Great wines, homemade sangria is a must! Variety of merchandise to buy; decorative wine corks, wine…read moreholders, magnets, small home "sprucer uppers". Wine tasting is reasonably priced! Great scenery outdoors Live music during the summer! Great outdoor, patio and indoor seating. They also offer a wine tasting paired with yoga class. This was very cool for a group of friends to enjoy outdoors, yoga and wine.

As you drive into Middletown on Route 9, you can't miss seeing it. It rises overhead in a majestic…read moresteel arch across the Connecticut River. It's Connecticut's largest bridge- a 600 foot metal truss bridge that lifts Route 66 and Route 17 over the river, connecting Main Street in Middletown with Main Street in Portland. It carries about 34,000 cars every day. It was built between 1936 and 1938 for $3.5 million. With its sweeping steel arches, it's become quite the local landmark, in fact it was named the country's "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge" in the large bridge category in a 1938 competition sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction And who is it's namesake? Charles J. Arrigoni was a state legislator who was an advocate of building the bridge. There are plans on the drawing board right now to light up the bridge with a lighting system that can change colors. So maybe if you were driving to Middletown on a beautiful July evening, you'd see this iconic bridge tricked out in red, white, and blue. I'm sure Charles would be proud of that!

I see Dan R.'s review from 10 years ago about this historical marker. Here is my update:…read more The historical marker is located in Union Park. There is a gazebo and a soldier's monument on the same property. The historical marker looked pretty well-kempt; the navy blue was bright and not too faded and the letters were legible. I didn't see any rust or damage. I like reading these markers because it gives me a brief history lesson about the area. It was home to the Wangunk Indian Tribe and located at the bend of the Connecticut River. From this river, ships sailed to the West Indies and ports in the East Coast for trade. It is the halfway point between Saybrook and Windsor, hence the name Middle Town. In 1784, it became one of the 5 cities in Connecticut. Overall, it's a vibrant community; I enjoyed exploring the area and visiting this historical marker.

Ever wonder what the "middle" in Middletown refers to? C"mon,,, admit it,,, sure you have…read more Well it refers to "halfway between Saybrook and Windsor". There's a ton of more information on this plaque - like Middletown is one of the five oldest towns in the state, and it was a center of resistance to the Brits during the Revolution. This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It has different inscriptions on each side, and is located just off Main Street in Union Park. . It was dedicated in 1981 and the blue paint and white lettering are in pretty good shape. There is no cracking or peeling, but the blue background is just starting to fade a little. The full inscription reads: The area known as Mattabesett, home of the Wangunk Indian tribe, was settled by English colonists from Hartford and Wethersfield in 1650. Situated at the big bend in the Connecticut River, it was named Middletown because it lay halfway between Saybrook and Windsor. Its location on the "Great Tidal River" led to a prosperous shipping economy during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. From Middletown, ships sailed to ports along the East Coast and in the West Indies. Crafts and trades such as pewter making and shipbuilding flourished, as did agriculture in the surrounding countryside. During the Revolutionary War, Middletown became a center of resistance to the British Crown. Many of its citizens, including such men as Jabez Hamlin; Nehemiah and Elijah Hubbard; Titus Hosmer, Esquire; General Comfort Sage; Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs; and Colonel John Sumner, played important roles in the struggle for American independence. ( back ) The town was incorporated as a city in 1784, one of the first five in Connecticut. Commodore Thomas Macdonough, an outstanding naval officer in the War of 1812 against Great Britain, made his home in Middletown and was buried here in Riverside cemetery. Long the seat of the Court of Middlesex County, Middletown became the site of Wesleyan University in 1831. General Joseph K. F. Mansfield, killed in action at the Battle of Antietam in 1862, and numerous other Middletown men served bravely in the 1861-1865 war to preserve the Union of the North American States. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, immigrants arrived from Ireland, Sweden, Germany, Poland, and Italy, but most notably from the Sicilian town of Melilli. These later arrivals helped to enrich the fabric of the community and, together with others who followed, gave to the City the diverse and cosmopolitan quality it has today. Erected by The City of Middletown The Middlesex County Historical Society The Connecticut Historical Commission 1981

This terrific Civil War monument is inscribed with hundreds of names. Names of those who "died of…read morewounds" or "died in service" or "died In Military Prisons" or "Killed In Action" or "Died since muster out". The main inscription reads: Honor To The Brave Their Heroic Valor Ensures Our Lasting Peace Erected By The Town Of Middletown To The Memory Of Her Fallen Sons 1874 It's a great monument - a beautifully detailed mustachioed Union soldier wearing his long coat, a cap, and holding a rifle in his right hand. There is a sculpted panel of a family and an inscription that reads "Their heroic valor ensured our lasting peace". There is a circle of laurels around the words "Honor to the Brave". There are cannons around the base of the monument. It's located just off Main Street in Union Park.

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.

The Connecticut Trees of Honor is a short walkway with honorific plaques (and trees) to members of…read morethe armed forces who have fallen. There is also a memorial to 9/11 with part of the subway track that had been underneath the World Trade Center. Finally, there is a memorial to Sergeant Stubby and other animals who have assisted Americans during war. Stubby accompanied troops from New Haven to the trenches of France in WWI, and back to the United States. Tokens are left for Stubby and the other individual by their trees. The park is next to the Greater Middletown Military Museum, but is very quiet and solemn to visit. Also, there are fake wolves. I'm not quite clear why, but they are keeping the area safe for visitors. There is a large parking area across the street for cars.

In late August 2014, this epic monument was unveiled at the front entrance of the State Police…read moreHeadquarters in Middletown. It honors the law enforcement and public safety champions of the canine persuasion that have served our state for 80 years. According to the State Police website, they train four types of dogs -Patrol (a multipurpose category that includes tracking, apprehension, protection, and evidence recovery), Bloodhounds (for specialized and difficult tracking), Search and Rescue (to locate any live or deceased human scent in large search zones), and Detection dogs (think narcotics, accelerants, explosives and even electronic storage devices). The Connecticut State Police Canine program is renowned across the country and internationally. Police dogs from around the world are trained here (Greece, Egypt, and Cyprus to name a few). Training programs by the US State Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were modeled after the one designed by the CT State Police. The monument features likenesses of the three dog breeds used by the State Police, Labradors, German shepherds and bloodhounds. The monument's inscription reads: "Dedicated to past, present, and future canines of the Connecticut State Police. Their loyalty, courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten".

In the 1800's, how did they transport huge slabs of stone from Portland quarries? Easy, they…read morewrapped a chain around the stone, hooked it to a giant 30-foot wooden contraption with 8-foot tall wheels, and had a team of muscular oxen haul it away. This artifact of Portland history was restored between 1999 and 2002, and now sits proudly on Main Street in its own pavilion. Hopefully, its location next to the Police Station will keep it vandalism free. It's a wonderful glimpse into the technology of the day and it's a nice example of how some towns honor their past. There are signs around the pavilion describing the history of the arch and it's restoration