If you're ever driving on Route 5 near the Springfield/Longmeadow line, be prepared to do a double…read moretake if you are lucky enough to spy this landmark. It has the epic name of Omiskanoagwiah, or "the Wolf People Medicine Man". It is fifteen feet of magnificent carved wooden awesomeness! It was carved from a single log by Hungarian born sculptor Peter Wolf Toth. It is just one of the sculptures in the "Trail of the Whispering Giant" series of over sixty sculptures across the US and Canada. Check out the details of the sculpture! He wears a feathered wolf headdress, he has long braided hair, and he sports an ornament on his chest. And for some reason there is a carved turtle on the sculpture too. There's a metal plaque on the stone base that reads: The Trail Of The Whispering Giants "Omiskanoagwiak" Wolf-People Medicine Man Dedicated to the: Pioneer Valley Indians Sculptor: Peter Wolf Toth Mayor Richard E. Neal Courtesy City of Springfield Park Commission Sponsor Joseph J. Deliso, Jr. November 18, 1984

Odd but interesting landmark along route 5. Just a quick detour off I91. If you like wooden…read moresculpture or native American art this might just be a spot for you to check out.

The Roseland Cottage is truly a beautiful historical gem in CT! I recently took a tour of the house…read moreand it was super interesting. Though the grounds are always open to visitors, guided tours of the house are only available June through mid-October, Thursday-Sunday from 11AM-3PM, every hour on the hour. Timed tickets can be purchased online in advance (and this is recommended). Adult admission is $20. Once I arrived, I was greeted by staff who were very friendly. The tour guide, MaryLou, took me through the house and explained the history of Henry Bowen (the original resident of the house) and his family. She was extremely knowledgeable and it was very interesting! The tour was supposed to last around an hour, but she went for about an hour and 15 minutes. After the tour you are free to roam the grounds and take photos, and there's also a small gift shop. Non-flash photography is allowed inside the house, but no video. Overall I found this to be a really beautiful historical spot in Woodstock, CT and would definitely recommend taking a tour!

My husband and I had our wedding here, the place was absolutely beautiful and that is the only…read morething that made the venue worth it. Laurie the women who handles Roseland cottage, on the other hand ended up being a bit difficult as our wedding got closer and closer. Sadly on the rehearsal day and wedding day she was rude and did things that we did not agree upon or said she wasn't going to do. She made herself seem understanding up until those days. She gave me sass remarks and honestly made the rehearsal day and wedding day more stressful. The only thing that made it worth it, like I said, was the beautiful venue. But Laurie in the end did make things feel way more stressful and difficult. Our catering was wonderful though, I could not have asked to better catering. They handled Laurie and everything else with class. Thank you renees Bistro.

My first review somehow went under a different reviewer with same name…read more Trying again, a great NHS that covers the beginning of the weapons industry in Anerica. The displays cover eras and the conflicts during those times through the history of the weapons that were manufactured to be used by those involved. The displays are nicely done, informative and eye catching, especially the damaged weapons case (one was struck by lightning). The Rangers were helpful and willing to share thier knowledge of not just the Armory, but of the local events (fireworks) and the Dr. Seuss museum downtown. We are very appreciative.

The Springfield Armory produced weapons for the country going all the way back to the personal…read moreorder of George Washington, when it was intended to be the northern supplier while its sister site Harpers Ferry was to serve the south, until 1968. During this time of service, the armory was not only a production site, but also the home to significant research and development, including the production of rear (breech) loading style weapons and the cutting edge at the time M1 by John Garand. We were fortunate to arrive in time for a walking tour with Ranger Chris. The site now shares space with a local community college, given the number of buildings the armory once included, so a lot of this is an exterior tour since they are now home to many classrooms. There are a lot of fascinating touches that Ranger Chris pointed out, including lampposts that looked like cannons and the black walnut trees around the campus (black walnut was originally used to make weapons). There is a small parking area for the visitor center - we just checked in at the gate and they directed us where to go. The center is good sized and includes a theatre to watch the site film, a whole lot of weaponry artifacts, and a gift shop.

very cute! when I went there was kids activities and big bubbles on which made the whole experience…read more10/10. Fun place!

This sculpture garden is right in the center of Springfield Museum plaza. There were a handful of…read morecopper/metallic sculptures of many famous Dr. Seuss characters. There's also a giant book sculpture that has some famous verses from Dr Seuss engraved in it. The garden has elegant walking pavement covered by trees. It leads to entrances of four museums around the plaza. There's also an outdoor tent for people to sit in front of the garden. Overall it's a nice garden for families and kids.

He was the first President born in the 20th century. he was one of the nation's youngest…read morepresidents. And for Americans of a certain generation, his death on November 22, 1963 was a shattering life event. The John F. Kennedy memorial plaza was funded by the parishioners of the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Holyoke and the memorial is located on front of the church. The memorial consists of a granite base and a bust of a youthful Kennedy. There are granite slabs flanking the memorial with quotes from his inaugural address and book "Profiles in Courage". Behind the memorial are granite blocks engraved with the names of recipients of the JFK award and the Grand Marshals of the St. Patrick's Day parade. The front of the base is inscribed: John Fitzgerald Kennedy 35th president of the United States May 29, 1917 Nov. 22, 1963 The back of the base has the presidential seal and the following inscription: John Fitzgerald Kennedy May 29, 1917 Nov. 22, 1963 The various inscriptions read: "And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country" inaugural address 1961 "All this will not be finished in the first hundred days, nor will it be finished in the first thousand days, but let us begin." inaugural address 1961 "A man does what he must -- in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and damages and pressures, and that is the basis of all human morality" "Profiles in Courage" 1955 "... let us go forth to lead the land we love asking his blessing and his help, but knowing that here on earth god's work must truly be our own." Inaugural Address 1961

Not the biggest or most interesting memorial park I've been to, but a nice little park non the…read moreless. I drive by often and have stopped here a couple times and I'm actually really impressed with how well kept the memorial area is. I wouldn't say this location is something worth making a special trip, but do stop in if you're in the area.

