In the final 79 words of this plaque's inscription, the words "art" or "artist" are mentioned five…read moretimes. Artists began congregating in Old Lyme in the early 1800's, and the town continues to be a popular artists' colony to this day. The marker is located on the front lawn of the Old Lyme Town Hall. It's a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has different inscriptions on each side. The marker is in pretty good shape with minor fading on the blue background on both sides. 164 CT towns down, 6 to go The full inscription reads: As early as the 1640's settlers from Saybrook cleared and planted land on the east side of the Connecticut River in what is now Old Lyme. The first recorded grant of land, in 1649, was to Matthew Griswold in the Black Hall quarter. By 1665 the inhabitants on the east bank, "... desiring to be a plantation by themselves: do declare that they have a competency of Lands to entertain thirty families", and agreed with those on the west bank upon a "loving parting" by which a separate community was established. Two years later the General Court of Connecticut ordered that "... ye Plantation on ye East side ye River over agt Say-brooke for ye future be named Lyme." The settlement, some eighty square miles, included the present towns of Old Lyme, East Lyme, Lyme and part of Salem. The General Court gave consent to Lyme in 1678 to found a church society, which was not formally organized for fifteen years. Meeting House Hill, east of Duck River, was the site of two 17th century meetinghouses and one of the 18th. Samuel Belcher designed a fourth, built in 1817, to face the green at the south end of Lyme Street. After it burned in 1907, a replica became as favored a subject for artists as was the original. Seaborne trade began in 1650 with exportation of barrel staves on the ship TRYALL, starting a lucrative commerce with the West Indies. In the 19th century Lyme was divided four towns. This comminute in 1855 was named South Lyme, renamed Old Lyme two years later. From a summer colony of artists at the turn of the century evolved the Lyme School of Art, the Lyme Art Association, and the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. Nearby on Lyme Street stands the Florence Griswold House of 1817, which lodged the artists and is now the headquarters of the Lyme Historical Society, where many of their works may be seen. Erected by the Town of Old Lyme the Lyme Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1979

This marker is along Townsend next to the historic Fort Wooster Park…read more On the front, "Sacred grounds of the Quinnipiac Indians and one of the earliest reservations in the New World Battle site of the American patriots against the British forces during the invasion of New Haven on July 5, 1779. Location of a hilltop beacon to warn of approaching enemy ships during the War of 1812, site of earthen ramparts and a black powder cellar." And it continues, "This coastal Algonquian tribe numbered about 250 members when the English colonists arrived in 1638. They practiced a variety of activities: fishing, clamming, farming of beans, squash & corn, gathering of nuts, berries & roots and hunting game animals & birds. They lived in wigwams covered with rush mats, skins or bark. Travel was by foot or dugouts. Clothing consisted of tanned hides decorated with feathers, porcupine quills & shell beads." On the reverse, "On November 24, 1638, the Quinnipiac leaders: Montowese, Sawseunek, Momaugin, Sugcogisin, Carroughood, Weesaucuck and Shaumpishuh signed a treaty with the Rev. John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton, which designated the east side of the harbor as a reservation of 1200 acres for the Native Americans. The Indian population gradually dwindled, some of the men serving in Great Britain's colonial wars. East Haven farmers pressured the Quinnipiacs to sell their reservation land. Many of the tribe migrated to Farmington to join the Tunxis Indians. In 1773 the last of the reservation land was sold. The Quinnipiacs as a tribe were gone forever from the area; however, as late as the mid-1800s, some members returned in the summer to fish, clam, sell baskets and help farmers with haying." The marker was erected in 2001. [Review 1061 of 2025 - 114 in Connecticut - 24615 overall]

1654. That's a looooong time ago. But that's when the first settlers arrived in Ansonia. So it…read moremakes a sense that most of the homes in this area, at least on Elm Street, precede the American Revolution. This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has the same inscriptions on each side. The marker was dedicated in 1976 and is in excellent shape. The blue background is fairly bright with no signs of fading or peeling. You can see the marker directly across from the Police Department, more or less at the intersection of Elm Street and Platt Street. The full inscription reads: Here the first settlers came in 1654 and established a settlement called Uptown Derby. It is now part of the City of Ansonia, incorporated in 1889. South of this green is the home of General David Humphreys who, as aide-de-camp to General George Washington, accepted the British colors in surrender at Yorktown. Many of the private homes on Elm Street are pre-Revolutionary and the Episcopal cemetery has gravestones dating back to 1741. During the Revolution, men who lived here served with the Second Connecticut Regiment and drilled on this green, then called Cankwood Plain. Erected by the City of Ansonia The Ansonia Historic District Commission and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1976 155 CT towns done, 15 to go

Legend has it that Manhattan Island was bought from the Algonquin Indians for some beads in 1626…read more This marker tells us that the land that eventually became Branford was bought from the Mattabesec Indians for 12 coats of cloth in 1638. The marker also tells the history of Branford's importance as a colonial shipbuilding and trade center Here's a cool piece of trivia - in 1701, ten ministers met here and contributed books to the town - that was the origin of Yale College which became Yale University in 1887. This is a 1-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located on a grassy area just to the side of the Branford Town Hall. The marker was dedicated in 1981 and is in pretty good condition. It concludes with these words -"The twentieth century has brought some changes to Branford, but much of its historical heritage remains in the form of old buildings and well-preserved villages."

