pinerockct.html

click for larger image--pine rock trolley park,shelton,ct

click for larger image-pine rock trolley park,shelton

The last image is of a boxcar and locomotive that was placed at Pine Rock Park when the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company took over. The Park closed in 1908 but the above were still siting there in 1914 deteriorating.

This park has been the most elusive. I took a little more interest as it's within my area of 'living and travel'. There was nothing to be found except a slightly remaining 'place name' and I think that only remains because a 'fire house' still sits in area and named 'Pine Rock'. There is a small little town park still there with no 'place-name' sign. No memories. No records. Of coarse as in genealogy there's always possibly SOMETHING to be found somewhere. The following was a response to an email from an 'old-timer' a few years ago. The other a little quiz on town web page. The latter was a discovered 'falling apart' document written by ??? on unknown year. I can't give credits as the name in 'un-readable'. Interesting it might be the only remaining information about Pine Rock Park ANYWHERE.

There was a small amusement park/picnic area at Pine Rock Park before WW2 run by - the trolley company. There was a loop track so trolleys from Shelton can turn without reversing.

You can still see the abutments crossing the Far Mill River just west of Master's Bar on the border with Stratford. Also abutments are visible directly across Trolley Bridge Crossing (Street) about 1/2 mile south of Rt 8 on Howe/River Road/Rt 110. Just south of there Rt 110 goes through a small rock cut - the trolley ran on the outside of the rock face with the grade still in evidence.

If you go south into Stratford, there are abutments over Mill Pond at the southern most intersection of Main St, Putney and River Rd (Rt 110).There was a major accident there with a car falling into the pond.
click for larger image--pine rock trolley park,shelton,ct

CLICK THIS TEXT FOR A LINK TO ACCIDENT STORY

The line between Shelton and Stratford was for the most part on a private right-of-way. where the current Rt 110 is now. The old road that paralleled Rt 110 (Old Coram Rd has been partially abandoned and is used by your local dirt-bike deviants.

QUESTION ON SHELTON HISTORY:

Pine Rock Park was originally conceived as.....?

a) a balloon launching site

b) a tuberculosis clinic

c) a nature preserve

d) an amusement park

ANSWER:AMUSEMENT PARK

A SHORT HISTORY OF PINE ROCK PARKPine Rock Park was once called Oronoque Manner. It is a beautiful country spot with many pine trees, springs, and an abundance of rocks. As is true of many American towns, Indians were the first residents. We have proof of this by the finding of arrowheads and remains in what was a burial ground. This is located on a bank in back of Gajdosik's property. Our next recollections are of Pine Rock Park as an Amusement Park. This was approximately fifty-four years ago where Koharys now live. This park included wild animals, a merry-go-round, dance hall, eating place, and scheduled balloon ascentions. These buildings of the park were made of split logs. When the park was in full swing, approximately 1903, there were extra trolleys on Sundays to bring the people from Bridgeport and Derby. In those days the regular trolley schedule from Derby to Bridgeport was once an hour, just as it is today. In 1904 the Amusement Park closed. There were however, trolleys running up to a certain point where McElroys now live. In back of the firehouse ran a stream with a small bridge over it. It had benches on either side with flowers and shrubs around it. In about 1930 the land which makes up Pine Rock Park was divided into building lots and sold by Robert Davies. Previous to this the land was owned by The Connecticut Company. At first the lots were ideal for summer cottages and most purchases were made with that in mind. However during the depression years, more and more residents remodeled making the homes suitable for year-round living. Where the Pine Rock Grocery now stands there was once a large house belonging to General David Wooster. In this house there were secret hiding places in the fireplaces to be used in case of an Indian attack. David Wooster was born in 1711 and died in 1777. He was a graduate of Yale University where he was a brilliant student. In 1739 when the war broke out between England and Spain he entered a provincial army as a Lieutenant and was later made a Captain. In the French and Indian War, which ended in 1763, he was commissioned by the governor of Connecticut as colonel and then brigadier general and served during the whole war. The town of Wooster, Ohio was named in his honor. Mr. Steven Palmer, a first-selectman of Shelton, and very well-known, lived where Mr. Grasso's house recently stood. The house was torn down to make room for the new highway construction. The story of the early Far Mill River for industrial purposes had its beginning a full century before the American Revolution. As families settled back into the wilderness, they needed mills of various kinds to meet the requirements and comforts of life, To build a mill was an enterprise or venture requiring considerable money and much energy. Some distance back from Shelton Road on the north side of the river stood an old mill owned for many years by the Wooster family. After serving as a grist mill and saw mill for many years it was later converted into a paper mill soon after 1850. It was known for some time as the Pine Rock Paper Mill, but later it was changed to Robert's Paper Mill. During the time it was operated as a paper mill, it had served several owners and at the time of its destruction by fire early on the morning of April 10, 1907 was owned by Curtis F. Booz of Norwalk.Pine Rock Park has a post office, candy store, and a grocery store. It is in Shelton's second ward. The streets in Pine Rock have Indian names such as Oronoque Trail, Manhanssett Trail, Seneca Trail, Algonkin Road, Ojibwa Road and Shinnicock Trail.

THE END.

PINE ROCK PARK. Known as a housing development on the southern edge of town today, it was actually named in 1900 when the trolley company built a small amusement park and picnic area there to encourage riders on weekends. It was constructed less than a year after the Shelton-Bridgeport line was completed. It only lasted about 10 years, and never really caught on as it was unable to compete with resorts like Bridgeport's Pleasure Beach and West Haven's Savin Rock. In its heyday, however, it had dancing pavilions, a merry-go-round and other amusement park rides, a small zoo, and nicely manicured picnic areas and grounds. A spur line was built to allow trolleys to deposit riders at the park's location on top of the steep hill. One well known feature was the balloon ascensions, which used to attract a large number of people - a stuntman would ride the balloon up, the parachute down.

1905--SHELTON ï¿½ An owl, apparently confused by the light of a trolley near Pine Rock amusement park, flies into the trolley, smashing inside. No one is injured, though all are startled.

1906--SHELTON - Rumors that Pine Rock Park will close are not true. The trolley company announces it will open on Memorial Day.

1906--SHELTON - Pine Rock Park opens for the season. Roller skating has added for first time, in a former dancing pavilion. Dancing will continue in another area of the park. Old favorites like the shooting gallery, fish pond, merry-go-round, swings, and small zoo return. Many visitors arrive by trolley from Derby and Bridgeport.

CREDITS: Various: Last paragraph Derby Historical Society