Cornwall Chronicle

Cornwall Chronicle The Cornwall Chronicle is a monthly newsletter that covers current and historical stories about Corn

The Cornwall Chronicle was founded in 1991 by Tom Bevans, aided and abetted by his wife Margaret. Tom was outraged – he was a man to whom outrage came often and easily – by the inadequacy of the coverage Cornwall received in the local press. Bevans, a talented graphic artist who had been in charge of design at Simon & Schuster, created a publication that, in format and content, has scarcely change

d since the first issue. Spencer and Bobby Klaw, who took over as publishers when Tom and Margaret could no longer manage it, matched the Bevans’s dedication to the Chronicle. Both were retired editors, he of the Columbia Journalism Review and she of American Heritage. Leadership of the paper eventually passed to an editorial board of 8 to 12 members (see below for the current roster) aided by a cadre of volunteer editors, writers and artists, who have produced 22 years of issues without ever missing a month. Cornwall is densely populated with good writers, some of whom have spent most of their careers as reporters, editors or authors. Many former writers for Time, the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times and other publications have contributed to the Chronicle. But most writing is done by people who have never set foot in a newsroom or a publishing house, such as a social worker, a farmer and a salesman of foundry products. A print edition of the Chronicle is distributed free to 1,100 Cornwall residents plus 250 out of town subscribers. The paper has a no-advertising policy, and all the revenues of the not-for-profit publication are provided by donations from readers.

Please be advised that College Street in the area of Seeley Road & the town line will be closed to through traffic until...
06/23/2026

Please be advised that College Street in the area of Seeley Road & the town line will be closed to through traffic until Saturday.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will be on site conducting environmental remediation following a box truck accident that resulted in a fuel spill.

Motorists are asked to seek alternate routes and use caution in the area.

LEGO Club: June 26 from 5 to 6 P.M. Join the monthly LEGO club meeting for ages 5 and up. We provide the bricks. Registe...
06/23/2026

LEGO Club: June 26 from 5 to 6 P.M. Join the monthly LEGO club meeting for ages 5 and up. We provide the bricks. Register at cornwalllibrary.org.

Cornwall’s Dogs RevisitedIt’s been far too long since we updated this essential survey, and so I called Town Clerk Kathr...
06/22/2026

Cornwall’s Dogs Revisited

It’s been far too long since we updated this essential survey, and so I called Town Clerk Kathryn Lee for a report. She replied promptly with some interesting changes. The most popular dog is now the Australian shepherd, replacing the Labrador. Aussies are attractive and highly intelligent, but also known for their very high energy and barking. Given Cornwall’s older population, this is a surprising breed for our top dog.

Another change is the presence of a dozen designer dogs; these are mixes of a standard poodle with another breed. Cornwall has many variants including one sheepadoodle, which is not an actual sheep, but a mix with an old English sheepdog. The most frequent mixtures are labradoodles and goldendoodles. I have no experience with either, but came close last summer with a play date between our black Labrador Legend and Roxana Robinson’s standard poodle Katie. After an hour of urging both dogs into our pool with mixed results, we let them relax on the lawn. Legend lay down and quietly chewed on a stick while Katie bounded around him joyfully. Picture Dustin Hoffman and Ginger Rogers.

What would a union of these two be like? They are both highly intelligent breeds and valued as service dogs. The poodle is especially good at medical alerts. But their energy levels and temperaments are different.

Doodles are undeniably cute, but would you end up with a super dog or a fancy mutt? As well as a high-priced one. Breeders charge $2,500 to $7,500 for a doodle puppy.

I tried for an evenhanded opinion from AI, which has no skin in the game and so far, has no skin at all. I asked a chatbot what to expect from a new labradoodle puppy. It replied: “Overall a loving intelligent companion but too high-energy and needy for your age. Get something smaller.” The chatbot knew my age from a previous talk about knee pain, but not the fact that I consider anything smaller than 50 lbs. not a proper dog.

Meanwhile Google, who knows all my interests and thoughts, sent me an article from Smithsonian Magazine titled “Doodles May Have More Behavioral Problems than Their Purebred Parents.” The article reviewed a study by an animal behaviorist in England who asked 9,000 owners of cockapoos and labradoodles about 12 behaviors, including trainability and aggression. The crossbreeds had more behavioral problems than their purebred progenitors in 44 percent of comparisons, and fewer in only ten percent. Is this study meaningful? I doubt it. Many critics dismissed it because it paid no attention to the effect of the owners.

