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".

This two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, with the familiar white lettering on a…read moreblue background, is located right in front of Town Hall on South Road. The marker dates to 1981 and is in pretty good condition, I noticed just a little bit of fade to the blue paint on the front. The reverse was in better shape. The marker tells the surprisingly interesting history of Hartland that includes raising over 300 troops to fight in the Revolutionary War, water powered saw mills, failed expeditions to the West, and the rise of agriculture (especially blueberries!). This little town is on the CT/MA border, and is way off the beaten path. But it sure has an interesting past. The full inscription reads: Proprietors from Hartford, those whose names appeared on the tax lists of 1720, were originally given the western land grants called Hart(ford)land, now known as the Town of Hartland. The first permanent settler in this area was Thomas Giddings, who came here from Lyme, June 12, 1754. The town was incorporated in 1761 and grew rapidly in population. Only a few short years thereafter, 359 troops were raised for Revolutionary War service in the Continental Army. The streams on the East and West Mountains were sources of water power and the "Hollow" was fertile bottom land. By 1800 the population reached 1,318. Much of the land had been cleared. Saw mills, grist mills, tanneries, and shops were operating. In 1836 John Ward and Sons began a calico mill and print works, the largest industry ever to be operated within the borders of Hartland. [ back ] The sunsets drew the settlers' eyes to the Western Lands. Many families left for Ohio, where their capacity for work, evidenced by the numerous stone walls in Hartland, would be better rewarded in the deep black soils. Titus Hayes with a group of friends made the "First Exodus" in 1811. The near starvation of the local population in 1816, the "Year With No Summer" and killing frost in every month, inspired another exodus. Only in recent years has the population returned to its late 18th century level. The abandoned farms soon grew to brush and sprout. Blueberries grew everywhere and they formed an important part of the cash crop of local farmers into the 1940's. Many farms were bought up by the State of Connecticut or agents of the Metropolitan District Commission in the 1930's. These collectively own about three-fourths of the town today. Again forested, with its fertile low land beneath the waters of the Barkhamsted Reservoir, Hartland typifies early rural New England. Erected by the Town of Hartland and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1981

Some people's lives read like a highlight reel…read more When he was a boy, he crawled into a wolf den to kill a wolf. As an adult during the French and Indian War, he was minutes away from being burned at the stake by Indians when he was rescued by French troops. In 1775, while farming in Brooklyn, Connecticut, he heard about the shootings at Lexington and Concord, abandoned his plow, and rode his horse 100 miles to Cambridge, MA to join the Continental Army. Israel Putnam was an American hero. At the Battle of Bunker Hill, having reached the rank of Major General, he spoke the immortal words "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes." He led the Continental Army's forces in New York, and retired from the military in 1779 after suffering a stroke. He lived out the rest of his life in Brooklyn, CT (Pomfret) and passed away in 1790. He is remembered in this stately monument in Bushnell Park. Dedicated in 1874, it's a 7 foot tall bronze statue standing on a granite base. Putnam wears a military uniform that includes a frock coat with epaulets, a bandana, boots, and spurs. In his right hand he holds a tri-corner hat and in his left hand he holds a sword. The front of the statue's base simply reads: ISRAEL PUTNAM He led quite an incredible life!

This plaque on the lawn in front of the Simsbury Library marks the birthplace of Simsbury native…read moreGifford Pinchot. Who was he? He dedicated his life to American conservation and forestry, and in 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as the first Chief of the United States Forest Service. He also served two terms as Governor of Pennsylvania. The plaque's lengthy inscription reads: Gifford Pinchot Birthplace Gifford Pinchot (1865 - 1946) was for more than 50 years a staunch advocate of forestry and conservation in the United States. He was born on this site on August 11, 1865 to James Wallace Pinchot and Mary Jane Eno; his maternal grandparents were natives of Simsbury. Gifford Pinchot was founder and first president of the Society of American Foresters, served President Theodore Roosevelt as the first Chief of the USDA Forest Service, with his family helped establish the Yale School of Forestry, became Pennsylvania's Commissioner of Forestry, was a principal in creating the National association of State Foresters, and was a two-term Governor of Pennsylvania. Dedication August 11, 2000 In the centennial year of the founding of the society of American Foresters, and on the one-hundred and thirty-fifth anniversary of his birth, this monument is dedicated to the memory and legacy of this pioneering forester. This monument was made possible by the Society of American Foresters and its New England Society, Divisions and Chapters, National Association of State Foresters Foundation, Pinchot Institute for Conservation, Connecticut Urban Forest Council, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, USDA Forest Service-Grey Towers Historical Site, Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and the Pinchot and Eno families

