This Vietnam War Memorial was very tranquil! It is located in Coe Memorial Park in downtown…read moreTorrington. At first glance, it looked like large boulders with a waterfall; it's a large and serene water fountain. There were memorial plaques around it. This was dedicated in 1981 to the residents of Torrington who served in the Vietnam War. One of the nicer memorials I've seen. A great spot to stop and pay your respects to the fallen.

This is one of the most original and striking veterans memorials I have seen. It's located in Coe…read morePark, where Litchfield Street (U.S. 202) intersects with South Main Street. The memorial is a 30' diameter stone sculpture fountain dedicated to all Veterans of the Vietnam War era. It was designed by Massachusetts artist Edward Monti and it was dedicated in 1981. The fountain consists of a several rock walls with pumped water cascading down over its towers into a lower basin of boulders and rocks. The fountain is even more striking because the water is tinted in a blue turquoise color. There is a rectangular granite block in front of the fountain with a bronze plaque bearing the inscription: Dedicated To The Men And Women Of Torrington Who Honorably Served Their Country During The Vietnam Era, 1964 To May 1975. Particularly Those Who Served In Vietnam And Especially Those Who Died There. I've seen a lot of veterans memorials, but this one gets 5 stars for its simplicity, its stark beauty and originality.

If you're into history and artillery; this is a cool sight to see. You won't miss this large cannon…read morelocated in Coe Memorial Park, downtown Torrington. There were two memorial plaques on it with information regarding this monument. It was presented in 1995 to the veterans of Torrington. The 155 mm cannon is a M114A2 Howitzer Medium; carriage was manufactured by Lufkin Foundry and Machine Company in 1944. When it was in use, the maximum range was 30,000 meters; the rate of fire was 4 rounds per minute. There was a truck that would tow this cannon and it would be manned by a six person crew. You can tell this is old, it's rusted and paint was peeling. Nonetheless, it was a powerful tool used to protect our troops; also a solemn reminder of all the lives lost. When in presence of this memorial, take a moment in silence, ponder, and appreciate the freedom we have due to all the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the USA.

If you're driving down one of the main drags in Torrington, you might do a double take at the sight…read moreof this huge gun sitting in the middle of a park! This 155 mm Howitzer gun sits in Coe Park among many veterans memorials - the Viet Nam fountain, the Torrington Veterans Memorial, and the Civil War memorial. It was presented to the city in 1995 as a gift by Torrington's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9086. Two plaques are mounted on the gun. The top one reads: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9086 Torrington, CT. 155mm Howitzer Presented to the City of Torrington All Veterans Memorial 1995 The second plaque cites some of the weapon's artillery specs.

I just love these old Civil War monuments that include a statue of a soldier of the time. There is…read morejust something about seeing that weary looking craggy face, usually bearded or mustached, wearing the long overcoat and cape of the day, holding his rifle, that is quite transfixing. This monument is located in Coe Park, at the high traffic corner of Litchfield Street and South Main. It is a 7' high granite figure of a Union soldier standing on a large granite base. It was originally dedicated in front of Wolcottville (Torrington's original name) Town Hall in 1879 and moved to Coe Park in 1936. The front of the base has a sculpted Seal of Connecticut. The inscription below reads: 1861 TO THE DEFENDERS OF THE UNION 1865 The back of the base has a plaque that lists the names of six Civil War battles: GETTYSBURG. ANTIETAM. WINCHESTER. MALVERN HILL. COLD HARBOR. PETERSBURG. CEDAR CREEK. Go take a look at the life-like statue and expressive face of that soldier. It is just fabulous..

A warm, English-Tudor style cottage built in the 1920s on the top of a meadow surrounded by…read moregardens. Fields filled with birds, butterflies and dragonflies. I wish I could describe it better... I'm not going to, because I'm tired. I guess you can always just look at the photos. Unless you decide to actually go and experience it for yourself. Either way...

Since moving to CT, we discovered a great program that gives a little incentive for visiting a…read morenumber of CT state parks, the DEEP Sky's The Limit Program. In 2017, Topsmead was among the parks listed, so we decided to go give it a visit. Winter was not the best time to visit, and it's hard to give it a really good/fair rating. The main farmhouse area was closed for the season, and the weather wasn't really great for hiking. It would be a great spot for cross country skiing in the winter, though. The outstanding negative at the time of our visit were the state of the toilets. They're pit toilets, which is fine, but they were not dug at all deeply, and if not for the freezing weather, I can imagine it would be rather unpleasantly fragrant. We'll definitely be visiting again and reevaluating at some point.

