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

Courage Sacrifice Honor Determination…read more1959 1975 (Monument inscription) While looking for some background material on this monument, I found an excellent NY Times article from 1985, the year this monument was dedicated.. The small town of Wallingford sent 676 men and women to Vietnam. Twelve soldiers died there. Some of Wallingford's returning veterans wanted to build a Vietnam Memorial to honor the service of their colleagues. There was opposition from some folks of an "older generation of veterans" who didn't think the Vietnam vets deserved a monument. The article quoted a belief of some that "Losers don't deserve a monument". So the vets decided to pursue and fund the monument on their own. They raised $80,000 from T-shirt sales, car washes, garage sales, dinners and raffles. Local artists donated their services to help the monument become a reality. The design is striking- an eleven foot tall tilted V-shaped wedge of black granite. The artist who designed the monument said that the tilted angle represents "an inconclusive end to an undeclared war". The sides of the Wedge bear the names of hundreds of Wallingford's Vietnam vets. Some of the names are shadowed in a gold leaf to represent those Killed in Action. The V-shaped inscription reads: During the 16 years the war continued American Soldiers Sailors, Airmen and Marines fought with heroism and determination under some of the most difficult circumstances ever encountered by American armed forces. Tragically, upon their return home they received virtually no recognition for their service and sacrifice because of the raging controversy over United States policy in conducting the war. 300,000 were wounded in action 75,000 were permanently disabled 58,118 were killed in combat Later, thousands more would die as a result of gunshot wounds and the dioxin code named "agent orange" As of this date, November 11th, 1985, ten years after the fall of the Saigon government and twelve years after the removal of American ground forces from Vietnam, 2,489 brave Americans remain missing in action or held prisoners of war. They Are Not Forgotten

"Make Us Free" I…read morelearned about the Amistad story from Steven Spielberg's 1997 movie. In 1839, a Spanish slave ship called La Amistad was carrying African slaves to Cuba. Under the leadership of Joseph Cinque (the central figure of the Amistad story), there was a prison break on the ship and two of the Spanish crew were killed. The ship ended up in New Haven, CT where a Supreme Court trial took place to decide the destiny of the slaves. Were they Spanish property? Were they free men? Were they criminals? What exactly were they? You will find this powerful memorial in front of the New Haven City Hall. It's a striking three sided sculpture with a trio of sculpted panels depicting Sengbe Pieh, also known as Joseph Cinque. Each panel shows him at different stages in his life -as a free African, as a defendant in the Supreme Court trial, and as a free man ready to return to Africa. The gorgeous sculptures of Cinque are 9 feet tall, resting on a 2 foot granite base. The three-sided base contains a large inscription that tells the story. The full inscription reads: Make Us Free This monument is a memorial to the 1839 Amistad Revolt and its leader, Sengbe Pieh, also known as Joseph Cinque. Sengbe Pieh was one of the millions of Africans kidnapped from their homes and transported in bondage to the Americas. Sold into slavery in Cuba, he and forty-eight other men, and four children were bound aboard the schooner La Amistad. During a storm, Sengbe Pieh successfully freed himself and his fellows. The Africans seized the ship, but their offers to steer La Amistad homeward were thwarted. After futile weeks at sea, they were captured off Long Island by the U.S.S. Washington. On this site, the Amistad Africans were jailed awaiting trial for piracy and murder. To aid their struggle for freedom, the Amistad Committee formed, counting in its number ministers Simeon Jocelyn, Joshua Leavitt, and James Pennington; merchant Lewis Tappan; professor Josiah Gibbs; and lawyer Roger Baldwin. The Africans were tried twice prior to their ultimate triumph before the United States Supreme Court, where former President John Quincy Adams courageously defended them. Sengbe Pieh and his fellows were declared Free Persons. The Africans sought to return home. To raise funds for their voyage and to further the anti-slavery cause, they engaged in a series of speaking tours. In 1841, after a sojourn that profoundly influenced the abolitionist movement, they set sail, free at last. To commemorate the heroism of the Amistad Africans and those who shared in their quest for freedom, the 1989 Amistad Committee commissioned his sculpture by Ed Hamilton and dedicated it on September 26, 1992. Erected 1992 by the 1989 Amistad Committee One of the best movie courtroom scenes I have ever seen has the great Anthony Hopkins as an elderly John Quincy Adams arguing for the freedom of the slaves before the US Supreme Court. If this doesn't give you goose bumps, go check to see if you are breathing. Check this out.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFr4VLPW9Q

