New Arrivals in Tradition of East Hampton

Since I began writing about East Hampton Past, dozens of people have very kindly told me how much they enjoy reading about our Town’s history. Whether it is in Stop & Shop (how soon we forget Shaw's), restaurants such as Angelico's or Governor's Tavern, at town meetings, or church, I appreciate the comments and positive feedback and will keep writing.


On April 12th, the Laurel Ridge Association invited me to speak about EH since so many were new to our Town. As you may know, Laurel Ridge is an over 55 community located on the East side of the Lake on Route 66 and is situated near Bear Swamp.


This was a very enjoyable evening and I’m pleased that this engaging group chose EH as their home. Since the early 1700s, tremendously talented people have settled here. From my prospective, these transplants are equally able and given the nod, will contribute to the vitality and enhancement of our Town. So, welcome!

Topics that evening included a discussion on the founding of the bell industry by William Barton in 1808, and its importance to many other industries including Henry Ford's Model T. I also discussed the the creation of Chatham and some of our illustrious citizens such as Gov. William O’Neill. We all remember fondly our friend and neighbor Bill O’Neill, but we forget, he almost never became Governor. Unsuccessful in the 1960 and 1962 elections, with 1964s postponed due to a reapportionment stalemate, Bill had little desire to run again in 1966! Only significant arm-twisting prevailed and from there, his meteoric rise to the Governorship.

East Hampton Fife & Drum Corp Major, Morris Lanzi, then State Representative and Majority Leader, William O'Neill, and Governor Ella T. Grasso at the signing of Legislation making Yankee Doodle Connecticut's State Song. In background, members of the Fife & Drum Corp including Thomas Distefano.

Fielding many questions that evening, one of which I wanted to expand upon was how did Hurd State Park come about? Named for an early family that settled at Knowles Landing at Middle Haddam (bottom of Knowles Road) the now 900 acre park, located off of Rt. 151 as you leave Middle Haddam towards Moodus and situated on the Connecticut River.

Among the first land acquisitions by the newly established Parks and Forest Commission in 1915, Hurd State Park began with 28 acres purchased from Frederick and Sophia Colson in 1916. Apparently after threats of litigation, the Eureka Flint & Spar, a New Jersey company, sold 90 additional acres to the State in 1923. Eureka had planned on mining Feldspar from the site as it did at other quarries in Chatham, Haddam & Middletown, but State pressure changed management’s minds.

Today the Park has scenic and panoramic views of the Connecticut River Valley and numerous hiking trails and recreational opportunities – all for free!

Knowing Our Past Gives Me Better Information to Serve You

WILLIAM BARTON House circa 1765 - located at the crest of Barton Hill

William Barton was the Founder of the Chatham Bell Industry. From has hands and apprenticeships, no less than 37 other bell maker companies were formed and operated in the East Hampton Society area.

Understanding the past can often prevent you from making an incorrect decision about your future - especially when buying or selling your most valuable asset - your home!

I have the knowledge of our Community's past and the proven experience and ability to serve your current Real Estate needs - whether you are marketing an antique or historic home or a house constructed last week.

Please remember, I'm never too busy for your referral at Prudential Connecticut Reality. I'm always available to take your call and can be reached at (860) 918-4400.

Premiere Wine Producing Region

Of all the superb wine producing regions of the world – Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Tuscany – I’d probably floor you putting East Hampton among them! No not the Easthampton at the tip of Long Island – the other East Hampton. Yes on water like that Easthampton, but more like a lake – Pocotopaug - than an ocean or sound.

Anyways, at least in 1962, we gained notoriety with a tremendous but limited production of wine. Throughout that hot summer, it was my job to weed the family garden. I grew up on Barton Hill in the house owned by the first sleigh bell maker in America, William Barton.

Our house on Barton Hill currently owned by Ms Kimberly Widmann

An over abundance of our Burpee Big Boy tomato crop had my parents perplexed on what to do with the surplus after the obligatory gifts to family, friends and neighbors. Even after my mother’s numerous culinary creations of tomato casserole, sliced tomatoes and cucumber salad, etc. etc. etc., Julia Child would have been taxed. In short, the harvest bounty became overwhelming in the days before farmers markets. What to do?

Burpee Big Boy Tomatoes introduced in 1949

Apparently our neighbor Graydon Rich had the perfect solution. He produced an old family recipe and the Markham’s became wine producers!

After commandeering an old 40 gallon ceramic crock, we cleaned and cut and crushed what seemed like a ton of tomatoes, putting the mix in our cellar covered with cheese cloth and the secret ingredients. There the concoction sat, bubbling away, fermenting. After several weeks, the vintage was ready for bottling. Filtered through new cheese cloth, the nectar was hand ladled into assembled RC Cola bottles. A hand crank capping machine sealed the light amber fluid and typed labels were affixed to the bottles. The results – tomato wine!

1962 Barton Hill Tomato Wine bottled in an RC Cola Bottle

I still possess several bottles of vintage 1962 Barton Hill Tomato Wine. One might think this has the consistency of Campbell’s Tomato Juice or V8, but oh contraire. The wine is actually quite nice. After 47 years, it is now mostly dark amber with a little sweetness that probably emulates a brandy or desert wine.

Oh I almost forgot to explain why we had so many tomatoes in the first place. Two reasons! The previous summer, my father replaced the aging and leaking asphalt roof shingles of our 1775 gambel roofed Dutch Colonial with cedar shakes. Desperate to dispose of them, and certainly not “green” or “environmentally conscious” as today, he burned them in the garden. The billows of black smoke covered our neighborhood skies for a couple weeks, much to our neighbor's chagrin. The ash residue, however, became a magnificent fertilizer. And as for the tomatoes – the previous fall when we cleaned up the garden, my brother and I had rotten tomato fights.

Burpee Big Boy Tomatoes first introduced in 1949

Today kids or not so grownup adults might go to a paint ball range, but in the early 60s you made your own entertainment with whatever you had available. The seeds from those Big Boys spread all over the garden. The next summer, combined with the unusual fertilizer, saw an overabundance of plants and what I believe a very edible use of the produce. As an old New England Yankee family, nothing ever went to waste!




Since those days of my youth, I feel like I've been in a Frank Sinatra song - a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king. In my case however, I've been a CPA, a State Representative, a Lobbyist, a Financial Consultant, a Business Manager with an Indian Tribe, but now am enjoying life as a Realtor in East Hampton and the Central Connecticut Area affiliated with Prudential Connecticut Realty.

Our recipe for Tomato Wine


6 lbs. - sugar
6 lbs. - tomatoes cut up small
1 lb. - seedless raisins
1 yeast cake (dissolve in warm water)
2 Oranges cut up
1 gal. Boiling water


Mix and let stand for 15 days. Then put in jars and in about 3 weeks siphon into bottles and cap.

Makes about 2 gallons which can be doubled, tripled, or 20 times the quantity ( like us! )depending on size of crock or pot mixed in.