Damian Sat Down Be-Cider and Drank The Old Cider Mill, Glastonbury October 18, 2008 I wondered whether this was a CTMQ-worthy site for a day and then hesitantly decided it was. Information on not-so-creatively named The Old Cider Mill is lacking. There's this, from the Glastonbury town website: The oldest … [Read more...]
The Largest Beach
Hammona Hammona Hammona! Hammonasset Beach, Madison July 12, 2008 I love my title. While there is certainly no "correct" spelling of the phrase, there is a correct usage. The Urban Dictionary defines it as, "a sensual way to say hottie." (They happen to spell it "humana humana" which is an insurance company … [Read more...]
Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry
Old Ferries Never Die... Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry June 2008 (First ride) Oof. This page is OLD and therefore the pictures are, shall we say, not good. Oh well... good story though. This is one of those Connecticut things that everyone should know about. I'd heard rumors about this ferry on the dingy … [Read more...]
The Largest Casino in N. America
I Wonder About it All Foxwoods Casino, Mashuntucket (Ledyard) May 25, 2008 [2019 Update: I'll probably be updating this page soon.] I could probably write a 3000 word missive about Connecticut's two MASSIVE casinos and their real economic effects on the state. But I won't - most either love them or hate them … [Read more...]
St. Stephens Episcopal Church Bell
A Real Old Ding-Dong The Oldest Bell in the New World, East Haddam June 9, 2007 During a visit to the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse in East Haddam, where I was quite frankly a little ignored, I learned off-hand that there was a very old bell down the hill. Very, very old. Probably. Down the hill from the … [Read more...]
Bushnell Park
There's a Dead Guy in the Arch! The Oldest Public Park in the US, Bushnell Park, Hartford Multiple Visits There is much debate over what constitutes a "public park" and which was the first in the US. I am no authority on either, but the claim has been made, dubious as it may be, so this page exists. For … [Read more...]
The Aetna Building
Does "Colonial" Infer "Worker Bees?" Aetna, Inc's Headquarters, Hartford May 2008 CVS bought Aetna in 2018. This post wasn't a planned one at all - I found all this stuff out while researching the exciting Geographic center of Hartford. Turns out that the massive Aetna Insurance building holds some rather … [Read more...]
The Chase Mansion
Chasing Away Past Comments The Chase Mansion, West Hartford I see it every day 2019 Update: This has always been one of the most ridiculous pages on CTMQ ever since I first wrote it in early 2008. In the many intervening years between then and now, I've met Mr. Chase. I've had email correspondences with him. He's … [Read more...]
1st Company Governor’s Horse Guards Cavalry Museum (Closed)
It's Closed?! Neigh! Avon RIP, Late 1990's (?) Avon, Connecticut: Voted one of the "preppiest" places in the United States in the 1980s best-seller "The Official Preppy Handbook." Avon: home of a school that looks as though it is from a Harry Potter movie. And Avon, where just a couple minutes from … [Read more...]
Pizza at Frank Pepe’s
How Long Would You Wait? The Original Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven December 2007 Note: Pepe's is part of the Roadfood 500 Thing to Eat Before it's Too Late and is ranked as THE "National Best" pizza. This page was written well before the book came out. It was also written before Pepe’s expanded, as … [Read more...]