Windsor's 325th Anniversary Parade
See photos of the parade at the bottom of this page.
Windsor's 325th Anniversary parade was held on Saturday, September 27, 1958. It began at 6:00 PM and traversed from Windsor High School to Capen Street, Crest Drive, Remington Road, Broad Street and finally to Bloomfield Avenue and the John Fitch School where it disbanded. The historical parade had four divisions. The parade was led by a police escort and color guard. The first division was composed of military units while the last three sections recounted the story of Windsor from 1633 to 1776, 1776 to 1900 and from 1900 to 1958.
The following information is taken from newspaper accounts of the parade.
First Division:
Windsor Police (pictured below)
Connecticut State Police
Honorary Parade Marshals U.S. Senator William Purtell and Mayor James Hartnett, and Parade Marshals U.S. Rep. Edwin H. May, Jr., U.S. Rep. Antoni N. Sadlak, Irving Christensen, Franklin P.O. Potter, Robert W. Hoskins, Francis A. Cunningham, Milo W. Peck, Alphonse T. Gariepy and Town Manager Robert Weiss.
Also: Reverend Leslie Davis, Reverend Harold F. Daly, Reverend William A. Jones, James J. Dillon, Sr., Oliver J. Thrall, Charles E. Mahoney, John Christensen, John Sponzo, Leland P. Wilson, Daniel Howard, Leland P. Granger, William E. Hastings and Phillip E. Ellsworth.
Town of Windsor float: A 400 pound birthday cake, 5 feet in diameter, 7 feet tall, made by John Winalski, the Manager and owner of Hesston Robinson Bakery of Hartford, Connecticut. Following the parade, the cake was cut into 2,000 slices with a Civil War saber.
Chamber of Commerce float featuring "Miss Windsor"
Lt. Col. John Glennon of the CT Air National Guard and his staff led the first division marching units that included marchers from the U.S. Marine Corps at the New London sub base:
70th Special Infantry Co.
U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
U.S. Navy Reserve Surface Div. 3-5
Eighth Air Force Band from Westover, MA AFB
103rd Fighter squadron, Conn. National Guard
364th Field Arty. Bn., U.S. Army Reserve
Tank Co., 169th Inf. Regt., 43rd Div. Conn. National Guard
Batry. A of the 11th Missile Bn., U.S. Army
Manchester Unit of the Conn. State Guard
Second Division:
James J. Dillon Jr., assisted by Aaron Sisitzky and Fire Chief Anthony W. Jezouit commanded the second division that commemorated the history of Windsor from 1633 to 1776.
The second division included:
A color guard of explorer Scouts leading a tribe of Indians, including Chief Thunder, on a horse, Chief Visiting Cloud Chief Dapok, Happy Boy, an Indian maiden, and a group of other Indians, all on ponies.
The Windsor High School Band
The Tankeroosen Tribe of Redmen from Rockville
A float showing an old hunting tree and Indian village
Dutch windmill and boat float in remembrance of the early Dutch settlers
Marchers in early costumes
A float showing the Old Meeting House
Captain John mason and soldiers portrayed by the Ptnam Phalanx
An old dunking chair and stocks float carrying members of Troop 149, BSA
An oxen team and wagon
Old Warham Grist Mill float
Prominent men of the early years float
Old school house float
Tobacco float
Agriculture float
First meeting House float
A float with what was believed to have been the press which printed the first Courant in 1764
Third Division:
Maj. Frank W. Carmon Jr., assisted by Fire Chief John Pratt commanded the third division commemorating the history of Windsor from 1776 to 1900.
Putnam Phalanx color guard
Spirit of 1776 portrayed by the Warehouse Point Band
Colonial soldiers portrayed by the Putnam Phalanx
Betsy Ross float
Remington Riders of Farmington
Covered wagon with scouts
Wagon with mules
Hartford Times float (pictured below)
Sphinx Drum Corps, Temple Patrol, Washington Commandery and Motor Patrol (pictured below)
Bridgeport Shriners Temple
Bridgeport stagecoach
Orphe Rebekah drill team
Orphe Rebekah Lodge float
Syria Grotto
Washington Lodge No. 70 of Windsor
The Windsor band
Windsor Fire Department color guard
A bucket brigade, hose reel, old pump truck and a horse drawn fire engine
Marching Fire Departments included: Windsor Fire Company, Hayden Station, Poquonock, Wilson, Wethersfield, Simsbury, Bloomfield Center and Blue Hills.
Whip City Fife and Drum Corps
Immaculate Conception Band of Hartford
Town of Bloomfield float with the town's firemen
Town of South Windsor Color Guard
South Windsor American Legion post
South Windsor Fire Department
"Miss East Windsor" led the east Windsor and Warehouse Point Fire Departments
Town of East Granby float
East Granby, Granby and East Hartland Fire Departments
"Miss Windsor Locks" rode the Windsor Locks Chamber of Commerce float
Windsor Locks Fire Department
St. Mary's Fife and Drum Corps
Vernon Exchange Club float carried the Vernon town queen
Vernon and Suffield Fire Departments
Hartford Junior Chamber of Commerce with "Miss Jaycee" in a convertible
Windsor Post Office float (pictured below)
Pony Express rider and Post Office marching unit
Mack Brick yard float
Trinity Methodist Church Couples Club float
Windsor Young Adults Fellowship float (pictured below)
Hayden Station Social Club float
G. Fox and Co. float depicting the firm in 1847 (pictured below)
James W. Duane assisted by Fire Chief Richard C. Clark led the fourth division which brought Windsor from 1900 to the present (1958.)
Fourth Division:
The Royal Typewriter band of Hartford
American Legion Post No. 59, Windsor color guard
American Legion Post No. 59 marching unit and ladies auxiliary
VFW Post 4740 color guard
VFW Post 4740 float, post members and auxiliary marchers
VFW Cooties and horse marching units
Town of Windsor Civil Defense Units
Windsor Auxiliary Police
Hartford Polish Legion of American Veterans
Polish Dramatic Club in native costumes
Franco-American War Veteran color guard and marching units from posts in Hartford, Bristol and New Britain
Royal cadets Drill Team of Hartford
Hartford VFW Post 254 color guard and marching unit
Teenage Roadsters Club "Birthday cake to Windsor" float
Windsor Grange float
Hartford County Model "A" Restorers Club
Windsor Old Car Club
Dogs and a wagon
Windjammers Club float
St. Bridget's Boys Fife and Drum Corps from West Hartford
Explorer Scouts color guard
Troop 206 Boy Scouts of America float
St. Bridget's Girls Fife and Drum Corps from West Hartford
BSA Troop 139 float
BSA Troop 203 float
Cub Scout Pack 203 float
Marching units from Pack 160 from Suffield
Windsor Little Leaguers
Groups from YMCA and YWCA
Knights of Columbus Council 3181 float
St. Gabriel's Church and School float
Immaculate Conception Band
Fourth Degree K. of C. color guard and marching units
Fourth Degree Knights
Steve Wasik Degree Team No. 3181
Windsor Lions Club Float
Exchange Club Float
Elks float
Windsor Civic Citizens float
Windsor Police Department float
Record Hop float
Deerfield School float
Loomis School marching unit
Cars carrying former town constables
Young GOP Club of Windsor float
League of Women Voters float
Windsor Democrats float
Fleetridge Dairy float
Anita's Beauty Salon float
Old County Manor Association of Windsor Locks float
Paul's Boat Company float
Windsor Outdoor Boating Club float
Click on photo to enlarge
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