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54-742: Ivoryton is one of three villages in Essex, Connecticut in Middlesex County . Ivoryton Historic District , the historic district in the village, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 2014. The Ivoryton Playhouse , which is separately listed on the Register, is located within the district. Ivoryton is roughly bounded by Main Street, North Main Street, Oak Street, Blake Street, Summit Street, Park Road, and Comstock Avenue. The area

108-729: A Bible , Quran , Tanakh , Vedas or other appropriate sacred text (known in some rituals as the Volume of the Sacred Law ) will always be displayed while the lodge is open (in some French and other Continental lodges, the Masonic Constitutions are used instead). In lodges with a membership of mixed religions it is common to find more than one sacred text displayed. A candidate will be given his choice of religious text for his Obligation, according to his beliefs. The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) alludes to similarities to legal practice in

162-518: A given highway. In addition, there are two homes on Pratt Street that have Palladian windows in the garret area. Also of note is the 1846 Baptist Church on Prospect Street, one of three Egyptian Revival style churches in the United States. As the construction of wooden sailing ships faded, the growth of the ivory and piano parts industry in the village of Ivoryton changed the focal point of Essex again. The growth of Comstock, Cheney & Co., one of

216-791: A raid by British marines. The first Saturday in June there is a Shad Bake sponsored by the Rotary Club of Essex. In 1851 was founded the Essex Savings Bank located on the Main Street (today on the Plains Road), one of the oldest still functioning banks in Connecticut. The Essex Art Association Gallery at 10 North Main St. was founded in 1946 by a group of avant-garde artists. It is open 1–5 PM daily during

270-447: A reflection of history, values, and fraternity. Over the years, a variety of exposures have been published which purport to represent Masonic ritual, including Masonry Dissected by Samuel Prichard in 1730, Three Distinct Knocks in 1760, Jachin and Boaz in 1762, and Morgan's Exposure of Freemasonry in 1826. Nonetheless there is a perception of more extensive secrecy among non-Freemasons. This perception of secrecy has led to

324-673: A resident state trooper and five constables. The town pays the Connecticut State Police for a state trooper to supervise the constables. The First Selectman is considered the Chief of Police. - Essex Fire Engine Co. 1 has two fire houses: the central fire house on the corner of Route 153 and Route 154 and the sub-station in Ivoryton on Summit Street. The Fire Department is the designated PSA holder for first responding to medical emergencies. Elections for these positions are annual and voted by

378-588: Is a regional theater located in Essex's village of Ivoryton. The theater produces 8–12 plays and musicals each year. The Connecticut River Museum , located at the end of Main Street and right on the Connecticut River, is home to numerous river artifacts and is home to the Connecticut River Eagle Festival each year. The Estuary Transit District provides public transportation throughout Essex and

432-542: Is about 50 degrees. Snow is prevalent in winter, typically starting in December and lasting through March. The average January low temperature is about 19 degrees. In recent years winter have become erratic, with the first snowfall of winter 2006-2007 not reported until mid-late January. However, the winter of 2008-2009 was unusually cold and snowy, with over 50 inches of snow (compared to an average of about 30 inches) and days with temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit in

486-507: Is known as a "well-preserved example of a nineteenth-century company town " and a world center of the ivory industry. The area became industrialized when Comstock, Cheney & Company, an ivory import business founded by Samuel Merritt Comstock, an Ivoryton native, and his partner George A. Cheney in the 1860s was founded there. The district was one of several industrial areas in the Connecticut River Valley established during

540-432: Is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km ) of it (12.35%) is water. The town is made up of three villages: Essex (ZIP code 06426), Centerbrook (06409) and Ivoryton (06442). The local public school, Essex Elementary School , educates around 560 students for grades K–6. Climate There are 4 distinct seasons in Essex. During Autumn, the leaves change colors and the temperatures fall. The average November high temperature

