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Moodus Center Before the 1906 Fire
It was a growing mill town on the bank of the Moodus River
Before the 1906 Fire
Looking north toward Main Street (now Falls Rd., Rte 149). The green with its Civil War monument is on the right, the Amasa Day House barely seen on the left.
Looking west at the Music Hall, Purple & Silliman and T.R. Spencer, all destroyed in the fire.
The business district showing two of the three buildings burned to the ground (left). The green is to the right (c. 1904).
The Music Hall is in the foreground with Purple & Silliman its neighbor (c. 1905).
Mill owner Albert E. Purple's Probate office was upstairs, Purple & Silliman dry goods store was below. It later moved to a building next door (c. 1900).
Thaddeus R. Spencer's store was lost to the fire (c. 1900).
The January, 28, 1906, fire destroyed several buildings in Moodus Center. It was said to have been started by thieves in the Purple & Silliman store.
A view looking west of the section of town destroyed by the fire (1906).
The Rebuilt Center Prospered for Decades
Millworkers, farmers, and vacationers shopped and gathered there in the first half of the 1900s
In Its Heyday
Looking east up Long Hill, now Rte 149. Brownell's lower mill is on the left, the Machimoodus House on the right (1910).
The Moodus Green with Main St. buildings rebuilt after the 1906 fire (1911).
The eastern section of the business district with Moodus Drug Store and Moodus Tavern behind Zelvin's in the foreground (1935).
Looking west on Main St. with the Finast grocery store behind the first location of Weinstein's Soda Shop, later occupied by Levine's Soda Shop (1935)
A winter view of Weinstein's shop, later the location of Bill Levine's soda shop (1934).
L. Zelvin storefront (1935).
Louis Zelvin in front of his store (1935).
Helen Zelvin in her parents' store (1935).
Moodus Drug Store, next door to Zelvin's (1935).
Patrons, or proud owners, of Moodus Tavern, which was adjacent to Moodus Drug Store (1930s).
A.E. Olmstead in front of his market (1940s).
The old village center is in the center of the picture, by the fork in the road of Falls Road (Rte. 149) and the now-closed access to North Moodus Road. The lumber yard is at the bottom of the photo, with Cashman's Garage, now Moodus Package Store, above it.
Moodus Center prospered during the first half of the 1900s, as evidenced by this c. 1938 photo of the busy business district.
Albert Pear's popular meat market (1960s)
The stairs on the left (at Pear's Market) led to The Gem Gallery. Those on the right (at Ray McMullen's Rexall drug store) led to Joe Tesar's barber shop (1960s)
Rexall Drugs, Pear's Dry Goods, and the Post Office (1960s).
The business district looking east, with the Post Office on the left. The building with the enclosed porch was a private residence (1960s).
Another view looking east, with Village Pizza, Ray's Food Mart and Mom's Luncheonette just past the private house (1960s).
Looking west from the fork in the road that branched to North Moodus Rd. from Falls Rd. The lot on the left is where 7-11 stands today, the green is in the center, at the roadway signs (1960s).
Harry Weinstein's Soda Shop was a popular gathering spot (1960s).
Another view looking west from Axelrod's Service Station. The sharp, downhill turnoff into North Moodus Rd. is on the right, just past the two parked cars, which shows the rooftop view of homes there (1940s).
This 1950s view shows Mrs. Levine's residence on the left with First National grocery and Levine's Soda Shop to the right. The stack of street signs behind the pedestrian are at the fork leading to North Moodus Rd. on the left with Falls Rd. continuing on the right. They point the way to the many North Moodus resorts.
A 1948 funeral procession for WWII hero Melvin Baron.
A Memorial Day parade down the Moodus main street in the 1950s.
Residents Were Sold on 'Progress'
Town voters approved destroying the village in order to save it