What is the oldest town in CT?…read more Well, Wethersfield's town's motto is "Ye Most Auncient Towne in Connecticut", so I guess we kind of know what their town father's thought. If you look at Connecticut's state flag, you'll see three grapevines. Why grapevines? Well, they can be transplanted, just like people. Each one represents a town in the first wave of English settlements as the Massachusetts settlers moved southwest in the early 1600's. Wethersfield goes way way back to 1634 when a small band of Puritan settlers established a town here that ultimately became one of the grapevines on the state flag, alongside Windsor and Hartford. This monument is a small copper plaque set into a stone on a town green where Broad Street and Robbinswood Drive meet. The plaque's inscription reads: To The Memory Of The Adventurers From Watertown, Massachusetts Who Settled Wethersfield In 1634 John Oldham * Robert Seeley * John Strickland * Andrew Ward * John Clarke * Leonard Chester * Nathaniel Foote * Abraham Finch * Robert Rose * William Swayne Erected By The Wethersfield Historical Society June 8, 1934

Cruising down Route 66, you might have a WTF moment when you pass the Columbia Fire Department. It…read morewould be totally understandable if you did a triple take at the apparent sight of a huge bear standing erect on its hind legs, staring menacingly at the passing cars. Well, it IS a bear, but this one is of the carved wood variety as opposed to the warm blooded variety. The bear was a 2001 gift from a grateful town resident to mark the building of the town's new firehouse. Not too shabby a gift, was it?

With every list of data, something has to be first and something has to be last…read more With every list of race finishers, someone has to be the fastest and someone has to be the slowest. And with every list of historical events, (say the settling of a town?), one has to be the earliest and one has to be the latest. Which brings us to the Town of Wethersfield, whose marker proudly states is the "Most Auncient Towne in Connecticut". How ancient? Well would you believe 1634! That's a whole lot of a long time ago... Located on a strip of grass between Town Hall and its parking lot behind the Silas Deane Highway, this is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. The marker has the same text on both sides. The marker dates to 1976 and is in pretty good shape, but is starting to show some slight streaking damage from the elements.

I was strolling around the grounds of the State Capitol this week and was just blown away by the…read moretremendous bounty of artwork, statues, and monuments all over the property. Shorty after you enter the grounds, you'll see a monument dedicated to a very distinguished looking gentleman. He wears a three-piece suit, has a neat and tightly cropped beard, has his left hand jammed in a front pocket, and his right hand is tucked in his vest. The gentleman in the statue is Richard Hubbard, and the short and sweet inscription on the base says "lawyer, orator, and statesman". He had an amazing career as a public servant! He graduated from Yale in 1839, became a member of the CT bar in 1842, joined the CT House of Representatives in 1842, became the prosecuting attorney for Hartford County in 1846, was elected to Congress in 1867, and in 1877 became the state's 48th Governor. This bronze statue was dedicated on June 9, 1890. The statue and plaque could use some restoration, it has some very noticeable staining in many places, especially on the governor's trousers...

Cool Bolton Fact # 1 ... Rochambeau's army of French soldiers marched through Bolton on their way…read moreto aid George Washington's army at Yorktown. Cool Bolton Fact # 2 ... The plaque specifically mentions that one of Bolton's earliest products was cider brandy. Cool Bolton Fact # 3 ...Another early product was quarried stone that ended up as pavement in the streets of Hartford and major cities along the East Coast. Some very cool facts about a very small town, don't you agree? This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has the same inscription on both sides. The marker dates to 1980 and is in very good shape. It's located on the Town Green where Bolton Center Road crosses Hebron Road.

