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 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."

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.

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

Courage Sacrifice Honor Determination…read more1959 1975 (Monument inscription) While looking for some background material on this monument, I found an excellent NY Times article from 1985, the year this monument was dedicated.. The small town of Wallingford sent 676 men and women to Vietnam. Twelve soldiers died there. Some of Wallingford's returning veterans wanted to build a Vietnam Memorial to honor the service of their colleagues. There was opposition from some folks of an "older generation of veterans" who didn't think the Vietnam vets deserved a monument. The article quoted a belief of some that "Losers don't deserve a monument". So the vets decided to pursue and fund the monument on their own. They raised $80,000 from T-shirt sales, car washes, garage sales, dinners and raffles. Local artists donated their services to help the monument become a reality. The design is striking- an eleven foot tall tilted V-shaped wedge of black granite. The artist who designed the monument said that the tilted angle represents "an inconclusive end to an undeclared war". The sides of the Wedge bear the names of hundreds of Wallingford's Vietnam vets. Some of the names are shadowed in a gold leaf to represent those Killed in Action. The V-shaped inscription reads: During the 16 years the war continued American Soldiers Sailors, Airmen and Marines fought with heroism and determination under some of the most difficult circumstances ever encountered by American armed forces. Tragically, upon their return home they received virtually no recognition for their service and sacrifice because of the raging controversy over United States policy in conducting the war. 300,000 were wounded in action 75,000 were permanently disabled 58,118 were killed in combat Later, thousands more would die as a result of gunshot wounds and the dioxin code named "agent orange" As of this date, November 11th, 1985, ten years after the fall of the Saigon government and twelve years after the removal of American ground forces from Vietnam, 2,489 brave Americans remain missing in action or held prisoners of war. They Are Not 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.

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.

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".