On Veterans Day in 1995, the Winsted VFWs (Seicheprey Post # 296) dedicated a memorial to all past,…read morepresent, and future generations of veterans. The memorial includes a spectacular sight - a huge M110A2 Howitzer displayed on the Northbound side of Route 8. There is a display plaque by the gun describing the Howitzer. In addition to the gun, there is a small plaque embedded in the lawn near a flagpole and many smaller flags adorned with military markers. The plaque by the Howitzer reads: M110A2 Howitzer S/P Self Propelled Cannon 203mm, 8 Inch Gun Max Rage: 22,900 Meters Rate Of Fire: 1 Rnd. Every 2 Mim. Powered By: Detroit Diesel (8 Cyl Turbo) Max. Speed - 40 MPH Mfg By: Boeing-McLaughlin- York (BMY), York, PA An Ammo Carrying S/P Track Vehicle And Gun Crew Of 8 Followed This Cannon For Fire Missions On this Veterans Day 11-11 1995 We Dedicate This Monument To All Past-Present-Future Veterans And To Remind Us That Freedom Isn't Free VFW Seicheprey Post 296 Chartered 12-7-1919 The Simple plaque embedded in the grass by the flagpole reads: Dedicated In Memory of All Deceased Veterans Obviously, the Howitzer is very cool, and you will absolutely do a double take when you unexpectedly see it pop up in front of you. I also very much like the way the plaque remembers all generations of veterans, even those of the future- that is pretty cool indeed.

There is a small plaque dedicated to the Greatest Generation in the heart of Bloomfield. The…read moreplaque is located on the Village Green, and it shares places with a Korean War monument, a Viet Nam War monument, the World War I Memorial, and the much larger Drummer Boy Statue. Its an amazing sight- seeing Bloomfield honor its war dead from the Revolutionary War through Viet Nam. The inscription on the plaque is written in two columns. The left column reads: "Dedicated to the 650 men and women of our community who fought in World War II 1941 - 1945. To these, the living and the dead, the citizens of Bloomfield erected this tablet in grateful remembrance." The inscription on the right column remembers the seventeen sons of Bloomfield that were lost in WW II. The inscription is in two parts. The first part reads " In loving memory of our war dead." Next, the 17 names are listed in alphabetical order, The last part of the inscription follows the names and reads: "May they rest in peace." Simple, understated, respectful, A lovely memorial.

Great War Memorial for those fallen. Those who have given their lives. For their honor & courage…read moreand those they've left behind. Great tribute for a remembrance. It's for those fallen from this area from World War 1, World War 2, Vietnam and the Kirean War. I've driven by here hundreds upon hundreds of times without even noticing it on the green at Baldwin Park. If you're in the area a quick prayer or stop by to pay your respects.

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.

The impressive memorial monument is located at the front entrance of the Main Fire Station in…read moreSimsbury. It has a small hexagonal top connected to a larger hexagonal base via six columns -it has the look of a cupola. Each of the upper panels is inscribed with the name of the six fire stations in Simsbury. There is a bronze fireman's hat on top and a silver fire bell below. The monument honors one firefighter in particular, and all deceased firemen from Simsbury. The monument's bronze plaque reads: "Frank R. Bradley Memorial In April of 1944, seventeen men stepped forward to form what would become the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company. Frank Bradley was one of those original seventeen. In June of that year the Simsbury Fire District was created, followed closely by the creation of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company with the joint responsibility to provide fire protection for the residents of Simsbury. On July 6th, 1944, Frank Bradley, his wife Helen, and their two young daughters were attending the matinee performance of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus in Hartford, CT. Shortly after the show started, fire erupted across the big top. In a matter of seconds, mass panic erupted as the spectators stormed towards the exits in all directions. Tragically, Frank and Helen Bradley became separated from their two daughters. Neither of the parents would emerge from the big top alive. Frank Bradley, that day, became the first deceased member of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company. It is in his name that Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company honors all of our deceased members who have served the community with dedications and pride." Many of the bricks surrounding the monument have been inscribed with the names of Simsbury's deceased firefighters. In front of the monument there is a plaque fastened into the bricks. The plaque's contains the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Sept crest and it's inscription reads: In The Line Of Duty Inscribed Here Are The Names Of Those Who Have Died In Serves To Their Community Lt. Richard F. Kelleher November 6, 1981

Well you'd think they could make it a little easier to find and that it would more than just a…read moreplaque in the ground. When I think memorial, I think statue. Fountain. Something along those lines. We had to look around a few mins before we noticed this up on the grass.

I had a bit of a tough time finding this one. It took me three visits to the State Capital, and a…read morevery helpful e-mail from the Connecticut General Assembly's Webmaster before I knew exactly where on the Capital grounds this is located. As my helpful e-mail read, "There is a memorial on the South Capital lawn between two weeping beech trees". Basically it's very close to the sidewalk on Capital Avenue in front of the gold domed Capital Building. This simple memorial consists of a bronze plaque placed on the front lawn. It was dedicated exactly one year after that terrible day. The plaque's inscription reads: IN MEMORIUM September 11, 2001 We mourn the victims, we honor the heroes Dedicated - September 11, 2002

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.

This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a…read moreblue background. It's located in the town green where Main Street intersects with Hebron Avenue. Glastonbury, CT was named after Glastonbury, England. The town was chartered in 1693 and included some land spun off from Wethersfield, CT and some land purchased from local Indians. Some local historical tidbits include a) Gideon Welles, President Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, was born in Glastonbury, b) Glastonbury manufactured gunpowder for the American Revolution, well at least until the factory blew up in 1777, c) Glastonbury mills were powered by water and cranked out cotton, wool, and paper, d) ship building was a big industry, e) America's first manufacturer of shaving soap hailed from Glastonbury, and other local products included f) anchors, pigskins, peaches and chickens. Glastonbury has a rich history of supporting human rights and social equality. Twenty-three years before the Emancipation Proclamation, the women of Glastonbury submitted the first anti-slavery petition to congress in 1840. Ever hear of Glastonbury's Smith Sisters? I hadn't, but apparently they were among America's first proponents of women's rights. I worked in Glastonbury for over ten years. It's a very nice town with a rich history that is well described on this marker. It's in a very pretty place on the town green, with winding paths and benches and a big fountain. The marker was dedicated in 1976 for the bicentennial. The paint on the marker is starting to fade a little, but it still looks to be in decent condition