The Amistad memorial has been on my list for some time. It commemorates the fight to establish the…read morefreedom of those slaves who took control of the slave ship The Amistad. After two trials, it was announced that they were in fact Freemen and allowed to return to their homes in Africa. It is a cornerstone in the abolitionist movement, and crucial case to abolishment of slavery in the USA.

Stony Creek is such a great town to visit especially in the summer. Situated right on the water,…read moreand only five minutes from I95. This small town has everything within walking distance. You can seat on a park beach,and have a beautiful scenic view of some of the Thimble Islands, take a swim, and soak up the sun at the town beach, use the town boat launch to kayak around the Thimble Islands, or you can take a relaxing cruise around the Thimble Islands.I love it here and visit two or three times each year.

What a pretty place to stroll around and take in the beautiful coastal scenery…read more You'll see the busy waterfront with a spider-web of docks for the hundreds of boats of every size and description, everything from kayaks and paddleboards to the sightseeing charter ships. The scenery also includes twenty five small islands collectively known as the Thimble Islands. Technically a section of Branford, Stony Creek is pretty small, but it includes a public beach and a miniscule business district with a few stores and places to eat. We had a very enjoyable visit here.

Things I learned from the Guilford marker:…read more 1) Guilford dates to 1639, but that's only good for seventh place on the list of oldest Connecticut towns. 2) Guilford's settlers bought the land from a Squaw named Shaumpishuh. 3) During the American Revolution, British troops landed in Guilford and burned down two houses. Located on the huge Guilford Town Green is this 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has different inscriptions on both sides. The marker was dedicated in 1980 and although the blue background and white lettering are crisp with no signs of fading or peeling, unfortunately I did see some vandalism and graffiti on both sides. The full inscription reads: Guilford This town, the seventh oldest in Connecticut, was founded in 1639 by an oppressed but optimistic band of English Puritans. Henry Whitfield, a minister in Ockley, near London, was the moving spirit behind their emigration. About forty of his friends and sympathizers formed a joint stock company to sail across the Atlantic. They were mostly young and energetic men, farmers, well-educated, and all of them persons of high standing in their community. In a deed of sale dated September 29, 1639, the Whitfield Company purchased the lands between Stony Creek and East River from the Squaw Shaumpishuh, Sachem of the local Menunkatuck Indian tribe. Whitfield's stone house at first served as a fortress and meeting place. Guilford Green was inspired by the typical 17th century English common. In the fall of 1641 the settlers purchased from the Indians land beyond East River that included most of what became East Guilford. East Guilford, now Madison, was set off as a distinct church society in 1703, North Guilford in 1720, and North Bristol (North Madison) in 1753. Two good harbors and two tidal rivers assured success to Guilford in Connecticut - New York coastwise shipping and the West India trade during the 18th century. In the American Revolution British troops landed several times and burned two houses. The famous Sachem's Head Hotel (1832-1865) and Guilford Point House (1797-1897) made this town the center of society for many years. John Beattie's granite quarries at Leete's Island employed as many as three hundred workmen and supplied stone for the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Famous sons of Guilford include William Leete, an early Governor of Connecticut; Fitz-Greene Halleck, one of the noted Knickerbocker Poets; and Abraham Baldwin, a signer of the United States Constitution and a Senator from Georgia. Erected by the Town of Guilford The Guilford Foundation The Guilford Keeping Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1980 158 CT towns done, 12 to go