This blue historic marker stands proudly in front of the Kent Memorial Library near the Suffield…read moreHistoric District. It is in decent shape and there is parking in the bank shopping center if you're nearby. The marker points out the founding of the town and some early history on one side and a list of famous Suffieldians on the other. On the front, "Suffield. In 1670 through a grant to John Pynchon, Suffield, formerly Southfield, originated as a township of Massachusetts because of a surveying error. Mindwell Old, the first child, was born in 1674, the year the town was incorporated. The town meeting has been the single form of government since 1682. By 1704 a church and a school had been built on the common. In 1749 Suffield became part of Connecticut, The American cigar industry was started here by Simeon Viets in 1810, and tobacco continues to be major crop. Early emigrants went to Vermont and Ohio, where several were elected to high offices. The Connecticut Baptist Literary Institution of I833 is now Suffield Academy. The school and the town have produced many leaders in religion, education, politics, insurance, agriculture, and business as well as the arts. In 1976, the Bicentennial year. Suffield has 9700 residents and 43.I square miles." On the reverse, "Suffield. These are among the many of Suffield who have given of themselves for others. PHINEHAS LYMAN 1716-1774, Commander of colonial troops 1754-1760 EBENEZER GAY 1718-1796, Congregational Church Pastor 1742-1793 TIMOTHY SWAN 1758-1843, Composer of sacred music, including "China" SETH PEASE 1764-1819, Surveyor of the Connecticut Western Reserve GIDEON GRANGER. JR. 1767-1822, United States Postmaster General 1801-1814 ASAHEL MORSE 1772-1838, Author of religious freedom in Connecticut SYLVESTER GRAHAM 1794-1851, Inventor of graham crackers and bread HENRY SYKES 1810-1860, Architect and builder WILLIS ADAMS 1844-1921, Painter of American landscapes OLIN WARNER 1844-1896, Artist sculptor Erected by the Town of Suffield the American Bicentennial Commission of Suffield and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1976." And yes, I do like Graham crackers. Henry Sikes designed the Second Baptist Church in 1840 (still in use) and several buildings at Amherst College. I'm sure I've seen Willis Adams' work in museums in my travels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willis_Seaver_Adams. [Review 15194 overall, 696 of 2021, number 44 in Connecticut.]

Graham Crackers. If…read moreyou love graham crackers, you can thank Suffield. (Keep reading) This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background, It's located in a strip of grass on Route 75 in front of a bank. It tells us that Suffield was not only first named Southfield, but it was originally a part of Massachusetts due to some shoddy surveying back in the day, way back in 1670. The town was incorporated in 1674, the same year that the town's first baby was born -the baby had the awesome name of Mindwell Old. The plaque says that the American cigar industry was started here, and to this day tobacco remains an important local crop, Over the years, Suffield has "produced many leaders in religion, education, politics, insurance, agriculture, business, as well as the arts". The reverse of the plaque lists some of the most accomplished Sons of Suffield who benefited the country. One of the more amazing names I saw was Sylvester Graham (1794-1851). He is listed as "inventor of graham crackers and bread".

On September 19, 1916, Robert Kappenberg was directing traffic when he noticed a car driving the…read morewrong way on Main Street. As he tried to correct the problem, he was struck by a second vehicle and passed away from his injuries. On May 18, 1934, Gene Callahan was riding on his motorcycle when a parked vehicle in front of him pulled away from the curb to make a U-Turn. Callahan drove into the truck and passed away a few years later. On January 23, 1999, Brian Aselton responded to a noise complaint that was actually a home invasion and robbery. He was shot to death at the site. What do these three men have in common? All three were members of the East Hartford Police Department. All three were killed in the line of duty. And all three are honored on this 2008 memorial. The memorial consists of a black stone monument flanked by two gray monuments. The center slab is topped by an eternal flame and the sides are inscribed with two quotes. The one on the left reads "In Valor There Is Hope". The inscription on the right reads: "The Wicked Flee When No Man Pursueth But The Righteous Who Are Bold As A Lion". That awesome quote is from Proverbs 28:1. The reverse has the EHPD crest, the three names, and an inscription honoring all the men and women who "protect and serve us". The EHPD crest is dated 1783, which is a long time ago. But the roots of the EHPD go back almost 100 years earlier. One cool fact I uncovered while researching this blog was that law enforcement in East Hartford goes way, way back to 1699 when a gent by the name of Daniel Bidwell was named "Constable for Hartford, East of the River".

Adding TSA Pre-Check to an already fairly easy airport to navigate is genius. More time than not…read morethere are few passengers in this line and that fact alone doesn't trigger some sort of reason for them to start routing others through so it remains clear for those of us that applied and got the pre-screening approved. This is truly the best example of designated "expert traveler" lane.

These folks are amazing!! They understand customer service better than those in a customer service…read moreposition! Pleasure to 'walk through'. Newark and LAX, please start coming here for training!