594-557: Is made up of three villages: Essex Village , Centerbrook , and Ivoryton . Essex is one of the few American towns to have ever been attacked by a foreign power; this occurred on April 8, 1814, and the economic losses were among the largest sustained by the United States during the War of 1812 . 28 vessels, with a total value estimated to be close to $ 200,000 (at a time when a very large two story home in Essex, then known as Potapoug Point, would have been worth no more than $ 1,000), were destroyed by

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648-462: Is notable for being one of only three Egyptian revival churches known to have ever been built in the United States. The architect was Minard Lafever . There is also one Catholic Church, Our Lady of Sorrows, on Prospect Street in Essex Village , just a short walk from Essex downtown. After being destroyed by a fire in 1925, the new church was built on the foundations of an abandoned inn. Recently,

702-637: Is self-sufficient, funded through billing and donations. The ambulance receives an intercept paramedic for Advanced Life Support when needed through Middlesex Hospital. There are two libraries in Essex: the Essex Library, located next to the Town Hall (corner of Grove St. and West Ave.) and one in the center of Ivoryton, the Ivoryton Library.] A resident can obtain a single card for both libraries. The Essex Library

756-719: Is the Congregational Church. This structure is the second to stand here, and the oldest existing church building in Middlesex County. There were a few homes built in Essex Village (known as Potapoug Point until 1854) during the first half of the 18th century. One of the more notable is the Pratt House on West Avenue, an " organic " structure built according to the immediate needs of the Pratt family. Shipbuilding dominated between

810-679: The British . One historian has called it the " Pearl Harbor " of that war. On that date, approximately 136 British marines and sailors under the command of Richard Coote (or Coot ) rowed 6 boats from four British warships (the Hogue , Endymion , Maidstone and Borer ) anchored in Long Island Sound , 6 miles up the Connecticut River , past the unmanned fort in Old Saybrook , arriving at

864-506: The Masonic lodge , and contains many of the working tools of a medieval or renaissance stonemason. The whole system is transmitted to initiates through the medium of Masonic ritual, which consists of lectures and allegorical plays. Common to all of Freemasonry is the three grade system of Craft or Blue Lodge freemasonry, whose allegory is centred on the building of the Temple of Solomon , and

918-565: The Revolution and the Civil War . As a result, the village came to be the focal point of the area. Many homes were erected between 1790 and 1820. By that time, Main Street had much the same make-up as today. The homes were primarily Federal , with one extended family dominating lower Main Street. The first eight structures (including the Griswold Inn ) on the south side of this highway (starting at

972-459: The 1855 " Gingerbread House " at the corner of Riverview Street and Maple Avenue, and the Parker House on North Main Street. Perhaps the most culturally significant homes in town were built in Ivoryton during the 1890 to 1920 era. The factory was in desperate need of low-cost labor, and as a result, many immigrants from Italy and Poland came to work for Comstock, Cheney & Co. around the turn of

1026-562: The 20th century. The firm constructed many factory homesteads for these people. The great majority of these homes remain today, although most have been substantially altered. A journey through Blake, Oak, Walnut, and Chestnut Streets as well as Comstock Avenue is most revealing, as these factory homes give a glimpse into the past. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 11.8 square miles (31 km ), of which, 10.4 square miles (27 km ) of it

1080-666: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shares a commonality of symbols, signs, vocabulary and clothing with Freemasonry , including robes, aprons, handshakes, ritualistic raising of the arms, etc. However, the meanings of each are different for the Freemasons and the Latter-day Saints . Speaking in 1877 at the St. George Temple , Brigham Young related LDS temple worship to the story of Hiram Abiff and Solomon's Temple, though he believed

1134-550: The Griswold Inn ), then seized the town's stores of rope (each ship of that time requiring 8 miles of rope) and, according to the April 19, 1814 Hartford Courant , "$ 100,000 or upwards" worth of rum (acquired from the East Indies in trade for beef and wood from Connecticut). Their main targets, however, were the newly constructed privateers in the harbor, ready or nearly ready for sail, which they burned. Within 6 hours, their mission

