The historic district of Litchfield is what people who don't live in Connecticut picture when…read moreconjuring up an image of the state. Litchfield's history is an interesting one, my favorite pieces including locking up Benjamin Franklin's loyalist son and melting down a statue of King George to make bullets during the Revolution. Hints of that history, and the slight revisionism that followed it, can be seen in the structures of Litchfield today. The cobblestone court, although they did not historically have cobblestones, is where horses and blacksmiths used to be kept behind a (no longer existing due to fire) hotel. The Green is well kept with multiple memorials, although the design used is not the one submitted by the architect who one day designed Central Park (and his name escapes me). Today the historic Green area has multiple restaurants (with a lot of pizza), home goods and clothing shops, and of course antique shops. At the top is the Litchfield Historical Society, which can tell you much more about the history then this Yelp review. (They probably remember the important names) They also occasionally offer walking tours, so it's a good idea to watch their Facebook page.

The beautifully manicured Litchfield Town Green, bounded by North, South, East, and West Streets,…read moreis a treasure chest of historical sights. Military monuments are everywhere -Civil War, WW I, WW II, Korea, and Vietnam. There is a cannon there. There is a plaque to commemorate where in 1862, a recruiting tent stood to sign up recruits for the 19th CT Volunteer Infantry. There is a plaque signifying where Lyman (father of Harriet Beecher Stowe) Beecher's church stood. In recognition of all this, in 1968 the US Dept of the Interior and the National Park Service awarded this area the status of "a registered national historic landmark" due to its "exceptional value in commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States." I posted individual reviews of the Beecher, Civil War, and 20th Century war memorials.

Bizarre with a capital "B"…read more There is a Timexpo Museum in Waterbury that tells the story of the Timex company, and the history of watches and time. But as important as that might be, they are nothing when compared to the totally cool 40' tall Easter Island Moai statue that graces a strip of grass in front of the museum. What exactly this statue has to do with the history of time, I don't know. What I do know is this- I pity the poor drunken fool who might be unfortunate enough to be stumbling down Union Street when he glances up and sees this 40 foot tall beast blocking his path. I think that would sober up our poor guy pretty fast.

Discover the Easter Island Moai…read more Forget your bucket list. Don't wait till you can't climb the hill at the quarry to one of the world's most amazing places, Rano Raraku on isolated Easter Island. A giant Moai is waiting to be freed from a thousand years of captivity. What was the last carver's thoughts as he walked away from his final creation? Take a flight or a cruise to French Polynesia and visit Easter Island. Sign up with Tiare Edmunds of Easter Island Guides for a one or two or day tour and see what time left behind. Tiare is the only Rapanui native guide with direct descendents to the original natives. She leads you on an adventure back in time in her air conditioned vehicle. Easter Island is situated on a triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific over 2,000 miles from Tahiti and Chile. It's a living outdoor museum and Tiare has the E ticket pass. We were picked up at the pier and spent two incredible days exploring and learning about what might of happened to a thriving culture that almost lead to extinction. While historically no one knows exactly what happened to leave behind over 900 massive Moai, Tiare will help you understand the culture and the people. She also brought along a picnic lunch on both days of arugula from her garden on fresh sandwiches and olives and Rapa Nui locally brewed beer. What a treat. Looking out over the ocean, drinking a cold beer, having a great lunch and talking with a real local historian about her family's history. A truly memorable time. Don't wait.

When I was a senior in high school I wrote a research paper on the Underground Railroad, I was…read morepretty happy with the way it came out (I got an A or an A+). I remember that the paper was pretty popular among my friends, because a few years later it ended up being copied and made appearances at colleges in Texas and Florida. I hadn't really thought much about the Underground Railroad in a long time. But I came face-to-face with this incredible chapter of American history when I stumbled upon this monument on the grounds of the New Milford Historical Society. Litchfield County CT was a hotbed of abolitionist activity - both Harriet Beecher Stowe and John Brown lived here. There were railroad "stations" throughout the area, including New Milford, on the secretive route to Canada. This somber monument to the Underground Railroad was dedicated on November 17, 2013. That date was chosen because it represented the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. It is an 18-inch high and 20-inch wide marker carved of granite with a broken chain over the marker. The marker is directly in front of a large monument honoring President Lincoln and New Milford's Civil War veterans. The broken chain sculpture was created by local artist Ray Crawford, and he entitled it "A Rough Road to Freedom". The marker contains a plaque whose inscription reads: History of the Underground Railroad This plaque is dedicated to the memory of slaves. In the middle of the 1800's, the Underground Railroad was organized with a true commitment to freedom. New Milford, Connecticut was a road to freedom used to escape into Canada. In 1865 the Civil War ends, and also the Underground Railroad. The 13th Amendment was added to the United States Constitution abolishing slavery permanently. The plaque ends with line from the chorus of an old spiritual (circa 1865) "Slavery Chain Done Broke At Last"

