Maybe it was fate or maybe just
blind luck but in March of 1923 a fire broke out in
the district 2 school house. A newspaper article reported
the incident as follows: “Fire was discovered
in the Harwinton Corner Schoolhouse. The pupils, some
350 in number, were marched out in good order. The fire
apparently was started by a spark from the chimney which
fell on the roof of the south el. Fanned by a high wind;
the spark set the shingles afire. The principal, after
seeing the pupils were safe, called Torrington for assistance.”
The fire was put out in minutes and school resumed the
same day. Had the principal relied on the ability of
the Harwinton Fire Department, located in the center
of town and made up of volunteers, there is little doubt
that the damage would have been extensive.
On May 1st, 1923, The House
passed the bills providing for a city charter for Torrington
and for annexation of Harwinton corner to Torrington.
Both questions were subject to the approval of the voters
of Torrington. The vote on the Harwinton annexation
was to be taken in connection with the biennial election
in October.
The annexation was approved
by Torrington voters 1983 to 744. In Harwinton the vote
was 195 to 13. There were many issues to be ironed out
such as the school book situation where all books were
supplied by the town in Harwinton while Torrington students
had to purchase their books and they were different
books then those used in Harwinton. For the remainder
of that first year, Torrington provided the books that
those district 2 students would use. There were also
students who attended that school but lived outside
the annexed portion of town. They were required to attend
a different school in Harwinton or pay tuition to remain
in the district 2 school on East Albert Street. Harwinton
would build a new district #2 school located on Weingart
Road.
Harwinton had issued $64,000
in bonds to fund its recent purchase of a stone crusher
for road building and other outstanding debt. The annexation
spilt the number right down the middle with Torrington
paying Harwinton $32,000.
One of Harwinton’s Selectmen
lived in the district and was forced to resign his position
because he now lived in Torrington.
Our Health Officers last report
in 1924 read:
“With the transfer of the second district to Torrington,
your town is relieved of the necessity of a Medical
Health Officer. I have therefore resigned from office.”
H. B. Hanchett M.D.
Once this entire process was
over and done with, a small contingent representing
the residents of the northwest corner visited Thomas
J. Wall at his home on Pearl Street and presented him
with a handsome leather reclining chair bearing a silver
plate inscribed: “Souvenir from the Residents
of Harwinton Corner.”
SUMMARY
Torrington became a city on the exact same day as the
General Assembly approved the Annexation. Harwinton’s
annexed population made them the 11th largest city in
Connecticut, This was important to them as it was rumored
that rival Winsted was also contemplating changing its
charter to become a city and Torrington did not want
them to be a bigger city then Torrington.
It was the only feasible way
to control the increasing sanitation problems….for
both towns.
For the corner residents of Harwinton,
it came down to either:
