Smyrna times., 1896-07-22


by dome and belfrey; making total
of ninty-two feet. At a meeting of the
town commissioners April 9th, 1869, it
was resolved that for the convenience
of the inhabitants a town hall should be
erected. A committee was appointed
to buy a suitable lot for the purpose.
They purchased one from DR.. Fisher,
May 18th, 1869. On July 8th of the
same year the ground was broken for
the hall which was to be SO feet on
Main street and As feet on South Street
and three stories high. The corner
stone was laid Aug. 10 by George H.
Raymond, chairman of the building
committee. The building was ex-
tended 20 feet on Main Street in 1887.
The first floor is occupied by the
Alderman and the Hose Company and
the Town Library, the second floor Is
used as a hall used as hall and the
third floor is q masonic lodge room.
Previous to the construction of the rail
road, mail was carried daily from Do
yer to Smyrna. The last contractor was
John VanGesel. In 1887 John S. Lamb
den was appointed postmaster and he
was succeeded by thirteen others, the
present being Samuel Reynolds. The
Office is now situated on Commerce
street just below the four corners.
A meeting of the citizens was held in
the Odd Fellows Hall ON Nov. 18th,
1857 for the purpose of considering the
ACCESSIBILITY of opening public library
in the town. The project met with
success and a committee on plan of
organization was appointed. The books
were selected by Rev. William H.
Brisbane assisted by Daniel Cummins
and William c. Eliason, and during
the first year $500 worth of books were
purchased The Library has always
been in a prosperous condition and has
been very valuable to the community.
At present it has 1000 volumes of we'll
selected literature and there are 178
stockholders.
The Methodist Church is situated on
Mt. Vernon Street and as it now
stands was begun Aug. 14th 1871. The
corner stone was laid about Oct. 18th
of the same year. The cost of the
present edifice was $22, 200. The Sun
day School was started 1927.
The Catholic Church which is
situated on Lower Mt. Vernon street
was bought by the Catholics from the
Presbyterians in 1885, The church
was denominated St. Polycarp Roman
Catholic Church and dedicated June
16, 1888. The Church was named in
honor of st. Polycarp a bishop of
Smyrna, Asia, who was martyred in
the second century.
The Episcopal Church which is
situated on Union Street, was erected in
1927. The lot ajoining the church was
purchased and chapel was placed
there. 1t is of Gothic style and was
built at a cost of "a, 900 which was the
gift of Mrs. S. II. Fisher.
The Presbyterian Church which is
situated ON Commerce Street was
opened April 5th, 1887. 1t is built of
serpentine stone and its pattern is the
early English Gothic style. The Pres
byterians have never had a parsonage
but one is about to be erected opposite
the church.
The Bank of Smyrna was opened
for business Feb. 18th, 1922 with CAPT
tai of one hundred thousand dollars
divided into shares of $50 each. The
building is ON Main Street near Com
merce. The bank has always been
successfully managed and has proved
of great worth in the development and
improvement of the surrounding
country. The capital stock still re-
mains the same and the surplus is
$4S, 900. The Fruit Growers Banl
was opened for deposits and the pay
ment of cheeks July 18th, 1876. The
capital stock is eighty thousand dol
lars and the surplus is $4,000 1t i:
situated on Commerce Street.
Smyrna is a very healthful place
this is shown by the old age that ;
great many attain, They grow old il
years but instead of being crippled ant
helpless they are active and have
bright minds.
There are over one hundred persons
residing in Smyrna that are ovel
seventy years of age. They live yer!
quiet lives and are very regular in thei
habits, and are noted for their hospi
tality and sociability. A greater por
ton are intellectual and highly cul
tured.
: Last winter the people of our tow
had course of lectures under til,
University Extension movement.
was we'll attended and the audience
were attentive and eager to gain all tn
t knowledge they could. The pastim,
t is very much divided. Our people al
like to indulge in out door exercise
5 and they have a great many ways o
oAhuoAhS bAOuAoSAfoS, ouCu us flu1Ql
bicycles, playing baseball and taking
, row on beautiful Lake Como, etc.
q In the winter they have for amuse
} ment-the Tuesday Club, the B. NJ. S
d K. and the Junior Shakespeare Gu
y all of which are pleasant and profit
: able pastimes. Our people also ar
: very progressive. Smyrna surely sur
passes most towns in having electri
d lights, gas, sewer and water works
n The young gentlemen are very polit
J; and remind us of the gentlemen i
n olden times and the ladies also are yer
Q graceful. The children are followin
i in their footsteps and many of thel
!. are polite and obedient. The Chris
!, tian Endeavor societies of the MethC
y dist and Presbyterican Churches hol
!. sociables quite often and instead of th
I Churches being LETT in the dark as the
q used to be; they are opened and th
v young folks have d good time socially
d The Kings Daughters add much to til