I took a trip to the Simsbury Free Library (SFL) the other day, and it was a super interesting and…read moreunique place! Here's the scoop: SFL is located on Hopmeadow St. right in the heart of Simsbury. It's just down the street from the Simsbury Public Library, which is NOT affiliated with SFL. While the public library is run by the town, SFL is a non-profit that is not funded by the town. Parking is available nearby on the street, or there is a small lot on the right side of the building. One inside, you'll be greeted by the extremely friendly and helpful staff, who will take the time to show you around and tell you all about the history of the library. SFL is noted for its genealogical research resources, housing a robust collection of family surnames, histories, and genealogies, as well as CT town, county, and other New England state histories. They also have DAR lineage books and other hereditary journals. The employees and volunteers have created marriage, death, and obituary indexes for Simsbury. Ancestry.com Library edition is also available for use by patrons. On the Saturday's that they are open (2nd and 4th Saturday) they have a professional genealogist on site who will help you trace down your family history! Besides the genealogy resources, the SFL has a beautiful glass panel memorial dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. out in front of the building. I learned that MLK actually lived and worked in Simsbury for two summers when he was a teenager. A group of Simsbury High School students researched MLK's life while in Simsbury, and this later became the inspiration for the memorial. Lastly, there is a cool exhibit on William Phelps Eno, who was the original architect of traffic regulations and transportation engineering. He developed regulations like right-hand driving, one way streets, traffic lights, driver's licenses, vehicle registrations, and more! These are just a few of the cool and educational things you'll find at SFL. Make sure to check it out for yourself!

One of the top 5 towns we were looking to live in for a variety of reasons…read more In May 1670, Town of Simsbury was incorporated; it is Connecticut's 21st town. Currently, there are approximately 24,000 people living there. Simsbury is part of the Farmington Valley. There are three state parks; Penwood, Talcott Mountain, and Stratton Brook. The famous landmark, Heublein Tower can be seen from a distance in various parts of the state. The Pinchot Sycamore is the largest tree in Connecticut, which is located in Simsbury. The International Skating Center is also located there; many well-known ice skaters trained there. The town is very beautiful and nicely maintained; houses are beautiful. There are many things to do. There is a town center, hiking trails, libraries, playgrounds, and restaurants. The school system is highly rated and crime rates are low. I really enjoy exploring the town and I'm there quite often. Overall, an A+ town all around.

1.) Introduction: I get to write a review on this town?!…read moreYessssssssssss! I am kind of giddy about this one! I lived here for almost 10 years and I believe I will be moving back. Simsbury is a place to have a family and raise children. Simsbury is for champions! 2.) Aesthetics: Beautiful Simsbury, beautiful, beautiful Simsbury. Lots of woods. It's kind of rural meets Suburban. High class yet down to earth. 3.) Schools: A town of very nice elementary, middle, high schools and private schools. Your child is going to get a good education here. 4.) Citizens: Contrary to belief, Simsbury is not like that next town over. These people are a generally down to earth bunch. I describe these people as working middle class citizens. Yes, there are people who make money here, but that's just a slight deviation towards lower and upper class. 5.) Residences: Just like I said about Socio-economic status, you can find all types of housing here. From tiny startup homes to apartments to condominiums to McMansions, you can find it all! I recall when I was first looking for apartments I was able to find one on Hopmeadow Road for $700 a month. That was back in 2007! 6.) Town - statistics: To be honest, the statistics are that 90% of the citizens have college degrees and make an annual income of $90,000. That percentage also ties in with the literacy rate, as well as the likelihood that a high school graduate will go onto a 4 year college. 7.) Impressions: After I earn my ultimate degree, settle on a job, finish being young, partying and having fun, I am moving back here!

A statue commemorating Jennifer Carter Gray, a 15 year old girl who tragically lost her life while…read moreriding a bicycle. She was born on May 26, 1971 and died on June 17, 1986. Although the statue is not of Jennifer, it is to showcase her youth, positivity, and free spirit. The artist who created the statue is Wolfgang Behl and it was dedicated on September 1988. The statue is located in the courtyard of the Simsbury library. A reminder of a young girl who loved to read. It's a sad story but I'm happy to see her memory lives.

Absolutely Terrible! Stopped in to get documents notarized…read more The woman at the desk was having a social conversation with another employee. Asked if there was a notary there. Her response was that we need to make an appointment! All appointments are gone for the day! There was no one else in there! It takes all of 2 minutes to do it! Thanks for nothing! Does anyone do their job anymore! Totally Lazy! No Surprise! The place SUCKS!

This Little Free Library is located right at the entrance of the Rotary Boundless Playground. It is…read morered with a white roof and looks like it's seen better days; a little bit of the paint has faded. This doesn't take away from the importance of this little bookcase. There is a plaque on top that says, "Eagle Project of Gabe Clonts & BSA Troop 113, Feb. 2016 "My Little Free Library" Materials donated by Home Depot. The plaque at the bottom says LittleFreeLibrary.org Take a Book - Return a Book Charter # 58746 A Nonprofit Organization. The bookcase is usually filled with books when I visit. I think it's a great spot for it because of the foot traffic to the playground, dog park, outdoor theater, and trail. I think it needs a little bit of a touch up on the paint, other than that, it looks pretty decent for 8 years old. There are cold winters and hot summers here in New England; things get deteriorated fast with the weather. Overall, a great resource for the community!

