I'm going to be honest...we went for the hand. I heard there…read morewas a place in CT that had a mummified hand of a Saint and we made plans to go! We aren't a religious family but we do like history and that's not something you see everyday! There were four of us and we made a day of it as some UrbEx kids version. The drive to Mystic for us is about an hour and a half. Weather was perfect! You have to go thru Mystic, then Mason's Island then over a skinny bridge to get to Ender's. It's very well kept and run by the Catholic Church as a recovery program and retreat. But you can visit as a day trip. Lots of flower gardens, statues of Mary, a scenic view of the ocean. The Seaside Chapel is literally next to the water; we were wondering how it can be so close and not flood. The hand is in a glass case inside of the church that they use for Mass. It tells St.Edmund's story and has some trinkets in a case under the hand. I THINK they were from other Saints, like a special belonging. There are several picnic tables around the little island and we had come prepared. We brought out our food, sat seaside, and enjoyed a delightful lunch with the kids. It wasn't crowded and no one was loud, which was a nice change. I didn't take a lot of pics out of respect but here are a few. I would recommend it if you're interested in doing a little exploring.

A must see stop while in Mystic Seaport. Beautiful gardens and views . Yale graduate Dr.Enders…read morepurchased and begins building in or around 1910. Wife ultimately gifts to the Catholic community

It's a bridge. It gets me to work. It doesn't collapse. What else can you ask from a bridge!…read more Well, besides the part I drive in, the foot path is an excellent walk on a nice day with the juxtaposition of the city, Constitution Plaza, and the city. Turns out you can ask more from a bridge. This one at least,

With access to Riverfront Plaza, Founders Bridge not only connects East Hartford to Hartford -- but…read morealso links Columbus Boulevard to Constitution Plaza with one of my favorite bridge walkways in CT. Skating, biking, strolling, or running; the pedestrian walkway is perfect for enjoying great views in all directions as you walk into Hartford. When you have some time, park in East Hartford and walk along the river's edge. You'll experience a part of Hartford not many are familiar with!

This two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, with the familiar white lettering on a…read moreblue background, is located just on the side of the road where Routes 320 and 74 merge near a town green. The inscription is the same on both sides. The marker dates to 1976 and is in very good condition. The marker summarizes the key points in Willington's history, ranging from its initial settlement in 1720, its farming roots, and industrialization throughout the 1800's. It had all sorts of mills and factories for metal works, textiles, tools, and glass-works. The marker contained a word I had never seen before "demijohns:. I looked it up and learned it's a long-necked glass bottle. Live and learn !! The full inscription reads: In 1720 a party of eight men, originally from England, bought sixteen thousand acres in this region and called it Wellington. One of these, Roger Wolcott, subsequently became governor of Connecticut (1750-1754). After a century of farming the town gradually expanded industrially until 1845 when it boasted a thread mill, a cotton mill, three silk factories, a scythe factory, four comb factories, button mils, and a glassworks (1815-1871) producing demijohns and flasks with varying designs. Persons of distinction born here were Jared Sparks (1789-1866), historian and biographer and president of Harvard; Elias Loomis, professor at Yale, celebrated mathematician and astronomer. Erected 1976 by Town of Willington, the Willington Historical Society, and the Connecticut Historical Commission.

Located in the downtown area in Willington CT this marker tells a brief story about how the town…read morewas first settled. The county courthouse now is used as the current library shows early civic architecture in Connecticut. Tolland visitors should make a stop to enjoy the views from the many surrounding parks and historic landmarks here.

A great light but not…read moreso great flies and birds Faulkner's Island is one of the very coolest places in Long island Sound and the lighthouse is one of the most interesting. It's about 4 miles or so off the coast of Guilford, stands 40 feet tall and was completed in 1802. President Thomas Jefferson came out to the island to dedicated the light. The island is now only about 2.5 acres but at one time was almost 10 acres. Constant storms hammered the island until most of it was lost to the sea. Efforts have been tried to preserve what's left of the island with mixed results. It seems only a matter of time before the entire island is lost. About one mile to the South West, Goose Island was once several acres but now is virtually submerged at high tide. The island is extremely important because it is a nesting ground for several types of birds. In fact the scientists that are doing research on the island wear hard hats because the birds are so aggressive during nesting season and anyone coming even close to the island is open to attack. The island is strictly off limits during the breeding season, but during the months when the birds are gone small boats can land, although it is certainly not encouraged. One day a year, during September, the island does have a open house and people are allowed to explore the island. The flies are usually very nasty and but it is such a great place people hardly notice. Faulkner's has a long and fascinating history and on clear days the light can be seen from the coast of Connecticut. The area is frequently foggy and many ships have been lost to the treacherous reefs surrounding the light and island. If you look at my pictures you can see how thick the fog can get. Gps, a good compass bearing or just blind luck is sometimes needed to find the island at all. The people doing the work trying to save the light and island are to be commended but in the end the sea always wins. The Faulkner's Light Brigade can be reached at PO Box 199, Guilford, Ct 06437.

I was incredibly surprised to have run into the Lincoln Financial Sculptures Walk. It actually…read morestretches from the Boathouse to the Founder's Bridge and across the river. And I believe I only saw half of it. It was definitely worth it. It took me nearly an hour so I'd think it could stretch to two hours to complete them all. Happy hunting!

