Lady Liberty stands tall, proud, and triumphant where Routes 41 and 44 converge…read more. She holds the US Shield over her head as she honors and pays tribute to the hundreds of Salisbury soldiers who served in the Civil War. This is an absolutely gorgeous monument that will take your breath away. It's beautiful! Start with the 7 foot tall female figure wearing a cap and a flowing robe. But if you look at her feet you'll see she is standing on top of broken shackles, and I suspect we all know what that represents. There are many plaques and engravings on the stone base below the statue and in several metal plaques. There are hundreds of names listed, plus the names of their regiments, as well as many of the major battles of the war. The monument was dedicated in 1891 and the statue itself remains in great condition. Sadly, the metal plaques are showing the effects of time, and are streaked, soiled, and weathered. Here are some of the many engravings I saw: To Her Loyal Sons Sadly the metal Who Fought for The Union, Salisbury Erects this Memorial. 1891 Cold Harbor Olustee Port Hudson Winchester Gettysburg Drewry's Bluff Antietam Petersburg 2nd Conn. Vol's 1st Conn. Heavy Art 2nd Conn. Heavy Art 5th Conn. Vo'ls 6th Conn. Vo'ls 7th Conn. Vo'ls 8th Conn. Vo'ls. 10th Conn. Vo'ls. 11th Conn. Vo'ls. 12th Conn. Vo'ls 13th Conn. Vo'ls 14th Conn. Vo'ls. 22nd Conn. Vo'ls. 23rd Conn. Vo'ls. 28th Conn. Vo'ls.

This was a huge veteran's memorial with steles and a flag pole located in Coe Memorial Park,…read moreTorrington. There were steps and in the middle you will see many plaques memorializing the war veterans of Torrington. The plaques lists all the names of the war veterans who gave their lives. The wars mentioned were the American Revolution, Civil War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Spanish-American War, and the World Wars. It is right beside the large artillery. There were benches all around the structure. Overall, a nicely maintained memorial in honor of the people who fought various wars.

This enormous and spectacular monument is disguised as the base of a flagpole!…read more Located in Coe Park, the base has four sides (imagine a giant cube) with four wings radiating out from the center like the blades of a fan. The monument is covered from head to toe with all sorts of plaques. A huge flagpole rises from the top of the monument. Plaques on the monument commemorate the service of Torrington's residents in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, WW I, WW II, Korean War, Vietnam War. Separate plaques list the names of those killed in action One plaque is dedicated to all of the veterans of all of the wars. It reads: This Memorial Records The Devotion Of The Sons And Daughters Of Torrington Who In The Hour Of Need Gave Their Services To Their Country Putting Honor And Duty Above Safety They Sought Not Glory But The Good Of Their Country And Humanity Erected By The Grateful City And People Of Torrington

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

You don't see that many memorials solely dedicated to the 1898-1902 Spanish-American War, but you…read morewill find this striking monument on a strip of grass in downtown Meriden. I did some research on this monument and learned something about the veterans who fought in the war that won America the lands of Guam, Puerto Rico, and (temporarily) Cuba. World War II soldiers were called "GI Joes", World War One vets were "doughboys", and Spanish-American War vets were called "hikers". There are many variations of a hiker statue across the country commemorating that war -in fact I saw a similar one in Bristol. The Meriden statue portrays a hiker in the uniform of his day -long boots, a wide brimmed hat, his shirt sleeves rolled up, and a rifle held across his body at waist level. A plaque lists approximately 200 names of local men that served in the war. The inscription over the names reads " This memorial presented by the City of Meriden to the veterans of the Spanish American War". The plaque is getting hard to read, and the statue is showing obvious signs of age. Check out the hiker's face -it's an awesome statue.

Very simple, quite elegant, and beautifully maintained , the Harwinton Veterans Memorial…read morecommemorates the military service through the generations of Harwinton's citizens. The memorial consists of a large bronze plaque set into a base of carved stone. The heading on the plaque reads "Dedicated To Those Who Served Our Country", followed by Harwinton's veterans of the 20th century's wars- WW I, WW II, Korea, and Viet Nam. Each of the wars is engraved as a separate heading following the names of those that served . The memorial is set in a small green with nicely landscaped flowers and shrubs. It's a very attractive monument.

A fine sign! Clean, looks to be reasonably freshly painted, and adjacent to a parking lot. The town…read moresign is in front of Bethlehem's town hall, perhaps familiar to those who go to the Christmas fair. There is parking (as noted) a small playground off to the left, a memorial bench for those who want to sit and... sign watch, perhaps? It's also connected via parking lot to the Bethlehem library. For those with dogs, mine felt this was a wonderful sniffing opportunity, as he is less impressed with reading about history then I am.

