In 1836, Connecticut-born gun manufacturer Samuel Colt (1814-62) received a U.S. patent for a…read morerevolver mechanism that enabled a gun to be fired multiple times without reloading. Colt founded a company to manufacture his revolving-cylinder pistol; however, sales were slow and the business floundered. Then in 1846, with the Mexican War (1846-48) under way, the U.S. government ordered 1,000 Colt revolvers. In 1855, Colt opened what was the world's largest private armament factory (here in Hartford!) in which he employed advanced manufacturing techniques such as interchangeable parts and an organized production line. By 1856, the company could produce 150 weapons per day. Colt was also an effective promoter, and by the start of the U.S. Civil War (1861-65) he had made the Colt revolver perhaps the world's best-known firearm. He died a wealthy man in 1862; the company he founded remains in business today. This monument to the famous Samuel Colt was commissioned by his wife in 1902 and the foundation was laid in 1905. Unfortunately, Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Colt never saw the completed memorial, as she passed in late 1905. The memorial statue was designed by John Massey Rhind, a Scottish sculptor from New York. The Samuel Colt Monument depicts Samuel at different stages throughout his life, each representing a significant moment chosen by Elizabeth to tell and preserve the legend of her husband. At the base the memorial statue sits a young Samuel whittling a revolver cylinder during his time as a mariner. Sitting atop a tier of six granite steps, rising above Colt Park overlooking the entrance, stands the triumphant figure of a man who achieved success. Samuel Colt, a tenacious man with an entrepreneurial spirit, faced numerous struggles in his life, both personal and business related, achieved the success he dreamed of his entire life. Colt is laid to rest beside his wife not far from here in the Cedar Hill Cemetery, https://www.yelp.com/biz/cedar-hill-cemetery-hartford?hrid=7Y0aUvQeznXHxPEngg367g. While Samuel Colt was a great man who achieved great things, this monument needs some help and attention. Some of the concrete is broken and uneven. The copper is deteriorating. The monument has a lot of litter. It's a shame. [Review 15231 overall, 733 of 2021, number 47 in Connecticut.]

So who do you think are the most famous people that ever lived in Hartford? Mark Twain? Yes, of…read morecourse. Noah Webster? Sure. Well how about Samuel Colt? He was one of America's greatest inventors and pioneered the use of interchangeable parts in manufacturing. His career as a gun manufacturer was jump-started in 1847 when the Texas Rangers ordered 1,000 of his revolvers for the Mexican War. Fifteen years later, he was selling guns to both the North and South in America's Civil War. This impressive and very unique monument is located at an entrance to Colt Park near the intersection of Wethersfield Avenue and Stonington Street. Why unique? Well, the monument includes two separate statues of Colt and a series of engraved wall panels. The larger of the two statues depicts Colt as an older man. He is wearing a long coat and looks every bit the successful inventor. A smaller statue depicts Colt as a young boy. He is whittling a piece of wood that looks remarkably like the chamber of a revolver. The engraved panels on the back wall of the memorial show Colt and the Russian Czar at the British House of Commons. Sadly, the memorial is in a distressed condition. The statues are pitting and deteriorating, as are the panels which are very hard to decipher. There's an inscription behind the statue of the elder Colt that reads: Samuel Colt 1814-1862 On the grounds which his tastes beautified by the home he loved this memorial stands to speak of his genius, his enterprise and his success and of his great and loyal heart." His wife in faithful affection dedicates this memorial 1905 The memorial was commissioned by Colt's wife Elizabeth. Had this memorial been in better condition, I would have given it 5 stars because of its unique nature, but its poor condition made me adjust the rating down to 4 stars.

