Therew was a post office opposite the railroad at Tyler City. This was run by Charles Amesbury in his grocery store. Mr. Amesbury also had his living quarters upstairs over the store.

Another enterprise in Tyler City was Altworth Hall, a boarding school for boys. It was started in a large house built on the corner of Ferry Road and Crofut Street. Mr. Edward Robbins, who started the school, advertised it in 1878 as a preparatory school for business or college entrance requirements. The school was not successful and a few years later the building was occupied by the New Haven County Children's Home. When the town Fathers refused to allow sidewalks to be built from the home to the railroad station, the home was moved nearer New Haven.

While Mr. Ferry completed his horn in Tyler City, Mr. Halliwell's residence was never fully completed. In later years it was used first as a clubroom for the Orange Hunt Club and later by the Orange Riding Stables.

Factories in Railroad Station

In 1887 the factory by the Tyler City Railroad Sation was taken over by hte Peerless Buttonhole Attachment Company, Inc. Willis Downes of New Haven and William Chauncey Russell were the business partners. Mr. Downes was treasurer of this firm. The business proved unprofitable and was soon discontinued. Edward W. Russell then set up a creamery in the basement of the building and made butter which he sold both wholesale and retail.

The factory again became active in 1897 when a company was set up to make baby carriages and tricycles. Just before Christmas, however, the building was destroyed by fire.

Also near the railroad station a factory which produced plaster of paris decorations for ceilings was started. The Ferry home had some of these ornate decorations but the new building never went beyond the foundation. Thus another venture died.

Life in Orange had centered around the meeting house on the green for approximately 84 years before St. Lawrence's Roman Catholic Church was built in West Haven in 1876. On September 22, 1916, a second Roman Catholic Church, St. Paul's, was built in Allingtown. St. Paul's parish included the northern section of West Haven and all of Orange. Many Catholics in Orange found it difficult to travel to Allingtown for church services and therefore received permission to attend Mass in Derby.

George White started a general store in the house located next to the cemetery and directly across from the post office and railroad station on Orange Center Road.( This house is currently owned by Mrs. Jack Fitzgerald.) In 1883 it was sold to William J. and George W. Scobie. William later ran the store and was appointed postmaster on June 15, 1889. Later, his son, Elbert W. Scobie, came into the business and on September 25, 1915, succeeded his father as postmaster.

In 1925a new building was constructed across from the cemetery, next to the railroad station. Elbert moved the general store and post office to this location. On September 16, 1935, William J. Rourke became postmaster and in 1938, Scobie's store was sold to Irving Miller. The store, known as Miller's Meat Market, was partially destroyed by fire in April 1969. Rebuilt and enlarged it is now under the management of Mr.Miller's son-in-law, Larry Brenner.

RFD Service Begins

In 1902 when Mr. Scobie was serving as postmaster, Rural Free Delivery was inaugurated in the town. On July 1, Albert Miles Clark made his first trip as the rural mail carrier. Uncle Bert, as he was known to many townspeople, delivered mail for 33 years. He was also secretary and treasurer of the Orange Cemetery Association and was active in town affairs until his death in January, 1972, at age 97.

In 1938 Raymond Cuzzocreo was appointed postmaster following the death of Mr. Rourke. By 1973 the post office moved to larger quarters in the front of the warehouse owned by Frank C. Woodruff. As the town grew,

[picture caption] A few relics of the New Haven-Derby Railroad can still be seen in Orange today including this picturesque stone-based train trestle over Race Brook near Lambert Road.