The Apple Map app did not direct us correctly. We were unable to find this landmark and didn't have…read moretime to explore. This is where we ended up. Beautiful, but no statue or memorial to be seen. Be sure to check your directions.

It's not every day that you see a park fountain with three fish spitting water out of their little…read morefish mouths. But I saw that and more yesterday at this very cool landmark in Norfolk. If you look carefully at the Joseph Battell Fountain, you'll also see a stream of water exiting from a lion's mouth, basins, benches and a sundial. Located on a village green where Routes 272 and 44 intersect, this fountain was built in 1889 as a tribute to Joseph Battell. He was a local businessman known for his support of local charitable and civic causes. It's made out of pink stone with a central round column topped by a sphere and those water spewing fish. Basins or troughs near the ground were designed to water horses. The center column is inscribed with the words: In Memory of Joseph Battell Born in Norfolk 1806 Died in New York in 1874.

Here's a tiny spot in one of the rural corners of Connecticut, but a fun spot to poke around…read more Seeing the images of Beckley Furnace, then and now, are astoundingly different! It's a place you can get up close to the past, but also a peaceful spot to view the river and furnace locks, I especially recommend being here in autumn, watching sycamore leaves float down the river. Parking by the furnace isn't huge, but additional parking is just over the small bridge. There is plenty of interpretive signage to guide you, and ample picnic space to enjoy, but no facilities. We didn't even see a port-o-let. All the same, enjoy your drive and short hike!

I wouldn't exactly call this a destination sort of park, it's a landmark/monument with a little…read moreparkette along Lower Road in East Canaan. IIt's mainly of interest if you're interested in the history of the area, but something you could combine with visiting nearby Haystack Mountain Park. Still, it's well maintained and has a nice parking area, with a number of highly informative signs around the area, leading you on a short walk from the furnace over to the dam where the piping for the steam turbine is still somewhat in place. There's a few picnic tables as well, if you're in the mood for a picnic. Altogether a nice little pleasant stop on the road.

Martin Van Buren's residence, Lindenwald, is tucked away in the peaceful town of Kinderhook, New…read moreYork. It's a unique window into the life of America's 8th president. I had visited the site years ago when there was a larger visitor center and an introductory video that gave a broader overview of Van Buren's presidency and personal story. Today, the visitor's center has been scaled back to a trailer, and unfortunately, there's very little introductory context provided for those less familiar with Van Buren's role in American history. One of the main displays now focuses on the history of slavery in America. While this is an important topic, its placement here felt somewhat disconnected, as Van Buren neither owned enslaved people nor lived in a slaveholding state during his time at Lindenwald. Given the limited space available, I found myself wishing more of it had been used to explore Van Buren's own political career, personal life, and legacy. They only have a few tour times a day, and the guide cited budget cuts with a roll of her eyes. We waited around a bit for the next tour, but the audio tour around the property wasn't very informative. Once our group tour began, it opened in the empty basement, where much of the discussion centered on the broader legacy of slavery and Sojourner Truth. While those subjects are historically valuable, their connection to Lindenwald itself felt tenuous and overshadowed the site's direct link to Van Buren. It appeared the tour guide had a greater interest in that topic than on the actual topic. Upstairs, the rooms were far more engaging. The main hall was particularly impressive, featuring original design elements and beautiful wallpaper. The guide shared some insight into Van Buren's later life, though key biographical details--such as the early death of his wife--were only briefly mentioned at the end. The tour concluded at a small gift shop with a nice selection of books and keepsakes. Overall, having prior knowledge of Van Buren helped me piece things together, but for first-time visitors, the lack of focus on his presidential legacy may leave them wanting more. I couldn't help but think that some of the funding loss was due to the staff losing sight of the park's primary purpose. Lindenwald remains a special site with strong potential. I hope future interpretive efforts rebalance the content to better highlight Van Buren's contributions and the historical significance of the home itself.

An interesting historical tidbit. This historic site includes Van Buren's "gentleman's farm" and…read moreestate called Lindenwald. He bought the estate later in his life in 1839. Washington Irving (the famous author) was a notable long-term guest at Lindenwald. Fee: Free Tip: if you want to tour the historic house, budget at least 2 hours because you might show up while a tour is in progress and need to wait for the next tour.

What a great time and beautiful day to visit Olana with friends. We signed up for the house tour…read more($20) and it was so worth it. We learned so much about the artist, Frederic Edwin Church. He was a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters, best known for painting large landscapes, often depicting mountains, waterfalls, and sunsets. He was so well traveled and brought back his favorites from around the world. The trails are all free but there's tours, if you want. The shop has a lot of great stuff!!!!

We came here on Wednesday. Toured the house first floor . Ground staff and gift shop with a short…read morefilm about Federic Church. He designed the building and collected art pieces from all over the world . His paintings are everywhere .It's a must visit those who are visiting Hudson NY.

So my dog and I decided to take a nice socially distanced walk in Cornwall, and see this lovely…read moresign while there. Right now, being between two blizzards, it's really hard to get to the back of the sign, but the front is readily accessible from the cleared sidewalk. Interestingly, the Town Hall still has Christmas decoration up in the windows. You can literally hear cows mooing in the distance, that's how peaceful and country this sign is.

