For more than a year, the Drummer Boy statue has been AWOL from its old location on the Bloomfield…read moreVillage Green. But I'm happy to say that the statue has been spiffed up, revitalized, and relocated. It's still on the Village Green but moved to a prominent location at the major intersection of Park Avenue and Bloomfield Avenue. The statue was removed as part of "Phase Two" of a Village Green renovation project. The green was revitalized with new benches and walkways, a gorgeous green lawn, and major repairs to the statue which was in a state of disrepair. Some of the work included removing corrosion by blasting, a new metal coating, and replacement of the drum skin. The Drummer Boy's Drum is a significant piece of Bloomfield's history. Known as "the Brown Drum" they were manufactured on Bloomfield's Brown Street by the Brown family -first Benjamin Brown and then his nephew Eli Brown. The Drummer Boy symbolizes a "march toward liberty, justice and equality" by America's early Patriots.

Heublein Tower is located in Talcott Mountain State Park. There were plenty of parking spaces and a…read morefew trails that lead up to the "castle". The main Tower Trail is 1.25-miles one-way; most of it were up hill and on rocky gravel. There were a couple of lookouts before reaching the tower; beautiful views but becareful, it's very steep. There were a couple of benches and waste receptacles along the way. The tower up close was magnificent and the land is full of history. There was the old garage that's used as an information center with benches and a video. A huge picnic pavilion and BBQ pit. The Tower was built to look like a German castle. There are 6-stories; bedrooms, living rooms, restrooms, and the ballroom which is now called the observation deck are in it. There were signs showing what certain areas were. This building was Gilbert Heublein's summer home, then The Hartford Times, then the State of CT. Many parties and famous people have traversed these steps; Dwight D. Eisenhower and Prescott Bush to name a couple. The observation deck is where the showstopper is; 360-degree views of Connecticut, it's a priceless and breathtaking view. Thank you to Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Friends of Heublein for up keeping and keeping this local and historical gem alive. I highly recommend the moderate hike up, if you're able to. Bring bug spray, water, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and your best hiking boots!

This memorial is located inside Simsbury's historic cemetery behind it's metal gates that run along…read moreHopmeadow Street. The cemetery is the final resting place for several of the town's Revolutionary War veterans. The memorial consists of a bronze plaque mounted on a flat stone. The top of the plaque has a color image of the continental flag and an image of a colonial soldier. The plaque's inscription reads: 1775 - 1783 We, the people of the Town of Simsbury, do hereby recognized the many hardships and countless sacrifices made by all those brave American Revolutionary Soldiers; especially those from Simsbury, who died for our freedom from England. We hereby dedicate this bronze memorial plaque as an everlasting tribute to these American heroes, whose gallant and brave efforts brought us to the birth of the United States of America and adoption of the Constitution. To these courageous countrymen, we are eternally grateful. Thirty three names and their ranks follow, and it's interesting to see so many different titles -Fifer, Private, Ensign, Captain, Major, Lieutenant, Corporal. The memorial was funded by the Ensign Bickford Company and dedicated on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2005. The simplicity of the memorial, the vibrant color of the flag emblem, the quiet setting of the cemetery, and the knowledge that Revolutionary War veterans are buried there, combine to make a pretty powerful statement.

If you are coming through Simsbury and want to see a beautiful historic area, the old Drake Hill…read moreFlower Bridge is a wonderful spot to visit Easily accessible for disabled, and bathrooms are readily available The parking is fair, but you can also park across the street in the commuter parking lot a short distance away on Iron Horse Blvd Early spring, the flowers aren't installed yet, so it's a little boring, but still a great visit If you want to get in your steps, this is the place, go start here, head a little west, and then down Iron Horse Blvd., and enjoy downtown Simsbury shops. This is a great place to visit in a quaint little town

When in Simsbury, visiting the Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge is a must. Not only is it historical,…read moreit is a beauty to behold. It's a metal-truss construction of the 19th century. This historic bridge reopened for pedestrian and bicycle use in 1995. A year later a group of volunteers came together to develop the flower bridge. Over the years it has expanded to 72 flower boxes and 32 hanging baskets. You can donate to their cause and it's tax deductible. Grab a coffee from a local coffee shop and take a stroll across the flower bridge. You will not be disappointed.

One more example of the incredibly rich history that can be found in every corner of our state. The…read moreWhite Fountain is located on the Southbound side of Hopmeadow Street, pretty much across the street from Abigail's Restaurant, where Route 202/10 intersects Route 185. The Fountain honors Dr. Roderick White (1809-1887), who dedicated nearly 50 years of his life traveling around the Simsbury area by horse to practice medicine and offer healthcare advice to the community. He studied medicine at Yale, and began his medical career in Manchester and Granville before he settled in Simsbury in 1842. Dr. White passed away in 1887, and his wife Elizabeth passed away two years later. Her will stated "I desire to leave a memorial of my late husband in the community where he so long lived and practiced his profession, and for that purpose I have determined that it would be suitable and proper to erect in the village of Weatogue a memorial fountain supplied with running water." A granite base supports the granite fountain. There is a large basin with lion heads, and three round basins above. Decorations on the fountain include a portrait of Dr. and Mrs. White, a sculpture of a Healing Serpent (symbol for medical profession),an engraving of Hippocrates, and an inscription honoring Dr. White. The inscription reads: In Memory of Roderick A. White, M.D., who died Dec. 2, 1887. The beloved Physician of this town for nearly fifty years. Erected by his wife, Elizabeth Hungerford White. Defunctus adhunc ministrat I popped that phrase into a Latin to English Google Translate and came up with "Died hitherto serveth"

