No Deficit in Conneticut

Chica 1 is Cravin' New Haven

Well, it's a beautiful day in Hartford, Connecticut and Chica 1 can't wait to get the rental car and head to New Haven and visit the prestigious Yale University. 

The drive down to New Haven was quite nice. Traffic was light and Chica 1 was reviewing in her head some fun facts about the city. New Haven has a lot of pertinent American history. 

A few examples you may ask - Nathan Hale, the Revolutionary War hero who famously stated just prior to his execution: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." was from New Haven. Eli Whitney, a Yale alumni is famously known as the inventor of the cotton gin - which has nothing to do with liquor! This gin is short for engine.

One of the most respected educational institutions in the world, Yale University, was founded in 1701 and has produced a number of famous and infamous graduates. The school is known for a number of U.S. Presidents and actors (both cut from the same cloth). As Chica 1 pulls into New Haven, the long flight and drive has created the need to feed!

Louis Lunch is a renown hamburger joint. The establishment claims to be the place that originated the hamburger. It is also right around the corner from Yale University. 

Walking into Louis Lunch, it is surprisingly small and old. The tables and seating looked original! But it is certainly a popular joint. It is crowded and with only a handful of tightly grouped tables and seats, the chances of eating in don't look too great. 

The menu is simple so it doesn't take long to order. There may be like eight items on the menu, four being drinks. A simple hamburger on white bread with a cup

of potato salad, and boy was it good! The toasted white bread holds the sandwich together and doesn't take away from the great burger flavor. It's more potato salad than one person can eat so save it for that special side dish with dinner. 

You have to try Louis Lunch for yourself. Now it's time to walk off some of that burger.

Strolling around the campus of Yale, Chica 1 was admiring the beautiful architecture. The students were milling about engaged in private conversations. The activity on campus was typical of the college environment. Everyone was headed somewhere; young people going to their next class or to the coffee shop or browsing in a book store. So much movement! 

Standing in front of the statue of Theodore Woosley, one of Yale's long-term presidents, there was a sense of the historical pride that floats over the campus. Enough already, let's see what else is going on in the area. See ya'  all you Yale Bulldogs! Happy Trails...

Chica 1 ventured through the neighborhood, on a crisp fall day, and found the walk captivating. Many of the Chapel Hills area business are draped with banners posters sharing information about New Haven Notables. These notables were either residents or individuals who spent a significant amount of time in New Haven and made a big difference in their field of expertise.

The Chapel Hills business organization uses the banners as a public service to raise awareness within the community. Nice.  Prominent singers, athletes, actors such as Meryl Streep, and an attorney who served as governor and who argued the famous Amistad case on behalf of the Africans have banners in their honor.

Speaking of the Amistad, not far from the campus is the site where the Africans were jailed pending their trial. A statue commemorating Joseph Cinque is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom, in a country founded on that very principle. The statue has three sides, which represent the capture of the Africans, their trial, and their return home. 

Chica 1 reads the inscriptions on each side of the statue. The messages are representative of the issue, yet the beautiful dignified figures on the bronze sculpture contradict the true history of kidnapping, torture, and humiliation. But it does show the human side of all who to fight for the right to be liberated and build a life based on the pursuit of happiness.

Chica 1 was ready to continue spending a little time with the past and moseyed down to the Grove Street Cemetery. This burial ground is a National Historic Landmark and is believed to be the first chartered cemetery in the country. 

Apparently prior to 1796, the dead were buried in an old cemetery behind the current Center Church. An outbreak of yellow fever required a solution that would lead to a more orderly resting place for the dead. 

Later, as the city continued to grow, the cemetery sold lots and by 1814, all the lots had sold. The cemetery expanded, because the one reality we all know is that people live and people die, no matter how rich or poor, black or white, unknown or prominent.

The Grove Street Cemetery became the final resting place of many a Yale president and professor, as well as missionaries and abolitionists, politicians and prominent merchants, philanthropists and scholars, soldiers and unknown strangers, Eli Whitney, Noah Webster, and even the "Father of Thermodynamics". 

Looking at the aged headstones, it is amazing to reflect on these early colonials and think about their lives. There are a lot of acres to roam through, so be respectful and enjoy the old decorative headstones, tapered gravestones, and obelisks. Be sure to get a map from the caretaker's office - it will guide your wanderings!

Fort and Lighthouse Beckons Chica 1

On the eastern shore of New Haven Harbor is a beautiful park named in honor of local hero Nathan Hale. It is the home of an old fort that was built in the 1700s to protect the colony from the British. It didn't work! The fort was taken and burned. 

In the 20s the fort was made into a National Historic Landmark and continues as a recreational park today. Standing here in the early morning hours, it is a perfect place to relax and reflect on the history of this great country.

There are benches and a nice little deck-like area.

Looking out over the water, one can only imagine a fleet of Brits coming toward the fort in some great ship. Heading inland to fight for the right to rule over the early colonists. Chica 1's heart starts beating fast. How particularly powerful is the lighthouse in the distance still standing as a faint light for the sea weary! The light is pretty dim though!

