Connecticut trivia for $100, please…read more Q: What is CT's state animal? A: The Sperm Whale. For bonus points--where can you find a 60-foot long replica of such a creature? The answer is on the grounds of the CT Children's Museum. This iron and cement whale model even has a name - "Conny". It was built between 1975 and 1976 -the result of thousands of hours of volunteer labor. Conny is hollow, so you can enter and exit Conny's innards via two doors carved into its blubber. Be sure to check out Conny's impressive fluke and lower jaw. All in all, quite a bizarre but wondrous site..

In the film "Jurassic Park, a Velociraptor tore poor old Newman to shreds…read more The raptor's buddy, an allosaurus, looks like a miniature T-Rex. Fiberglass statues of these two dinosaurs are located in a circular landscaped area right by the front entrance of the Connecticut Children's Museum. As you enter the museum, they are there to greet you, like celebrities at a Las Vegas casino. The rapter is shown full size, about 7' high and 15' long. Raptor means "swift seizer"- and he looks as if he is very aptly named- he looks fast and mean. His mouth is open in a threatening expression -get a load of those nasty sharp choppers and claws on display, The allosaurus is smaller, maybe five feet high. He looks like a T Rex with an odd mellow expression on his over-sized head. They are two very cool statues, but I wonder how many little kiddies have recoiled in horror at their sight?

Holy Mackerel !! I…read morehad no idea that this treasure chest of art, creativity, and history existed. Shame on me for not exploring the Hartford Riverfront earlier. In 2005, Lincoln Financial donated a $500,000 grant to the Greater Hartford Arts Council to design a Sculpture Walk along the Connecticut River in both Hartford and East Hartford. They announced a nationwide competition for accomplished artists around the country and selected 16 works for this permanent public art exhibit representing the life, accomplishments and values of President Abraham Lincoln. I looked at three of the sixteen statues today as part of my wandering around the Riverfront during the Dragon Boat and Asian Festival. Sculpture Three: Lincoln Meets Stowe (Bruno Lucchesi - 2006) This bronze sculpture commemorates the 1862 meeting of Abraham Lincoln and Hartford author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Upon meeting, Lincoln purportedly quipped, "So you're the little lady who started this big war." Sculpture Four: Toward Union Lines (Preston Jackson - 2007) This sculpture represents a young woman walking north toward Union lines. The accompanying plaque describes the plight of "contrabands" or escaped slaves. Sculpture Five: Frontier Life (Neil Goodman - 2008) This sculpture represents Lincoln's Indiana boyhood years living in a log cabin and growing up to be a skilled ax-man and rail splitter. I can't wait to see the other 13 exhibits. Riverfront Recapture offers a walking tour of all sixteen stations and additional artwork on the very impressive Hartford riverfront.

Perfect place for a little jog or fast pace walk during lunch or after dinner as a romantic…read morehistorical journey under the beautiful bridges meant for holding hands and taking selfies. Keep walking until you get to the restaurant on the river and have a quick cocktail.

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch is located in Bushnell Park in Hartford, CT. From May to…read moreOctober, Thursdays from 12-1:30, they offer free tours, weather permitting. This beautiful Gothic style brownstone arch was designed by a Hartford architect named George Keller; his ashes and his wife's ashes were buried in the East tower. In 1886, the monument was dedicated to the 4000 citizens from Hartford who served in the Civil War; of those 4000, 400 died. There are scenes on the sculpture from the Civil War, terra cotta angels, and 8 foot statues; these 8 foot statues depict the type of people who served in the war; from farmers, students, freed slaves, etc. There's a bronze plaque honoring the 128 African Americans from Hartford who fought in the war. I saw this arch from afar and up close. It is a magnificent work of art. It's grand and a great symbol to honor the people who fought in the war. It's a historic landmark and I really appreciate the intricate work and history behind it. I highly recommend a visit and can't wait to visit it and go on a tour next time.

Must visit spot in Hartford, Connecticut. What an amazing monument. If you are around the area, if…read morethere is one spot you should visit, it is this arch. Very much enjoyed it. I am glad a monument such as this exists in Hartford, CT.

