Preparing for Easter in Naugatuck in 1902

It’s the day before Easter in the year is 1902 and there is much to be done.

Join me on the Naugatuck Green as we plan our day and talk about the day’s events.

Yesterday an easterly wind prevailed and brought with it a drizzly rain. The weather matched the solemn feel of the day, Good Friday. The holiday was observed though out the borough. Banks were closed all day and the post office and most stores were closed at noon.

All factories were closed as well. The services at all the local churches were well attended. About 250 worshiped at the Congregational Church and enjoyed the beautiful rendition of the cantata “The Story of The Cross.” Many consider this of the highest type of church music, written some four years ago by the leading American composer, Dudley Buck.

Today the clouds have parted and it is a happy day to be in Naugatuck. We have all waited with great anticipation for spring to arrive and awaken our spirit. Garden seeds, onion sets and Maine seed potatoes are now at J.M. Page & Company ready to go into the warm spring soil.

Downtown is a buzz with shoppers picking out their Easter finery and sweet treats for Easter Day. J&E Udelowitz, Union City has a choice selection of children’s fancy straw hats at, 59 cents but they are worth $1.

M. Freedman tells us not to be perplexed for an instant as to what to wear for Easter as they have everything for man, woman and child. Men’s blue and black serge suits are $6.45, ladies gloves in spring shades are 98 cents to $1.25.

Brennen’s Drug Store has Easter egg dye but we will be using handmade dye just the way grandma did as a child.

Peter Paul &  Co. declare ice cream and ice cream soda are once more in season. They use Horton’s Ice Cream, a fine quality brand, and at 5 cents for an ice cream soda, you can’t go wrong.

Old fashion chocolates are made daily for 30 cents a pound. Naugatuck Candy Kitchen on Church Street is having a give away. A large egg will be given to the person closest to guessing the exact weight of the egg. We must go in and register our guess. Chocolate rabbits start at 5 cents, Chocolate cream eggs are 1 cent to 25 cents and names put on free of charge. It would be a lovely gesture to have one made for Miss Nina Dewitt of Andrew Avenue whom we will be visiting today.

She was injured when her foot got hurt quite badly in a press at the paper box factory. The top of her shoe was torn off and three toes painfully injured. She is doing as well as can be expected, these chocolates will surely brighten her day.

While buying hot cross buns at Steinmann’s Bakery on Maple Street, I heard the news that as workers were excavating for the cellar of the new Naugatuck High School building on Hillside Avenue, a heavy blast sent a large piece of stone through the window of Warden Schaffer’s residence. It carried such force it broke a table to pieces. Mr. Schaffer’s little daughter was nearby and was struck in the head. Her condition is not serious but she is quite nervous today poor child.

We must not forget to stop at P.H. Daly’s on Water Street to buy coffee, 3 pounds of the finest mocha and java for one dollar. This is mama’s favorite recipe for coffee, taken from the Settlement Cookbook by Simon Kander published just last year in 1901.

The whole borough seems to be beaming with anticipation of the joyous feast of Easter. Ladies are putting together their Easter finery and trimmed hats and bonnets. Cooks are getting last minute items for dinners and sweet treats for Easter baskets.

Just look at the crowds everywhere we turn.

Taylor’s Market offers native veal, chicken, calf liver, Merwin ham and salt pig’s feet. Watson’s Union City Pharmacy has ½-pound jars of honey for 20 cents.

Many shoppers will jump aboard the merchant’s express, which leaves Naugatuck at noon and leaves Waterbury at 3 p.m.

The latest gossip at the train station is the scene caused Thursday by a Jersey cow received for J.H. Whittemore. It arrived by express and came in a crate, which was quite difficult to remove from the 8:14 a.m. passenger train. The train was delayed 8 minutes to lower the cow to the depot platform.

Passengers in a hurry to get to their destinations were not happy.

Some of the other events we are looking forward to is the 2nd Annual Concert and Dance given by Naugatuck Drum Corp at Gem Opera House on Easter Monday evening. Ford’s Orchestral is playing the music with the Big Street Parade starting at 7:45 p.m. Several visiting corps will be participating. At 25 cents a person, we are expecting quite a crowd in town. The 1:15 a.m. train will stop at all station between Naugatuck and East Derby for the event.

With spring comes baseball season. All the baseball goods you need are now on sale at W.K. Birdsall on Maple Street.

Today however is a day of preparation for one of the holiest days of the year.

Many will be using Taylor’s livery, a good team of horse and carriage for transportation to church services on Easter Sunday.

Elaborate Easter programs will be rendered in all the local churches including St Michael's Episcopal, St Francis Church, the Congregational Church, the Swedish Lutheran Church and Methodist Episcopal Church. Choirs fitting for this glorious day of celebration will sing special music.

Our Christian faith teaches us to embrace all faiths and religions and so on this day in the year of our Lord 1902, we extend to all our friends from every background far and wide, the love and peace that is the essence of Easter.

For it is the very fact that Naugatuck has embraced all ethnicity that has given our town the manpower and backbone to run our many factories and make our community so rich in culture.

So today and always, may the glad dawn of Easter morn bring joy to thee.

Don't forget to join me next week when we visit another place in Naugatuck History.

Credits: The Naugatuck Daily News Archives via Newspaper Archive, Settlement Cookbook by Simon Kander published 1901, Good Housekeeping Magazine 1890.