Dedicated in 1884, this is an absolutely beautiful monument. It is a stunning 48 feet tall. It has…read moreornate and incredible detailed sculptures on all sides. I saw an old grizzled exhausted soldier sitting to catch a few minutes of rest. A grim looking citizen soldier holds his rifle in his right hand while his left hand is clenched in a fist of fury. A seated woman holds a book while two children crowd around her. A blacksmith stands tall and proud. The monument is capped by a Greek goddess holding her crown of laurels. There is artwork everywhere- sculpted panels and lamp posts made of rifles. And of course, there are inscribed plaques with the flowery language of the day. One reads: In honor of the patriotism and to perpetuate the memory of the 900 brave men who went forth from this town to fight in the war for the union. This monument has been erected by their townsmen that all who come after them may be mindful of their deeds, and fail not in the day of trial to emulate their example. 1861-1865 Another one reads: Brave men, who rallying at your country's call, Went forth to fight - if Heaven willed, to fall! Returned, ye walk with us through sunnier years, And hear your nation say, God bless you all! Brave men, who yet a heavier burden bore. And came not home to hearts by grief made sore! They call you dead and lo ye grandly live. Shrined in the nation's love forevermore! 1865-1885 So many of Connecticut's old towns have a monument or two like this. They are so easy to overlook, so easy to drive by without even realizing what they are. Look at the statues, look at the sadness in the faces. These are treasures.

Very informative! Amazing history in this area. Beacon Falls has quite the past. I have lived here…read morefor just over a year and find its history enthralling

Things I learned from the Beacon Falls marker:…read more 1) A freed Indian Slave named Toby named a local mountain after himself. 2) They made sulphur matches here in 1835 3) The town was named after a 'small but beautiful waterfall' 4) Ever see the word ''Nyumps '' in your life? I did here. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. There are different inscriptions on each side. It's located on a strip of grass near the Beacon Falls Town Hall. The sign dates to 1971 and is in pretty good condition with some minor fading of the white lettering. Sadly, although the sign is in good shape, the support posts are not. The concrete cores are rotting and the metal wrap around them are in states of accelerated failure and splitting. What a disgrace, I'm sure that would make Toby sad. The full inscription reads: The lands of Beacon Falls first appear in history when Milford was settled in 1639. Northern boundary of Milford was Beacon Hill Brook, separating the hunting grounds of the Paugasuck and Tunxis Indians. In 1675 the land became part of Derby. First landowner, Captain Ebenezer Johnson, purchased three parcels in the vicinity of Pinesbridge in 1678. Ensign Riggs and Jeremiah Johnson bought land in 1680. Toby's Mountain (High Rock) was purchased in 1693 by an Indian named Toby, for twelve years a slave of Captain Johnson, freed by him in 1688.The main part of town (called Nyumps) was purchased in 1709. About 1835, some of the earliest American made sulphur matches were manufactured here by Thomas Sanford. Beacon Falls is first mentioned in the Acts of the General Assembly in 1864, when a joint school district was formed and a two room schoolhouse was built on this site. The Town of Beacon Falls was incorporated June 30, 1871, from portions of the Towns of Naugatuck, Bethany, Seymour and Oxford. The name derived from Beacon Hill, where a small but beautiful waterfall descended. Erected 1971 by Town of Beacon Falls, Connecticut Historical Commission.

Bizarre with a capital "B"…read more There is a Timexpo Museum in Waterbury that tells the story of the Timex company, and the history of watches and time. But as important as that might be, they are nothing when compared to the totally cool 40' tall Easter Island Moai statue that graces a strip of grass in front of the museum. What exactly this statue has to do with the history of time, I don't know. What I do know is this- I pity the poor drunken fool who might be unfortunate enough to be stumbling down Union Street when he glances up and sees this 40 foot tall beast blocking his path. I think that would sober up our poor guy pretty fast.

Discover the Easter Island Moai…read more Forget your bucket list. Don't wait till you can't climb the hill at the quarry to one of the world's most amazing places, Rano Raraku on isolated Easter Island. A giant Moai is waiting to be freed from a thousand years of captivity. What was the last carver's thoughts as he walked away from his final creation? Take a flight or a cruise to French Polynesia and visit Easter Island. Sign up with Tiare Edmunds of Easter Island Guides for a one or two or day tour and see what time left behind. Tiare is the only Rapanui native guide with direct descendents to the original natives. She leads you on an adventure back in time in her air conditioned vehicle. Easter Island is situated on a triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific over 2,000 miles from Tahiti and Chile. It's a living outdoor museum and Tiare has the E ticket pass. We were picked up at the pier and spent two incredible days exploring and learning about what might of happened to a thriving culture that almost lead to extinction. While historically no one knows exactly what happened to leave behind over 900 massive Moai, Tiare will help you understand the culture and the people. She also brought along a picnic lunch on both days of arugula from her garden on fresh sandwiches and olives and Rapa Nui locally brewed beer. What a treat. Looking out over the ocean, drinking a cold beer, having a great lunch and talking with a real local historian about her family's history. A truly memorable time. Don't wait.