It is hard to believe that almost 10 years ago in June of 2012 I witnessed Governor Malloy…read morecommemorate the opening of the magnificent new Pearl Harbor bridge. Before that it was referred to as the Q Bridge. It was absolutely exhilarating to be able to walk across the bridge and see the beautiful workmanship that went into it. There was a large crowd, music playing, food, vendors, and even a sailboat on the bridge for a photo opportunity. It was a spectacular time as I walked from New Haven to East Haven and back to New Haven.It was truly one of those experiences that you will never forget. The only thing that was missing that day was the ability to see the bridge lit up in a variety of colors. I look forward to driving over the bridge at night especially on holidays. I still think of that very special day every time I cross the bridge in a car.

The Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge carries I-95 over the Quinnipiac River and was completed between…read more2005 and 2015. It has five lanes in each direction as one might expect for such a busy highway. It replaces the original bridge going back to 1958. It's pretty considering the boring girder bridge base but also incorporates some cable-stayed elements. Other completely cable-stayed are more attractive. But it gets you across the river so I'm pleased. [Review 18672 overall - 87 in Connecticut - 2194 of 2022.]

You'll see it on a small Town Green at PT Barnum Square, facing Glenwood Avenue. The image is…read morefamiliar- a "doughboy" - the popular term for a World War One infantry soldier. I did some research and found that this particular statue (named Spirit of the American Doughboy) was so popular that over 100 of them can be found in WW I monuments across the nation. The sculptor was E.M. Viquesney and his awesome statue measures over seven feet tall and sits on a 6 foot high granite pedestal. I love the detail on these old statues -check out the rifle in his left hand, the grenade in his right hand. Check out the detail on the backpack and the canteen and the tree stumps and strands of barbed wire. The simple inscription reads: Erected By The Community Association Of Bethel In Honor Of Her War Veterans 1928

A very benevolent…read moreghost Penfield Reef is a nasty place. The long, curving and extremely treacherous reef has claimed many a ship over the years and decades. Even today with the lighthouse and modern navigational aids several boats every summer manage to find the reef. The reef was well known and feared by mariners but it wasn't until 1874 that the present lighthouse was finally constructed. It is made of granite and wood and is one of the very last "unique' lights. Most of the ones built after it are the cheap, efficient, spark plug cast iron ones. Since the reef has claimed so many victims over the years it's a pretty spooky place. The reef has very sharp rocks that are just under the surface at low tide and even in a small craft like a kayak one has to be very aware of what is lurking just under the water. The area got even spookier in 1916 when the lighthouse keeper, Fred Jordan, decided to row ashore and see his family for Xmas. Well the area can get really feisty, really quickly and poor Fred got blown out to sea, never to be seen again. Even since that time people have claimed to have seen Fred. Sometimes rowing around the reef near the light and sometimes at the lighthouse itself but always looking seriously spooky. Fred never seems to bother anyone and it fact in 1942 he is even credited with saving some young boys that got lost out by the light in a small boat. They said a strange man in a small dory guided them to shore. They said the man that saved them didn't say anything and wouldn't come ashore even though the weather was getting really bad. The boys recognized that their savior was good old Fred from an old picture that was shown to them. Whether or not you believe the stories of Fred is up to you. This unique lighthouse that stands about a mile off shore, on the end of a very nasty reef is still a very spooky and cool place. If you go out there you better keep track of what is lurking just under the water and make sure you wave if you happen to see a guy in a small boat. A very spooky looking fellow named Fred.

I would like to visit PENFIELD LIGHTHOUSE.I am a author of a triology series about a haunted…read morelighthouse.MY first book of the triology has been released by LULU.COM AVAILABLE UNDER MY AUTHOR NAME RICHARD SATTANNI.THE title of the first book is''TALES FROM THE HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE''A series of mysteries focused around a fictional lighthouse with ghost visits,sharks,sea monsters,as well as mermaids and of course murders of various nature,A good read for SUMMER wheter at the beach or at home in a hammock.UNFORGETTABLE characters,photos and great story lines.ORDER yours today. SINCERELY RICH SATTANNI/AUTHOR