Fun event. Tasty, too. This year June 1 marked the 7th annual Strawberry Festival at Coe Park in…read moreTorrington. With dozens of vendors, lots of fresh strawberries, decent weather and quite easily accessible, this year's celebration turned out very nicely. We couldn't count all the vendors -- maybe 50 or so? -- but there were lots of things for sale, from homemade candies and jams to myriad craft items and booths offering face paintings and pet products. There several food trucks; we wished for more and more choices. The big deal is, of course, strawberries. They ran out of strawberry pies early, but we enjoyed our shortcakes made with fresh biscuits topped by strawberries and whipped cream ($5). There was also a strawberry-rhubarb salad ($6) and strawberry lemonade ($3) which was kind of thin and not very strawberry-tasting. The festival directors (thank you, Ed!) made sure there was plenty of seating scattered around the park. It was a bit chilly, overcast and windy, so no one complained of sunburn. Lots of free parking around the park, and the area is small enough so no one gets exhausted walking from one end of the event to the other. We didn't and we enjoyed it.

3.5 stars. The City of Torrington hosts the annual Strawberry Festival in Coe Memorial Park. This…read moreyear we went on June 1, 2024. There were vendors with booths selling various arts/crafts, honey, face paint, etc. The park setting was lovely; plenty of shade and memorial monuments. There were a few food trucks. We found paid on-street parking. The line to buy strawberry shortcake was kind of confusing. We had to ask someone in line for information. First you wait in line at the cashier booth and buy tokens; $7 for strawberry shortcake and $3 for strawberry lemonade. Then you wait in another line in the middle that goes inside the building. This line was a little long; took about 20 minutes to get the food/drinks. I actually liked the strawberry shortcake and lemonade. The biscuit was really warm and chewy with the fresh strawberries and whipped cream. I think it's a little on the small side for $7 but I know it's inflation and hard times. Overall, it's a fun little festival and glad to have checked it out.

I'm always at Mills Pond Park and the Canton Gate is near the entrance to this park. Thanks to Dan…read moreR.'s (FTR) review, I will add my input. It's on top of a small hill so it's not hard to miss. When I first saw it, I was curious and had to investigate. The structure looked old with quite a bit of rust on it; it looked like an abstract artwork because I couldn't tell what it's supposed to be. I saw fish engraved on it and what looked like a doorway. In the early 1990s, this 17-ft sculpture was created by David Boyajian; it was a gift to the town by the Canton Creative Arts Council. It was dedicated in September 1992. The town of Canton's notable landmarks are the Collins axe Factory and the Farmington River; this was where the inspiration for the sculpture came from per the sculptor. Overall, a decent structure where I like to take a moment, ponder, and reflect.

"Brown eyed girl, precious flower We have come to this…read morefateful hour And our love cannot wait Meet me at the gate" (Black Crowes) When you drive up the entrance to Mills Pond Park, you'll see an imposing structure on a hill to your right. There sits a 17-foot-high bronze and steel sculpture known as the Canton Gate. Its backstory dates to the '90's when the Canton Creative Arts Council decided to build something to thank their supporters. They sponsored a competition for local artists to submit their public art entries. The 1992 winning entry was crafted by David Boyajian, an artist and teacher from Hartford. His abstract design honors and incorporates historical, natural, and architectural elements of Canton, the Farmington River and the Collins Company factory. I saw a limestone block that represents the river bottom, images of birds, fish, cascading waters, and a door inspired by the one at an old local axe factory. While researching this review, I learned a cool fact - the artwork is listed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database. Now that's pretty cool, don't you think?

