Cool things I learned from this plaque:…read more 1. Woodbury had a Town Drummer 2. Woodbury was CT's 23rd town 3. It mentioned a "rill" - a word I didn't know, so the good folks at Wikipedia told me " a rill is a shallow channel (no more than a few tens of centimetres deep) cut into soil by the erosive action of flowing water." This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background, It's located at the intersection of Main Street South (US 6) and Park Road on a small green. The marker has the same inscription on both sides. One side is in very good condition, the other is starting to show some fading and peeling. The full inscription reads: In 1659 citizens of Stratford purchased from the Pegasset Indians the land, then called Pomperaug Plantation, that is now occupied by Woodbury, Southbury, Roxbury, Bethlehem and parts of Washington, Middlebury and Oxford. It was re-named Woodbury in 1673 and became the twenty-third town of Connecticut. The first congregation was gathered to a church near this marker, and townspeople were called to worship by the town drummer stationed on the rock to the east. The streams of Woodbury provided power for making cutlery and woolen cloth from colonial days through the nineteenth century, but agriculture was the town's main occupation, while forests furnished charcoal for the metal furnaces of neighboring industries. "I love the rocks and rills Thy woods and templed hills." Erected 1976 by Town of Woodbury, Woodbury American Revolution Bicentennial Committee, Connecticut Historical Commission.

I'm somewhat of a history buff. This plaque tells the story of how the town of Woodbury was…read moresettled. I'm originally from Stratford, and many of the names mentioned were familiar to me. In fact, many of the streets in town named after the initial settlers have an analog in Stratford. The plaque is in good shape, and hidden off the road. You can see it briefly as you drive along Rte 6, and you get a better view if you're traveling down Hollow Road, or stop at Woodbury Floral Designs (There's parking along Hollow Road across the street from the shop).

The Shove Building, 281 Main Street South in Woodbury, was built in 1867 as a residence by Dr…read more Harmon Shove. The house was acquired by the Town of Woodbury in 1952 is now used for town offices. It's part of the complex that includes the Library and the police station. There is ample parking available.

One of the nice things about the town offices is that they have a number of different programs that…read morethey offer to the public. This one that I attended was an informative class on tree trimming. The local arborist in town, Bud Neal, was instructing the class with his assistant, Sandy Angellis. He offers this for free to the public because he is passionate about the subject and his work and wants to help. He broke the class into different sections, such as proper tools and maintenance of them, different diseases and pests, and the proper way to cut or prune your trees and shrubs. He also emphasized safety, safety, safety. He also handed out very informative pamphlets and recommended some books to use for reference. We also went outside with tools in hand and got to experience how to apply what we learned! I can only guess what it looked like with a bunch of us armed with pruning tools in front of the town offices! I'm sure we looked like an angry mob . I would suggest if they offer this course again that you dress warmly. A few of us didn't realize we would be outdoors and it was a little windy and cold that day. For a free course I was impressed! I would pay for a course like this.

Situated on the corner of Pleasant Street and Route 6 in Woodbury, CT, this little park is often…read moreforgotten by the residents, except at Christmas, when the town's tree is decorated and lit. It's not included in the list of the town's recreational facilities, nor is it one of the popular sites for family picnicking. One of the reasons is the lack of parking, which makes this a great place to walk to from anywhere in town, instead of taking the car. There's a number of benches, some provided by the town, others, built and dedicated by the local Lions in memory of deceased members. The bandstand (NEVER call it a gazebo!) was also built by the Lions in 1986, and is dedicated to the memory of local composer Leroy Anderson. It's popular with local residents as a dog walk area, or as a place to sit and quietly reflect. There are several large trees, and an open space that's great for that quick Frisbee toss. It's also the place with the most advertising signs because of its location along Route 6, and the traffic light that requires cars to stop in front of them. I'm all for green space in any town. I wish this little park would get more use.

This is a nice little area to rest in Woodbury. It is down the road from the Orenaug Park and…read moreHollow Park which could be part of why this area is overlooked when visiting the town. The gazebo and benches make a nice pit stop when walking along the sidewalk of route six. Like many other town greens, there is not much to do and it is not big enough for town wide events, but nice little areas to bring your family for some fresh air on nights and weekends.

