A Hill Legend Honored

The corners of Ann and Kossuth streets in New Haven’s Hill Neighborhood will now have a third moniker: Catherine Sutton Dawson Way.

Dawson was a champion of her neighborhood, a longtime Yale-New Haven Hospital employee, a mom, an active member of St. Matthews Free Will Baptist Church, a Democratic ward committee co-chairwoman, wife of former Alderman (and current mayoral candidate) Anthony ​“Tony” Dawson — and beloved.

Dawson passed in June of 2009. (Read her obit here.) This past sunny Saturday afternoon, two years later, neighbors, family and friends came together at the beginning of the street where she lived to watch the unveiling of the sign that held her name.

The Rev. Sean Hardy, a member of Agape Christian Center, led a prayer: ​“History was taking place on Ann Street,” and ​“over the time she was with us, her work spoke for itself.”

“Cathy was just as active as her husband, but she didn’t seek the credit. Cathy just did the work,” said Hill Alderwoman Andrea Jackson-Brooks (at center in photo).

Dressed in blue, former Secretary of State (and current U.S. Senate candidate) Susan Bysiewicz,spoke about her relationship with Cathey. ​“She encouraged people like me who wanted to serve, and I know I wouldn’t be in public service had it not been for help help and support,” Byseiwicz said.

A slight glitch in the otherwise smooth ceremony: when the family pulled the unveiling cord, the cover remained on the sign. Erick Teel dashed over to Tony Dawson’s house and got a ladder. Minutes later, he removed the cover.

A block party, complete with a cookout in Dawson’s backyard, followed.