Great wines, homemade sangria is a must! Variety of merchandise to buy; decorative wine corks, wine…read moreholders, magnets, small home "sprucer uppers". Wine tasting is reasonably priced! Great scenery outdoors Live music during the summer! Great outdoor, patio and indoor seating. They also offer a wine tasting paired with yoga class. This was very cool for a group of friends to enjoy outdoors, yoga and wine.

As you drive into Middletown on Route 9, you can't miss seeing it. It rises overhead in a majestic…read moresteel arch across the Connecticut River. It's Connecticut's largest bridge- a 600 foot metal truss bridge that lifts Route 66 and Route 17 over the river, connecting Main Street in Middletown with Main Street in Portland. It carries about 34,000 cars every day. It was built between 1936 and 1938 for $3.5 million. With its sweeping steel arches, it's become quite the local landmark, in fact it was named the country's "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge" in the large bridge category in a 1938 competition sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction And who is it's namesake? Charles J. Arrigoni was a state legislator who was an advocate of building the bridge. There are plans on the drawing board right now to light up the bridge with a lighting system that can change colors. So maybe if you were driving to Middletown on a beautiful July evening, you'd see this iconic bridge tricked out in red, white, and blue. I'm sure Charles would be proud of that!

In the 1800's, how did they transport huge slabs of stone from Portland quarries? Easy, they…read morewrapped a chain around the stone, hooked it to a giant 30-foot wooden contraption with 8-foot tall wheels, and had a team of muscular oxen haul it away. This artifact of Portland history was restored between 1999 and 2002, and now sits proudly on Main Street in its own pavilion. Hopefully, its location next to the Police Station will keep it vandalism free. It's a wonderful glimpse into the technology of the day and it's a nice example of how some towns honor their past. There are signs around the pavilion describing the history of the arch and it's restoration

It had a factory known for manufacturing mechanical banks and toys…read more One of its cemeteries is the final resting place for veterans of the French and Indian War. But it's historical marker is in very poor condition, one of the very poorest I have seen. Located in front of Town Hall, this is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has the inscription on just one side and very oddly has a blank side on the reverse, something I don't believe I have seen before. It is in an extremely distressed condition -the blue paint is failing and peeling everywhere. The inscription reads: This area was settled in 1650 as a rural farming community known as Middletown Upper Houses. It was incorporated and named Cromwell in 1851. The 18th century saw a thriving riverport, followed by brownstone quarrying and several factories including J&E Stevens Company, noted for mechanical iron banks and toys. The A.N Pierson, Inc green houses rank among the world's largest and as a rose grower Cromwell was given the title "Rose Town". The Old Burying Ground. granted in 1713, is the resting place of veterans of the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and the Civil War Erected by the Town of Cromwell The Cromwell Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1975

In late August 2014, this epic monument was unveiled at the front entrance of the State Police…read moreHeadquarters in Middletown. It honors the law enforcement and public safety champions of the canine persuasion that have served our state for 80 years. According to the State Police website, they train four types of dogs -Patrol (a multipurpose category that includes tracking, apprehension, protection, and evidence recovery), Bloodhounds (for specialized and difficult tracking), Search and Rescue (to locate any live or deceased human scent in large search zones), and Detection dogs (think narcotics, accelerants, explosives and even electronic storage devices). The Connecticut State Police Canine program is renowned across the country and internationally. Police dogs from around the world are trained here (Greece, Egypt, and Cyprus to name a few). Training programs by the US State Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were modeled after the one designed by the CT State Police. The monument features likenesses of the three dog breeds used by the State Police, Labradors, German shepherds and bloodhounds. The monument's inscription reads: "Dedicated to past, present, and future canines of the Connecticut State Police. Their loyalty, courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten".

This terrific Civil War monument is inscribed with hundreds of names. Names of those who "died of…read morewounds" or "died in service" or "died In Military Prisons" or "Killed In Action" or "Died since muster out". The main inscription reads: Honor To The Brave Their Heroic Valor Ensures Our Lasting Peace Erected By The Town Of Middletown To The Memory Of Her Fallen Sons 1874 It's a great monument - a beautifully detailed mustachioed Union soldier wearing his long coat, a cap, and holding a rifle in his right hand. There is a sculpted panel of a family and an inscription that reads "Their heroic valor ensured our lasting peace". There is a circle of laurels around the words "Honor to the Brave". There are cannons around the base of the monument. It's located just off Main Street in Union Park.

The Connecticut Trees of Honor is a short walkway with honorific plaques (and trees) to members of…read morethe armed forces who have fallen. There is also a memorial to 9/11 with part of the subway track that had been underneath the World Trade Center. Finally, there is a memorial to Sergeant Stubby and other animals who have assisted Americans during war. Stubby accompanied troops from New Haven to the trenches of France in WWI, and back to the United States. Tokens are left for Stubby and the other individual by their trees. The park is next to the Greater Middletown Military Museum, but is very quiet and solemn to visit. Also, there are fake wolves. I'm not quite clear why, but they are keeping the area safe for visitors. There is a large parking area across the street for cars.

This one is awesome…read more It's an 1867 marble statue of a Civil War soldier being greeted by a young girl. The statue is near the front entrance of the CT Veterans' home in Rocky Hill. The veterans' home has an interesting history. It was first built in 1863 in Darien and named "Fitch's Home for Soldiers and Orphans". It's purpose was to take care of wounded Civil War soldiers and their orphans. The home became a state facility and grew in size to the point where it accommodated 1,000 soldiers soon after World War One. In 1940, the CT Veterans' home opened a new facility in Rocky Hill, where it exists today. One of the relocated vets was a 97-year gent named Edmund Kleespies - he was the Home's last living Civil War veteran. The Returned Soldier statue has been renovated and was moved to Rocky Hill in 1985. It's an incredible statue of what looks to me to be a dazed traumatized soldier, home from the war, being greeted by a child. Things haven't changed much over the years, have they?

Union Park which is also known as South Green Municipal Park, is located in the City of Middletown…read moreand has a historical monument on the property. The historical monument is a Soldier's Monument that was dedicate in 1874. Per the City's website, there is electricity and it's ADA accessible since it's a special events area. There's a beautiful gazebo in the park. I didn't see a listing for this gazebo and park so I created it. The gazebo is very nice and quintessentially New England, think Gilmore Girls. When I went with my family, it was decorated with Christmas lights. There was a navy blue historical marker telling a brief history of how the City of Middletown came to be. Based on the sign, it's a very historic area with a story to tell. Overall, a nice spot to stop by if you're exploring the city like we were.