The highlight of this marker was reading the words "Pootatuck River". Go ahead and say it, I dare…read moreyou not to smile. 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 inscription on both sides. It's located on a grassy area between the parking lot and the left side of Town Hall. The side facing away from the building has some minor damage with peeling paint on the top, but is generally in much better shape than the side facing the building that has some serious staining issues. The full inscription reads: In 1659 this area was part of a large tract of land bought from the Paugussett Indians by prospective settlers from Stratford. The boundaries of this purchase, from which several towns were later formed, extended from the Pootatuck River on the southwest to the Naugatuck River on the northeast. The first settlers arrived in 1673 and the area was named Woodbury in the following year. The Southbury Ecclesiastical Society was formed in 1733, when a new meetinghouse was erected. In 1787 Southbury and South Britain together were incorporated by the General Assembly as a new town of approximately forty square miles. Because of available water power, many small mills and manufacturing plants were established here. A railroad line served the town from 1881 to 1948. Southbury, in spite of rapid population growth, has retained most of its rural characteristics and natural beauty. Erected 1979 by Town of Southbury, Southbury Historical Society, Connecticut Historical Commission.

Bizarre with a capital "B"…read more There is a Timexpo Museum in Waterbury that tells the story of the Timex company, and the history of watches and time. But as important as that might be, they are nothing when compared to the totally cool 40' tall Easter Island Moai statue that graces a strip of grass in front of the museum. What exactly this statue has to do with the history of time, I don't know. What I do know is this- I pity the poor drunken fool who might be unfortunate enough to be stumbling down Union Street when he glances up and sees this 40 foot tall beast blocking his path. I think that would sober up our poor guy pretty fast.

Discover the Easter Island Moai…read more Forget your bucket list. Don't wait till you can't climb the hill at the quarry to one of the world's most amazing places, Rano Raraku on isolated Easter Island. A giant Moai is waiting to be freed from a thousand years of captivity. What was the last carver's thoughts as he walked away from his final creation? Take a flight or a cruise to French Polynesia and visit Easter Island. Sign up with Tiare Edmunds of Easter Island Guides for a one or two or day tour and see what time left behind. Tiare is the only Rapanui native guide with direct descendents to the original natives. She leads you on an adventure back in time in her air conditioned vehicle. Easter Island is situated on a triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific over 2,000 miles from Tahiti and Chile. It's a living outdoor museum and Tiare has the E ticket pass. We were picked up at the pier and spent two incredible days exploring and learning about what might of happened to a thriving culture that almost lead to extinction. While historically no one knows exactly what happened to leave behind over 900 massive Moai, Tiare will help you understand the culture and the people. She also brought along a picnic lunch on both days of arugula from her garden on fresh sandwiches and olives and Rapa Nui locally brewed beer. What a treat. Looking out over the ocean, drinking a cold beer, having a great lunch and talking with a real local historian about her family's history. A truly memorable time. Don't wait.

Dedicated in 1884, this is an absolutely beautiful monument. It is a stunning 48 feet tall. It has…read moreornate and incredible detailed sculptures on all sides. I saw an old grizzled exhausted soldier sitting to catch a few minutes of rest. A grim looking citizen soldier holds his rifle in his right hand while his left hand is clenched in a fist of fury. A seated woman holds a book while two children crowd around her. A blacksmith stands tall and proud. The monument is capped by a Greek goddess holding her crown of laurels. There is artwork everywhere- sculpted panels and lamp posts made of rifles. And of course, there are inscribed plaques with the flowery language of the day. One reads: In honor of the patriotism and to perpetuate the memory of the 900 brave men who went forth from this town to fight in the war for the union. This monument has been erected by their townsmen that all who come after them may be mindful of their deeds, and fail not in the day of trial to emulate their example. 1861-1865 Another one reads: Brave men, who rallying at your country's call, Went forth to fight - if Heaven willed, to fall! Returned, ye walk with us through sunnier years, And hear your nation say, God bless you all! Brave men, who yet a heavier burden bore. And came not home to hearts by grief made sore! They call you dead and lo ye grandly live. Shrined in the nation's love forevermore! 1865-1885 So many of Connecticut's old towns have a monument or two like this. They are so easy to overlook, so easy to drive by without even realizing what they are. Look at the statues, look at the sadness in the faces. These are treasures.

