From 1909: Sherman Arrives in Middletown Tonight

The image above is taken from a postcard mailed in 1912.

The following article was published exactly 100 years ago today, published in the Hartford Courant on November 11, 1909.

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Line of March for Morning Parade

Vice-President James S. Sherman will arrive here for the inauguration of President Shanklin of Wesleyan University at 6:44 this evening, and will be met at the railroad station by Dr. Shanklin if the latter's numerous pressing engagements permit. The vice-president will be the first of the the distinguished guests to arrive at Middletown.

While in this city Mr. Sherman will be the guest of William Walter Wilcox, president and general manager of the Wilcox-Crittenden Company. Mr. Wilcox is a Williams College man, and a member of Sigma Phi, the same fraternity as Mr. Sherman, Dr. Shanklin, Secretary Knox, and Senator Root and other dignitaries who will be here Friday.

Vice-President Sherman is a life-long friend of President Shanklin, both having attended Hamilton College at the same time, though not in the same class. It was at the personal invitation of Dr. Shanklin that he vice-president consented to come to Middletown to witness the inauguration.

With a revised line of march placing the different societies largely in the order of their seniority, everything is now in readiness for the big parade Friday morning. The parade will countermarch on Main street, giving all the participants a chance to see how the parade looks from the outside. The clerks and carriers in the Middletown post office will form a part of the personal escort of President Taft from the railroad station to the Middlesex Theater.

Eleven companies of the Second Regiment will lead this escort. After them will come the President's auto, with President Taft, Captain Butt, his military aide, one of the trustees of the university, a secret service man, and the chauffeur. Surrounding the Presidents auto will be the members of Munsfield Post, G.A.R. It is expected that Company H, C.N.G., the local military company, will come next, and after them the post office employees, thirty in number. Next will be an automobile containing Governor Frank B. Weeks, Vice-President Sherman and other notables, followed by the Second Company's Governor's Foot Guard.

Many enterprising persons have rented space from which to view the parade. Second story front windows along the line of march are at a premium. The balcony of the municipal building will be reserved for the city, town and county officials and their friends. The police will have orders to keep the streets free of all vehicles of all description during the parade, and only such trolley cars will be run as are necessary to make connection with trains at Berlin and Meriden.

According to orders issued yesterday afternoon and signed by Chairman Spear of the general committee, the line of march for the big morning parade will be as follows: From The Middlesex up Main to Grand, to Pearl, to Washington, to Broad, to Church, to South Main, to Crescent, to Main, to St. John's square, and countermarch to the municipal building and dismiss.

Following is the order in which the societies will line up as President Taft passes by: East side of Main street right resting on Rapallo avenue, Odd Fellows, 300 men and band; Knights of Pythias, 500 men and band; Consolidated Catholic societies, Tierney Guard, Trinity Guard, 550 men and band, west side of Main street, right resting on Grand street, American Mechanics, 100 men; Hermann Lodge, 50 men; Red Men, 250 men and band; fire department, 100 men and band; Elks, 100 men and band; Modern Woodmen, 100 men and band; Italian societies, 195 men; Grangers mounted, 40 men. There will also be a delegation of 100 Eagles, with a float.