This is a very nice library with a average sized children's section. It is located in the complex…read morewith other town buildings. There was plenty of parking. The Librarian was very friendly and greeted us when we walked in. You can't miss the book tower in front of the librarian desk; my toddler and I were in awe looking at it. The children's section had a big fake tree that a child can go in. There were computers, Legos, train table, dollhouse, and other toys. There was a tween reading area. Although, this was not the biggest library, it was indeed lovely. I noticed a trail out back and had to check it out. The trail is called Doreen's Nature Trail and it was peaceful and neat. It is in memory of the former Library Director that tragically lost her life. Overall, this was definitely one of my top 10 favorite libraries I've been to. I wish my local library had a trail in the back!

I went to the Library in East Granby for a quiet space to do some work. There is a large blue…read moreturkey right in front of the library. This is in honor of East Granby originally being named Turkey Hills. The inside of this library is very well kept, with a grandfather clock that immediately caught my eye. There are some beautiful plants and a nice amount of sunlight coming through. They have a self serve coffee and tea station. The books are nicely organized and there's a substantial amount under every author. They also have an area for kids and teens. As well as quiet areas where you can work on your computer. The kids area is a lot of fun, with a large "tree", the kids can go inside of to play. The books are also plentiful in this area. They also had a selection of books for sale. Here I found a book that I was very interested in a number of years ago. It probably would have been $1 if I wanted to purchase it. I sat down and read about 20 pages, and decided it's a bit too sad to fully involve my self in it right now, so I put it back. This library is quite a nice one in the small town of East Granby. Be sure, you're going to the library not the town hall, as they're right next to one another.

This plaque on the lawn in front of the Simsbury Library marks the birthplace of Simsbury native…read moreGifford Pinchot. Who was he? He dedicated his life to American conservation and forestry, and in 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as the first Chief of the United States Forest Service. He also served two terms as Governor of Pennsylvania. The plaque's lengthy inscription reads: Gifford Pinchot Birthplace Gifford Pinchot (1865 - 1946) was for more than 50 years a staunch advocate of forestry and conservation in the United States. He was born on this site on August 11, 1865 to James Wallace Pinchot and Mary Jane Eno; his maternal grandparents were natives of Simsbury. Gifford Pinchot was founder and first president of the Society of American Foresters, served President Theodore Roosevelt as the first Chief of the USDA Forest Service, with his family helped establish the Yale School of Forestry, became Pennsylvania's Commissioner of Forestry, was a principal in creating the National association of State Foresters, and was a two-term Governor of Pennsylvania. Dedication August 11, 2000 In the centennial year of the founding of the society of American Foresters, and on the one-hundred and thirty-fifth anniversary of his birth, this monument is dedicated to the memory and legacy of this pioneering forester. This monument was made possible by the Society of American Foresters and its New England Society, Divisions and Chapters, National Association of State Foresters Foundation, Pinchot Institute for Conservation, Connecticut Urban Forest Council, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, USDA Forest Service-Grey Towers Historical Site, Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and the Pinchot and Eno families

The new library is spectacular! The opened of the rooms and the open with Dow lighting is amazing…read moreand beautiful! There is plenty of space between stacks of books for accessibility on all levels! The community room is large and the acoustics are great for musical performances and speakers! Many great daily weekly and monthly events are planned!

Best staff imaginable. Feel sorry for them and the working conditions they have. Ugly building…read moreinside and outside. Very poor use of space inside -- adults have to go upstairs to find books while a good part of main floor has very little going on. Not at all accessible for handicap people -- two spaces in front, but no curb cut and railing does not go all the way to door. Parking space under library not at all close to front desk. No drop off for returning books at front of building. Need a shuttlebus to get from main parking lot to front desk. In my opinion, it is the worst library within a 10 mile radius. Such a sorry waste of taxpayers money. Susie H.

This memorial was dedicated on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend 2016. You'll find it near the…read moreHopmeadow Road entrance to the Simsbury Library. Simsbury has various veterans memorials spread out among the town, but a few of them were not very accessible to the public. But with the opening of this beauty, that is no longer the case. This monument honors the 98 Simsbury soldiers across the generations that gave the ultimate sacrifice from the Revolutionary War through the War against Terrorism. The names are grouped by each war or conflict and are engraved on stone columns. You'll also see brick pavers on the ground honoring veterans and a sweeping arch representing a historic timeline of the wars. There's a lot to see here. What a beautiful job.

This Barnes & Noble book store is a pretty massive one in Canton. You can enter from the front or…read morethe rear of the store, depending on which way you're coming from. If you're looking for brand new released reading material this is the place to find it. Everything is categorized into fiction, biography, history, romance, cookbooks and more. As long as you know the author, it shouldn't be a problem finding what you're looking for. There are resourceful books for a variety tests or exams one might be taking. At the rear of the store there are records and CDs. This is also where the children's books, toys and games are. There are certain times dedicated to story time for little kids. Should you need a coffee break, there's no need to go far. Starbucks is right here in house. They also have a sale section, usually those are activity books or similar. Be prepared to pay the manufacturer's price for most items.

This a good-sized and clean Barnes and Noble with a pretty good stock of books in all categories…read moreand some magazines as well. There's also a Starbucks inside if that matters to you. It does, however, provide some extra seating which is always a good thing in a book store. That said, we wandered around for quite a while, checking out the history and cooking sections -- everything is pretty clearly organized -- and came away pleased. There's a special section for kids, for tech stuff and for just about any special interest you might have. They have lots of space devoted to gifts, which has never been our favorite part of a book store (let's use that space for MORE books!). There's an information area in the center of the store, and the employees there are pretty good at helping others find items. In all, a nice store, nicely arranged and worth spending some time in, as we certainly did. It is, we believe, the largest book store in this part of Connecticut.