Eri Woodbury was a Civil War Union soldier who drew his saber on four Confederate soldiers and…read moresingle handedly persuaded them to surrender. Harvey Barnum was a Vietnam era Marine. When his battalion was riddled by enemy fire, he tended to his commander's wounds, grabbed the radio from the dead radio operator, moved through enemy fire, organized the remnants of the battalion and safely evacuated them to safety. Both men were from Cheshire. Both men were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor -our nation's "highest award for valor in action." In 1998, their hometown honored their patriotism with the dedication of a Medal of Honor Plaza and educational Living Classroom at the entrance to Bartlem Park, more or less across the street from Cheshire High School. The plaza has a 50 feet wide star on the ground constructed from bricks. The bricks have the names of hundreds of Cheshire veterans inscribed on them. The middle of the plaza has a black granite monument that looks like a podium or a lectern. It bears the names and ranks of Woodbury and Barnum. Stone benches are also set in the plaza, bearing their names as well. The Living Classroom is an interesting idea- there are five trees planted at the corners of the plaza star that have ties to historic places or events, like Gettysburg, Washington's Delaware crossing, and Connecticut's Constitution Oak. The lectern is inscribed on its sides with these words: The American Revolution War of 1812 Spanish-American War World War I World War II Korean War Gulf War Remembering The Many Sacrifices That Preserved Our Freedom Residents of Cheshire Heroes of the United States Medal of Honor Recipient 1st Lieutanant Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. U.S. Marines Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Sgt. Eri D. Woodbury 1st Vermont Cavalry Civil War

I just love these old Civil War monuments that include a statue of a soldier of the time. There is…read morejust something about seeing that weary looking craggy face, usually bearded or mustached, wearing the long overcoat and cape of the day, holding his rifle, that is quite transfixing. This monument is located in Coe Park, at the high traffic corner of Litchfield Street and South Main. It is a 7' high granite figure of a Union soldier standing on a large granite base. It was originally dedicated in front of Wolcottville (Torrington's original name) Town Hall in 1879 and moved to Coe Park in 1936. The front of the base has a sculpted Seal of Connecticut. The inscription below reads: 1861 TO THE DEFENDERS OF THE UNION 1865 The back of the base has a plaque that lists the names of six Civil War battles: GETTYSBURG. ANTIETAM. WINCHESTER. MALVERN HILL. COLD HARBOR. PETERSBURG. CEDAR CREEK. Go take a look at the life-like statue and expressive face of that soldier. It is just fabulous..

Standing guard at the main entrance of the State Capital building lies a very impressive weapon of…read morewar. It's a 13 inch mortar used by the First Connecticut Heavy Artillery during the Civil War at the Battle of Petersburg, VA in 1864. The massive gun earned the appropriate nickname of the " Petersburg Express" and "The Dictator". The gun weighed in at a whopping 17,120 pounds and it was so massive it had to be set up and transported on a steel reinforced railroad car ! The monument has the gun sitting on a stone base with three cannon balls the size of bowling balls in the front and another three in the back. It honors Connecticut's first volunteers of the Civil War. Three inscriptions fastened onto the stone base read: "1st Conn. Heavy Artillery Originally 4th Conn. Infantry Mustered in May 22, 1861 Mustered out Sept. 25 1865 Total enrollment officers and men 3802" "Erected by the survivors and friends of the regiment and the veteran and active companies Hartford City Guard to the first volunteer organization that was mustered for three years into the service of the United States in the War of 1861-1866." "This 13 inch sea coast mortar was in actual use by the regiment during the campaign in front of Petersburg 1864-65 and widely known as the Petersburg Express" The gun is in great shape, but the plaques are badly weathered and streaking, making them quite difficult to read. Nevertheless, this is an awesome monument!!

