XII. Other Firsts and Oldests

Connecticut has an amazing array of firsts and oldests to its credit. You’ll find these all over the blog (and the state) in the museum reports, different curiosities and elsewhere. These are those that don’t really fall into any of the other categories, for one reason or another.

The oldest bell in the New World, E. Haddam, 6/9/2007
Oldest Themepark in US, Lake Compounce, Bristol, 9/9/2007
Abington Meetinghouse and Social Library, Pomfret, 2/2/2008
The Oldest Public Park in the US, Hartford, Various visits
The Oldest Free-Standing Department Store, Waterbury 11/3/2008
Oldest Continuously published Newspaper in US, Hartford, 6/9/2009
The Oldest Cider Mill in the US, Glastonbury
Oldest Public Library in the US, Salisbury, 8/27/2009
The Earliest Theological School, Bethlehem, 12/5/2009
Oldest School for the Deaf in the US, ASD, West Hartford, 5/28/2009
Oldest continuous producer of hard cider in US, BF Clyde’s, Old Mystic, 10/24/2009
Birthplace of the Business Computer, Rowayton, 3/13/2010
Site of World’s First Condensed Milk Factory, Torrington
First state agricultural experimental station, CT Ag Experimental Station, New Haven
Oldest Collegiate Sports Rivalry in the US, Yale-Harvard Regatta, New London
Site of the First Cigar Factory in the US, Suffield
Site of first Bishop Consecration in US, Woodbury
Oldest Indian Reservation in CT, Trumbull

sco.jpg
Scoville Library, Salisbury

…………………………………………………….

Longest continuous currently operating organization devoted to horseshoe pitching, Deep River (Info)
Oldest continuous agricultural fair in US, Brooklyn Fair, Brooklyn
Oldest Carillon made in US, St. James Episcopal Church, Danbury
Oldest House in CT, Henry Whitfield House, Guilford
First Elks Lodge built as an Elks Lodge, Hartford
First snow-making operation, Mohawk Mountain
First Civil War monument, Kensington
First two-sided building in the world, Hartford
Oldest saddlery in the US, Smith-Worthington Saddlery, Hartford
First FM Radio station, WDRC, Bloomfield
First town in US to be named for George Washington, Washington
Oldest Inn in Connecticut, Curtis House, Woodbury
First Railroad Tunnel in US, Lisbon
Oldest continuous Water-skiing Club, Bantam
Oldest bird sanctuary in the U.S., Birdcraft Sanctuary, Fairfield
Home of America’s First Diplomat, Silas Deane House, Wethersfield
Oldest surviving smack, Emma C. Berry, Mystic
First operational nuclear-powered submarine in world, Nautilus, Groton
Oldest Gun Club in the US, Hartford Gun Club, East Granby
Site of Oldest Mill in US, Manchester (Info)
Oldest wooden timber frame house still a private residence in US, Guilford (Info)
Oldest Fifre-and-Drum Corps Muster in the world, Deep River
Oldest Chamber Music Festival, Music Mountain, Falls Village
Oldest Co-Ed Camp in the US, Ivoryton (Info)
First To Be Ordained By First American Bishop, Fairfield (Info)

Leave a Comment

The Out Campaign: Scarlet Letter of Atheism