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1188-732: The UK, and to a common source with other oath taking processes. In keeping with the geometrical and architectural theme of Freemasonry, the Supreme Being is referred to in Masonic ritual by the titles of the Great Architect of the Universe , Grand Geometrician or similar, to make clear that the reference is generic, and not tied to a particular religion's conception of God. Some lodges make use of tracing boards : painted or printed illustrations depicting

1242-495: The United States." The area thrived between 1860 and 1938, and at its height the area employed and housed up to 600 workers. The National Register of Historical Places states: Essex, Connecticut Essex is a town in Middlesex County , Connecticut , United States . The town is part of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region . The population was 6,733 at the 2020 census . It

1296-421: The age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under

1350-462: The age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 66,746, and the median income for a family was $ 88,888. Males had a median income of $ 54,053 versus $ 38,276 for females. The per capita income for

1404-519: The attention of The British, who then investigated Essex and launched the successful raid. Perhaps as a consequence of the practical, but somewhat less than heroic, response of the town to the raid, shortly afterwards, the name of the town was changed to Essex. On the second Saturday of each May since 1964, the "Sailing Masters of 1812" of Essex commemorate the "Burning of the Ships" with an ancient fife and drum corps parade down Main Street and ceremony at

1458-425: The boat launch at the foot of Main Street in Essex close to 4 A.M. The boats were armed with swivel guns loaded with grapeshot , the officers armed with swords and pistols, the marines with " Brown Bess " muskets, and the sailors with torches and axes; they responded to the single cannon fired by the town's surprised defenders with a massive volley, neither side incurring any casualties. They quickly commandeered

1512-482: The celebration of "the town's worst day in history" in future years, according to the museum's executive director, Jerry Roberts. Centerbrook, a fertile and productive agricultural area, was the "center" of town until the Revolutionary War. Many farmhouses remain from this era. The Selah Griswold House and Clark Nott House on Bokum Road are fine examples of two-story center chimney homes that were characteristic of

1566-419: The ceremony had not been practiced in its fullness. Freemasons often say that they "are not a secret society, but rather a society with secrets". The secrets of Freemasonry are the various modes of recognition – grips (handshakes), words (akin to modern passwords), and signs (hand gestures) that indicate one is a Freemason. While these and the rest of masonic ritual have all been exposed multiple times through

1620-435: The creation of many Masonic conspiracy theories . The mysterious disappearance of William Morgan in 1826 was said to be due to his threat to publish a book detailing the secret rituals of Freemasonry. An attempt was made to burn down the publishing house, and separately, Morgan was arrested on charges of petty larceny . He was seized and taken to Fort Niagara , after which he disappeared. The suspicion behind this led to

1674-674: The department at an annual meeting. The department is limited by its charter with the town to 60 Members. The Fire Department responds to about 1000 calls each year, mostly medical first response calls, and fire alarms. - Essex Ambulance Association, Inc. is an independent association, receiving town funding for workers' compensation insurance only. The association was founded in 1964, and is composed of 32 volunteers with MRT and EMT certification levels. The association operates three ambulances which respond to over 900 calls for service each year, and provides mutual aide to all surrounding towns. Elections for officers are held annually. The association

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1728-654: The first three degrees use the architectural symbolism of the tools of the medieval operative stonemason. Freemasons, as speculative masons (meaning philosophical rather than actual building), use this symbolism to teach moral and ethical lessons, such as the four cardinal virtues of Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance, and Justice, and the principles of "Brotherly Love, Relief (or Morality), and Truth" (commonly found in English language rituals), or " Liberty, Equality, Fraternity " (commonly found in French rituals). In most jurisdictions,

1782-424: The late nineteenth century, and is also historically significant as a center for immigrants from Sweden , Germany , Italy , and Poland , who lived in worker housing areas throughout Ivoryton. Pratt, Read & Company was located just a few miles away from Comstock, Cheney & Company along the Connecticut River, and these two largest American ivory manufacturers "commanded a monopoly on all ivory production in

