury designer Joel Foster, the terra-cotta Victorian was sold to the Zuccas in 1965."from Danbury. (2001) Danbury Museum & Historical

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1160955161110018442006-10-15T19:20:00.000-04:002006-10-15T19:32:41.123-04:00

Page B1 of today's Danbury News-Times has a story on a city project to achieve Certified Local Government status under a National Park Service program."That status will allow the state Commission of Culture and Tourism to add the library [the Old Library at 256 Main Street, that is] to its state list of historic buildings. It will allow the city to set up its own Historical Commission. And it

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1159563722046049442006-09-29T16:23:00.000-04:002006-09-29T17:23:12.880-04:00

According to the Perspectives column in last Sunday's News-Times, 25 years ago this week Nolan Enterprises was in the process of renovating the then-73-year-old Godfrey building on the corner of Main and Crosby streets into "nine new studio-style apartments." Why is it that new Main Street construction hardly ever follows this pattern of street-level shops and housing or offices above?Here's a

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1158530625784689562006-09-17T17:50:00.000-04:002006-09-18T13:55:35.983-04:00

Who needs to go to Boston or New York, when Danbury has its own classy rowhouses like these, just a few steps from Main Street? As you can guess by the address, they have a view of the side of the Old Library. Unfortunately, they also have a view of the construction of the new parking garage. Still, how cool would it be to have an address on Library Place?Look at the details in the brickwork and

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1158329099080424062006-09-15T09:48:00.000-04:002006-09-15T10:06:06.316-04:00

It's Friday, and it's raining here in Danbury. So what else is new? I'm swamped with the start of the new semester, that's what. But I am also privileged to have a copy of the most beautiful textbook that I have ever had the pleasure to buy. I never had anything like this in any of the math or computer science classes I ever took.You can search for the Smithsonian Book of Books in Worldcat, which

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1157997413519189862006-09-11T13:39:00.000-04:002006-09-11T13:56:53.550-04:00

The September 11th Memorial occupies an honored position in the smaller of the two Main Street islands that comprise Elmwood Park, directly in front of the old courthouse at 71 Main Street.The glass monument, designed with approximately the same proportions as the World Trade towers, is etched with the names of the Connecticut victims of the attacks. The memorial was dedicated two years ago today.

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1157432588711259642006-09-05T00:49:00.000-04:002006-09-05T07:21:39.240-04:00

I'm feeling simultaneously virtuous and suckered. What can induce this state of mind? Why, doing yardwork on a beautiful holiday afternoon, of course. I mowed the lawn today. If ever there was a human activity more wasteful of both human resources and petroleum resources than keeping a lawn, I'd like to know what it is. Next year shall be the year of the edible landscape, and I don't mean for

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1156972524139936612006-08-30T16:17:00.000-04:002006-08-30T17:18:53.070-04:00

This was never meant to be a book blog, but I am a library student after all. And it's been raining here in Danbury for several days, which can make for some very interesting artistic photography, but not so much when you're trying to represent the architectural highlights of Main Street in their best light.I just finished reading Outside Lies Magic: Regaining History and Awareness in Everyday

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1156185443856452102006-08-21T14:35:00.000-04:002006-08-21T15:15:07.620-04:00

This item appeared yesterday in the “Perspectives” column of the Sunday Danbury News-Times. The caption reads: “An undated postcard, from the collection of Paul Gassner of Danbury, shows Danbury’s City Hall at the corner of Main and West streets and the Methodist Church next to it. Both later were torn down and the Danbury Public Library now occupies the site.”The Soldiers’ Monument still stands,

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1155865867323218962006-08-17T20:55:00.000-04:002006-08-18T09:45:57.546-04:00

The Danbury Public Library sits at the corner of Main and West Streets, at the heart of CityCenter. This was formerly the site of City Hall, and was known as City Hall Plaza until 1968, when residents approved bond issues for a new City Hall on Deer Hill Avenue, a new public library where City Hall once stood, fire headquarters and additional schools. I like the classic styling with the portico

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1154580725604634592006-08-03T00:18:00.000-04:002006-08-03T08:07:10.563-04:00

If all goes according to plan, sometime next year this building will become the Hat Box Theater, a project conceived and nurtured by Danbury native (well, almost a native) David Katz, artistic director of Hat City Music Theater since 2000. Danbury architect Leigh Overland has created a design that will seat about 80 people theater-style, and somewhat fewer when arranged cabaret-style. It will

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1153925466905570172006-07-26T10:40:00.000-04:002006-07-26T11:34:39.256-04:00

The F.A. Hull Building, at the corner of Main and Liberty, was built in 1907. I know this not from doing any research, but because the information is carved on the pediment (although you may not be able to see it at this resolution). Mr. Hull must have been very proud of this building.Note the classic Main Street elements: built to the sidewalk, shops on the ground level, two or three floors of

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1153858099188037822006-07-25T15:41:00.000-04:002006-08-03T06:32:01.793-04:00

This is the old Fairfield County Court House, built at the turn of the 20th century. The State of Connecticut Judicial Branch web site has more information on the history of this building, along with images of some postcards of it when it was brand new. You can find them here. It has held up pretty well, don't you think? It is still in use today for Juvenile Matters. If you had to come here,

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1153363920402522342006-07-19T22:46:00.000-04:002006-07-26T10:07:53.646-04:00

This is the old library, at the corner of Main Street and Library Place. All of the buildings on Main Street had a good power-washing a few years ago, and they really do look nice. Notice how it was built right out to the sidewalk, which was refurbished a few years ago. The entrance is grand and important...and obvious. The entrance stands tall, as do the windows. It is a building that respects

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31381193.post-1153363467954652632006-07-19T22:32:00.000-04:002006-08-03T13:38:56.436-04:00

The inspiration for this blog came together from many sources. I have been reading the non-fiction work of James Howard Kunstler on sustainable and livable cities, and in particular the volumes The Geography of Nowhere and Home From Nowhere. I recently acquired a digital camera. I just went to a workshop today on the use of "social software" in libraries.* Last but not least, I needed to develop

sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08373027426802320587noreply@blogger.com5