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A Bumper Sticker is Born

After reading the Nov. 27 story "A Way with Squirrels" that mentioned the creation of the Chester "We Know Where It Is" bumper sticker, I wanted to set the record straight.

Years ago, as a Chester resident and business owner, I was frustrated after reading yet another in a series of negative newspaper articles (this one in The New York Times) depicting Chester as rundown, old factory town that no one knows about or visits. I met with fellow business owners Don Rankin and Bill Janacek after work at the Pattaconk Inn and suggested that we create a bumper sticker to help promote the town. I told them when I opened my antique shop in 1975, I made one that said "Follow Me to One of a Kind Antiques," and it got a lot of notice. After a drink or two, the new bumper sticker slogan became "Chester CT, We Know Where It Is." As I remember, several nearby patrons raised a glass and seconded the vote. Bill, Don, and I agreed to divide the production cost and the renowned bumper sticker was born.

Now, years later at a similar meeting at the Ivory Pub in Deep River, local residents Jim Hogan, Ed Southworth, and I (along with our spouses), had a similar conversation about Deep River. We came up with "Only in Deep River" and divided the cost to print it on bumper stickers. It has proved to be quite popular. Deep River man-about-town Jonathan Kastner, upon seeing the new Deep River bumper sticker, said it was great, but it should have said "Do It in Deep River." Oh well, he should have been at the meeting.

Thomas PerryDeep River