All time FAVORITES!!! For every occasion and mood!!! Like literally happy sad depressed and…read moreexcited!! Come here and relax it's so beautiful! They have safety rails now too lol

I came here on a fall afternoon as the sun was setting. It's a bit of a drive up to the castle from…read morethe entrance of the park but not too bad- about 10-15 minutes. I like that there are stairs inside the castle. What a beautiful view from the top! The foliage was a bit past peak but still gorgeous. It was windy and chilly but totally worth the views!

They are open limited hours, but it's worth a visit to a guy who was annoyed by a bunch of…read moredifferent spellings all over the place. Or in other words, he saw value in unifying the country through singular coded spelling choices, including ditching some British spellings. This suggestion for "tung" never caught on though. It's not a big house, but they do provide a video background and an iPad introduction where in each room you can play audio on the family, the room, and other background information. Since we were the only ones there, playing the audio was great. If a bunch of people were there, individual audio could get annoying. But there was a lot of good information to play as much or as little as needed. There's a small gift shop, and the whole thing should take about an hour. It's a neat little historical site for someone of whom we have all read their work.

The Noah Webster House is a very cool museum where you'll learn all about "The Father of American…read moreScholarship and Education." Of course Noah Webster is most well-known for publishing his dictionary, but he also created the "Blue-Backed Speller," which taught generations of children how to spell and read, and played an integral role in advocating for copyright reform. Here's the scoop on this interesting little museum in West Hartford: The museum is open Monday-Sat, 1-4PM. Adult admission is $14. The museum is actually the location of Webster's childhood home. Parking is available on site. Once inside, you will receive an iPad, which will guide you through each room in the house. You can also use your smartphone to scan a QR code and download the tablet tour on your phone. There is a short 15-minute film about Webster's life that you can watch prior to starting the self-guided tour. You can then use the iPad to navigate your way from room-to-room, and the iPad includes an audio narration about the room, what it was used for, etc. Photography/video is allowed. After finishing the tour of the house, there is an educational/demonstration room that you can visit where staff give various presentations on different topics. The day I went, a staff member was demonstrating how the Webster family used to card and spin wool. It was pretty cool! These demonstrations are part of the museum's "Life on the Webster Farm: Work Days" educational series, and are generally the second or third Saturday of each month (visit their website for the full list of dates). Before leaving, you can check out the gift shop which has Noah Webster and West Hartford souvenirs and memorabilia. After I finished at the museum, I took the short drive to Blue Back Square, which I learned was named after Webster's "Blue-Backed Speller." There you'll find a statute of Webster in front of the West Hartford Public Library, as well as the "Webster Walk" with various murals and artwork. Overall, a very educational experience about one of our nation's Founding Fathers!

It is totally appropriate that this statue is located in front of the Public Library in Hartford,…read moreCT. Because not only does the statue honor one of America's greatest authors, but it also acknowledges that for many years he lived in Hartford. He moved to Hartford in 1873 at the age of 38. What did he write as a Hartford resident? How about some of the best beloved works America has seen- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), The Prince and the Pauper (1881), Life on the Mississippi (1883), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889). Not too shabby! The bronze statue of Twain sits on a granite base and is located at the glass entrance plaza of the library. It was dedicated in 1994. The statue shows Twain's famous moustache. He holds a pipe in his right hand and is resting his left arm on a riverboats steering wheel. The statue's base has two inscriptions, including his glowing assessment of Hartford's splendor! They read: MARK TWAIN SAMUEL L. CLEMENS 1835-1910 One of the nation's most celebrated authors, Mark Twain lived in Hartford during the peak of his writing career, from 1871 until 1891 Of Hartford Twain wrote: "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief. You do not know what beauty is if you have not been here." A gift from the Hollander family Dedicated 30 November 1994

Another great example of some of the weird stuff you'll find in just about any town…read more This tower was built back in 1925 and it controlled downtown traffic for over 40 years. It was located at a 4-corner intersection, so it had red, yellow, and green lights on all four sides. A guy used to climb up into the tower with a ladder and he manually operated the lights. The full history of this strange contraption can be found on the detailed plaque at the base. The inscription reads: Meriden's Traffic Tower Erected on September 21, 1925, Meriden's Traffic Tower was an innovative traffic control device designed to provide safe travel for the vehicles and pedestrians of the growing city. The unique character of the tower quickly made it a local landmark and a symbol of the city. The traffic tower's original location, a short distance north of this site was in an area rich in historical significance for both Meriden and Connecticut. One of the earliest colonial roads ran through the area that is now downtown Meriden and in 1784 Connecticut's first stage coach ran from Hartford to New Haven passing through Meriden from Cook Avenue to West Main Street and along Colony Street. In the 1930's the Meriden Daily Journal ran a daily news column entitled "The Traffic Tower" indicating the tower's popularity as a city landmark. During World War II Meriden servicemen received a monthly "News From Home" bulletin which carried a picture of the traffic tower as a reminder of home. On May 22, 1967, after 42 years of successful operation, the traffic tower was retired from service to make way for modern traffic control devices. However, the memories associated with the tower and the symbolic value it had gained remained in the hearts and minds of many. Accordingly, in 1974 the tower was purchased by Kogut Enterprises and renovated through the efforts of the Union - Parker Co. and the American National Bank. In 1981, through the efforts of the Pride in Meriden Committee, the traffic tower was replaced near its original location at the intersection of Colony and West Main Streets. As part of Meriden's downtown revitalization the city has chosen to restore the traffic tower and provide it a place of dignity and prominence in the city's new downtown. From this place the traffic tower can continue to serve as an important symbol of the industry, innovation, values and community spirit of a city with a great past and a promising future. October 1993

