James E. Closson whose name appears on about half the slides was a travelling salesman and chemist who lived in Danbury at 75 Davis Street in 1920 with a son Luke and wife Flora. According to his 1917 draft report, he created dyes and worked for the Franklin Import and Export Company. By 1930, he was living in Los Angeles, still a salesman and working for a chemical company. He was reported to be born in Blue Hill, Maine. His Father, Samuel had served in the Civil War in the 14th Maine Infantry.
The slides in this small collection were originally in a wooden, glass slide box. The top of the box has an index indicating the slot number of and a short title for each slide. Some slides were filed according to this index, others were not.
The condition of the slides were generally good but quite dirty and were purchased with a lantern slide projector which is also part of the WestConn Archives' collections. Most of the images were scanned at 1600 ppi and are served to users as 300 ppi JPGs.
The subject matter is primarily Danbury, but includes images of other locals including New Milford and South Florida.
Images were matched with the titles on the original index and used when possible in this inventory with some supplemental language in square brackets.
Of note are photographs of the following: the Danbury men in the 1st Connecticut Infantry from 1861, a photograph of men at the Charcoal Run Battlefied site in New Fairfield, the Octagon House, and shots of New Milford after the 1902 fire.
The slides are inventoried in the order they were placed in their original box, but there appears to be no arrangement philosophy behind the order, either physically, or on the original index.
Based on original physical order.
Open to researchers without restriction.
For use please contact the WestConn Archives.
Donated by Cathy Vanaria in 2026. Materials were purchased from an antique vendor in the area around 2016.
Water Witch #2 [New Milford]
Original index number: ?
Ice Skating
Original index number: 65?
[Old Quaker Meeting House, Pawling, NY]
Original index number: ?
White Street Station
Original index number: 34
[New Milford fire, looking from the Green to Bank Street]
Original index number: ?
Burnt Bank [Bank Street, New Milford]
Original index number: 9
Capt. Jas. E. Moore
Original index number: 8
Country Road
Original index number: 10
Danbury Fire Department
Original index number: 35
Indian Squaw
Original index number: 15
Danbury Court House
Original index number: 13
Bird Sketch
Original index number: 16
Wooster House
Original index number: 17
West Lake Dam
Original index number: 18
Fire Boughton Street
Original index number: 19
4 men? [Charcoal Run Battlefield]
Original index number: 20
South Main Street
Original index number: 21
New Post office Being Built
Original index number: 22
[Looking up] the Housatonic
Original index number: 23
Fire truck?/First Automobile made in Danbury
Original index number: 24
Baby [in Hat]
Original index number: 25
Original index number: 26, dupe of ms076_005
Stone building
Original index number: 27
Ladies
Original index number: 28
Beaver Brook Tunnel
Original index number: 30
1st Congregational Church
Original index number: 31
New Milford 1902 fire -from Railroad Ave.
Original index number: ?
Fire -Burned out Bank
Original index number: 33
Old Wooster House
Original index number: 70?
Lion and Horse, Danbury
Original index number: 37
Lion and Horse, Danbury
Original index number: 38
Original index number: 39, taken from Bailey's history of Danbury. Lieutenant Colonel in the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery.
Octagon House
Original index number: 40
Padanaram Reservoir
Original index number: 41
White and Main Streets
Original index number: 42
Hat Factory
Original index number: ?
Bunnies
Original index number: 45
White's Pond?
Original index number: 46
Sunny South Florida
Original index number: 44
First Civil War Company [Danbury, Conn.]
Original index number: 67
Old Man
Original index number: 47
Joseph A. Smith
Original index number: 48
Turner House
Original index number: 49/4
Windmill
Original index number: 50
Ladies
Original index number: 51
Sunny South Florida
Original index number: 44
Child [FCB]
Original index number: 52
Church
Original index number: 53
Fire [New Milford]
Original index number: 54
Trees
Original index number: 57
1st Congregational Church Fire [Danbury]
Original index number: 58
Original index number: 59
Fire [New Milford]
Original index number: 60
Concert Hall [Danbury]
Original index number: 63
Still River Gorge
Original index number: 64
Original index number: 65
Trees
Original index number: 66
Original index number: 67
Old Main Street Station
Original index number: ?
White Street Station
Original index number: ?
Fire [New Milford]
Original index number: 69
Old Wooster House
Original index number: 70
4 Men [Battle of Charcoal Run dup]
Original index number: 71
Original slide box