Morning journal and courier., 1888-07-13
ACROSS THE LONG MEADOWS.

The Improvement of the Roadway
 Across the QuinnIpiac Downs-An
 old HIgwhay 10 MiddIetown to BOs.
 tOn-The old stage Coach Road to
 the Hub-The old Lewis Cottage.
 Contractor Thomas Colwell has got we'll under way the work of grading the. causeway or old Middletown road extending across the Quinnipiac downs from the eastern end of Lewis bridge, in tulfllment of his contract recently entered into with the selectmen. Some years ago fine iron bridge was built across the Quinnipiac river at this point, but the eastern approach to it was not improved. This old causeway. once the great highway to Middletown, has long been in a bad con- dition. It is low and the water at high tide often covers the roadway. In the present work the selectmen are carrying out an inn provement which has long been needed. With fine roadway here it will prove 8 popular drive across the meadows to point short distance below Montowese, where the road strikes the Fair Haven road, down this and returning to the city by the way of North Quinnipiac street and Grand avenue. The poor condition of the old Lewis bridge road has greatly turned travel through Fair Haven. Fly the improved road 1T tSs a;tn wtn be possible to reach Middlsfeld, Middletown and all points in that direction, with saving of a mile and a half or more in the travel. The improve ment will be an invaluable one and ultimate ly have the effect to enhance the value of property in the Lewis bridge region and bring an increase to the tax receipts. The road across this bridge is the old Middletown turnpike, and it's continuation within the city limits is known as Middletown avenue. It was by this road that the old Boston stages travelled in the days before the days of railroads, and the periodical appearance of the stage was if anything more of sight than train of cars now. For stages were not as frequent as trains are, and the coming the people dwelling along the route to their doors. The old Middletown turnpike was then in its glory, the highway of land traffic and travel between the Hub and metropolis. It Is different now. The iron horse thunders along between the cities, making the distance from here to the Hub in six hours, with fre- quent trips. The palmy days of the old turn pike are past, and the old taverns that stood along It's way at short intervals have fallen into decay or become quiet farm houses, while the through stage has disappeared. So the old road across Lewis bridge meadows fell into disuse, but with the present irn- provement it will look up again. It will be- come the thoroughfare to the thriving farm ing towns beyond, as well as popular pleas ure drive. The improvement commenced several years since by the erection of the fine iron bridge is at last about to be completed by the rebuilding of the old eauseway. Many of our readers will remember the little old red house that once stood near the western end of the bridge; in fact, it is only a few years since the old house was destroyed by fire. This old honse was the Lewis cottage. 8 pleasant homestead, where lived the man who has given his name to the bridge Two sons who were reared here are now success full business men, one of them large oyster dealer in Bridgeport. The late Burton Nal lory married daughter of this Lewis. These were the gay old days of the stage, when the Lewis cottage was one Of the prettiest cot tages on the route. But the glories of this old highway are to be revived to some ex- will rattle across the meadow there it will be replaced by the fancy equipages and fast turnouts of pleasure drivers, side by side with the farmers teams loaded with the products of the farms for the local markets. MT. Colweh the contractor, has dwelt in New Haven 52 years, and though no longer 8 young is very active man for one of his years. The work of improvement will be quite substantial. The road will be raised two feet three inches higher by the dumping of earth upon it and on top of that will be laid nine inches of broken stone, making the road in all three feet higher. The stone is brought rom the hills and rocky elevations adjacent to the meadows on the east. The dirt is brought from points contiguous to either end of the meadow roadway. The sides of the filling of the road are being banked up by 'od taken from the meadows. Mir CoIwell 1as the work about one e-third completed