THIS WEEK IN GREENWICH HISTORY (August 8-15) August 12, 1783: A post-Revolutionary War plea from inhabitants of the Town, to wit a Town Meeting resolution asked for some equity in sharing the “burdens” of the war; that tax abatement be considered for Greenwich; and that the General Assembly reimburse losses and damages occasioned not only by the enemy but by “both parties,” in consideration of the fact that Greenwich was a garrison town and its inhabitants were harassed by both. Apparently even those fighting for the revolutionary cause had “distressed’ Greenwich residents. General John Mead was appointed agent of the town to secure from the General Assembly “redress of the Town grievances.” On August 10, 1928 the engagement of Mary Josephine (Polly) Lauder of Greenwich to world champion prizefighter Gene Tunney was announced. They were subsequently married in October in Rome. Apparently the groom told the bride that he would give up boxing for her; he only fought one more time after they married. It was on August 11, 1974 that the Museum of Cartoon Art opened in a rented turn-of-the-century mansion on Field Point Road, the first museum of its kind. It subsequently moved to Comely Avenue in Rye, NY, to an eye-catching castle with 4 floors and a turret and remained there until it moved once again to Boca Raton, FL. In the intervening years it provided hours of oustanding viewing, social and political history, and laughs for locals and visitors--old and young alike. Sources: Greenwich Before 2000, Susan Richardson, ed., HSTG, 2000; Carl White, “The Museum of Cartoon Art,” Historically Speaking, April 11, 2014, a Greenwich Library Local History blog
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 20:39:44 +0000
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