The accident occurred on August 2, 1918. The Hartford Courant reported that “One of the worst wrecks on this division for several years occurred at... Show moreThe accident occurred on August 2, 1918. The Hartford Courant reported that “One of the worst wrecks on this division for several years occurred at about 3:30 o’clock this afternoon, when a northbound freight was wrecked on a twenty-five foot embankment between the railroad station and the West Avon Road viaduct. “The cause of the wreck is unknown, but it is thought that there was some defect in the brakes. The train uncoupled and eight cars were derailed. Six of these fell upon a house owned by the Ensign-Bickford Company and occupied by Sezarino Oliver, an employee, and completely demolished it. No one was in the house at the time.” Original title in CBH’s list for photograph #004: “Train off Track Old Martha Williams House.” Original title on his paper sleeve had the date of 1899 and the title “Train off track into Martha Williams House, Oct. 28, 1899.” This photograph seems to match the Hartford Courant’s description of the 1918 derailment, however. Source: The Hartford Courant, August 3, 1918, p. 3. On August 2, 1918, nine overloaded freight cars speeding north crashed one quarter mile south of the station in Avon center. The train tore out 1,000 feet of track and tumbled down the embankment. One car carrying cement crashed into an unoccupied house owned by Ensign-Bickford. According to the New Hartford Tribune, it was Avon’s worst accident since 1901. Captioned by Nora Howard, Avon Town Historian, Summer 2020. Sources: as noted and from online sources such as ancestry.com; the US Census, wikipedia, and pertinent websites. Also see Nora Howard’s essay on the Hadsell Family (also posted on Ct. Digital Archive). If you are inter-ested in conducting more research, be sure to see the collections of the Avon Free Public Library Marian Hunter History Room. These captions were completed the summer of 2020 (except as not-ed) and the library was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Show less