Dedicated in 1884, this is an absolutely beautiful monument. It is a stunning 48 feet tall. It has…read moreornate and incredible detailed sculptures on all sides. I saw an old grizzled exhausted soldier sitting to catch a few minutes of rest. A grim looking citizen soldier holds his rifle in his right hand while his left hand is clenched in a fist of fury. A seated woman holds a book while two children crowd around her. A blacksmith stands tall and proud. The monument is capped by a Greek goddess holding her crown of laurels. There is artwork everywhere- sculpted panels and lamp posts made of rifles. And of course, there are inscribed plaques with the flowery language of the day. One reads: In honor of the patriotism and to perpetuate the memory of the 900 brave men who went forth from this town to fight in the war for the union. This monument has been erected by their townsmen that all who come after them may be mindful of their deeds, and fail not in the day of trial to emulate their example. 1861-1865 Another one reads: Brave men, who rallying at your country's call, Went forth to fight - if Heaven willed, to fall! Returned, ye walk with us through sunnier years, And hear your nation say, God bless you all! Brave men, who yet a heavier burden bore. And came not home to hearts by grief made sore! They call you dead and lo ye grandly live. Shrined in the nation's love forevermore! 1865-1885 So many of Connecticut's old towns have a monument or two like this. They are so easy to overlook, so easy to drive by without even realizing what they are. Look at the statues, look at the sadness in the faces. These are treasures.

Bantam River Park is across from the former Bantam Town Hall. It's small but cute. There's a lovely…read moregarden in the spring, and currently signs explaining former historical landmarks in Bantam. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I forget some of these small towns used to have THINGS, instead of just shopping and restaurants. Bantam had factories like many other small towns. They made horse carriages, one of which is on display in a small barn. There's a waterfall you can admire, although I believe access is restricted by gated fence.

Cool things I learned from this plaque:…read more 1. Woodbury had a Town Drummer 2. Woodbury was CT's 23rd town 3. It mentioned a "rill" - a word I didn't know, so the good folks at Wikipedia told me " a rill is a shallow channel (no more than a few tens of centimetres deep) cut into soil by the erosive action of flowing water." This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background, It's located at the intersection of Main Street South (US 6) and Park Road on a small green. The marker has the same inscription on both sides. One side is in very good condition, the other is starting to show some fading and peeling. The full inscription reads: In 1659 citizens of Stratford purchased from the Pegasset Indians the land, then called Pomperaug Plantation, that is now occupied by Woodbury, Southbury, Roxbury, Bethlehem and parts of Washington, Middlebury and Oxford. It was re-named Woodbury in 1673 and became the twenty-third town of Connecticut. The first congregation was gathered to a church near this marker, and townspeople were called to worship by the town drummer stationed on the rock to the east. The streams of Woodbury provided power for making cutlery and woolen cloth from colonial days through the nineteenth century, but agriculture was the town's main occupation, while forests furnished charcoal for the metal furnaces of neighboring industries. "I love the rocks and rills Thy woods and templed hills." Erected 1976 by Town of Woodbury, Woodbury American Revolution Bicentennial Committee, Connecticut Historical Commission.

I'm somewhat of a history buff. This plaque tells the story of how the town of Woodbury was…read moresettled. I'm originally from Stratford, and many of the names mentioned were familiar to me. In fact, many of the streets in town named after the initial settlers have an analog in Stratford. The plaque is in good shape, and hidden off the road. You can see it briefly as you drive along Rte 6, and you get a better view if you're traveling down Hollow Road, or stop at Woodbury Floral Designs (There's parking along Hollow Road across the street from the shop).

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign! For some reason, someone thought to put up a sign indicating that…read morethe present Route 6 through Woodbury was once a migratory path for large animals in ancient times. Reading this description brought to mind T-Rexes, Brontosauruses, and Mastodons plodding their way up and down the trail in prehistoric ages, much like the commuters in today's town during rush hour. However, I suspect it was more like large game that the indigenous people, the Potatuck (or Pohtatuck, or Pootatuck) subgroup of the Paugussett Tribe hunted in times past. When the first settlers came to this area, the path became the main road through the middle of the settlement, and later was the major route to Litchfield (there are at least four Benjamin Franklin milestones along Route 6 currently). The sign says: In past times the ancient paths in Connecticut were formed by large animals as they moved with the seasons and migrated towards salt deposits. The Native Americans followed these same paths as they hunted these animals, traded with other tribes and also made war in troubled times. European colonials found these paths and used them to trade and migrate into the interior of this state and new nation. This foot path, Main Street, was used by local tribes as they traded and hunted, and colonials as they migrated and settled this area. You can find this sign on the east side of Main Street, roughly a quarter of a mile north of the junction of Route 64, or about 100 feet north of the footbridge over the wetlands.

