About us: history, genealogy, Americana Catalog

Search

Support

Canaan, CT history

Canaan, CT, in the town of North Canaan

Canaan is the name of a village in the township of North Canaan, Litchfield County, CT.  

However, Canaan is also the name of an adjacent township in Litchfield County, the principal village of which is Falls Village.  Both are located in the state's Northwest Corner. Both these Canaans were once a single township.  

To thoroughly confuse matters, there is a much better known place in Connecticut called New Canaan -- but New Canaan is in Fairfield County, around 50 miles south of the Northwest Corner's two Canaans.

A good summary can be found on a State of Connecticut sign -- and this particular one is located in the Falls Village Canaan, not the North Canaan Canaan.  Click on the picture of the sign to the right to see a larger image.  There's a similar sign in North Canaan, near the athletic field.

Canaan Falls Village Connecticut

North Canaan, CT

North Canaan is one of the fortunate small towns that had a citizen -- a local newspaper editor -- who actually wrote a book about it.  You can check the index to that book.

He called it "Scrapbook of North Canaan"  Please CLICK HERE for more information about that book and how you can get a copy.

 

Pilgrim Church of North Canaan -- Manuals

Pilgrim Church, the former Congregational Church in Canaan village, was actually the second Congregational Church in the town of North Canaan.  The original Congregational Church here, once located between Canaan and East Canaan, was moved to East Canaan.  Now, most people refer to that one as the East Canaan Church.  However, now that the Pilgrim Church merged into it a few years ago, it is correctly called the "North Canaan Congregational Church". The old Pilgrim Church building in the village of Canaan is now the home of a Baptist congregation.  The entity that published the Manuals no longer exists as a separate congregation.  

We have scanned and indexed two editions of the Pilgrim Church's "Manuals" -- the 1912 and 1937 editions of these historic church directories.  Each around 40 pages long, they contain membership rolls, history of the church, and other information that may be of interest.  The indices to the two manuals are on-line now.  View the index of the 1912 Manual, or view the index of the 1937 Manual.  Both are now available as downloads. 

Download the 1912 Pilgrim Church manual.  45 pages (including our index), in high-definition PDF format, $5.25

 

Download the 1937 Pilgrim Church manual.  51 pages (including our index), in high-definition PDF format, $5.50

 

 

Canaan, Connecticut -- maps of the area

Here's an 1853 map of Canaan Village.  Click on it to see it in detail.  

Canaan village map in 1853

 

Canaan -- current photographs

Here are a few pictures of North Canaan today (well, not exactly today -- how about 2003?).  

(Click on any of these samples to see them larger.) 

Beckley Furnace, Lower Road, Canaan, CT

Former Barnum   Richardson Co. blast furnace (Beckley Furnace) in East Canaan

House at the Lower Crossing, Canaan CT

One of several historic houses at the "Lower Crossing"

Canaan Union Station after the fire

Remains of historic Canaan Union Station after the fire.  It's since been substantially rebuilt.

Christ Church, Episcopal

The former Christ Church, Episcopal

Canaan National Bank

Head Office of Canaan National Bank, merged, soon after the picture was taken, into the Salisbury Bank and Trust Company

Formerly Pilgrim Church

The former Pilgrim Church (Congregational); now a Baptist congregation

Douglas Library and Pease Museum

Douglas Library (Pease Museum is located on the second floor in rear)

Bob's Clothing and Shoes

Formerly Bob's Clothing and Shoes

Looking north on Railroad Street

Looking north on Railroad Street from the intersection with Main Street

Collin's Diner, Canaan, CT

Collin's Diner  --  no, that is NOT a spelling error!  The diner was founded by a member of the Collin family!

 

 

 

For other material about Canaan (Falls Village) and North Canaan, see the Canaan section of our Litchfield County page.

Enjoy a FREE article written by Mary Geikie Adam about the history of Canaan from the 1896 Connecticut QuarterlyIt's free -- and it's interesting!

The White Oak for 1954, yearbook of Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Falls Village.  Includes the towns of Canaan and North Canaan. See our Litchfield County page for more information.

Delegates' Reports: CT Board of Agriculture (1869)
-- The report from the Litchfield County delegate begins on page 21 of this document.  See our Connecticut miscellany page for more information.  Included is a report on an agricultural exposition in Falls Village.

QUERY:  Steam irons made in Falls Village?  The Blakeney Cooperative Co.?

Recently we saw what we think is a real oddity:  a "steam iron" that isn't electric -- one that, like other old irons one sees at antique shows and tag sales, was heated on the family range before ironing with it.  Making this even more interesting is the fact that this iron was manufactured in Falls Village!  The owner of the iron would like to learn more about it, so would we -- and so would the Falls Village -- Canaan Historical Society!!

See pictures of the iron

 

Be sure to check our catalog!

 

Visit our BLOG

 

 

Find us on Facebook


Contacting us:

Between the Lakes Group is located at 372 Between the Lakes Road, in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut.  More specifically, we're in Taconic -- a hamlet  in the Twin Lakes area of the Town of Salisbury.  Questions about us or about our products?  Go to our Frequently Asked Questions page.  

Telephone:
(860)824-0640
Postal address:
Post Office Box 13
          Taconic, CT  06079-0013
Electronic mail:
Please Contact us to contact us via e-mail