1836-504: The morning. Spring is pleasant with temperatures averaging in the 60s. Summertime in Essex is warm and humid, with average July temperatures into the 80s. As of the census of 2000, there were 6,505 people, 2,811 households, and 1,776 families residing in the town. The population density was 627.6 inhabitants per square mile (242.3/km ). There were 2,977 housing units at an average density of 287.2 per square mile (110.9/km ). There were 2,811 households, out of which 27.2% had children under

1890-579: The most common Masonic rites, which are groupings of rituals are the Scottish Rite and the York Rite . Freemasons conduct their degree work, often from memory, following a preset script and ritualised format. There are a variety of different Masonic rites for Craft Freemasonry. Each Masonic jurisdiction is free to standardize (or not standardize) its own ritual. However, there are similarities that exist among jurisdictions. For example, all Masonic rituals for

1944-988: The parish joined with the Chester, CT parish church, St. Joseph's Archived February 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . The current pastor of the Our Lady of Sorrows is Father Arul Rajan Peter, and has been with the parish since 2012. Essex, like the other two towns in the "tri-town area" ( Deep River and Chester ), is a member of Regional School District #4. Essex Elementary School is located in Centerbrook and serves students in grades Pre-K–6 and serves about 350 students. John Winthrop Junior High School, located in Deep River, serves grades 7 and 8, and Valley Regional High School, located on Kelsey Hill Rd. in Deep River , serving grades 9–12, are

1998-564: The passengers up to the Haddam area. The Essex Clipper Dinner Train goes from Essex all the way up to Haddam. A few times a year Thomas the Tank Engine comes to town and it’s a large attraction for the children. During the holiday season, the Essex Steam Train has a North Pole Express where you can celebrate the spirit of the season with elves and Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The Ivoryton Playhouse

2052-536: The rest of the men escaped safely when the tide turned. At the time of the raid, Essex (then known as Potopaug) had been a major center of shipping and shipbuilding, but was suffering under a blockade by The British; as a result, the privateers were being constructed. Captain Richard Hayden, a prominent shipbuilder, had advertised his Black Prince in a New York City newspaper as "a 315 ton sharp schooner that would make an ideal privateer." This may have caught

2106-521: The river) was the initial hip-roof house in the lower valley, and the current Episcopal Church Rectory (the Richard Hayden Dwelling) was the first brick house in the lower valley. Pratt Street runs parallel to Main Street, and many houses on that thoroughfare not only were built in the Federal style , but have their roof lines perpendicular to the street, which allows for more homes to be erected on

2160-411: The secondary schools for Regional School District #4. The town of Essex sponsors an annual Groundhog Day parade. A large papier mache groundhog named "Essex Ed" is carried through town with revelers making noise in order to rouse him from his slumber and bring an end to winter. The town also sponsors a "Loser's Day Parade," which celebrates the 1814 event of having 29 ships burned in Essex harbor during

2214-477: The steamboat dock, wearing the United States naval uniform of that period; by tradition, this event is unpublicized. The Connecticut River Museum , situated at the site where Coot landed, now hosts an exhibit portraying the raid, featuring a large diorama by Russell Joseph Buckingham , a musket ball believed to have been fired then and a plank from the ship Osage , burned by The British. Plans are to expand

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2268-524: The story of the chief architect, Hiram Abiff . Further degrees have different underlying allegories, often linked to the transmission of the story of Hiram. Participation in these is optional, and usually entails joining a separate Masonic body . The type and availability of the Higher Degrees also depends on the Masonic jurisdiction of the Craft lodge that first initiated the mason. Broadly stated, two of

2322-473: The summer months. It is housed in a historic schoolhouse. Artists are invited to take part in the six shows held each season. The Essex Steam Train is one of the most famous and popular Essex attractions. The main station is located in Centerbrook, with other stations in Deep River, Chester, and Haddam. The regular train ride goes from Essex to Deep River and then the Becky Thatcher Riverboat takes

2376-468: The surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station , served by Amtrak and Shore Line East railroads. Masonic handshake Freemasonry is described in its own ritual as a "Beautiful and profound system of morality, veiled in allegories and illustrated by symbols". The symbolism of Freemasonry is found throughout

