My own little room

I spent four summers at Breslow’s in Moodus with my parents and sister. I believe they were the summers of 1958-1961. I was 10 years old that first summer and 13 the last.

My memories of those summers are so wonderful. I remember:

•Softball games against other resorts and camps
•Walking down the road almost a mile for ice cream
•Waiting at the entrance to the resort on Friday evenings for my father to come up for the weekend
•All the kids bunny hopping out of the casino on Saturday nights so the adults could party
•The town of Moodus
•Gillette’s Castle
•Devil’s Hopyard
•Goodspeed Opera House

The four years we were at Breslow’s, the resort was owned by the Cohen brothers—Frank and Richard(?). Their wives were Micki and Marcia. Frank and Micki were newlyweds. Richard(?) and Marcia had a baby while we were there. For some reason, the baby’s name has stuck in mind mind—Amy Beth Cohen (ABC).

During the fourth summer, I had my own little room on the top floor of one of the older buildings. Boy, did I feel great!

My family went back to Moodus for holiday weekends in 1964 and 1967. We stayed at Klar Crest. The weekend in 1964 was most memorable. I was 16 and had just graduated high school. Klar Crest was packed that weekend, with over 100 teenagers. We had a fantastic time. Think about it — over 100 teenagers hanging out all day and night for three days and not once was there any trouble.

I loved summers in Moodus so much that I brought my wife and two kids back in 1975 and 1976. We again stayed at Klar Crest. When I reminded Dave Klar of that big holiday weekend in 1964 with all those teenagers, he remembered it well.

I just found your website and saw the old pictures of Breslow’s, Klar Crest and Moodus. Wow!! They brought back these wonderful thoughts.

Thank you for you website

--Allen Fetterman

Bussing tables at Weiner's

You are the answer to my prayers!!

I spent probably 10 summer vacations at Weiner's in the mid 50's to maybe 1965. I recall Milton & Pearl (the owners) and their 4 children JoAnne, Frances (aka Cissy), Bobby and Mickey (he's in the ad!). Turned out my late mother and Pearl nee Samuels attended Thomas Jefferson HS in Brooklyn together. They lost touch after they graduated in 1940.

So I'm told, one spring day, while cruising around the Moodus area, my parents in their 1952 Buick, happened to stop at Weiner's, looking for a place to spend their upcoming summer vacation.

My mom looked at Pearl, she looked at my mom and there was a scream of recogition from the both of them.

I have such great memories I could talk/write for hours.

If I recall correctly, Milton passed away from a heart attack while doing some work on the grounds and Pearl died not soon afterward from heart disease too.

This was maybe 1965? I recall my last visit was more than likely the Jewish Holiday period in the fall of '65.

I had the job of walking the property sounding the "meal bell" for the guests. It had been ordained I would return the following season to begin my "summer career"
bussing the long tables in the "children's dining room," which would eventually lead to waiting tables in the "adult's dining room". Alas, that never came to pass.

I recall a boy named I think Miles Baron whose mother was an accountant, living adjacent to the hotel maybe.

I'm sure the property is long since developed into a bunch of private homes but I feel this need to drive up and look.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Ira H. Rubin, Jersey City, NJ

Fond memories of the joint

I stumbled upon your site of Orchard Mansion. I was a kid when my parents went there as guests. And from there I went on to work a few summers. To this day I have very fond memories of that joint.

--Rick Millman

Beautiful country

What a great site! I will be visiting and doing family research in mid October in the Moodus/East Haddam/Haddam/Middletown area and appreciate all your information.

I'm descended from the original Daniel Cone and will be researching he and his family and my "line" etc. I am looking forward to seeing your beautiful country.

--Joanne, Ohio

Kids off by themselves

I was searching for Banner Lodge. When I was between two and 14 from 1965-1977, my family would all go to the Lodge.

This would be the only time I and my three cousins could be by ourselves. We would have lunch in the coffee shop and then to the pool for a day of fun. The big deal was to jump off of the high diving board. I did it twice. The fathers would all play golf and bocce.

Than we would all get changed for dinner. But first we would take dancing lessons at the bandstand at the end of the pool.

After dinner the kids would go to the pool room, with the pool table, pinball machines and TV. The adults would go downstairs to the show.

How I wanted to take my children there. What a shame it is all gone.

--Robin Smith, Derby, CT

Visiting downtown Moodus

As an 80 year old who used to spend summers visiting my grandparents who lived at the top of Methodist Hill and visiting the "downtown" area of Moodus I enjoyed reading your web site.

The entrance to my grandparents house was between the old St. Bridgets and the Jewish Community center opposite the Methodist cemetery.

Jack Banner and Lanny Ross used to stop by and visit with my Uncle Raymond Harris.

I played on the dam behind the house with the Smith boys. Barney, Tom and Henry. The Turczeks lived between the Smiths and the Harries and there was an old man, retarded I think, who sat on their porch all day long.

The mills were standing in those days and the mill next to the Smiths was still operating as the Cone Mill.

My grandparents and great grandparents are buried in the Methodist cemetery at the top of the hill along with a lot of familiar names. We used to collect walnuts from the trees that grew on the south side and dry them over the winter.

I have fond memories of it all.

--Richard Harris, Avon, CT

The amazing Izzy and Dizzy

I was the only kid guest at Banner Lodge in 1945-49. My parents were regulars.

The wait staff had twin brothers, Izzy and Dizzy, who befuddled guests at the weekly lakefront competition in retrieving dessert plates from underwater. The best a guest might do was 15-20 plates. Izzy would dive in and stay under for the longest time, absolutely amazing guests on shore. When he finally came up, with 50 plates in hand, everyone was astounded. What they didn't know was that when he ran out of air he would surface UNDER the raft, where Dizzy would take over, and they'd work as a relay team and win every time.

My parents were Morris (Skee) Batalsky and Evelyn. Their best friends at Banner were George and Eva Mandell, from Hartford. Skee and George are pictured on the web site with a 1947 beauty queen on stage, Skee on the far right, George on the far left.

Those were as happy days as I have ever experienced.

Gary Gilson, Minneapolis