Things I learned from the Deep River Historical Marker:…read more They had a bustling manufacturing and shipping industry here way back in the 1600's. Things like wood barrels, lumber, pianos, shipbuilding, and the ivory trade represented Deep River's early industries. This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located right in front of the Deep River Historical Society. The marker was dedicated in 1980 and is in pretty good condition. I did notice some fading on the blue background on the front side of the marker. 170th marker visited. All CT Towns accounted for.

"The Soft Parade has now begun Listen to the engines hum…read morePeople out to have some fun A cobra on my left Leopard on my right" (The Soft Parade by the Doors) Jim Morrison's bizarre lyrics really seem to fit this bizarre marker. I've seen a lot of the State of CT Historical Markers, but never before one that celebrates a parade. 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 Wallingford's central business district near 23 South Main Street. It's in excellent condition with a bright blue background and crisp white lettering. The marker is dated 1992. The full inscription reads: The Parade Ground Few things better symbolize the history and evolution of a New England town than the town green. Set aside as the town "common" in the original 1670 plan of development, Wallingford's town green, or "Parade Ground," is as old as the community itself. In those early days the community centered round North and South Main Streets. By placing the town common and adjacent meetinghouse here, Puritan founders hoped to symbolize the shared values, goals, idea, and beliefs which had spurred their migration to the New World and which now guided this new community. During the nineteenth century, local industrialists built stately homes along Main Street and a commercial district along Center Street. The town green became a central park for the bustling urban center. Today those two purposes are united with the town green serving as both a park and a symbol of the community. Erected by Wallingford Visitors Council 1992

The East Lyme Veterans Memorial shares Liberty Green with another memorial dedicated to vets of WW…read moreI, known as the East Lyme Honor Roll. The Veterans memorial has three granite blocks connected at an angle with bronze plaques that honor veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The World War II plaque is dedicated to all W W II vets and spotlights ten that were killed in action. The plaque reads "A lasting tribute to these men we loved and lost," above ten names. A second plaque inscription reads "to all our veterans who so bravely fought when our nation was in need." The Korea plaque's inscription reads" For Our Brave Men Who Could Not Come Home" . One name, Roscoe E. Perry is engraved, followed by an inscription that reads "We honor the gallant men of this town who answered the call of our great nation". The Vietnam plaque honors two local vets who were killed. The plaque's dedication reads: "God bless these men who could give no more. May we always remember -Never Forget- These courageous men from Our town who fought for Right when so much was not' The monument is in very good condition at a prominent high traffic corner in Niantic where Main Street (Route 156) and Pennsylvania Avenue (Route 161) intersect.

Impressions of the East Haven marker?…read more First of all, East Haven is really old, with a history tracing back to 1638. But paradoxically, it didn't become a "city" until the 1970s. Secondly, check out some of the awesome names on the marker. Theophilus Momaugin Lonotononket Jacob Heminway. Who's he? In 1701, he became the first student at Yale. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located near town hall at the intersection of Main Street and Chidsey Avenue. Dedicated in 1976, the marker is in a deteriorating condition with many signs of peeling and chipping. The full inscription reads: This area, purchased by the Reverend John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton in 1638, was later known as East Farms. It was obtained from Indian sachems Momaugin and Mantowese. In 1639 Thomas Gregson, the first landowner, purchased Solitary Cove, later called Morris Cove. The first Connecticut ironworks was located in 1655 by Lake Saltonstall, formerly named Lonotononket, then Furnace Pond. East Farms became known as Iron Works Village, the third iron industry in the New England colonies. Jacob Heminway, the original Yale student, served as the first pastor (1704-1754) of the Congregational Church. In 1774 the Old Stone Church was erected; its first minister was Nicholas Street. This area was invaded in 1779 by British General William Tryon. During the Revolutionary War, Lafayette encamped on the green, revisiting it in 1824. In 1881 Fair Haven, Granniss Corners, and Morris Cove were ceded to New Haven. The Roosevelt Turkey Oak, a gift from President Theodore Roosevelt, was planted on the green in 1908. The initial town meeting (1785) named Isaac Chidsey First Selectman. The town became a city during the 1970's under Mayor Francis W. Messina Erected by the East Haven Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1976