2430-947: The temple. Masonic initiation rites include the reenactment of a scene set on the Temple Mount while it was under construction. Every Masonic lodge, therefore, is symbolically the Temple for the duration of the degree and possesses ritual objects representing the architecture of the Temple. These may either be built into the hall or be portable. Among the most prominent are replicas of the pillars Boaz and Jachin through which every initiate has to pass. Historically, Freemasons used various signs (hand gestures), grips or "tokens" (handshakes), and passwords to identify legitimate Masonic visitors from non-Masons who might wish to gain admission to meetings. These signs, grips, and passwords have been exposed multiple times; today Freemasons use dues cards and other forms of written identification. Worship in temples of

2484-648: The time. The Benjamin Bushnell Homestead on Ingham Hill Road falls into the same category. Also characteristic of Centerbrook were smaller Cape Cod type homes . The Snow House on Main Street, the Nott House on Westbrook Road, the Taylor Bushnell House on Ingham Hill Road, and the Silent Rose House near the train station are fine examples. The dominant building in Centerbrook, from a historical standpoint,

2538-415: The town was $ 42,806. About 0.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over. The largest self-reported ancestry groups in Essex, Connecticut are: The Essex Town Hall is located on the corner of West Avenue and Grove Street in Essex. - Essex Police Department is attached to the rear of the town hall. Essex has

2592-518: The town, eliciting a promise of no resistance from the Essex militia in return for promising not to harm the townspeople or burn their homes, while a messenger rode to Fort Trumbull in New London for help. A dubious local myth states that Coote did not burn the town as a favor to a local merchant who greeted him with a secret Masonic handshake . The British marched to the Bushnell Tavern (now

2646-603: The two largest producers of ivory products in the United States, made Ivoryton literally the center of Essex (and the lower Connecticut River Valley ). The houses built here after the Civil war reflect the influence and affluence of that village. East Main Street, entering Ivoryton from Centerbrook is " Victorian Row." All the houses along this way were owned by executives or stockholders of Comstock, Cheney & Co. Contrast this with Essex Village, where there are relatively few Gothic or Victorian style dwellings , two examples of which are

2700-448: The various symbolic emblems of Freemasonry. They can be used as teaching aids during the lectures that follow each of the three degrees, when an experienced member explains the various concepts of Freemasonry to new members. Solomon's Temple is a central symbol of Freemasonry which holds that the first three Grand Masters were King Solomon , King Hiram I of Tyre , and Hiram Abiff  – the craftsman/architect who built

2754-488: The waterfront) were either built or lived in by members of the Hayden family. Of these eight structures, only the one on the west side of Novelty Lane and the one on the east corner of Parker Lane were not built by this family. The fact that the well known Hayden Shipyard was directly south of these buildings was the primary reason for this situation. All these homes are different architecturally. The Ebenezer Hayden House (third from

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2808-610: The years, Freemasons continue to act as if they were secret, and promise not to discuss them with outsiders more out of tradition than a need for actual secrecy. Indeed, as all of these gestures are readily available for the public to find, the responsibility is on individual masons to memorize and not disclose these secrets, and not necessarily for lodges to prevent their “leakage”. Such is the de facto lack of secrecy that lodges frequently post pictures and documents showing these rituals and gestures on their websites or social media accounts. The secrets are not an end in themselves, but rather

2862-485: Was accomplished, and The British went downstream with two captured ships in tow, including the Black Prince , a vessel that may well have primarily inspired the raid. Stranded in the river by low tide , they were forced to wait at the extreme range of the shots of the volunteers from the nearby town of Killingworth, Connecticut who lined the riverbanks; 2 marines were killed and the captured ships had to be destroyed, but

2916-502: Was recently rebuilt and is a center of the community, providing nearly 400 free programs a year for children and adults. It is an association library with 501(c)(3) non-profit status. The one Lutheran Church sits on Main Street in Centerbrook . There is a building which once housed a Methodist church on the corner of Prospect Street and Main Street, but it is no longer in use. The First Baptist Church of Essex, Connecticut , built in 1846,

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