Moodus: Twine Capital of America

In the 19th and early 20th century, the mills of Moodus produced more cotton twine for cordage and netting than any other place in the country. Walter Cronkite narrates the video.

The smell of onion rolls lingers

Every time I read your article, it brings back my fondest memories. Now I have a lot, I will be 50 soon.

My favorite summers as a kid were from 1963-1972 at Orchard Mansion. It closed in 1972. My father, of blessed memory, had the best sense of humor.  One year he made an OM "Check In Kit" with soft toilet paper, a hook and eye for your door, and a light bulb, among other things. As soon as we checked in, my dad made his way to the TV room where he put a cigarette in the stuffed moose's head. That is how Rose and Herbie and other guests knew THE GRUSKINS have arrived!!  My parents made wonderful friends there and still keep in touch with them.  

I only wish my kids could experience OM.  I always remember milk and cookies with real glasses, square dancing on the patio, playing nucom, the bats on movie nights in the barn, the Purple People that lived in the cemetery, making key chains from lanyard, cracker soup, Lina's awesome hot fudge sundaes for 85 cents, Maxie's rolls (whenever I smell onion rolls, the aroma brings me back to OM instantly).

Thank you so much for bringing a smile to my face and and warm feeling to my heart whenever I read your article.  The closing of OM was a very emotional time for my family and myself.

Best Always,

--Terri Gruskin

Even going to the dump was fun!

My grandparents were Mike and Bertha Elkin.  I spent many childhood summers at Elkin's Bungalows and enjoyed meeting the summer residents from Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.  

I loved walking "down street," our ping pong tournaments, talent shows, watching our mothers play canasta, swimming, and even riding in my grandfather's truck to the dump!

--Nancy Strauss Lewis

Summer life was good in Moodus

Thanks for posting the photos and memories of Orchard Mansion; they're great! My family was there for a week or two in the summer of 1956 and/or '57. The photos of the cabins, pool and especially,  the TV room bring back wonderful memories. A couple of things that I recall that weren't mentioned by others on your site:

-The "canteen" to which we ran we every night after dinner with our nickels to buy packs of gum or candy bars;
-The Nestle's Quik on each table in the dining room;
-The dodge ball games played on a flagstone patio before dinner;
-Going in to town to see a movie: Pat Boone in April Love

Coming from the Long Island suburbs of NY, I also recall, quite fondly, the coolness of the summer nights at Orchard Mansion, the different way the air smelled, and being able to roam freely through the grounds
at twilight, safely, without parents or older brother; noticing a bird or the way the breeze moved the leaves on the trees; becoming aware of the natural world in ways I hadn't been before. For a six-year-old, those
were special feelings. 

Life was good at Orchard Mansion and the Universe was benign – except for the day my brother put peanut butter in my hair and my mother had to cut it out with scissors. ...

With kind regards,

--Stuart Frolick
Los Angeles

History remembered, history lost

I grew up in Moodus on Sillimanville Road.  I periodically visit your website and have been meaning to write to you to say thanks for writing the history of Moodus, the way it really was -- the good, the bad and the ugly. Upon reading all the stories and articles over the years I realize I truly grew up at the wrong time to be in Moodus.  I grew up at the end of the Summer Resort heyday, and watched it all slide downhill from there. 

I remember the Soda Shop, and I remember getting groceries from Uncle Albert (Pear) as I used to call him.  I went to Synagogue when it was on North Moodus road, my Bar Mitzvah was there.  I worked for a short time as Pistol Pete's sidekick up at Banner Lodge.  I remember the Weiner Resort, Banner Lodge, Grand View, Klar Crest, all of them.... and I saw each, one by one, close and wither away. 

I remember the old downtown, I was old enough to ride my bicycle there stopping for a soda at Weinstein's and then heading on down to Neptune Avenue to meet up with John Bielot.  I remember the town being leveled too.  Just one day it wasn't there anymore.  

I even remember getting fresh eggs from Simon's farm and being shown how to "candle" eggs. I remember Jack Banner getting so annoyed because Pistol Pete and I couldn't seem to catch who was putting the row boat into the pool at night.

Yes, memories of Moodus are mixed for me.  I had some fun, but even at a young age I could see and recognize the town being destroyed, the history being lost. I remember the arson fires at Wieners and also at the place next door to Debowsky's house.  My dad had his first heart attack while up on our roof with a hose putting out the embers from the two fires that were landing on our house. I think one of the Bungalows across the street also burned (forget the names of the family that owned them). 

I graduated High School in 1976, did some college in Hartford and joined the Navy leaving Moodus in 1977.  I never looked back. Well, I say never, but I visited once or twice and I came back to bury my parents in late 2000 and early 2001.  It's seems like only the cemeteries can be used as landmarks anymore as people don't tend to build or pave over them.... yet.

I do have hopes that the children of those who moved into the area in the 80's and later, to the new Moodus, create new memories -- ones of growth and building up, and maybe adding to the history of the area.  From what I saw in 2001, they pretty much have a clean slate to work with. 

Again, thanks for the website,

 --Miles-Kevin Baron

From summer camp to double dating

I was discussing Moodus with a friend of mine the other day and she said that she would love to spend a weekend as we did in the 50’s and 60’s.  I used to love to come with my parents, their friends and family, as well as the family dog. There was always much to do and the camp counselors kept us busy all day.

I remember going another year with one of my friends and her family. I was a little older and had a double date with one of the locals. His name was Louie Pear. That’s about all I remember about the date, other than I accidentally sat on some blueberries in the front seat of his car!!

Anyone have any details on Louie?  I’m approaching age 61 so I would venture to say this took place around 1962-1965.

Can you recommend a weekend getaway in Moodus this summer?

--Ilene Jackson