Here you will be greeted and welcomed to a pleasant and courteous environment. Our Non Commissioned…read moreOfficers are the most professional in the greater Waterbury area. Wether you are looking to continue your college education, add an additional career for a second retirement or you are looking to leave Waterbury for an adventure of a lifetime. We are here to assist you in accomplishing your dreams. Come visit us and see what the buzz in town is all about. Our team consists of... Staff Sergeant Paul J. Daly Staff Sergeant Adam T. Christensen Staff Sergeant Michelle D. Fernandez Staff Sergeant Daniel E. Holt Sergeant Cesar A. Colon And the face that runs the place... Sergeant First Class Marcus A. Gersten

This guys are great!! if you are looking for an honest recruiting station this is it.read more

In late August 2014, this epic monument was unveiled at the front entrance of the State Police…read moreHeadquarters in Middletown. It honors the law enforcement and public safety champions of the canine persuasion that have served our state for 80 years. According to the State Police website, they train four types of dogs -Patrol (a multipurpose category that includes tracking, apprehension, protection, and evidence recovery), Bloodhounds (for specialized and difficult tracking), Search and Rescue (to locate any live or deceased human scent in large search zones), and Detection dogs (think narcotics, accelerants, explosives and even electronic storage devices). The Connecticut State Police Canine program is renowned across the country and internationally. Police dogs from around the world are trained here (Greece, Egypt, and Cyprus to name a few). Training programs by the US State Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were modeled after the one designed by the CT State Police. The monument features likenesses of the three dog breeds used by the State Police, Labradors, German shepherds and bloodhounds. The monument's inscription reads: "Dedicated to past, present, and future canines of the Connecticut State Police. Their loyalty, courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten".

If you're not paying attention as you drive in downtown Meriden, you might be startled at the sight…read moreof this gigantic monument that rises from the median strip on Broad Street like an approaching Godzilla. Dedicated in 1930, I'd say it's 35 feet or so tall. The main obelisk looks to be carved out of stone. On the monument's base are four gorgeous sculptures that represent an infantry soldier, a marine, a sailor and a nurse. The statues are amazing and very life-like. The crowning touch on this monument is at it's highest point. At the very top sits an eagle with his wings fully spread as if in flight. The base is inscribed with hundreds of names. There's an inscription on the base that reads, "Dedicated to those from Meriden who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of their country during the World War 1917-1918."

What do Henry Ford's use of assembly line production, Samuel Colt's popularization of…read moreinterchangeable parts, and Philadelphia's Betsy Ross Bridge have in common? The answer is Hamden, CT. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has the same inscription on both sides, and is located in the heart of Hamden in a small grassy area at the busy intersection of Dixwell Avenue and Whitney Avenue. It's in excellent condition with a bright blue background and crisp white lettering. The marker is dated 1973, so I wonder if it was replaced somewhere along the way? The inscription reads: Hamden Incorporated in 1786, this town was originally part of New Haven and was named for John Hampden, noted English statesman. In 1798, at the foot of Lake Whitney, Eli Whitney pioneered in the use of interchangeable parts in the manufacture of arms for the United States Government and created the American concept of assembly line production. The first truss bridge in the United States, constructed after the patented design of Ithiel Town, eminent architect, was erected in Whitneyville in 1823. The Farmington Canal, 1825 - 1848, traversed the entire length of Hamden and evidence of it still exists in the Mount Carmel area. Erected by The Hamden Historical Society, Inc. and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1973

I love being a Veteran…read more... I never knew that after serving my country I would receive such a long term reward. And that reward is being a veteran. Because I'm a veteran, I've been entitled to many things. The Hartford Veterans Center which is actually in Rocky Hill is the best place to go for any issues as a veteran. This is a federally funded institution, but is not affiliated with the Veterans Administration Hospital. So they are in a sense a 3rd party federally funded institution. Come here if you have any issues. Whether it be educational, legal, financial, medical, social, psychological or vocational they got you covered. Many of those who work there have AT LEAST Masters degrees, being great resources in what they went to school for. Any issues I had they always found a solution. I had issues with receiving money for school and issues with compensation and pension and they were able to be that support for me. They were enthusiastic and relentless in ensuring that I got what I wanted. Sometimes these places that give you your benefits are stingy, so the Vet Center makes sure that you get what you deserve, are happy and justice is served.