Off to find the lighthouse - and lo and behold - it was tucked neatly away at the Lighthouse Point Park! There was quite a bustle in and around the park. It seems the lighthouse hosts a holidays light show and displays were being installed all over the place. With so many beautiful fall leaves, it made the extravaganza feel a little premature, but there is nothing like proper planning to make sure a grand plan is properly executed. Man, that was a mouthful!

Wandering through the park paths, the crisp smell of fall was still in the air. The lighthouse is not spectacular, but it is well used. There is a wonderful carousel, splash pad, and boat ramps. Chica 1 will have to visit again in September during the annual Migration Festival. It is a prime location to watch birds, butterflies and hawks head south for the winter. Swing through this beautiful park and enjoy the focal point lighthouse and so much more.

Down the street at Fort Wooster Park, which has the distinction of being the site of a colonial battler as well as the site of the Quinnipiac Tribe. A historic marker denotes the spot. 

Also on site are beautiful granite carvings depicting an Indian family watching as a ship from England arrives. Straighten up the wigwam kiddies, we're going to have company!! (Yes, I know this tribe didn't use wigwams - give me break!"

Chica 1 and the Razor Sharp Castle

Headed down the highway, Chica 1 is headed to East Haddam, CT to see a castle. Yes, that is correct. Some actor in the early 1900s built himself a castle high above the Connecticut River. It sits atop one of the chain of local hills known as the Seven Sisters.  

Before heading over to the house, Chica 1 has to board a ferry. The Chester-Hadlyme ferry has provided this service for over 200 years, so Chica 1 thinks perhaps an elderly gentleman with a long stick is going to come cruising up on a raft that he will propel over to the other side. 

But no, that is the River Styx! This ferryboat is a small motorized craft that can hold maybe 3-4 cars.

After a painstakingly slow journey across the river, Chica 1 drives through the beautiful countryside of the East Haddam-Hadlyme area. Lovely homes and the yellows and oranges of fall beckon at each turn in the road. 

It is spectacular! Many of the homes have been renovated to capture the traditional style of the area. Some of the outer buildings stilled looked to be original, aging gracefully over bitterly cold winters and hot summers.

 Arriving at Gillette Castle State Park is a pleasant surprise. The park has a large gift shop in addition to a considerable number of picnic tables, green lawn space,  hiking trails to encourage outside activities. William Gillette was a well known actor during his time. 

Working on Broadway, he became known for the character he played so frequently, "Sherlock Holmes". He built this unconventional castle as a retirement home, but from the looks of things, he was very busy getting into mischief. 

There are hidden stairways and mirrors. At one point, this guy even had a personal narrow-gauge railroad running around the property. 

With visitors such as President Calvin Coolidge and Albert Einstein, one can understand the excitement of having such toys for entertainment purposes. 

There are a number of displays in the Visitor's Center of William Gillette pictures and personal memorabilia, including trains engines that once operated on the property.

There are hidden stairways and mirrors. Beautiful wood work, Tiffany lamps, and stonework. At one point, this guy even had a personal narrow-gauge railroad running around the property. 

The views from the home are spectacular. The house is built on such a high summit, views of the Connecticut River are provided from many angles on the property. 

I am always amazed that God is ever present in all things. Sitting here I can feel that perfect peace. He is with us always, and I am thankful.

Sit on the bench and reflect for a moment. Find that place inside you that longs for more. There are a number of vantage points to enjoy. Don't waste the perfect views. But now it is time to seek out a new adventure! Onward towards Hartford!!

Chica 1 Visits Uncle Tom's Cabin's Stowe

 

Well, it's the last day in Connecticut and Chica 1 decided to go all literary on the trip. A visit to the Nook Farm neighborhood and the Harriett Beacher Stowe Center (HBSC), which is a stone's throw from the Mark Twain House. 

Mrs. Stowe lived the last 23 years of her life in this Victorian Gothic residence. The author of the greatest abolitionist novel ever, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", was also a renown home planner and many of her ideas on how to set up a kitchen are still used in the modern kitchen well over 100 years later.

A visit to the center begins with a trip to the Visitors Center to register for the home tour. There are displays and an interesting short film on Mrs. Stowe's life and great novel. There are artifacts, a tribute to her total life's story, and fascinating info about the international response to Uncle Tom's Cabin. Mrs. Stowe was one powerful little lady, who used her strong religious beliefs to make a strong statement about an issue she felt was America's greatest social injustice. Take lots of pictures in this area, because you can't take pictures inside of her home.

The guide is knowledgable and very open to questions, which Chica 1 has in abundance. The home is perfectly decorated for the time period. Chica 1 is particular fascinated by the old fashioned toilet (go figure?) The tour runs its course and Chica 1 becomes reflective. How could one person make such a difference? Great person and a great life! 

What Chica 1 most admires about the HBSC is that it challenges it's visitors to "change the world". Think about it. What can you do to make a difference where you are? Harriett Beacher Stowe was one of the quoted as saying: "I did not write it. God wrote it. I merely did his dictation." 

What a powerful maxim from a woman during this time period. Get the experience yourself. Also tour Mark Twain's Home and the adjacent properties. Life is short - get out there and see all you can!!

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