Ivoryton, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Ivoryton is a small village in the town of Essex
in the state of Connecticut
in the United States
. It was known for its production of piano
s in the early 20th century and takes its name from the ivory
industry that imported tusks. In the beginning combs, buttons, toothpicks, billiard balls, and other items were made in Ivoryton. Later they moved toward piano keys and eventually also made piano movements. There is not a single town, city, or place named Ivoryton anywhere else in the world.
At its height, 90% of the ivory in the United States went through Ivoryton. The Comstock and Cheney Company had a strong presence in the area, building two factories, a store, recreation hall, sports field, and housing complex in the area.
The oldest known historical document relating to Ivoryton is the 1880 document authorizing the building of a town post office.
Essex, Connecticut
Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,505 at the 2000 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton.- History :- The Great Attack :...
in the state of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was known for its production of piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
s in the early 20th century and takes its name from the ivory
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
industry that imported tusks. In the beginning combs, buttons, toothpicks, billiard balls, and other items were made in Ivoryton. Later they moved toward piano keys and eventually also made piano movements. There is not a single town, city, or place named Ivoryton anywhere else in the world.
At its height, 90% of the ivory in the United States went through Ivoryton. The Comstock and Cheney Company had a strong presence in the area, building two factories, a store, recreation hall, sports field, and housing complex in the area.
The oldest known historical document relating to Ivoryton is the 1880 document authorizing the building of a town post office.
Places
- Library: The Ivoryton Library is one of two libraries in the town of Essex. It has a smaller collection than the Essex Library but still maintains numerous books.
- Ivoryton Store: The Comstock, Cheney and Co. factory store was located at the corner of Main Street and Ivory Street for years. It later became Rose Brothers, another grocery store, and, more recently, was the Ivoryton Store. The Ivoryton Store relocated to Route 153 in Essex and the building in Ivoryton has recently been renovated. It is now home to "Gather," an antiques store that also serves coffee and pastries.
- Ivoryton Inn: Built in 1841, the former housing center for the workers at Comstock, Cheney and Co. became known as the Ivoryton Inn. The Inn has previously reopened twice with the first floor space being occupied by Cugino's Restaurant followed by Tuskan Restaurant.
- Post Office: One of Essex's three post offices sits in Ivoryton, serving those residents with a zip code of 06442.
- Fire Station: Essex has two fire stations, one of which is located in Ivoryton on Summit Street. It is technically a sub-station, but has several trucks and other capacities. It is known for its horn, which blows every day at noon and seven times when there is a fire.
- Churches: There are two churches in Ivoryton. The Ivoryton Congregational Church sits down the road towards Centerbrook. The Episcopal Church sits next to the Inn on Main Street.
- Ivoryton Playhouse: The Ivoryton PlayhouseIvoryton PlayhouseThe Ivoryton Playhouse is a small professional theater located in the village of Ivoryton in the town of Essex, Connecticut, USA. It produces shows year round, March through December. As Comstock-Cheney Hall, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.-History:It was built in 1910...
, formerly the recreationRecreationRecreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
hall for the workers of Comstock, Cheney and Co., is currently a year-round professional theater, with its shows produced by the Ivoryton Playhouse Foundation. It sits on the corner of Main Street and Summit Street.
- Comstock Field: Comstock Field is a publicPublicIn public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
sports fieldPlaying fieldA playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
with two baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
fields and a soccer field. It is located at the end of Park Road, which is off Walnut Street. It was built by the Comstock and Cheney Company for their company baseball team and is used by Essex Little LeagueLittle LeagueLittle League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
today.
- The Piano Factories: The first factory sits off Main Street, across from the former Ivoryton Inn. It is a large, white building, which was bought by Pratt and Read from Deep RiverDeep River-Rivers:* The Deep River , a minor tributary of the English River in the United States* The Deep River , in the United States* The Deep River , a minor tributary of the Columbia River in the U.S...
and is currently used by Moeller Instrument Company. The second factory was built after the turn of the 20th century by Comstock and Cheney. It is much bigger than the first factory, and features several tall office-type buildings as well as manufacturing floors. It has a smoke tower, a clock tower and a water tower behind it which reads 'PIANOS.' It was also bought by Pratt and Read Company and was later used by Sohmer Piano Company. It serves as a light industrial/commercial complex serving a number of small businesses.
- The Ivoryton Tavern & Cafe: A tavern and cafe in the town of Ivoryton. It is located directly across the street from the Ivoryton Playhouse. The building dates back to the late 19th century.