Holy Mackerel !! I…read morehad no idea that this treasure chest of art, creativity, and history existed. Shame on me for not exploring the Hartford Riverfront earlier. In 2005, Lincoln Financial donated a $500,000 grant to the Greater Hartford Arts Council to design a Sculpture Walk along the Connecticut River in both Hartford and East Hartford. They announced a nationwide competition for accomplished artists around the country and selected 16 works for this permanent public art exhibit representing the life, accomplishments and values of President Abraham Lincoln. I looked at three of the sixteen statues today as part of my wandering around the Riverfront during the Dragon Boat and Asian Festival. Sculpture Three: Lincoln Meets Stowe (Bruno Lucchesi - 2006) This bronze sculpture commemorates the 1862 meeting of Abraham Lincoln and Hartford author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Upon meeting, Lincoln purportedly quipped, "So you're the little lady who started this big war." Sculpture Four: Toward Union Lines (Preston Jackson - 2007) This sculpture represents a young woman walking north toward Union lines. The accompanying plaque describes the plight of "contrabands" or escaped slaves. Sculpture Five: Frontier Life (Neil Goodman - 2008) This sculpture represents Lincoln's Indiana boyhood years living in a log cabin and growing up to be a skilled ax-man and rail splitter. I can't wait to see the other 13 exhibits. Riverfront Recapture offers a walking tour of all sixteen stations and additional artwork on the very impressive Hartford riverfront.

"We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their…read morejourney and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God" - President Ronald Reagan, January 28, 1986 In 1986, I worked in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and was driving somewhere for an appointment. As usual, I was listening to Boston rock station WBCN when I heard news of the disaster. The space Shuttle Challenger had disintegrated 73 seconds after liftoff, killing its six astronaut and civilian schoolteacher crew of seven. By the way, if you aren't familiar with President Reagan's very eloquent two and a half minute speech to the nation that evening, go search it out. It was magnificent. This very simple memorial to that terrible day sits on the Center Green in Rocky Hill, near the intersection of Main and Pratt Streets. It bears this inscription: In Memory Challenger Crewmembers January 28, 1986 Francis R. Scobee Judith A. Resnik Ronald E. McNair Michael J. Smith Ellison S. Onizuka Gregory Jarvis S. Christa McAuliffe

My son's had a really fun time here, so I was surprised by some of the reviews. It was a Wednesday…read morenight so they weren't very busy. The staff were nice at the front desk but my sons did say that they heard the staff complaining about working and they were tired of being there. I think the price was really great. And I love that they can get food there.And they loved that because they ordered just about everything lol. I think it's a super fun experience, and I think it's super cool that they offer that so you can go gamble

Zero efficiency system in terms of checking in and checking out…read more This Heather cashier and another who was opened at the same time decided to call the checkout ppl "who had just walked up," meanwhile I had been waiting on line for check in. Cashiers don't know what they are doing. Bunch of idiots running this place. One star bc my kids actually like it there.

This election is perhaps the most consaquencial in American history. A Donald Trump presidency…read morewould stand against everything this country stands for. We need to fight for progressive values and Democratic candidates that continue to move this country forward and make it great. Hope you all can stop by! #Democrats2016

Vernon, CT's cloth was of such high quality, that two US Presidents were inaugurated in suits made…read morefrom its textile mills! Vernon was huge in the development of industrial New England. It was a textile giant with water power and cotton spinning looms, woolen products, immigrant labor, and award winning cloths and fabrics. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. The marker dates to 1981 and is in pretty good shape. It's located on a town green where Park Place and Elm Street meet. It does a great job of relating Vernon's impressive industrial heritage

The Roseland Cottage is truly a beautiful historical gem in CT! I recently took a tour of the house…read moreand it was super interesting. Though the grounds are always open to visitors, guided tours of the house are only available June through mid-October, Thursday-Sunday from 11AM-3PM, every hour on the hour. Timed tickets can be purchased online in advance (and this is recommended). Adult admission is $20. Once I arrived, I was greeted by staff who were very friendly. The tour guide, MaryLou, took me through the house and explained the history of Henry Bowen (the original resident of the house) and his family. She was extremely knowledgeable and it was very interesting! The tour was supposed to last around an hour, but she went for about an hour and 15 minutes. After the tour you are free to roam the grounds and take photos, and there's also a small gift shop. Non-flash photography is allowed inside the house, but no video. Overall I found this to be a really beautiful historical spot in Woodstock, CT and would definitely recommend taking a tour!

My husband and I had our wedding here, the place was absolutely beautiful and that is the only…read morething that made the venue worth it. Laurie the women who handles Roseland cottage, on the other hand ended up being a bit difficult as our wedding got closer and closer. Sadly on the rehearsal day and wedding day she was rude and did things that we did not agree upon or said she wasn't going to do. She made herself seem understanding up until those days. She gave me sass remarks and honestly made the rehearsal day and wedding day more stressful. The only thing that made it worth it, like I said, was the beautiful venue. But Laurie in the end did make things feel way more stressful and difficult. Our catering was wonderful though, I could not have asked to better catering. They handled Laurie and everything else with class. Thank you renees Bistro.