The Connecticut State Veterans Memorial is located on a small rectangular block in front of the…read morestate armory where the Connecticut Army National Guard is based. That's a decent location and it is a very nice memorial. A granite colonnade structure with five columns, one for each branch of military service. A semi-circular granite wall with the engraving "honoring those who served" frames the columns. There are a couple of benches and a few parking spaces with limited parking. [Review 15176 overall, 678 of 2021, number 30 in Connecticut.]

Very nice and pretty spot to walk around. There are other landmarks and monuments nearby. If you…read moreare around the area, give this spot a visit. Very much enjoyed it.

Excellent landmark. There are others must see and/or must visit spots around the area such as parks…read moreand monuments. If you are around the area, it is a must visit landmark in Hartford, CT.

I've always wondered whose statue this was until the other day when me and some of my fave Yelpers…read morewere walking around Hartford and we walked by it. Pretty awesome statue for sure.

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!

You are in Machias, Maine in April 1775. You have just heard about the battles at Lexington and…read moreConcord. A British supply ship and two military escorts from Boston arrive, and the hated British say you can have your supplies if you load our ship with lumber so we can build barracks for our soldiers in Boston. Oh, and you'll have to sign a petition swearing to protect British property in exchange for the privilege of buying your desperately needed supplies. You and your townspeople decide that enough is enough. You arm yourselves with guns, swords, axes, and pitchforks. You send your own ship into battle against the oppressors. You attack the ships and loot their supplies as you fight a one hour battle. You kill their captain. You jeer "Surrender to America" as the Brits flee on one of their ships. This was the birth of the United State's Merchant Marine. What is that? It's a fleet of civilian-owned merchant vessels that are either run by the private sector during times of peace, or by the military in times of war. Their primary role is commercial; moving goods and services around the world. During time of war, they become an auxiliary branch of the Navy to protect cargo shipments. Very few of the 60 veterans memorials I've looked at mention the Merchant Marines. But in West Hartford, I found a memorial dedicated solely to them. Here you can see a bell from the SS Maiden Creek and a plaque that tells their story. It remembers the eleven crew-members killed in a torpedo attack by a German submarine on March 17, 1944 some 30 miles off the coast of Algeria. The bell's inscription reads: SS MAIDEN CREEK 1943 The plaque reads: SS MAIDEN CREEK 1943 OUR SHIP'S BELL, RECOVERED FROM THE SS MAIDEN CREEK - TORPEDOED DURING WORLD WAR II, IS DEDICATED TO THE FALLEN HEROS OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE WHO SERVED DURING TIME OF WAR IN DEFENSE OF THEIR COUNTRY YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR FINAL WATCH How gripping is that final line?

It's a bridge. It gets me to work. It doesn't collapse. What else can you ask from a bridge!…read more Well, besides the part I drive in, the foot path is an excellent walk on a nice day with the juxtaposition of the city, Constitution Plaza, and the city. Turns out you can ask more from a bridge. This one at least,

With access to Riverfront Plaza, Founders Bridge not only connects East Hartford to Hartford -- but…read morealso links Columbus Boulevard to Constitution Plaza with one of my favorite bridge walkways in CT. Skating, biking, strolling, or running; the pedestrian walkway is perfect for enjoying great views in all directions as you walk into Hartford. When you have some time, park in East Hartford and walk along the river's edge. You'll experience a part of Hartford not many are familiar with!

I did not come to tour the museum, but did get to see part of it as part of a hearth cooking class…read more The Stanley-Whitman is part original house arranged how it may have been with the original owners, and part new structure with a gift shop and modern restrooms. There is also an herb garden outside, and an apple tree grown based on the teachings of Benjamin Franklin. Apparently having fruit took more than a grocery store way back when. The house is very interesting to experience. Everything was smaller back then, and cooking was a task and a half. The employees/docents are obviously learned about their subjects, and you'll learn a lot. Definitely check out their special programs - parking may be a challenge (so carpool!) but if they're food related they'll be delicious.

Stopped in for a short tour during the day. The docent was very knowledgeable. It's a small place…read morebut tons of information. Great way to spend an hour.