If you're downtown in the vicinity of the Wadsworth Atheneum, you'd be excused if you did a…read moredouble-take upon seeing this very cool orange-red abstract statue of a stegosaurus. It sure does grab your attention. It sits in a courtyard between office buildings, and man oh man - is it huge ! It's a whopping 32 feet tall and has a footprint measurement of 50 feet by 32 feet. It's 40 tons of steel -a crazily creative work consisting of forty-five arced steel plates bolted in the shape of a stegosaurus. And that color ! Super bright red-orange that commands your respect. It was dedicated in 1973 as a tribute to Alfred E. Burr, the founder of the Hartford Times newspaper.

This sculpture sits on the grounds of the Wadsworth Atheneum, and it's the best work of art that…read moreAlexander Calder made.

If you're not paying attention as you drive in downtown Meriden, you might be startled at the sight…read moreof this gigantic monument that rises from the median strip on Broad Street like an approaching Godzilla. Dedicated in 1930, I'd say it's 35 feet or so tall. The main obelisk looks to be carved out of stone. On the monument's base are four gorgeous sculptures that represent an infantry soldier, a marine, a sailor and a nurse. The statues are amazing and very life-like. The crowning touch on this monument is at it's highest point. At the very top sits an eagle with his wings fully spread as if in flight. The base is inscribed with hundreds of names. There's an inscription on the base that reads, "Dedicated to those from Meriden who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of their country during the World War 1917-1918."

Connecticut's Old State House is a historic government building and museum that was built in…read moreHartford, Connecticut in 1796. It was designed by New England architect Charles Bullfinch. Housing all three branches of the Connecticut state government, the Old State House was built to replace an earlier State House that had been built at the same site in 1720 and was damaged in a fire. Some of Connecticut's most important stories of freedom, democracy, and civic action, from the Amistad and Prudence Crandall trials, to the landmark Constitutional Convention of 1814, took place here. Since 1701, Hartford had served as co-capital of the state along with the southern Connecticut city of New Haven (which had its own State House). Following a vote in 1875, Hartford was declared the sole capital of Connecticut. A new Connecticut State Capitol building was completed in 1878, and the Old State Houses in Hartford and New Haven were closed. The New Haven building was eventually demolished, but Hartford's building was repurposed as the Hartford City Hall until 1915. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and reopened as a museum in 1996 following a major restoration. Over the years, the building has developed a haunted reputation and was even featured on an episode of the Sci Fi Channel TV series "Ghost Hunters". I have visited the Old State House a number of times since it first reopened as a museum in 1996. My most recent visit was this past summer when I took my older son with me. We started on the basement level of the building. There's an exhibit dedicated to the history of Connecticut, however most of the artifacts are specifically connected to Hartford. Highlights for us included an old-fashioned Hartford fire engine and some penny-farthings (old-fashioned bicycles). We then moved up to the upper floors which are dedicated to the history of Connecticut's government. Both the Senate and City Council chambers have been beautifully restored. My son really enjoyed learning about voting with some help from an old-fashioned voting machine; anyone my age will remember these. Our favorite room was on the third floor: the Joseph Steward Museum of Curiosities. Originally opened in 1797 by local painter Joseph Steward, this small attic museum is full of all sorts of "natural and artificial curiosities", including a two-headed calf, a two-headed piglet, and an 8 1/2-foot alligator. If you're interested in the history of Connecticut, government, or strange and unusual things, then head to Connecticut's Old State House.

This historic structure was built in 1796 and located in Hartford, CT. It was the meeting place of…read moreall three branches of the state government from 1796 to 1878. Now, it is managed by the Office of Legislative Management of the Connecticut General Assembly. A new Capitol building was built near Bushnell Park because of the open space; this is why it is deemed the Old State House. Currently, it is a history museum. There is another museum on the third floor called the Museum of Natural and Other Curiousities. There are historic rooms and exhibits within the building. Tours can be purchased, check the website for details. I look forward to going back for a tour. They also have a number of events. There was a holiday shopping event on the Saturday (12/7/24) we went. The building is small compared to other states capitols I've seen, but it was magnificent nonetheless. There is a large lawn in front. There were some plaques in front of the building with some historic information. If you like history, I recommend a visit either by walking around the property or doing the paid tour.

Ninety years without slumbering (tick, tock, tick, tock),…read moreHis life's seconds numbering, (tick, tock, tick, tock), He was born into an abolitionist family in Middletown in 1832. As a toddler, his family moved to Illinois where his father (Alanson Work) helped 3,000 slaves escape to Canada through the Underground Railroad. Alanson was arrested and jailed for this, and after his sentence was over, he moved his family back to Middletown, CT. Henry Clay Work developed an interest in music and was soon having his songs published. He is best known for two songs; "Marching through Georgia" (1865) about General Sherman's sacking of Atlanta, and "Grandfather's Clock" (1875). You absolutely know that song - about a clock that "stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died." That song sold close to a million copies. More amazing than that, is that the phrase "grandfather clock" was born out of that song!! The monument consists of a bust of Work's head and shoulders on a granite slab. There is a plaque on the granite, and a history marker in front of the monument.