The more I look around the Farmington Valley, the more semi-hidden and overlooked evidence I…read morestumble upon that shows how old this area is, and how it was chest deep in the Revolutionary War. Memorials are everywhere signifying events in colonial America. I've lived in Simsbury since 1987, and have visited the Simsbury Post Office at 932 Hopmeadow Street conservatively 200 times. I never noticed this plaque until today, and I only saw it because my car battery was dead and I was standing outside waiting for the AAA truck. At the front of the Post Office, in a strip of grass near the drive-up mail boxes, is a stone monument with an old weathered plaque. The inscription reads: Entrance to Pent Road 1668-1787 THIS ROAD LEADING TO THE RIVER CROSSING WAS A DIRECT ROUTE TO WINDSOR IT WAS USED BY THE MILITIA ON THEIR WAY TO BOSTON IN MAY 1775 PLACED BY ABIGAIL PHELPS CHAPTER D.A.R. 1935 So in other words, Colonial American soldiers walked here about 238 years ago. The shootings at Lexington and Concord happened in April 1775 a month earlier than the date on the plaque. Who knows what fate awaited these men. Did they fight the Redcoats in New York? Or New Jersey? Or Quebec? Did they end up living through the brutal winter at Valley Forge? Did they fight in North Carolina or South Carolina? Were they at the decisive Battle of Yorktown? If they did, their rendezvous with destiny and history may have had a stop in Simsbury........

If you're driving by on route 44 in Avon, CT, you might see this giant rocking chair. It's located…read morenear the traffic light and one of the entrances to the Old Avon Village. It's a 9-foot high rocking chair that used to be located at a furniture store in West Hartford. As of the 1960s, it's moved to its current location in Avon. I think it's random but unique; it's definitely an Avon landmark. I heard that they decorate it for the holidays. If you're in the plaza, go up close and admire this old random gem.

"Drive up Route 44 and turn by the giant 9' tall rocking chair...." What ????…read more Yes, there really is a giant 9' tall rocking chair standing guardian at one of the entrances to Old Avon Village The big rocking chair started it's life as a roof ornament on the old Spinning Jenny furniture store in West Hartford. When the store owners moved the business to Avon, they took along their 9' tall rocker and it quickly became a landmark as the symbol for Old Avon Village. It's been repaired and repainted a few times over the year, and on one windy day it was blown off its foundation and ended up in the street. It is very noticeable from the road. Many a wedding photo has been taken in front of the Giant Rocker.

Next time you're in Simsbury, and happen to be driving by Abigail's Restaurant- take a look at the…read moreSouthbound side of Hopmeadow Street and take in the majestic Civil War Monument. The monument was dedicated on July 4, 1895 - 30 years after the "War of the Rebellion" ended. It consists of a granite pedestal base that supports a full body sculpture of a standing soldier holding the barrel of a rifle in his hands. The butt of the rifle rests on the ground in front of him. There are 194 names carved into panels on the base of the statue. A inscription on the monument reads: ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF UNION SOLDIERS IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION 1861-1865 The monument is considered significant because it included seven names from "Colored Regiments"; an acknowledgement not often seen on similar monuments. One hundred years later, in 1995, the monument was rededicated with a bronze plaque honoring the 37 Simsbury natives that were killed in the Civil War. The plaque's inscription reads: "Dedicated to all veterans of the Civil War (1861-1865) Who Fought to Preserve This Great Republic. Especial Honor is Paid to the 37 Men from Simsbury Who Sacrificed Their Lives To Achieve This Purpose".

I've driven past this imposing sculpture on Route 189 hundreds of times without knowing what it…read morewas. Today I stopped and took a close look at it, and it is a very powerful memorial indeed. It's located at the front of the Greater Hartford Jewish Community Center. Its a two part memorial consisting of a large sculpture and a companion piece of a stand holding a stone plaque carved to resemble an open book. The 1981 sculpture was created by Elbert Weinberg. The main sculpture shows two outstretched arms holding a Shofar (ram's horn) aloft. The open book has two inscribed panels as its pages.The left panel is inscribed: Had the people and the nations known how much harm they brought upon themselves by destroying the Temple of Jerusalem, they would have wept more than the children of Israel THE TALMUD 1933-1943 In memory of the Six Million Jews, victims of the Holocaust, killed because they were born Jews. In solemn remembrance to the more than one million Jewish children who perished before they could mature, before they could give life, who tasted the evil of man before they could experience the fullness of God's universe. In humble recognition of the world that was lost, the generations of scholars, teachers and rabbis, the writers and speakers of Yiddish whose culture could have contributed much to the Jewish future, much more to humanity. In gratitude for those precious few, men and women, of all faiths who lived with the Jews, who saved Jews or who chose to die with the Jews to affirm the solidarity of all human creation. May the memory of these deaths serve as a warning. May their lives serve as a blessing. May the Jewish people understand the preciousness of all life, the infinite worth of all creation. May we, the living, honor their death by creating and sustaining the life of the Jewish people - in freedom, in dignity, in honor and in peace. The right panel is inscribed with a list of the memorial's donors. The image of the sculpture, coupled with the book's inscription combine to make this a very powerful and moving shrine.

One of the many hidden little treasures scattered around Simsbury…read more Eno goes way back to 1932, and over the years has served Simsbury as a courthouse, a city hall, an auditorium, and government offices. Today, it's proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is used for community classes, meetings, and Senior Services. I have attended a book sale, a Veterans Day or Memorial Day program, and a music recital here. The brick building is gorgeous inside and out. I attended a music recital at Eno last night and the acoustics were great The large auditorium has a high vaulted ceiling, gorgeous ornate windows on both sides, and roomy seats. We had a great time. You can rent the building out for private functions too.