City of Middletown was incorporated as a town in 1651 and then a city in 1784. It has a population…read moreof approximately 47,000. The original name was Mattabaseck which was given by the local Native American tribe, Wangunk; it was changed to Middletown because it was the halfway point between Saybrook and Windsor. The city is located 16 miles south of Hartford and is along the Connecticut River. Due to the location, it was a sailing port then turned into an industrial center. In downtown, Main Street is a popular area with restaurants, stores, and bars; this is near the Wesleyan University. The top 5 employers are Middlesex Hospital, United Technologies, FedEx, Connecticut Valley Hospital, and Wesleyan University. There are plenty of things to do and it's centrally located, which makes it easy to have access to amenities. As a tourist visiting, my family and I enjoyed exploring the area. We loved Kid City museum and what Main Street had to offer. There was an influx of immigrants which created a melting pot of cuisines and restaurants. I'm a huge fan of food especially the variety the area has to offer; from Tibetan, Korean, Peruvian, Indian, Thai, Pakistani, Mexican, Italian, to Ethiopian, my taste buds are firing up. There are beautiful historic buildings and parking was metered but plentiful. There are parks and trails; Wadsworth Falls State Park, Smith Park, and Middletown Nature Gardens. Overall, from what we saw, we liked the city. I look forward to going back and exploring some more.

Gorgeous little town that I had the pleasure of touring while I was in the state on business…read more Everyone was super nice, and it definitely had that small town charm. I know I'll be back to visit frequently, as it's on the way to the airport and I work nearby. Wish I lived here just because of the wide open spaces, and the homes that look like they're out of a story book!

Came here for the first time to enjoy Christmas lights with my wife and my dog! I purchased a…read moreGroupon online and got a discounted ticket. Light show was well worth it ! my dog loved it. All proceeds benefit children's charity too.

If we could give this 6 stars we would! This is the best drive thru lights display around. We were…read moresorely disappointed by another display in E Hartford so we went in with low expectations but boy were we wrong! Staff was so friendly. Displays were beautiful! They had tribute displays, character displays, and awesome music on their radio station. Lights were perfectly synced with the music which you don't find a lot! We will be making our trip here an annual occurrence. Thank you so much!

A charming small village in the Town of Canton, CT. This village was formed around The Collins…read moreCompany Axe Factory. In the early 19th century, this company was the largest axe manufacturer. It's built on the Farmington River which helps power the machines to manufacture axes, knives, machetes, etc. The building is now converted into a historical museum. Cottages as well as other town necessities, were built nearby for the employees. When walking on Main St., you are transported to that era. The buildings are all historic with architecture from the early 19th century. It definitely has that small town feel. There is a post office, liquor store, antique shop, church, restaurants, bar, and tattoo shop. The walking trail is nearby; an old train bridge over the river and a flower bridge overlooking the river. Every October, they have a huge Halloween parade. In the Budget Travel Magazine, they were voted "Top 10 Coolest Small Towns in America". This quaint New England town is beautiful and picturesque with quite a history.

It's a hidden gem located in the Quiet Corner!…read more A bridge leading to Willimantic which is overlooked by frogs. I always hear a myth that residents saw frogs falling out of sky one day somewhere in the 18th century around Windham so that's why it's named after this so-called moment.

A unique bridge. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but it does stand out a bit…read more The four corners have concrete spools of thread, because it is the "thread city" (formerly a significant amount of textile production was does here), and big ugly frogs (because of the story about dying frogs being mistaken for an army).

"You used to call me the top You put me up on the throne…read moreYou let me fall with a drop And now I'm out on my own" (Billie Holiday) Fans of Game of Thrones know the Iron Throne in Westeros was made from the surrendered swords of enemies. Today I learned the White Oak Leaf Throne in Hartford's Bushnell Park was made from the Hoadley Oak. It was a dead 180-year-old White Oak tree that was a park eyesore. On September 10, 2024, it became the latest piece of public art to join the dozens of attractions and monuments spread across the park. Local artist Tao LaBossiere transformed that huge dead tree into a 9 1/2-foot-tall throne with ornate carvings all over its surface. The structure was sealed with five coats of marine-grade urethane to protect it from the elements. You'll find it on the east side of the park by Jewell Street. The throne has landing steps at the front, so you can climb up, and have a seat for a few minutes of solitude or an epic photo op. PRO TIP The Hoadley Oak is believed to be a descendant of Connecticut's historic Charter Oak. In an early act of resistance against the British, in 1662, Connecticut colonists hid their colony's Royal Charter in that tree to keep it safe.