A Brief Timeline of Our History

   
The yard and loading docks. See detail.
1893   Local farming families formed a "co-partnership" on the 20th of March to open the Washington Feed and Supply Co. With five $500 shares, the initial capital stock of $2,500 was supplied by:

1909   On January 9th, the store was incorporated. That year coal silos were built and the store also began selling propane. A photo from that time shows the main supply barn with "Flour, Feed, Coal, Lumber, Hardware" painted across it.


A 1915 Joseph West photograph, courtesy of the Gunn Historical Museum. See detail.		    
1917   Income tax returns showed sales for the year of $120,635.79 with a gross income of $13,035.54 and expenses of $7,890.41. [By contrast, today’s annual sales are over $7,000,000!]

1920   Henry W. Seeley, son of founder Powell G. Seeley, ran the the store until 1958 when he became ill.

1922   In December, Standard Oil Company of New York sold the Supply 250 gallons of "Motor Gasoline" at 22 cents per gallon, for a total of $55.00. That same month, the Litchfield Electric Light & Power Company billed for 47 kilowatt hours at 18 cents, for a total of $8.46, less a 10% discount. And the phone bill amounted to $2.20. [Today’s monthly electric bill runs around $1,175. And the phone bill about $500.]

1947   The Shepaug Railroad, which ran right next to the store, stops service. [See tracks in above photo at lower right.] Delivery of freight by railroad is replaced by trucking.

1950   The original two-story building was moved back 100 feet from Calhoun Street to make way for the one-story front addition. Although the store continued to operate during this period, the grand opening of the addition took place in May of 1951.

   
A view toward the Supply during the flood. See detail.
1955   The Flood caused $55,000 worth of damage to the store and its merchandise. Townsfolk pitched in to help clean up, and the store was open for business the day after the flood.

1956   Washington Supply, which owned many acres of land in the Depot, gave one-acre lots and sold more in the bargain to local folks who had lost homes or businesses to the flood.

1958   Henry Seeley retired and his son-in-law, Robert deCourcy took over, running the store for the next 27 years.

1960   Mildred Wright started working at the Supply. If you call the store today, chances are Millie will still answer the phone.


A 1924 lithographed promotional desk calendar. See detail.		    
1971   Greg Seeley, representing the fourth generation of his family's stewardship of the store, took over as treasurer from his aunt, Helen Seeley deCourcy. After the sale of the Supply in 1976, Greg was general manger until 1983. Greg's son, Bryan, worked at the store for a couple of summers in the mid 90s while in high school, becoming the fifth Seeley generation to work at the Supply!

1973   Coal silos were torn down.

1976   The business was sold to Henry Paparazzo of Bridgewater, Curt McGann of Woodbury and Leon Farr.

1986   The store became computerized, making billing and inventory control more efficient.

1993   The Washington Supply Company celebrated its 100th anniversary with a two-day, town-wide celebration.

2006    On September 28th, 2006, Mr. Henry Paparazzo transferred ownership of the company to a group of current employees.  The group, consisting of Valerie Sedelnick, Jay Combs, Jim Bate, Tom Saunders and Bob Whelan was aided in the transaction by the oldest bank in Connecticut, The First National Bank of Litchfield.

2008    May marks the opening of the "Green" house - a 10' x 16' demonstration house with a building integrated photovoltaic roof, a structural insulated panel, and other recycled or sustainable/renewable products used in it's construction.  It is the first demonstration house of it's kind in a building materials company in the United States.  May also marks the month of Washington Supply joining the United States Green Building Council, making Washington Supply one of the few building materials retailers to establish membership in the country.

Return to home.

Copyright © 2001-2006 The Supply, Inc. DBA The Washington Supply Company   All rights reserved.