There is a sign (A wooden sign)…read more The sign tells the story of Washington D(epot) The sons of old And the wars it saw To you and me no big deal, but the sign It tells a lot! I know that's not poetry, but please enjoy my sign art. The town sign is in fairly good condition, legible, and you don't see the signs lay out certain distinguished (male) citizens. Its located on the green in front of Town Hall, in front of several parallel parking spots. There is a mailbox and voting mailbox located around the same town hall green.

Washington is a very small town in rural eastern Connecticut and it got the name from a certain…read morefamous Continental Army general who passed through here a number of times during the Revolutionary War. This marker is on the grounds of the town hall and is in decent condition. On the front it reads, "This township includes the villages of Woodville, New Preston, Marbledale, Washington, and Washington Depot. The eastern section, first settled by Joseph Hurlbut in 1734, was known as the Parish of Judea and belonged to Woodbury. The western section, first settled in 1741, was called the Parish of New Preston and belonged to New Milford. The present town was incorporated in 1779, being named in honor of General George Washington, who traveled through this area several times during his wartime journeys and breakfasted with his staff at Squire Cogswell's tavern in New Preston on Friday, May 25, 1781. For many years Washington was principally a farming community. Among early local industries were ironworks and quarries run by waterpower along the Shepaug and Aspetuck Rivers. The local economy now consists of small retail outlets and a few remaining farms. Several well-established private schools are also a vital part of the community." On the reverse, it lists several distinguished sons. Major William Cogswell. 1734-1786. In command under General Washington in retreat from Long Island during Revolutionary War. Moderator of first town meeting in Washington (1779). First Selectman. Elected eight times to represent the town in General Assembly of Connecticut. Daniel N. Brinsmade. 1751-1826. Lawyer. Member of Hartford convention ratifying Constitution of the United States (1788). Ephraim Kirby. 1757-1804. Served in American Revolution and in Connecticut Legislature. Published first fully developed volume of law reports in this country. Horace Bushnell. 1802-1876. Lawyer, noted preacher and writer. Ordained pastor of North Church of Hartford (1833). Later selected site of future University of California. Frederick W. Gunn. 1816-1881. Founder and master of The Gunnery school. [And the local library is named after him https://www.yelp.com/biz/gunn-memorial-library-washington?hrid=uWJIVSKT9yIIlScsK5JD6Q.] Gideon H. Hollister. 1817-1881. Lawyer, historian, state senator. Minister to Haiti (1868). Orville H. Platt. 1827-1905. Studied law under Gideon Hollister. Served as Secretary of the State, in State Senate, as State's Attorney. United States Senator from Connecticut (1879-1905). Author of Platt Amendment incorporated into constitution of Cuba (1901). William Hamilton Gibson. 1850-1896. Artist, naturalist, author, lecturer. Major General Benjamin D. Foulois. 1879-1967. Made first military airplane flight, Fort Sam Houston, Texas (1910). Chief of United States Army Air Corps (1931-1935). "Last of the First to Fly" (on his cemetery monument)." The marker was erected in 1982 by the Town of Washington and the Connecticut Historical Commission. The Town Hall has plenty of parking nearby and even an EV charger https://www.yelp.com/biz/juice-bar-washington?hrid=mkPtiHKxoONaAEZ_pF4UFw. [Review 18401 overall - 67 in Connecticut - 1923 of 2022.]

Situated on the corner of Pleasant Street and Route 6 in Woodbury, CT, this little park is often…read moreforgotten by the residents, except at Christmas, when the town's tree is decorated and lit. It's not included in the list of the town's recreational facilities, nor is it one of the popular sites for family picnicking. One of the reasons is the lack of parking, which makes this a great place to walk to from anywhere in town, instead of taking the car. There's a number of benches, some provided by the town, others, built and dedicated by the local Lions in memory of deceased members. The bandstand (NEVER call it a gazebo!) was also built by the Lions in 1986, and is dedicated to the memory of local composer Leroy Anderson. It's popular with local residents as a dog walk area, or as a place to sit and quietly reflect. There are several large trees, and an open space that's great for that quick Frisbee toss. It's also the place with the most advertising signs because of its location along Route 6, and the traffic light that requires cars to stop in front of them. I'm all for green space in any town. I wish this little park would get more use.

This is a nice little area to rest in Woodbury. It is down the road from the Orenaug Park and…read moreHollow Park which could be part of why this area is overlooked when visiting the town. The gazebo and benches make a nice pit stop when walking along the sidewalk of route six. Like many other town greens, there is not much to do and it is not big enough for town wide events, but nice little areas to bring your family for some fresh air on nights and weekends.