Ever hear of Tinkers to Evers to Chance? They were a famous double play combination of Chicago Cub…read moreinfielders in the early 1900's. Ever hear of Paugussett to Pootatuck to Mattatuck? Well you might have if you ever stopped to read the Oxford Historical Marker! This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. The same inscription appears on both sides. It's located on a strip of grass at the Oxford Town Office. The sign dates to 1978, and although the paint and lettering are in good condition, there is a disgusting whitish green slime on the top of one side of the sign. It might be tree pollen, or some kind of mold, but it looks like something out of 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. A few well spent seconds with a garden hose and a bucket of soapy water would sure do wonders, here. Hint, hint, hint. The full inscription reads: Originally part of Derby, Oxford was settled by people pushing inland from Derby, Stratford, and New Haven. Land was acquired in five purchases from the Paugussett and Pootatuck Indians. The first grant of settlement appears in Derby records of 1678. Bounds were set with Mattatuck, now Waterbury, in 1680. In 1741 the "Oxford district" was made a parish but did not become a separate town until 1798. Oxford long remained rural with grist and saw mills, wool growing, and coastal commerce via Derby and New Haven until the embargo of 1807. Many small farm industries flourished into mid-century, when the railroad in the Naugatuck Valley caused sweeping changes. With dwindling population, Oxford turned to poultry and dairy farming, which later declined as new highways provided better access to employment in neighboring towns. The airport, opened in 1969, with adjacent industrial areas, began a new chapter in the economic development of Oxford. Erected 1978 by the Town of Oxford, the Oxford Historical Society, Inc., and the Connecticut Historical Commission.

It looks good the mold adds characterread more

I had to walk past City Hall on the way to Library Park, which was unmarked and closed due to it…read morebeing Columbus Day, but the building on it's own struck me as such a grand place with all of it's granite, fountain and statue of Columbus, I just had to stop and take pictures. I read on the City of Waterbury website that it was dedicated in 1915.

Ever hear of Charles Goodyear? He founded the United States Rubber Company in Naugatuck in…read more1892.That company became Uniroyal in 1961, and was bought by Michelin in 1990. Naugatuck's heritage also includes chemicals, castings, candy (for a while, it was the only place in the US that made Almond Joy and Mounds), cutlery, and clocks. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located on a town green near the intersection of Division Street and Church Street. Dedicated in 1980, the marker is in pretty good condition, with no signs of peeling or fading. The full inscription reads: These lands were settled in 1702 by Samuel Hickox, Jr. of Mattatuck, now called Waterbury. Eight years later he began operation of a fulling mill, the first of many and diverse industries to follow. The earliest school was built in 1731 and the first meeting house, or church was erected in 1781. As Salem Society, the area remained tied to Waterbury until 1844, then its first governing body was elected by the freemen at the initial town meeting on The Green. In 1893 the borough charter was approved by the General Assembly. This charter, incorporating the Town and Borough, was ratified by freemen's vote in 1895. Over the years, products manufactured in Naugatuck have found area, national, and world-wide markets, They include rubber footwear, synthetic rubber, plastics, chemical projects, iron castings, candy, cutlery, clocks, metal stampings, buttons, cosmetic cases, household hardware, fabricated glass components, and aircraft instruments. Inventions and patents of Charles Goodyear were instrumental in pioneer operations of Uniroyal, Incorporated. Several prominent buildings in the downtown area were designed and executed at the turn of the 20th century under the supervision by famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White, including the Congregational Church, Salem School, Hillside School and the Whittemore Memorial Library, as well as the drinking fountain on The Green. In the 1700's and up to the mid-1800's Naugatuck has several stagecoach stops on the New Haven, Litchfield and Albany route as well as the New Havel, Waterbury and Hartford line. These stops included the Collins Hotel, which was located on New Haven Road near the Bethany town line; the Beecher Tavern, which stood at North Water and Church Streets; and the Porter Inn, now located on Woodbine Street. The coming of the railroads at mid-century soon ended stagecoach travel here, as it did in other parts of the State and the Nation. Erected by the Borough of Naugatuck the Naugatuck Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1980