Nancy DuBois Hagmayer Memorial Bridge

Brookfield, CT --- The historic stone arch bridge, which carries traffic on Route 25 across the Still River in Brookfield, has been named in honor of Nancy DuBois Hagmayer, the founder of the national profile, non-profit organization known as the Brookfield Craft Center. The naming of The Nancy DuBois Hagmayer Memorial Bridge was initiated and orchestrated by State Representative David Scribner of the 107th district which includes Brookfield and Bethel, CT.

"This bridge is very important to the Brookfield Craft Center, as it connects its East and West campuses and five historic structures for traffic and pedestrians," said Rep. Scribner, who is President Emeritus of the BCC, having served on its Board of Trustees for 10 years, eight of them as President. "It is also an appropriate honor to name the structure for the BCC's founder, Nancy Dubois Hagmayer, so that her talent, dedication and vision will be perpetually remembered to all who visit this special place, to create, teach, learn, and appreciate the art of fine crafts."

In 1745, a timber bridge was built to connect the east and west banks of the Still River at a place called Halfway Falls, where the north flowing river enters a deep gorge on its way to meet the Housatonic River in New Milford. In 1748 a natural rock ledge below the bridge was reinforced to create a mill pond which would provide the power for a new grist mill built on the site by Able Barnum.

The original mill building burned down and was replaced in 1780 with the current mill building. It functioned as a grist mill and seed & feed store through the early part of the 20th century. In 1880 a second bridge replaced the first one. It was a stone arch bridge, built by C.S.Pendelton, of New London, with stones being quarried in Brookfield. The original bridge has undergone subsequent modifications by the Housatonic Railroad and the State of CT.

Then in 1954, the venerable post and beam landmark building, which abuts the durable stone arch bridge, was given a second life as the Brookfield Craft Center by the constant and hard work of Nancy Dubois Hagmayer and her many artist friends.

According to the Craft Center’s Executive Director since 1980, John I. Russell, "Nancy Dubois Hagmayer not only created our non-profit arts organization, but she also worked tirelessly to preserve this historic old mill building after purchasing it from Wendell Davis for just $5.00."

During the great hurricane of 1955 which devastated Danbury and the region, Nancy Dubois and her friend and soon to be husband, John Hagmayer saved the historic structure from washing into the torrential river flooding caused by the hurricane.

Mr. Russell goes on to say, "It was truly Nancy’s dream to create a center where artists could come to learn their craft, share their ideas and display their work. She was the guiding hand that enabled the Center to survive and grow during its first formative years."

Mrs. Hagmayer was the Center’s first Director serving from 1954 through 1960. She remained active at the Center through 1972 when she and her husband John retired to their home on Obtuse Hill in Brookfield.

In a book published by the Craft Center to mark its 25th anniversary, Nancy DuBois Hagmayer included a quote by Paulus Berensohn, a noted artist and poet which Director Russell feels sums up her mission to create a school and gallery for craft artists, "In each one of us there is our pinch pot, as there is our dance, our poem, our song. What it looks or sounds like is less important than the artistic journey we take to discover it."

Over its five decades of public service Brookfield Craft Center has grown to become one of America’s foremost schools for studying the skills and values of fine craftsmanship and good design. Today the Center serves thousands of students and gallery visitors each year. Their colonial vintage campus has expanded to include six buildings on Route 25 just east of the "Four Corners" intersection with Route 7/202 in Brookfield, Connecticut. The Center is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For information about their programs, call 203-775-4526 or visit their website: http://www.brookfieldcraftcenter.org.