Newtown

Newtown changed most dramatically in the period from 1900 to 1960, and Newtown: 1900-1960 captures these changes photographically to show how Newtown became the suburban town with a small-town atmosphere that it is today. The book includes an outstanding array of photographs from three recently discovered collections, including a series on the army maneuvers of 1912, which shows the state of the American army before World War I. Newtown: 1900-1960 begins with the village, which is truly the heart of the town. It focuses on institutions such as the Newtown Savings Bank, which was the business center for almost a century and a half. The book then examines the industrial section of town, Sandy Hook, with businesses that both sustained life and just made life more pleasant. In addition, the book looks at the outlying settlements of Stevenson, Hattertown, Hawleyville, and Riverside, a summer colony that became a year-round place.

Daniel Cruson currently serves as the town historian for Newtown and as the president of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut. He is also the author of Newtown and Redding and Easton. A devotee of the study of local history, he has designed and taught courses in local history at Joel Barlow High School in Redding. His passion for the subject is clearly evident in his loving treatment of Newtown's recent past.