Sally E. Bahner
Jeff Bailey describes himself as “Oz behind the curtain.” Peel back the curtain and we find a readily accessible treasure trove of Branford history.
Before the Branford Eagle, the Branford Review, the Sound and the Patch, there was, more than a century ago, the Branford Opinion, a print newspaper. Now Bailey has brought it back to life via the Internet at branfordopinion.com along with the Branford Gleaner, Branford News, and Guilford Echo, all under the umbrella of the Branford Opinion.
Bailey spends his days on websites. He has been with Channel 8 (WTNH) for 20 years and is now executive producer for its website. His hobby, however, takes him into the past.
His branfordopinion.com website has the look of an old newspaper and all the stories from its era yet the convenience and usability of today’s technology. Click here for the website, whose date is Sept. 9, 1899.
Bailey: A History Buff
Describing himself as a curious person, Bailey said it all started on a whim. “I like getting into history and saw some photos of old Branford.”
He saw a reference to the newspaper, Branford Opinion, and was intrigued by its non-political reference. “So many papers from that time had “Republican” or “Democrat” as part of their titles,” he said in an interview.
With Permission
Bailey (pictured) bought the domain name, not exactly sure what he would do with it. He then realized that the Branford Opinion had been archived by Google. (If you type “Google archive” you’ll get a search box. Type in “Branford Opinion” and you’ll find scanned articles.) That formed the backbone of his website along with “snippets” from the library. He was also intrigued by photos found on shorpy.com, which has archival photos from the Library of Congress.
He finally launched the website in late 2011.
In terms of appearance the online version has the typography and layout of the old newspapers. Bailey said he likes the 1910-11 Gothic style lettering. Along the right column, there’s a list of facts about Branford: Population of 6,047 as of the 1910 census; the Blackstone Public Library; trolley service; 12 miles of state roads; up-to-date high school and first-class school system; and other facts making Branford an appealing place to live even back then.
Bailey was born and raised in Oregon. He moved to Connecticut in 1991 when he started work with Channel 3 (WFSB). Despite his non-native origins, he discovered he has Connecticut roots on both side of his family, with the distinguished family names Leete and Foote. “It’s the family DNA coming back to roost,” he said. He lives in the Indian Neck area of Branford.
Publishing A Daily A Century Ago
Bailey said the articles are “a faithful reproduction, typos and all.” He posts the stories within the time frame they originally appeared, rather like a “this day in Branford history.” There is a distinctly different way of writing.
For Aug. 22, 1903, under the headline “Sioux Indians Here,” the Branford Opinion featured an article about a party of Sioux Indians who were guests of Mrs. Robert M. Wilcox at the Bungalow.
Of course, Mrs. Robert M. Wilcox was none other than the poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox of Short Beach, who was well known for her gatherings of interesting people of the day.
Did you know that Branford had an annual fair, sponsored by the Branford Agricultural Society? The dates for 1903 were Sept. 7, 8, 9, and 10. Here’s the description: “The programme for the four days embraces mammoth agricultural exhibits, track exhibitions, sensational aerial acts, brilliant speed contests, first-class vaudeville and an immense card of other stellar attractions too numerous to mention.” The extravaganza was held at the Branford Driving Park, but Bailey has not been able to determine its location. Any guesses?
Did you know that dogs had to be licensed as early as 1908? That’s according to a notice from April, 24, 1908.
The current Amtrak bridge project has nothing on construction of this well-known stretch of road: “At the special town meeting it was voted to make application for $10,000 to be sent to Highway Commissioner Macdonald for the new section of State road through the center of the town from the corner of Montowese and Maine Streets to Buckley’s corner in West Main Street. The State will build the trunk road from Mill Plain to East Haven without any expense to the town.” That was from Jan. 26, 1912.
State news and national news were not ignored. There was a mention of the construction of the state capitol in the April 26, 1878, edition of the Branford News, with an Editor’s note that it was completed for the opening of the General Assembly in January 1879. And there was a story on capital punishment in the Jan. 5, 1906, edition, cited as a “relic of barbarism.” The op-ed was in response to the execution of a woman. The author surmised that banishment to Siberia as was done in “darkest Russia” was “possibly their opportunity to retaliate is in the line of our treatment of criminals.” There was also a report on the death of President William McKinley on Sept. 21, 1901.
On the lighter side, there were society notices, such as summer residents closing up for the season and returning to the city. And weddings – from April 26, 1878: “Never before has the fashionable people of Branford been so excited as on Wednesday evening, over the marriage of one of our most respectable citizens, Mr. Thomas Carney to one of Branford’s fairest daughters, Miss Maggie Clancy.”
And what would a local newspaper be without obituaries? The deaths of George Lanphier and 9‑year-old Mabel Mathers were reported in the May 4, 1906 edition, and the obituary of Mrs. Benjamin Hosley, “a very active lady for one of her advanced years,” appeared in the Feb. 17, 1911 paper. There was also a lengthy obituary on Dec. 8, 1911, for Alden M. Young of Pine Orchard, “one of the most prominent electrical experts in this part of the country,” who died “very suddenly of heart failure … in New York City.”
If some of the names sound familiar, it’s because they can still be found among Branford residents today. Branford’s roots go deep. Jeff Bailey’s project serves as a reminder that newspapers and journalism serve to keep those roots strong and healthy.
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I have a guess about the location of the Branford Driving Park. I'm wondering if it was where the business park across from the Stop n Shop is now. Several years back, when there was debate about what to do with that property, I had heard a race track of some sort used to be there, many years before that. I would think you could find out about it at Town Hall.