Clarence Ransom Edwards! That is one three-headed righteous name!…read more Despite graduating last in his 1883 class at the US Military Academy, he had a long military career that started with service in the Spanish American War and took him around the world to the Philippines, Hawaii, and the Panama Canal Zone. In World War One, he commanded the Army's 26th "Yankee" Division, which included National Guard troops exclusively from New England. It's a pretty cool bronze statue of a kindly looking gent wearing a WW I uniform and a pea coat. On his feet are knee-high boots with spurs. A ground-level plaque is inscribed: MAJOR GENERAL CLARENCE RANSOM EDWARDS D.S.M. 1859-1931 BELOVED COMMANDER OF THE 26TH DIVISION WHO LED THE SONS OF NEW ENGLAND TO GLORIUS VICTORY ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF FRANCE IN THE WORLD WAR 1917----1918 SPONSORED BY THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT YANKEE DIVISION, VETERANS ASSOCIATION THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED BY THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND DEDICATED MAY 30 1942. The statue is another example of the many treasures to be found on the grounds of the state capital. The statue itself is in pretty good shape, but the Major's coat looks like it could use a good dry cleaning. The plaque is showing some age issues.

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

As you approach the University of Hartford on Route 189 your eyes might spy something very unusual…read more- a brightly painted and very large ship's anchor sitting on the front lawn. The three-ton and thirteen-foot tall anchor was salvaged from the USS Hartford. It was commanded by Rear Admiral David Farragut, and played a role in the civil war, especially in the battles of New Orleans and Vicksburg. The USS Hartford was in service from 1859 until 1926. When the Hartford was decommissioned in 1926, it was stored in Charleston and Norfolk. It fell into disrepair, with a leaky hull and rotted decks. Attempts to restore the Hartford ran into congressional delays and budget trouble. Thirty years later, in 1956 Congress was still debating it's restoration when the Hartford sank from a pump failure. This was the end of the ship; on November 6, 1957 it was towed out to sea, demolished into pieces, soaked with incendiary liquids and set on fire. Several mementoes were saved and put on display in Portsmouth, VA. Later that year, the Hartford Historical Landmarks Committee requested possession of the ship's bell and bow anchor. The bell went to the City of Hartford, and the anchor went to the brand new University of Hartford in March, 1958. At a dedication ceremony Representative Ed May said "Many historians now claim that the USS Hartford was the salvation of the nation during the Civil War." It has become a custom among University of Hartford students to paint or decorate the anchor, today it sported a bright white coat of paint with red lettering all over. The Anchor has become the centerpiece of many University of Hartford traditions. It's on-line newspaper is called "The Anchor" and the prestigious "Anchor Award" is awarded to those alumni who have achieved high levels of professional excellence.

Political wheeling and dealing has a long history. All you have to do is look at the origin of…read moreMansfield, CT, as described in their historical marker. It seems that a request to subdivide the area into two sections (and what would become Mansfield) was granted under certain conditions- namely payment of back taxes, and continued support of the local church until a new minister could be found for the new town. You'll find the marker in front of the Mansfield Public Library. It's a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. There is a different inscription on each side. The marker was dedicated in 1975 and is in pretty good condition. The full inscription reads: The area that became Mansfield was included in land acquired by sixteen residents of Norwich and nearby towns from Mohegan Indian chief Joshua, son of Uncas. This tract was incorporated as the town of Windham in 1692. At that time the families of Samuel Hide, Jonathan Hough, and John Royce were living at Pond Place, later named Mansfield Center. Partly because of hazards encountered in crossing the "bad and dangerous" Natchaug River, differences arose about location of the meetinghouse. In May, 1702 Joseph Hall, representing Windham, petitioned the General Assembly to divide Windham into two towns This was granted under certain conditions: the new town must pay arrears of parish taxes and continue supporting the Windham Church until Mansfield secured "an able orthodox minister of the gospel." In May, 1703 the General Assembly defined the boundaries of Mansfield. Following establishment of the First Church of Christ at Mansfield Center in 1710, the population grew so rapidly that before long the town was divided into north and south parishes, and the Second Congregational Church of Mansfield was established in 1744. By 1774 Mansfield had 2,466 inhabitants. The estimated population in 1974 was 20,000. Erected 1975 by Town of Mansfield, the Mansfield Historical Society, and the Connecticut Historical Commission.