Also known as the Valley, its a geographic area located around the confluence of the southern parts of the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers. This used to be one the most prosperous part of Connecticut in the early days of industrialization. Today I take you with me to explore the towns of Shelton and Derby.
Entering Shelton, The first thing I catch sight of is the Plumb Memorial Library. It was built in 1894 in the Romanesque style.
Little did I know there was a lot of hidden elements in the structure such as: an inscription that read Light & Law, a gargoyle sculpture and a face in the vines. Just motivation to go back and actually find these!!
Approaching downtown and start seeing a landscape of brick factories turned into mixed use apartments, offices and shops
The one that stands out most pointed at above is the giant SHELTON sign against an orange background:
It is part of an interconnected 9 building structure collectively know as the Conti building. It was constructed in 1865 and the main buildings were home to a corset factory and hosiery mill, and also there was a sponge rubber products company.
Slight intermission to find a good bite to eat. Is there anything good in the area?
I really didn’t research the options that well but do have an eye for talent. I stumble across The Rogi Shoppe, what could be better than a pierogi right now? It just gives hints of the Polish heritage of the area. I ordered batches of potato and cheese and spinach and 3 cheese along with sour cream and kraut. I love that they also sold a traditional carbonated Polish apple mint drink made by the Tymbark company.
Satisfied by the meal I am ready to continue onwards on my exploration. I see another factory turned into apartments. Name of the business was Birmingham Corset Co. Yet another factory for corsets what do you know?Shelton was essentially a hotbed for this kind of stuff.
You may wonder from where the “Birmingham” part of the name comes from? So this actually a former name of the town across the river, Derby which we will get to next. Derby was priorly named Birmingham as a nod to the industrialized English city of the same name. Isn’t that also how Birmingham of Alabama got its name? Even though it did not keep it, the name Derby itself is based on a British city of the same name.
So to get over to Derby I had to cross the Housatonic River and from there I could see a Railroad Trestle. Steam locomotives and the train used to cross it coming over from New York State but its barely used now.
As I get there I am greeted by this sign. Nicknamed Connecticut’s Smallest City. By area its only 5.3 square miles.
The first interesting building I come across shows more signs of the former name this city is to have. Below was constructed in 1892 and designated the Birmingham National Bank. In recent times its been restaurants and surprise surprise has experienced ghost sightings adding to the allure of it.
As I drive along the banks of the Housatonic river on the Derby side discover an abandoned junk yard of sorts. It seems that below is where they used to manufacture the Williams Typewriter
Where was I headed to? a microbrewery of course. The site I go to used to be Manger Die Casting Co. before it was renovated to become Badsons Beer Co.
The name is actually an acronym standing for the first letter of each of the towns the founders hail from comprising the valley itself. The B is Beacon Falls, the A is Ansonia, the D is Derby, while “SONS” is Seymour, Oxford, Naugatuck and Shelton.
Before I depart the Lower Naugutuck valley for the day I leave you with one last artifact. You know the Wiffle Ball? This is where it was invented and where they still make it. Good ole small town of Shelton CT