In October 2024, this library will be 160 years old. It has such a deep and rich history regarding…read morehow it came into existence. The community and a few key figures put their minds and money together so that this library can be accessible to this community. 160 years later, this historic and cultural landmark stands proudly in the City of Torrington and still serves the community today. They are currently paving the parking lot. When I went, there were some parking but it is metered. Thanks to Tricia B.'s review, I took her advice and parked across the street near the 99 restaurant plaza; parking was free, you would just have to cross a few streets, thankfully there were crosswalks and lights. The building architecture is magnificent. We went into the side entrance and up the stairs to the children's library. The children's library was large and has plenty of toys for the kids. There were tables and seats. Another area was the art area, there were tables with markers, crayons, pencils, etc. of course, plenty of books and other resources. When I was leaving, I saw an armed security officer, which I thought was odd because it's a library and I've never seen one at a library. Overall, just like any other library, this is a great asset and resource to have in a community.

This is a five star location because it's a library, and provides books and a safe space for the…read moremasses. But their use of metered parking has me seriously on edge. I wouldn't go to the library at a time when the meters are in effect, or park across the street by the 99 Restaurant where there are no meters. Anyway, besides that, the library is a combination of old building and newly renovated. There are ghostly rumors about the old side, where the reading room is, but they seem to be rather peaceful spirits. I would be too in such beautiful and austere surroundings. The librarians seem mostly friendly, with very tight reins. The elevators and restrooms require their engagement. I can appreciate that. There is a security presence in the building but they fly below the radar.

I love the location of this marker. It's on the exterior front wall of Town Hall, mounted to the…read moreright of the front door. A nice place of honor for a pretty interesting marker, unlike the boring one I just saw in Bristol. Being mounted on the front wall, it should be no surprise that this is a one-sided marker. It's from the CT Historical Commission with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. Here's the highlights - Torrington was named for an English town, it was a spin-off of Windsor, it became a town in its own right in 1740 and had to wait all the way until 1923 to become a city. Manufacturing was king in the early days of Torrington's history as this quintessential mill town churned out metal works, hardware, textiles, and wood trim. John Brown, the lightning rod abolitionist, was born in Torrington. Recognize the name? You definitely recognize the epic song written in his honor in 1861. John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, But his soul goes marching on. Chorus: Glory, glory, hallelujah, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on. Want another great Torrington nugget? OK. Quick, when I say "condensed milk" what names comes into mind? "Bordens", did you say? Yup - Gail Borden patented and manufactured both condensed and evaporated milk in Torrington in 1856. (I wonder if I have any of those original cans buried in the back of my cupboard behind the lentil soup?). Anyway, Torrington's marker is a pretty darned good one. Plus it's in great shape as far as the paint and lettering go. The full inscription reads: Named in 1732 for Torrington in Devonshire, England, this was one of the townships of the Western Lands allotted to Windsor. Since the early settlers were taxpayers in that town, their shares in the division of land depended upon the amount of taxes paid to Windsor. Torrington was incorporated as a town in 1740 and became a city on October 1, 1923. Industries were established on the banks of the Naugatuck River and smaller streams, among them the manufacture of brass, needles, tacks, hooks and eyes, woolen cloth, and millwork. John Brown, noted for his efforts to abolish slavery in the Civil War era, and Samuel J. Mills, Jr., founder in 1810 of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, were born in Torrington. In 1856 Gail Borden was granted a patent for the "process of evaporating milk in vacuum." In the following year he began the manufacture of condensed milk in the Burrville section of town. The economy of Torrington remains largely industrial, with many of the earlier products continued and supplemented in modern form. Erected 1980 by the City of Torrington, The Torrington Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission.

This is the site of the first school in Torrington, CT. The site is located at the intersection of…read moreAllen Rd and Lovers Lane. When visiting, pull onto Allen Rd. There is more room, and on Lovers Lane it's easy to block the stop sign and line of vision. The landmark is one rock, with the text: FIRST SCHOOL Sight of Torrington's First School House Built in 1741 There is also an image of a school house in the upper middle. The best times to visit are fall and winter; the surrounding grass gets very high in the spring and summer, and increases one's tick exposure.

Very simple, quite elegant, and beautifully maintained , the Harwinton Veterans Memorial…read morecommemorates the military service through the generations of Harwinton's citizens. The memorial consists of a large bronze plaque set into a base of carved stone. The heading on the plaque reads "Dedicated To Those Who Served Our Country", followed by Harwinton's veterans of the 20th century's wars- WW I, WW II, Korea, and Viet Nam. Each of the wars is engraved as a separate heading following the names of those that served . The memorial is set in a small green with nicely landscaped flowers and shrubs. It's a very attractive monument.

Love this small gallery! Hidden gem with very cool exhibits that pass through. Staff is pleasant…read moreand quiet. Any questions you have they are glad to assist. The gallery also provides print outs on the featured exhibits and the stories behind the art. This time around I was able to catch exhibits by Pamela Stockamore , Retrospective. Sydney Morris , Nova. Last my fav out of all three Scott Richter, A melody of unrelated things. Kudos to all the artist. Good exhibit! I'll be back of course !

From the owner: To Champion and nurture artists at all stages of their careers and to empower a diverse community…read morethrough the presentation of inspiring exhibitions and educational initiatives.