Salem Bridge Clocks
In the period between 1820 and 1850 Salem Bridge clocks were famous for their unique qualities. The clocks were named for the original settlement, Salem Bridge, that later became Naugatuck. First manufactured here on Water Street in the 1820's by the Clark brothers from Plymouth, the clock business was carried on later by the Ward, Spencer, and Hotchkiss families.
Some of the oldest items in the museum, the Salem Bridge Clocks, represent a time period when each piece of the clock to be made was shipped or carried from a great distance. In addition to non-resident workers, many people were involved in the making of a single clock. The glass dials were usually painted by women. Cabinet makers used mahogany cultivated outside New England.
Source
Naugatuck Historical Society Newsletter
Volume 13, Issue 2
March–April 2008