A town's response to adversity, 25 years in the making

There are moments in the history of any town that define its fabric for years. Such a moment occurred for Salisbury 25 years ago this month, when the Town Hall that had been built in 1749 was burned to the ground through what was later proved to have been arson. At that time, there had been a string of fires in the area, some arson and some not, creating a sense of dread and unease among those then living in the Northwest Corner. The fire at the Town Hall struck at the very center of the community, and became the nexus for a resolution to the arson crimes committed and the eventual healing of a wounded town.

The values of a small town such as Salisbury come to the fore in such times of duress. In the 25 years since the Town Hall fire, the values of mutual community support and inclusiveness have become defining motivators for the direction the town has taken. Looking around Salisbury, one sees community development that has found strong support from town residents that allowed it to become reality in those 25 years.

Of course, a new Town Hall was constructed on the site of the previous one. But in addition, the donation of land to the town by the Pope family allowed two buildings to be constructed there on Salmon Kill Road which house the Housatonic Child Care Center and the Salisbury Visiting Nurse Association and Salisbury Family Services, as well as the office of the town social worker. Trotta Fields are also part of that property, and provide a great meeting place for teams coming together to play on the fields or basketball courts there.

There have been the projects of multiunit affordable housing of Sarum Village and Faith House, and the single-family homes constructed by the Salisbury Housing Trust for the use of middle class families. Certainly, much more needs to be done to accommodate young families and anyone employed in the area so that they can afford to live in an expensive town like Salisbury. However, these have been steps in the right direction.

And, the current projects of the new firehouse, the new Town Grove building and the new transfer station show the spirit of Salisbury as being committed to offering resources to its population that go above and beyond what’s expected in a small town. This is a model that is not unheard of in the Northwest Corner towns, but after the tragedies Salisbury suffered 25 years ago, the town could have turned inward and closed itself off in ways that would have stunted its ability to function as a community. Instead, Salisbury has continued to try to figure out ways to serve its residents better as the years have gone by.

This is only because of the spirit of its people, who have expressed their own small-town values through the improvements to their town in the 25 years since the Town Hall fire. Let’s hope a spirit of such openness and service to community continues in Salisbury into the next 25 years.  

Latest News

Water main cleaning in North Canaan

NORTH CANAAN – Aquarion Water Company today announced a water main cleaning project in the company’s North Canaan system. The project is scheduled to take place from Monday, April 1 through Tuesday, April 16, and is being undertaken to ensure customers in North Canaan continue to receive the highest quality water.

The cleaning for April 1 and April 4 (subject to change) will take place on the following streets:

Keep ReadingShow less
Tuning up two passions under one roof

The Webb Family in the workshop. From left: Phyllis, Dale, Ben and Josh Webb, and project manager Hannah Schiffer.

Natalia Zukerman

Magic Fluke Ukulele Shop and True Wheels Bicycle Shop are not only under the same roof in a beautiful solar powered building on Route 7 in Sheffield, but they are also both run by the Webb family, telling a tale of familial passion, innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.

In the late ‘90s, Dale Webb was working in engineering and product design at a corporate job. “I took up instrument manufacturing as a fun challenge,” said Dale. After an exhibit at The National Association of Music Merchants in Anaheim, California, in 1999, The Magic Fluke company was born. “We were casting finger boards and gluing these things together in our basement in New Hartford and it just took off,” Dale explained. “It was really a wild ride, it kind of had a life of its own.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert Cray’s soulful blues coming to Infinity Hall

Robert Cray

Photo provided

Blues legend Robert Cray will be bringing his stinging, funky guitar and soulful singing to Infinity Hall Norfolk on Friday, March 29.

A five-time Grammy winner, Cray has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and earned The Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. He has played with blues and rock icons including Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and many more.

Keep ReadingShow less