Update: February 15,2008
All 16 Signs Installed!
Silvermine has long been considered one of the
most
beautiful areas in
Connecticut, and perhaps, in all of New England. As such,
our tri-town area has attracted artists, writers, inventors
and others from all walks of life. Silvermine also enjoys a
unique history legacy, one that many community members are
working hard to preserve.
In the Spring of 2006, the Silvermine Community
Association (SCA) embarked upon an exciting project to
visibly mark Silvermine's boundries in a way that connects
this creative and historic heritage. There are sixteen
key 'gateways' where residents and visitors enter into
Silvermine. At these locations in Norwalk, New Canaan, and Wilton, we have placed a replica of the iron “This Is Silvermine” sign. The original signs were created in 1963 through a collaboration of John Vassos, Clifton Meek and Granville Ackermann.
In order to do this, we solicited the financial support of
members of the community to sponsor the signs. The response
was overwhelming!. In return for their support, the donors
have received a lifetime membership in the SCA and a
commemorative plaque on their sign and our hearty thanks!
More information about the history of these beautiful black
and silver signs and the location sites can be found below.
About
the Signs - The signs all were been completed by a native of
Norwalk, Steve Stefanidis of Steve's Custom Iron Works in
Norwalk, who beat out 18 other bidders with an excellent
price and quality workmanship. In addition to his quality workmanship, Steve is a real artist! Under the direction of The SCA's Gateways and
Thresholds Committee, headed by Peter Viteretto, signs have
been installed at the Silvermine
gateways in Norwalk, New Canaan, and Wilton. The
first Norwalk sign was installed by the Norwalk DPW on
Wednesday, September 5th by Norwalk’s Department of Public Works. New Canaan’s and Wilton’s DPW’s later installed signs in their respective towns. The Silvermine Community Association is extremely grateful to these three DPW’s for their generous support of the project.
History of the Signs
The
identification of
the boundaries of the area known as Silvermine was initiated in 1962
by the Silvermine Community Association (SCA). A
special Boundaries Committee was formed
to undertake
this task. This committee researched and utilized
various documents and historical records that included
zoning and geophysical survey maps; early postal routes;
charts of analysis of the Silvermine River and its
tributaries; and historical documents of the Towns of
Wilton, New Canaan and City of Norwalk.
Once defined,
the committee agreed that a symbol was needed to secure the
identity and heritage of Silvermine. John Vassos, an
internationally accredited artist and industrial designer
who fashioned many technological household items of
the
early 40’s and 50’s, along with Granville Ackermann, also an
accredited industrial designer, requested the talents of
their Silvermine neighbor, Clifton Meek, to develop a design
for a sign to be placed at the thresholds of the community.
Meek, by this time, a noted cartoon artist whose depiction
of a barnyard mouse inspired a young Walt Disney, also was a
skilled metal smith and founder of the Silvermine Forge. A
hand sketch by Meek in the fanciful lettering "This Is Silvermine" was to become the symbol of the community
embodying its artistic tradition.
SCA
presented the boundaries and mock-up of the sign to
community and town officials at the Silvermine Tavern in
March of 1963. Consent of community members, as well as
approvals of the political leadership for establishing
boundaries and implementing was obtained at that time. Signs
were fabricated at the Philips Company Iron Workshop on
Water Street in South Norwalk and installed by the close of
1963.
