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Stratford's History 1938-1989

(The following Stratford History was taken from The Stratford Bard 350th Founder's Day Parade Issue.  The Stratford Bard 350th Founder's Day Parade Issue was generously shared with us by the Stratford Historical Society).

1938   Hurricane.  Hon. Raymond E. Baldwin elected Governor of Connecticut.
1939 Sept. 14, first flight of VS-300, world’s first practical helicopter.  Sept. 30, Tercentenary week begins –three day pageant at Longbrook Park.  Oct. 7, William Samuel Johnson Day parade has 2,000 marchers, 23 floats, nine military units, the governor and his foot guard.
1940 Sept. 2, Merritt Parkway bridge open.  Oct. 1, XF4U·1 piloted by Lyman BuIIard is first American fighter plane to exceed 400 miles per hour in level flight.  
1943 Vought Sikorsky divides into Chance Vought and Sikorsky; then Sikorsky moves to Bridgeport.
1949 Chance Vought moves to Dallas, Texas.  Mrs. Hildreth (Betty Peck) Winton bakes pies for her college alumni fund drive.  Feb. 21, David Boothe dies and wills Boothe Park to Stratford.
1951 February, Avco-Lycoming moves into old Vought plant to make engines.  July 5, ground broken for two junior high schools: Johnson and Wooster.  Nov. 1, City Savings Bank opens branch in Stratford at the Green.
1953 Dec. 21, People's Savings Bank opens first branch on Main Street in Stratford.
1954 Katharine Cornell breaks ground for American Shakespeare Theatre.
1955 Sikorsky returns to Stratford to a new plant in Oronoque. July 12, First presentation at Shakespeare Theatre is Julius Caesar.
1958 Jan. 2, Formal opening of Connecticut Turnpike, I-95.
1962 Oct. 6, Opening ceremonies at Connecticut National Guard Armory.
1963 Morris Carnovsky plays King Lear.  Stratford Trust Co. absorbed by CityTrust.
1964 January. Stratford Industrial Center Inc. founded to develop 800 acres.
1972 New solid waste secondary treatment plant and extended mains.
1979 Nov. 1, Raymond E. Baldwin Senior Center opens.
1982 Aug. 8, expanded library dedicated.
1983 July 21, State pays theater mortgage and property becomes state’s first state cultural park.  Refurbishment of plant commences.
1988 Raybestos factory is closed. Oct. 21, University of Connecticut President Dr. John Casteen announces formation of the Stratford Institute during a reception at American Festival Theatre. December, Stratford Theater closes.
1989 Stratford's 350th Anniversary celebration.

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Events from 1637 to 1939 are from the Rev. Stanley Sellick’s records on file at the First Congregational Church.  Much of the information was compiled by M. Hale and published for the 300th anniversary. Town Historian Louis Knapp has provided the Bard with an update from 1939 to 1989. These historical facts were put together by Bard Editor Dorothy Euerle. (All the foregoing was taken from The Stratford Bard 350th Founder's Day Parade Issue.  The Stratford Bard 350th Founder's Day Parade Issue was generously shared with us by the Stratford Historical Society).