This was a great history maker that was interesting to read about. I'm not from CT so it's fun to…read morelearn about the state's history. This spot is quiet, relaxing and looks over the harbor. There were lots of ducks and I spotted a look which was fun to watch dive into the water over and over again and see where he'd pop up in the water. I could have sat their all afternoon. The only negative thing was the amount of people smoking and littering alone the deck. It was frustrating that people did not care to take care of their own city. Overall, I loved it.

Driving through downtown on Route 2 East, I saw this marker off to the side in a waterfront park…read moreand stopped to check it out. Howard Brown Park is very pretty, with a gazebo and awesome maritime scenery. The marker remembers Norwich's maritime heritage and its huge role in shipping and trading, leading CT to be an early advocate of establishing Colonial naval forces. The two-sided marker was dedicated in 1977, and is in pretty good condition.

Things I learned from the Deep River Historical Marker:…read more They had a bustling manufacturing and shipping industry here way back in the 1600's. Things like wood barrels, lumber, pianos, shipbuilding, and the ivory trade represented Deep River's early industries. This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located right in front of the Deep River Historical Society. The marker was dedicated in 1980 and is in pretty good condition. I did notice some fading on the blue background on the front side of the marker. 170th marker visited. All CT Towns accounted for.

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."

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.

It is totally appropriate that this statue is located in front of the Public Library in Hartford,…read moreCT. Because not only does the statue honor one of America's greatest authors, but it also acknowledges that for many years he lived in Hartford. He moved to Hartford in 1873 at the age of 38. What did he write as a Hartford resident? How about some of the best beloved works America has seen- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), The Prince and the Pauper (1881), Life on the Mississippi (1883), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889). Not too shabby! The bronze statue of Twain sits on a granite base and is located at the glass entrance plaza of the library. It was dedicated in 1994. The statue shows Twain's famous moustache. He holds a pipe in his right hand and is resting his left arm on a riverboats steering wheel. The statue's base has two inscriptions, including his glowing assessment of Hartford's splendor! They read: MARK TWAIN SAMUEL L. CLEMENS 1835-1910 One of the nation's most celebrated authors, Mark Twain lived in Hartford during the peak of his writing career, from 1871 until 1891 Of Hartford Twain wrote: "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief. You do not know what beauty is if you have not been here." A gift from the Hollander family Dedicated 30 November 1994

They are open limited hours, but it's worth a visit to a guy who was annoyed by a bunch of…read moredifferent spellings all over the place. Or in other words, he saw value in unifying the country through singular coded spelling choices, including ditching some British spellings. This suggestion for "tung" never caught on though. It's not a big house, but they do provide a video background and an iPad introduction where in each room you can play audio on the family, the room, and other background information. Since we were the only ones there, playing the audio was great. If a bunch of people were there, individual audio could get annoying. But there was a lot of good information to play as much or as little as needed. There's a small gift shop, and the whole thing should take about an hour. It's a neat little historical site for someone of whom we have all read their work.

The Noah Webster House is a very cool museum where you'll learn all about "The Father of American…read moreScholarship and Education." Of course Noah Webster is most well-known for publishing his dictionary, but he also created the "Blue-Backed Speller," which taught generations of children how to spell and read, and played an integral role in advocating for copyright reform. Here's the scoop on this interesting little museum in West Hartford: The museum is open Monday-Sat, 1-4PM. Adult admission is $14. The museum is actually the location of Webster's childhood home. Parking is available on site. Once inside, you will receive an iPad, which will guide you through each room in the house. You can also use your smartphone to scan a QR code and download the tablet tour on your phone. There is a short 15-minute film about Webster's life that you can watch prior to starting the self-guided tour. You can then use the iPad to navigate your way from room-to-room, and the iPad includes an audio narration about the room, what it was used for, etc. Photography/video is allowed. After finishing the tour of the house, there is an educational/demonstration room that you can visit where staff give various presentations on different topics. The day I went, a staff member was demonstrating how the Webster family used to card and spin wool. It was pretty cool! These demonstrations are part of the museum's "Life on the Webster Farm: Work Days" educational series, and are generally the second or third Saturday of each month (visit their website for the full list of dates). Before leaving, you can check out the gift shop which has Noah Webster and West Hartford souvenirs and memorabilia. After I finished at the museum, I took the short drive to Blue Back Square, which I learned was named after Webster's "Blue-Backed Speller." There you'll find a statute of Webster in front of the West Hartford Public Library, as well as the "Webster Walk" with various murals and artwork. Overall, a very educational experience about one of our nation's Founding Fathers!

All time FAVORITES!!! For every occasion and mood!!! Like literally happy sad depressed and…read moreexcited!! Come here and relax it's so beautiful! They have safety rails now too lol

I came here on a fall afternoon as the sun was setting. It's a bit of a drive up to the castle from…read morethe entrance of the park but not too bad- about 10-15 minutes. I like that there are stairs inside the castle. What a beautiful view from the top! The foliage was a bit past peak but still gorgeous. It was windy and chilly but totally worth the views!

"Well, open your eyes, girl, look at me I'm gonna show you…read morehow it ought to be We're gonna have a good thing Such a good thing, baby" (Paul Revere and the Raiders) Good things tend to spread, don't they? The 1908 Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne, MA inspired the 1996 addition of flower baskets and boxes to the Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge in Simsbury, which in turn inspired the 2015 addition of flowers to what is now known as the Canton Flower Bridge. The bridge is actually a section of the boardwalk along the Farmington River Walk on River Road in the Collinsville section of Canton. The bridge parallels the Farmington River, and on today's gorgeous summer day we saw at least ten groups of adventurers enjoying the water, in kayaks or on paddle boards or on rafts. The boardwalk was full of activity today -dog walkers, bicyclists, carriage pushers and folks just out getting some exercise and upping their step count. The bridge is decorated with hanging baskets and flower baskets that are maintained by volunteers. Another nice feature is the dozen or so placards highlighting some of the land and sea wildlife creatures that inhabit the river environment. What a lovely oasis of color and peaceful water scenery.

This is a very pretty bridge with flowers as the name says…read more It is connected to the Farmington River trail. On one side you will see the Farmington River and on the other, you can see the road. There are signs on the bridge detailing what type of wildlife lives around the river. I like reading each one, nature is beautiful. Once you cross the bridge, there is a park like area with benches. There are plenty of pedestrians using this area and it's a nice place to get some exercise and fresh air!