Like them or not, designer dogs are a multi-billion-dollar business and are here to stay. We may as well welcome them as just another breed to argue about or make fun of. And crossbreeding can bring out interesting traits. As Stanley Coren wrote in How to Speak Dog: “A man once told me his dog was half pit bull and half poodle. It wasn’t much good as a guard dog, but it was a vicious gossip.”

—Ed Ferman

🎨: Michael Heming (June 2025 Chronicle illustration)

From Cornwall Park & Recreation:Calling all local artisans and businesses! Taste of Cornwall is looking for vendors to h...
06/21/2026

From Cornwall Park & Recreation:
Calling all local artisans and businesses! Taste of Cornwall is looking for vendors to highlight the best our community has to offer at our event on August 8 from 4 to 7 P.M. Email [email protected] for an application.

From Cornwall Park & Recreation: Tuesday June 30. Senior bus trip on Tuesday, June 30, from 10 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. UCC Par...
06/20/2026

From Cornwall Park & Recreation:
Tuesday June 30. Senior bus trip on Tuesday, June 30, from 10 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. UCC Parish House for the bus to White Flower Farm and later lunch at Popey’s Café. Space is limited. Email [email protected] to sign up.

Cornwall’s 250th Anniversary Quilt Quilts and quilting, for winter warmth, crafting pleasure, or to make a statement, h...
06/19/2026

Cornwall’s 250th Anniversary Quilt

Quilts and quilting, for winter warmth, crafting pleasure, or to make a statement, have always had a place in our country’s history. Quilts appear in local history as well, as seen in the virtual exhibit currently at the Connecticut Historical Society’s “Pieces of American History: Connecticut Quilts.”

Following this tradition, the Cornwall Historical Society has commissioned a commemorative quilt to be presented at the Cornwall Agricultural Fair in September 2026, as a celebration of our country’s 250th anniversary.

Joyce Keisman and Ann Gold co-chair the Cornwall quilters’ effort, with Eileen Gargan and Stephanie Mahoney serving along-side them on the committee. Seventeen women are creating the quilt, using different fabrics and designs, to create a vision of Cornwall today. Each quilter brings a unique perspective on what Cornwall means, capturing both her personal experiences and our shared history. Together, the quilters have developed a shared palette and aesthetic.

The quilt will feature a tapestry of Cornwall landmarks and traditions, including a map of the town highlighting Cornwall Bridge, Cornwall Village, West Cornwall, and Cornwall Hollow. Other elements will include the Sedgwick Memorial, Mohawk Mountain in winter, the beloved summer rummage sale, family barns, Yelping Hill, town hall, our iconic Covered Bridge, the historical society, Cathedral Pines, and more.

At the end of June, the quilt will be assembled and sent to the longarm quilter. A longarm quilter is not a person with spidery arms, but rather the 10-to-14-foot sewing machine used to sew together the quilt, batting, and backing. The finished quilt will measure approximately 65 by 77 inches, excluding borders, and will hang in Cornwall Town Hall. The 250th Anniversary quilt will also display a message that celebrates Cornwall and its inhabitants of today.

—Kevin Fisher

📸: https://www.connecticutmuseum.org/exhibition/pieces-of-american-history-connecticut-quilts/

From Cornwall Park & Rec:Annual town picnic at Hammond Town Beach on Tuesday, June 23, from 6 to 8 P.M. Bring your own p...
06/18/2026

From Cornwall Park & Rec:
Annual town picnic at Hammond Town Beach on Tuesday, June 23, from 6 to 8 P.M. Bring your own picnic. Ice cream provided by the Agricultural Commission. Lifeguards on duty.

Call for Cornwall artists! Save the date for the 2026 Friends of Rose Algrant Art Show on August 7 to 9 at Cornwall Cons...
06/17/2026

Call for Cornwall artists! Save the date for the 2026 Friends of Rose Algrant Art Show on August 7 to 9 at Cornwall Consolidated School. For more information, visit rosealgrantartshow.org.

From Cornwall Park & Recreation:Saturday June 27. Mental health resources. Cornwall Village Green from 9 A.M. to 12:30 P...
06/16/2026

From Cornwall Park & Recreation:
Saturday June 27. Mental health resources. Cornwall Village Green from 9 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. Mental health organizations will be available with resources and information.

Produce to the People needs your help! We are looking for gardeners to help us water. We also need drivers willing to pi...
06/15/2026

Produce to the People needs your help! We are looking for gardeners to help us water. We also need drivers willing to pick up produce and deliver to food pantries in the Northwest Corner. Email [email protected] or call/text Michelle at 626-201-8567 or Chris at 207-504-4219.

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30 Pine St
Cornwall, CT
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