Ever wonder where wagons, straw hats, and bonnets were manufactured in the 1700's? How about…read moreBethlehem, CT! I thought this two-sided marker was pretty interesting to read. Lots of information on the area's Indian history, colonial land sale to the European settlers, the military service of the early settlers (all the way back to the French and Indian War), and the area's industrial heritage. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. There are different inscriptions on both sides. The marker is in pretty good condition with extremely minor evidence of early peeling and chipping of the blue background paint. The white lettering is crisp and undamaged. The full inscription reads: The spring session of the 1703 General Assembly granted to the town of Woodbury the right to enlarge its bounds. Negotiations with the Indian inhabitants were successfully concluded and in 1710 a deed of sale, signed by Nunawague and five other chiefs, conveyed to Woodbury nearly eighteen thousand acres, known thereafter as the North Purchase. This included the present town of Bethlehem and parts of the later Judea, now Washington. Surveyed in 1723 and, after proprietors were granted their rights, divided into lots, it was opened for sale. Pioneers arrived in 1734, settling on the heights northeast of the present center. In 1738 young Joseph Bellamy was called to preach during "winter privileges". Separate "society privileges" were granted in October, 1739. Bellamy was requested to continue as pastor, and so remained until his death in 1790, as the settlers established their own Bethlem Church and school. Doctor Bellamy became a most distinguished author, preacher and teacher, conducting the first theological school in America. Young men lived in the Bellamy home while he grounded them in his brand of scriptural interpretation and preaching methods. Among future leaders who studied there were Aaron Burr, Jonathan Edwards II, and James Morris. Bethlem men served in the French and Indian and all subsequent wars. Numerous are the captains and lieutenants buried in the Old Cemetery. Bethlem was incorporated as a separate town in 1787. Mainly a farming community until the 1900s, it had sufficient water power for 18th Century industries - fulling mills, cotton mill, woolen mill, wagon factory, straw hat and bonnet factory and miscellaneous manufactories of leather goods. Erected 1976 by Town of Bethlehem, The Old Historical Bethlehem Society, Inc., Connecticut Historical Commission.

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

The sign of Morris is in a good location - it's right in front of ye olde Mill School and ye olde…read moreTown Hall ("ye olde" mine). No idea if they're ever open to the public; not only is this being written in the times of Covid, there's currently a lot of snow blocking their doors. However, in less winter times, the sign is located next to Popeys Ice Cream so one could even wander over while waiting for their food, instead of waiting in the way in the lobby, during a pandemic. Just a suggestion. The sign is a little hard to read and can benefit from a touch up.

Morris history nuggets…read more Ever hear of the Pootatuck Indians? They used to own this land. Morris was twice denied recognition as a town. When it was finally granted township in 1859, its population was under 800. Its namesake -James Morris was a pioneer in the principle of co-education. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located across the street from the Morris Volunteer Fire Department on the grounds of the Morris Historical Society. The marker was dedicated in 1974. It's front side is somewhat faded, but it's reverse side is in very poor shape with even worse fading and peeling. The full inscription reads: Originally called South Farms, this area was settled in the 1720's as part of the frontier town of Litchfield. The land was surveyed by Captain John Marsh in 1715 and was purchased for fifteen pounds from the Bantam tribe of the friendly Pootatuck Indians by a committee from Hartford and Windsor. South Farms built its first school in 1747; the first church, Congregational, in 1764; and established its first cemetery in 1748. The earliest library was opened in 1785. The boundaries of South Farms were defined in 1767 when the Ecclesiastical Society was incorporated with seventy families. Although chiefly agricultural, South Farms built saw mills and grist mills on its rivers, had several small industries and stores, and developed a summer resort business on Bantam Lake. Twice, in 1786 and 1810, the South Farms Society applied unsuccessfully for status as a separate town. In 1859 the South Farms Society petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly, stating that South Farms "... is in fact a separate and distinct community having little or no connection by its situation and business interest with the northern portion of said town of Litchfield." The petition, signed by 138 electors, was granted, and the Town of Morris was incorporated in June, 1859. It had an area, later increased, of 10,464 acres and a population of 769. The first town meeting was held June 27, 1859. In 1861 the first town hall was built, now serving as the Morris Historical Museum. The town was named in honor of James Morris (1752 - 1820), Yale graduate, Revolutionary War captain, selectman, and member of the General Assembly. He was best known as the founder and first principal of the Morris Academy. A pioneer in coeducation, the Academy (1790 - 1888) attracted students from nearly every state and many foreign countries. Erected by the Town of Morris and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1974