This is the 140th historical marker I photographed and wrote about. But it's the very first time…read morethat what I read and what I'm writing includes the word "Obookiah". That's a "who?" and not a "what?", because the O Man was a Hawaiian student at Cornwall's Foreign Mission School two hundred years ago. That's one of the historical nuggets you'll read about on this marker. It's a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. Its located on the front lawn at Town Hall on Pine Street. The sign dates to 1975, and its condition shows some signs of wear and tear -staining, fading, and peeling. Obookiah would be sad to see that. The full inscription reads: This area was once part of the Western Lands ordered surveyed by the Legislature in 1731. Yale Lands were surveyed and three hundred acres were set aside for income for Yale College in 1732. At an auction in Fairfield in 1738 the town was sold in fifty shares, named Cornwall, and incorporated in 1740. After the church "gathered" in 1740 schools began to open. In time there were seventeen school districts. The Foreign Mission School in 1817 numbered among the students an Hawaiian, Obookiah, who links Cornwall eternally to Hawaii. An agricultural school was started in 1849. More than ten private schools have educated youth through the years. Farming was the earliest industry. The Cornwall Iron Company, founded in 1833, increased prosperity and growth. Products found new markets with the advent of the Housatonic Railroad in 1842. Ira Allen, the Vermont statesman, was born here. A Civil War general, John Sedgwick, is remembered by a monument. Mark Van Doren, poet-teacher, enriched many lives from his Cornwall home. State Landmarks: Cornwall Bridge Railroad Station, West Cornwall Covered Bridge. Erected by the Town of Cornwall The American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Cornwall and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1975

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.

Well worth visiting including the on-site museum. I would say think about the historical context as…read moreto when this was being built.

This is an interesting outdoor place to come and visit. Words cannot describe the gentlemen…read morespending 40 years to complete this. You have to come and see for yourself the hours of shaping stones with hand tools to be an outdoor art piece that is beautiful to see, walk around to enjoy. There are park benches around where you can sit and enjoy a snack and take in all the different levels of this outdoor artwork. The entry to the park includes a road that you have to share with in/out traffic. Drive slowly and turn out if needed to let the other traffic pass. Be patient and you will enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Cost: $11 online. In person is $1 extra Tip: 1) Purchase tickets online. As we were leaving there was a sign that said park at full capacity and only those with pre-purchased tickets were allowed into the park. 2) Main parking lot can get full fast. It wasn't until after we parked and went to the ticketing office there was a sign for overflow parking. 3) I did not see a bathroom anywhere, so plan accordingly.

Wow, what a monument. This structure is located in front of Castle Church in Canaan, and is to…read morehonor those Canaan has lost in military conflict. The main piece is a soldier standing above a pyramid of sorts, each side below containing a plaque and a small bench. Facing the brewery below is a plaque for those in WWI, then moving counter clockwise those who were in the Civil War, and finally a nod to the War of 1812. Behind the primary piece is a wall honoring those in more recent conflicts, including WWII, the Persian Gulf, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, and Panama. It's a very somber moment when you take in how many lives were impacted in a small Connecticut town, but also beautiful in its design and imposing stature.

As you approach North Canaan on Route 44, you will see this absolutely spectacular monument on East…read moreMain Street. The monument is capped by a statue known as "The Spirit of the American Doughboy", and apparently there are hundreds of these similar statues across the country. The monument shows a World War I infantryman marching forward.. He is well armed, holding a rifle in one hand and a grenade in the other. The statue is mounted on a very ornate multi-sided stone base, and embedded into the stone faces are a series of plaques honoring local soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, and World War One. Some of the inscriptions read: This Tablet Is Reverently Inscribed to the Memory Of Those Who Went From That Part Of The Town of Canaan Which Later Became North Canaan, And Who, With Valor and Patriotism, Defended the Flag of Our Country In The Colonial Wars The War of The Revolution The War of 1812 Although time has dimmed the record of their Names, their deeds are held in everlasting Remembrance 1861 - 1865 In Memory Of These Men of North Canaan Who Fought in the Civil War 1914-1918 Honor Roll In Honor Of Those Who Served In The World War

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.

It a town in New England doesn't have a small green area with monuments to those lost and served in…read morebattle since the Revolutionary War, are they really IN New England? This is a very well-kept collection of monuments on the town hall property; parking is available in the town hall lot. Should other people be there, they may be looking at the names of relatives, as Goshen is a town where you're just visiting until three generations have lived there, so be respectful.

Within a 20-25 foot span, the Town of Goshen honors its veterans spanning the decades and centuries…read morefrom the French and Indian War to the Vietnam War. Located on a patch of lawn near Goshen Town Hall, you will find five monuments, one for World War I, one for the French and Indian War & Revolutionary War, one for World War II, one for the Civil War, and one for the Korean War and Vietnam War. That's over 200 years of service by Goshen's veterans, going back to a time before there even was a United States.