On November 22, 1963, I was nine years old, and learned about it from a school crossing guard as we…read morewalked home from Public School 95 in the Bronx. I was the only kid in the group who knew that our Vice President's name was Lyndon Johnson. But he wasn't our Vice President any more. As we approach the 50th anniversary of that terrible day, I want to remember the wit and charm and charisma of JFK. When he was running for President, he made a campaign stop in Waterbury on November 6, 1960. A crowd of over 40,000 packed the Waterbury Green at 3:00 AM to welcome him to Waterbury. He was elected President two days later. In 1962, Kennedy returned to Waterbury. This marker commemorates those historic days when the President visited. A JFK quote from that second visit (there was no third visit although it was promised) is inscribed on the plaque: "I must say, having been here at three o'clock in the morning and now at six-thirty in the evening, that Waterbury is either the easiest city in the United States to get a crowd in, or it has the best democrats in the United States. In any case, our meeting here two years ago at three in the morning was the high point of the 1960 campaign, and we will meet at three o'clock in the morning the last week of the 1964 campaign and see what's going to happen then." The second inscription reads: This plaque is presented to the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Library By the townspeople of Wolcott, Connecticut, In gratitude to the only president in history to honor the Waterbury area by his continued promises to return His pledge was fulfilled in the fall of 1964 by the late president's brother Robert F. Kennedy Who has accepted this plaque on the anniversary of that promise. We hope that his library and the examples set therein, Will serve as an "Eternal Flame" By which future generations of Americans will be guided Presentation made at The Kennedy Memorial Library Ball State Armory, Waterbury, Conn. The plaque is not in the best of shape and is rather faded. It's located at the base of an exterior wall at the Hotel Elton building, and is very easy to miss, which is a real shame.

This site is Most sacred to USA history. In October 1962 President Kennedy made an early morning…read morespeech from the balacony here. After his speech,he said ,that he " would be back" after reelection in November 1964, We All know what happened ,on November 22,1963. I am a well known portrayer of past US Presidents,in Living History and TV. I hope to reenact this moment in time in the near future,2022?

The Palace Theater is registered as a National Historic Treasure. It opened on January 28, 1922…read more The Palace Theatre showcases Broadway tours, rock concerts, educational programs, family entertainment, and other events. The theater is beautiful, with crystal chandeliers and gold detailing. On this day, I went to the Palace Theatre to graduate with my second college degree in Early Childhood Education. The graduation was beautiful as it was in this stunning building. I would definitely come back to see a show.

Beautiful, historical theater. We were able to snag metered parking on the street just a block away…read moreduring a matinee show. Beautiful interior and ceilings. I'm not a fan of the doors being open, but the doors to the actual theater remaining closed. The bar/lobby area, while beautiful, is incredibly crowded with nowhere to go, and super long bathroom lines. The show also was starting 30 minutes late but no announcement of that was made. The actual theater itself is beautiful.

I didn't expect to see a lone soldier monitoring an empty green when I went to the Prospect Public…read moreLibrary, but low, on the grassy knoll, was exactly that. This has been erected in honor of those citizens of Prospect who served during America's armed conflicts, and I hope is used for picnics or other civic events to give the statue company once in a while. Be sure to read the website for more history on the Soldier's Monument!

When Our Loved one dies unexpectedly you are blindsided and lost. Life must go on and you have to…read moretake the steps necessary in this process. Dick & Joan Burton was a God Send !!! The Process was completed Professional, Compassionately, Extremely Reasonable, Beautiful and ahead of schedule. Everything was explained thoroughly. When you are with them for more than 10 minutes you feel like you have known them for years. What an absolutely gift they were to My Mother & Myself in this very difficult time !!!!!

From the owner: We Own The History Of The Former Thomas F. Jackson Co. MC/Visaread more

Know your Bible? OK, prove it…read more What City near Jerusalem was home to siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus? Need another hint- it was also home to Simon the Leper. The answer is Bethany, the namesake for this town of around 6,000 in Connecticut's New Haven County. In front of Town Hall is this 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission, in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has different inscriptions on both sides. The marker was dedicated in 1981 and is in very good condition. The blue background is fairly bright with no signs of fading or peeling. The full inscription reads: Bethany In 1738 Amity Parish in New Haven and Milford, including most of present-day Woodbridge and Bethany, was incorporated by the General Assembly of Connecticut Colony. The earliest schoolhouse was built in 1750 in the northern half of Amity Parish. It was located first at Rocky Corner, near the intersection of Meyer and Old Amity Roads. In 1762 the northern part of the Parish was made a distinct ecclesiastical society and was named Bethany for the Biblical village at the foot of the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. In 1832, by act of the General Assembly, Bethany Parish was separated from Woodbridge and incorporated as the Town of Bethany. The Straitsville area was taken in 1844, together with parts of Oxford and Waterbury, to become Naugatuck. In 1871, also as a result of legislative action, the western area became part of Beacon Falls, incorporated as a town with portions added from Oxford, Naugatuck, and Seymour. Some notable examples of architecture dating from the period before incorporation of the town still stand in the vicinity and are attributed to David Hoadley (1774 - 1839) of Waterbury, a self-taught builder-architect who became a leading designer of church buildings in the first decades of the 19th century. His skill in domestic construction is displayed in the Beecher (or Hoadley) House of 1807 with very fine detail both on the exterior and in the central hall and rooms of the interior. Christ Church, Episcopal, dating from 1809, is also from the hand of Hoadley. During its construction, services were held in the upstairs ballroom of the Beecher House. The church is little changed on the outside, but the interior reflects extensive alterations made in accordance with changing taste over the last one hundred years. Regarded as the high point of Hoadley's achievement is United (North) Church of 1814 on the New Haven Green. Erected by the Town of Bethany and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1981 157 CT towns done, 13 to go