What an odd, interesting little place. My son is obsessed with the Titanic so as a surprise we took…read morea 2 hour drive from NY to come here. Street parking was very easy. There was a lovely woman working inside who was happy to share her knowledge of all things Titanic. It is a small space but packed full of artifacts. We stayed about 1/2 hour. Absolutely recommend to those interested in the Titanic and White Star Line!

This will not be to everyone's tastes, but it is to mine so five stars! Located in a small suburb…read moreof Springfield, in the back of a family-run jewelry shop, in a converted photography studio, is this quintessential Americana Titanic museum. It represents the life work of one man (the current owner's brother) who developed an interest in the Titanic as a teenager and started writing to the survivors. The collection is of the ship (with White Star Line china, banners, documentation of the discovery) as much as it is about the survivors (with items from the journal one woman had with her in the lifeboat to one woman's frog) and pop culture (the man was was a background character in THE movie). It is $4 to see the collection, but if you're interested in the Titanic or just want to see what a life's work can look like, it's a once in a lifetime experience.

The Wizard of Oz - A wonderful tale for children, it has everything a parent could wish for or does…read moreit, as a kid we never missed an opportunity to watch the original 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz, starring young Judy Garland - I was surprised to see this sculptor included so many elements including Jack Pumpkinhead, the tornado with the flying farmhouse, etc. In my opinion this is a five minute fly by, and by no means a bucket list item but it does exist. It's simply a display of art embedded in a stone clad wall at the back entrance to the public library and its well done...

At the rear entrance of the Enfield public library is a very cool 43" by 27" by 3" panel sculpture…read moreof a child sitting outside on the ground, holding a book in both hands while reading. In the field where the child sits, I saw a dozen characters from the Wizard of Oz walking on a curved brick road. I guess we are reading his/her mind and watching how reading brings imagination to life. The work was a gift from sculptor Janice Loomis to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Enfield Library. You can identify Dorothy, her dog Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion in the front. In the top left corner is the Wicked Witch of the West riding a broom, the Emerald City, a hot air balloon, and a tornado. One character I didn't recognize at all (at least from the movie, since I didn't read the book) - it was someone with a pumpkin on his head wearing a scarf. I researched the gent and found out his name is "Jack Pumpkinhead" - and he was a character in some of Frank Baum's fourteen full-length Oz books.

Springfield's South End has long been a home for Italian Americans, and the streets still have…read moreItalian groceries and specialty shops. In front of the Mom and Rico market is a private monument to one of the greatest Italian American athletes of all time, Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano who bludgeoned his way through 49 fights without a single loss between 1952 and 1956. He defended his championship six times. He retired undefeated! Sadly, he died in a plane crash at the age of 46. The monument is a simple gray granite slab with a drawing of Marciano in the ring throwing a left. The inscription reads: In Memory Of Rocky Marciano Undefeated Heavyweight Champion 1952-1956 49-0 43-KO's Sept. 1, 1923 -- August 31, 1969 Dedicated Aug. 31, 1989

Recently discovered this great walking path. Have only seen it in the winter months but am sure…read morespring and summer are even better. This path offers different terrain and scenery throughout the walk. As well as good incline. The water is a beautiful highlight and getting to the top of the dam overlooking the water is so satisfying and almost moving. Normally I start from the field and make the loop. Picnic areas here will be a must in the warmer months.

This place is awesome! It's so perfectly shaded, graded and in a great location for anyone who…read morewants a quick or long walk with natural beauty right on the side of the trail. Don't delay, walk today. There are places to have a picnic and many bike trails and a field for flying a kite, sitting in the sun or playing ball. Kayaks are permitted in the Quinebaug River as well. Great choice for a day!

3900th Review I'm…read moresure everyone old enough to remember the events of September 11, 2001 knows exactly where they were on that tragic day in American History. This was my very first visit to any memorial dedicated to those that lost their lives on this day and I must stay it's pretty sobering. I know there are quite a number of sites around the country similar to this one, as there should be so no one is so far away from one that they could ever forget. This monument is really well done, no description of these massive beams and granite monoliths that represents the twin towers on display can do them justice, it's definitely something you need to experience...

The two pieces of mangled steel arrived on a flatbed truck, under a Fire Department escort, on…read moreThursday afternoon, Feb 10, 2011. They are 18 feet long and weigh 1,400 pounds each. They were from the North Tower. They came to Enfield through a New York Port Authority program that gave Ground Zero artifacts to any public safety or municipal agency that planned to include them in a Sept. 11 display. Over 1,400 pieces of the Twin Towers now live on as a public reminder of that terrible day. The memorial at the Weymouth Road Fire Station has the beams set in a Memorial Garden. The garden is framed by an arced low stone wall that is evenly and solidly built around the sides, but is in a planned state of distress and collapse at the front. I saw similar symbolism at a Veterans Memorial in West Hartford, where the uniformity of a wall, representing America's time-line, was violently broken during times of war. You'll also see two granite pillars representing the twin towers, a grouping of stones for United 93, a large Fire Department crest and a plaque dedicated to the firemen lost on September 11, 2001.