Commission Eyes Digital Platform, Library Partnership for Oral‑History Revival
From Tungshu Square’s Flames to Lovely Street’s New Paint: Preserving Stories, One Interview at a Time
Unionville Historic District & Properties Commission (HDC) breezed through routine business Thursday, June 5, before diving into plans for a Fall 2025 oral‑history event. Commissioners ratified the May 8 minutes without edits. 🗳️
A YouTube replay of the full meeting is available here: Watch the session.
A Digital Tape Recorder for 1955
Librarian Jerusha Neely will brief a small HDC delegation Friday (June 6, 11 a.m.) on Their Story, a cloud platform that records and transcribes interviews—a 21st‑century upgrade from the cassette recorders volunteers once lugged to kitchen tables. Commissioners requested specifics on:
- Integrating the 70th anniversary of the catastrophic 1955 Farmington River flood this August.
- Technical nuts‑and‑bolts: Zoom compatibility, remote‑record options for housebound elders, file storage, release forms.
- Research aids and sample question sets already housed in the Farmington Room.
Who Tells the Tale?
Potential narrators include:
- Tom Larson (mid‑80s), who still lectures elementary schoolers about “the flood of ’55.”
- Patti Laboutier, longtime memory‑keeper of the deluge.
- Diane Bickford, whose backyard canal stories add water‑power context.
- David Brooks (pushing 90) and wife Debbie, caretakers of a surviving 1765 Farmington Avenue home.
- The late Jack Crockett’s recorded reminiscence—already logged in the Library’s 1990s oral‑history trove—serves as stylistic North Star.
Commissioners floated broader themes: Unionville’s once‑bustling Hartford bus trips, trolley routes, and the arson‑aided urban‑renewal razing of Tungshu Square in the 1970s 🔥.
Outreach Channels
Expect a multimedia call for voices through:
- Farmington Patch and Valley Press community listings.
- Unionville Museum mailings.
- Farmington Library newsletters and social feeds.
Preservation Housekeeping
Planner Garrett confirmed Town Council is set to vote Monday (June 9, 7 p.m., Town Hall pavilion) on expanding the Farmington Historic District to cover two Historical Society properties. Commissioners promised to “stand up and clap.” 👏
Other notes:
- 111 Lovely Street: fresh three‑tone paint job underway (light green body, deep‑green shutters, garnet‑red accents).
- Another Lovely Street Victorian has a “SOLD” sign; new owner plans single‑family rental.
- Zoning refresher: Lovely Street’s multi‑family pockets are “existing non‑conforming”; no commercial rezones likely.
- Post‑2019 additions to local historic districts are no longer auto‑listed on the state register. HDC may process a simple three‑page state form to back‑fill protection.
- Connecticut’s rehabilitation tax‑credit threshold remains roughly $20,000 in qualified exterior or interior work.
Recruiting New Historic Homes
The clerk unearthed a 2018 list of eligible properties never contacted. The Commission will review draft letters (QR codes included this time) at its next session, reminding owners that joining the district adds protection without higher taxes—and yes, potential access to those rehab credits.
Sponsor Break ☕️📦
Before you rummage Grandma’s attic for flood photos, remember where to stash those dusty scrapbooks: Farmington Storage—155 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, CT. Call 860‑777‑4001 and ask about our “Museum Air” climate control. Your great‑aunt’s doilies will thank you, even if she never does.
About the Author
Jack Beckett slurps an unreasonably large dark roast (Einstein Bros. Bagels fuels the habit) while fact‑checking zoning maps. He files copy from Farmington’s quiet corners so you can sound smart at dinner.
Visit wearefarmington.com for deep dives into zoning, schools, wetlands, board of ed squabbles, and the occasional llama sighting. Subscribe at thefarmingtonmercury.com/subscribe, drop news tips via contact page, and read every tag under the sun—from Historic District to For‑Sale. Chat with us on Twix (some still call it Twitter). Privacy nerd? See our policy, terms, and media kit. 📬
Creative Commons License
© 2025 The Farmington Mercury / Mercury Local
This article, “Unionville HDC Mines 1955 Flood Memories for Fall Oral‑History Project,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY‑ND 4.0.
“Unionville HDC Mines 1955 Flood Memories for Fall Oral‑History Project”
by Jack Beckett, The Farmington Mercury (CC BY‑ND 4.0)
