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.

This December 2024 will commemorate the 49th Anniversary of the "Beer Train Wreck" in Windsor, CT.,…read morelike Dan R. mentioned in his wonderful review there isn't much information on this major derailment. I had the opportunity to stop and look at the memorial sculptures that mark this historic event that was created by Lon Pelton. Along side the photos that I took and posted are a few photos I'd like to give credit that hopefully meet copyright and reprint requirements to the Windsor Historical Society and then Windsor Police Officer John Gasparino for the photo which gives a little more insight to the immense size of this event. This site is pretty cool and definitely worth a few minutes of your time if you too enjoy historic sites and roadside oddities. I can imagine the impact of this event on the citizens of Windsor and the surrounding communities at the time. I imagine how the town rushed to get as close as possible to witness this derailment and the clean-up process, I'm sure it's something that anyone that witnessed will never forget. I was a little taken back how Mother Nature has been allowed to reclaim portions of these sculptures and the lack of ground maintenance surrounding it - this is a site that should be preserved in my opinion and would definitely make for a cool field trip for school age children (if field trips are still allowed these days). I for one would make a one time donation in the name of preserving this site...

If you've ever been to the Whistle Stop Café, you might have noticed the "Train Wreck Burger" on…read morethe menu. Ever wonder why? The answer can be found in two sculptures located in the Whistle Stop's parking lot that commemorate a nasty 1975 accident when a flatbed railroad car hauling a load of lumber shifted and the train crashed into an overpass on Palisado Avenue. There are two sculptures here, each with a descriptive plaque. The first statue is near the side entrance to the restaurant. It's an abstract work with railroad track rails and wood ties with various train parts laid out inside the tracks. The second statue includes huge hunks of twisted metal, presumably debris from the smashed overpass. I did a lot of research trying to find an account of this 1975 accident without any success. Nevertheless, it's a very interesting and highly creative pair of attention grabbers at the Whistle Stop.

If you are coming through Simsbury and want to see a beautiful historic area, the old Drake Hill…read moreFlower Bridge is a wonderful spot to visit Easily accessible for disabled, and bathrooms are readily available The parking is fair, but you can also park across the street in the commuter parking lot a short distance away on Iron Horse Blvd Early spring, the flowers aren't installed yet, so it's a little boring, but still a great visit If you want to get in your steps, this is the place, go start here, head a little west, and then down Iron Horse Blvd., and enjoy downtown Simsbury shops. This is a great place to visit in a quaint little town

When in Simsbury, visiting the Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge is a must. Not only is it historical,…read moreit is a beauty to behold. It's a metal-truss construction of the 19th century. This historic bridge reopened for pedestrian and bicycle use in 1995. A year later a group of volunteers came together to develop the flower bridge. Over the years it has expanded to 72 flower boxes and 32 hanging baskets. You can donate to their cause and it's tax deductible. Grab a coffee from a local coffee shop and take a stroll across the flower bridge. You will not be disappointed.

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.

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!

"The warden threw a party in the county jail The prison band…read morewas there and they began to wail The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing" (Elvis Presley) What an awesome slice of Connecticut and U.S. history! At various times, the grounds housed the oldest copper mine in the U.S. and one of its oldest state prisons. The prisoners sentenced to the jail were mostly thieves, robbers and British sympathizers. One was a murderess (yes, this was a coed prison), and a few were imprisoned for "laziness"! The walk down into the mine put us on several staircases that were very wet (water is dripping everywhere), slippery and uneven. So if you're a little unsteady on your feet, you might want to think twice about the 75 foot descent into the lowest section of the mine. There will be plenty of handrails to guide you, and beware of a few stone "low bridges" you'll have to duck down to avoid. Otherwise you'll take a solid stone slab to the forehead. Another thing to mention is the temperature down there is pretty chilly. So even if you visit on a 95 degree day and you're wearing a tank top and shorts outside, you might want to pack a sweater or sweatshirt for your visit to the mine. It was very cool learning how the mine was built, and we saw remnants of some of the drilled holes where dynamite was lowered into the rock to blast away solid stone. We also saw traces of golden copper and green patina on the rocky walls. We learned that over the years there had been over 70 escape attempts, including one massive jailbreak where over 20 prisoners made it out. Just about all of them were eventually captured, but a few ran into the woods and were never found. After we came up from the mine floor, we explored the grounds and wandered among the remnants of the old jailhouse, guardhouse and prison yard. They were very creepy, and we saw some of the prisoner shackles and chains on display. Our tour guide was great, as was the friendly young lady at the ticket booth and gift shop. The surrounding grounds and view are quite beautiful, and we learned they are used for wedding and prom photos. So who knows, maybe this will be a wedding venue some day!

Beautiful historic and gruesome caverns. The property is well preserved for its time and very…read moreeerie. Enjoyed the tour underground in the mine shaft and the creepy ins and outs of the past

One more example of the incredibly rich history that can be found in every corner of our state. The…read moreWhite Fountain is located on the Southbound side of Hopmeadow Street, pretty much across the street from Abigail's Restaurant, where Route 202/10 intersects Route 185. The Fountain honors Dr. Roderick White (1809-1887), who dedicated nearly 50 years of his life traveling around the Simsbury area by horse to practice medicine and offer healthcare advice to the community. He studied medicine at Yale, and began his medical career in Manchester and Granville before he settled in Simsbury in 1842. Dr. White passed away in 1887, and his wife Elizabeth passed away two years later. Her will stated "I desire to leave a memorial of my late husband in the community where he so long lived and practiced his profession, and for that purpose I have determined that it would be suitable and proper to erect in the village of Weatogue a memorial fountain supplied with running water." A granite base supports the granite fountain. There is a large basin with lion heads, and three round basins above. Decorations on the fountain include a portrait of Dr. and Mrs. White, a sculpture of a Healing Serpent (symbol for medical profession),an engraving of Hippocrates, and an inscription honoring Dr. White. The inscription reads: In Memory of Roderick A. White, M.D., who died Dec. 2, 1887. The beloved Physician of this town for nearly fifty years. Erected by his wife, Elizabeth Hungerford White. Defunctus adhunc ministrat I popped that phrase into a Latin to English Google Translate and came up with "Died hitherto serveth"

This monument is Located in Center Park, at 66 Center Street, near the intersection of Center and…read moreMain Streets. It was dedicated on April 18, 1934. An inscription on the base of the monument honors the "Boys of Manchester, Connecticut, who volunteered and served their country in the Spanish American War." The top of the monument contains an image of a sword crossed with an American flag. Below that is a block letter cross with "Puerto Rico, USA, Cuba, and Phillipine Islands" on the outside. In the center, it reads Spanish War Veterans 1898-1902. Below the cross is written: Ward Cheney Camp No. 13 USWV. Camp was a Manchester native who died in the war. I wasn't familiar with the acronym "USWV". I researched it and found it to mean the United Spanish War Veterans, an old organization of American veterans of the Spanish-American War, and military missions in the Philippines and China. I've seen a lot of Veterans Monuments over the last few months, and can't recall another one dedicated to the Vets of the Spanish American War. For that reason alone, I'll give it 5 stars.