Page 14 - North Haven Magazine Issue 23 Spring 2022

by Susan A. Iverson
BROCKSIEPER’S
BROCKSIEPER’S
BROCKSIEPER’S

Good Time Garden
Good Time Garden

By now we’re all longing to stretch our winter-weary limbs in the fresh spring air. So it has al-
ways been, especially in early 20th century North Haven, where life was not so labor intensive,
and there was little else to do for entertainment. Three sisters devised a highly creative way to
pass the time outdoors and entertain their friends. Here is their story…
In the Montowese section of town there was a a little museum housing Native American the icehouse on the property, to be used as
spacious Victorian built for Frederick Brock- artifacts and stuffed critters, picnic areas, a refrigeration in the warmer months. The sis-
sieper, a hardware manufacturer for Sargent “Crow’s Nest” to climb into, and even a cable ters would hire out the jobs they could not
Company. He and his wife Antoinette had car of sorts running across the pond, which perform themselves, usually to neighbors,
three daughters – Emma, Adele, and Anna. they called “Lake George.” and a complex system of bartering, renting,
Mr. Brocksieper owned 180 acres near his and purchasing provided the sisters with
home which he decided to farm; he em- the necessities of everyday life. Reading the
ployed men to perform the day-to-day farm- diaries provides a peek into the interdepen-
ing operations, and to run saw, bone, grist, dence of the members of this small but close
and cider mills. On his farm there were or- knit Montowese community.
chards, vegetable gardens, and an icehouse.
His land extended up to the base of Peter’s Time passed, the First World War loomed,
Rock, and here he had a shelter and spring. and the Good Time Garden was no longer
He would spend his leisure time relaxing in a destination for many people. The sisters
a hammock under the trees there. Frederick continued to use it for walks and a place to
was often accompanied by his three daugh- escape the troubles of life, but it no longer
ters, who developed an appreciation for all was frequented by schoolchildren or neigh-
that the Brocksieper property had to offer. bors. Emma would occasionally comment
After Antoinette died in 1898 and Frederick on airplane sightings witnessed while in the
died in 1900, their daughters inherited the Garden – quite the novelty! According to
Victorian and all the land. Emma, Adele, and Emma’s diary young adults would occasion-
Anna never married, instead choosing to live ally drive down their lane into the Garden
in the family home at 163 Quinnipiac Ave- without asking permission, and this agitated
nue. Emma and Adele. It is not clear how Anna
Waterfall in good time garden with Mr. felt about this; Emma and Adele sometimes
and Mrs. Stephens 1922 seemed at odds with Anna over issues like
these. As the sisters aged, they became more
The Brocksieper sisters used the Good Time dependent on purchasing the goods and ser-
Garden in all seasons; wintertime walks and vices they needed and relied less and less on
skating, spring harvesting of flowers, sum- the Good Time Garden.
mer berry picking, and fall apple and nut
gathering. The sisters also invited neighbors There were no heirs to carry on after the sis-
and friends to the Garden, and children from ters died, so the house and its property was
the neighborhood and nearby Montowese sold and converted to a rest home. It is now
Elementary School would bring their sleds the location of the Montowese Health and
Swan fountain at Brocksieper house 1924 and skates (after asking permission!). At the Rehabilitation Center. Nothing of the house
end of the school year teachers would bring remains except a large metal swan, painted
It is on this property that the young wom- their classes for a picnic celebration. Because white, that was the centerpiece of a fountain
en established the Good Time Garden, and a trolley ran past the Brocksieper home on installed in the front yard of the Victorian.
it would come to be remembered by all who Quinnipiac Avenue, it was easy enough for It was loaned by the North Haven Historical
visited it. We know much about their lives in invited friends from New Haven to visit the Society to the owner of the Healthcare Facil-
the early 20th century because Emma kept Garden – although it appears that it was nev- ity with the hope that it would be installed
diaries recording the details of their daily er open to the public. The Brocksiepers even once again as a nod to the colorful story of
activities. It seems that the sisters had a “di- had postcards made up depicting the Good the Brocksieper’s Good Time Garden.
vision of labor” between the three of them Time Garden – it seems that these were
– Adele appears to have done much of the mailed more as greetings to friends and fam- Emma Brocksieper’s diaries were tran-
outdoor heavy gardening and household re- ily, but not as advertisement. scribed by Kathy Prentiss and are available
pairs, and bread baking, while Emma tended to read at the North Haven Historical So-
to pick the vegetables, shop, do the laundry, The Garden supplied more than entertain- ciety. They are a rare view into early 20th
and clean house. Anna contributed to the ment, however; Emma’s diaries regularly century life in North Haven. Many thanks to
housekeeping and yard work, but it seems mention the chestnuts, apples, grapes and Kathy and the Society’s archives for this in-
that she preferred to be out of the house – other fruits and vegetables that would be formation. Walt Brockett provided the digi-
she often took the trolley to New Haven for gathered for daily meals. The sisters would tal copies of the Good Time Garden photos,
errands. None of them appeared to be inter- preserve peaches, stew grapes, and make jel- and Lucy Brusic’s book “Amidst Cultivated
ested in overseeing the farm and its mills – lies and nut caramels for their own consump- and Pleasant Fields” provided much of the
so the land was no longer used in that way. tion and to give as gifts. Ice would still be cut background information for this story.
Instead, the sisters added flower gardens, from “Lake George” in winter and stored in

North Haven Magazine - Spring Issue 2022
14