A Little Road Trip to the Middle of Nowhere...Morris and Bethlehem Connecticut!

 

I'm continuing my investigation of my own back yard, Connecticut.  My latest travels involved a little road trip.  There were no buses or trains for this one.  I live in the country part of Connecticut and there are two little towns (each around 2,00 to 3,500 residents) that live side by side and have a lot of surprises.  I only visited a few.

My first stop was the Lao Buddha Arimett Aram Temple.  This is in Morris, CT on Route 109 between Routes 61 and 63.  This is home to Laotian Monks.  The grounds are amazing, with so many beautiful temples, pagodas and statues to see.  The grounds are open any time the gates to the property are open, which is quite often.  Be sure to wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees when on the property.  There are some rules that may seem a bit strange to us.  Women are not allowed inside the temples.  Sorry ladies, that's also the reason I can't tell you what they look like inside.  However, the grounds are fabulous and you can spend as much time as you want there.  The monks are very pleasant; the ones who speak English.  The ones who speak Laotian try to interact as well.

This is one of the things that most people don't expect to find in Connecticut, especially in the woods in Litchfield County.  Just know that this is not the only Buddhist property in the state.  Connecticut is diverse and the people who live here come from all over the world and enrich us with their traditions.

After leaving the tranquility of the temple, I drove a few miles west on Route 109 to Camp Columbia State Park.  There's some history and quite a view at this stop.  

Camp Columbia was originally established by Columbia University for use by engineering students learning to survey land.  Not joking, that's the beginning.  During WWI it was repurposed for students who were learning to be officers in the military to serve in the war.  There were trainings for trench digging and gun training amongst other necessary training for officers of war.  

Following the war years, the property hosted dignitaries from time to time.  President Dwight D. Eisenhower reportedly went hunting there once.  

After 1980, there were various attempts to practice forest management on the property and it was used as a tree farm more than once.  There's still forest management involved in the property, even after being designated a state park and forest, but mostly it's enjoyed by residents of the area.

The tower, to be honest I don't know why it was built exactly.  It's a great place to walk up and have a great view of the area.  The steps are a bit unusual, being that the lower half are on the inside and the top half on the outside.  However, the view is amazing from the top.  The walk to the area where you can find the old building and the tower is only about a quarter of a mile from the parking area, so an easy walk.  

After Camp Columbia I went on to the little town of Bethlehem.  That's in Connecticut on Route 61, not the Middle East.  Bethlehem is probably best known for its Garlic Festival every Indigenous People's Day Weekend.  They also have a killer fall fair the weekend after Labor Day.  But this day I was investigating some things I never knew about the tiny town.  The first was a visit to the Bellamy-Ferriday House and Gardens.

Let me start by saying they also have a nature preserve with hiking trails and a rain garden.  In the summer the property hosts music at free concerts and other events.  On the property is a sculpted garden, an orchard and some French Magnolia Trees.  It's stunning.

The house began in the 1700's.  It expanded and changed over time as different owners and generations of owners made the house their own.  Since it was acquired by the agency in 1990, they have worked to restore it to its former glory, and they've done a good job.  You can't take pictures while inside the house, but it is beautiful.  The tour is informative too.

There were a couple of truly notable people who lived in and were related to the owners.  One of them was Francis Bellamy, grandson of the original Bellamy on the property, wrote the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance.  I had no idea that someone that notable ever lived in Bethlehem.

The other extremely notable person who I'd never even heard of who owned the property was its final owner; Caroline Ferriday.  

Caroline was a Francophile.  She loved all things French.  She was acquainted with the De Gaulle family; yes Charles De Gaulle, and particularly Genevieve De Gaulle, who was at one point arrested and incarcerated in the only women's work/concentration camp during WWII; Ravensbruck.  While there, Genevieve discovered that there were 75 Polish women prisoners who were being used as guinea pigs for experimental drugs by the Nazis.  

After WWII, 35 of the women survived and were returned to Poland.  They suffered from medical issues that would last a lifetime.  This is where Caroline Ferriday comes in.  She brought those women to the United States for treatment so that they could get on with their lives.  One of the women from that group lived to be 101 years old.

It's amazing what went on right here in Connecticut that we've never heard about.  A true hero.  There she was, right in Bethlehem.

After learning some amazing facts about residents of Bethlehem, I headed out into the country to my last stop; Nonnewaug Falls.  This was an interesting hike.  You can find it on All Trails and get all the nitty gritty information there.

The trail to the falls is around a half mile.  The walk is easy although it does go up.  I wasn't expecting that, because I was walking to a waterfall.  It did go under power lines that buzzed for about two minutes.  It also went in and out of meadows and fields, so I advise wearing pants vs. shorts for the hike due to ticks in the area.  Use bug spray as well, for your health.  

Where things got a bit weird was when I reached the falls.  The trail goes to the top of the falls, and the only way to get down below the falls to get a good view is by climbing down a virtual cliff.  After deciding not to do that, I saw that there seemed to be a viewpoint on the other side, so I crossed the top of the falls and made my way to that point.

As I made my way along a ledge on the side of a cliff on the opposite side of the brook, I looked over my shoulder and discovered a historical marker for the falls.  Chief Nonnewaug was the last chief of his tribe and the falls are named after him.  I don't know the name of his tribe, and apparently neither does anyone else, because it wasn't mentioned on the marker, but it is named after him. How someone got that gigantic heavy marker up there and attached it to that cliff I don't know, but there it is.

Once I finally reached the viewpoint I'd spotted, I got a nice view of a nice falls.  It is a one and done for me.  It wasn't quite worth the trouble.  But, it was a charming view to finish my day with.

 

I just scratched the surface with my trip to Morris and Bethlehem.  There's so much going on in these two small towns that it's hard to put it all in one post.  Once again, there's a lot going on in the hills of Connecticut and I hope to visit a lot more places and let you in on a lot more secrets.

So, if you want to know why I live here, these are a few more reasons.  So, take some time to learn about the microcosm that is Connecticut.  Pack a bag, hit the road and enjoy!

https://www.damnedct.com/lao-buddha-ariyamett-aram-temple-morris/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g33844-d12291496-Reviews-Buddha_Ariyamett_Aram_Temple-Morris_Connecticut.html

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/connecticut/buddhist-temple-ct/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUh-PRItxGI

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/connecticut/camp-columbia-tower

https://www.business.ct.gov/-/media/deep/forestry/management_plans/campcolumbiapdf.pdf

https://connecticuthistory.org/hidden-nearby-camp-columbia-state-park-in-morris/

https://explorect.org/camp-columbia/

https://ctparks.com/

https://ctlandmarks.org/properties/bellamy-ferriday-house-garden/

https://ctvisit.com/listings/bellamy-ferriday-house-garden

https://www.cthistoricgardens.org/bellamy-ferriday-house-garden

https://www.ctexplored.org/caroline-ferriday-and-her-infinitely-generous-family/

https://connecticuthistory.org/a-godmother-to-ravensbruck-survivors/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-man-who-wrote-the-pledge-of-allegiance-93907224/

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/connecticut/nonnewaug-falls-trail

https://scenesfromthetrail.com/2022/05/09/nonnewaug-falls/

On With Connecticut! A Tour of Some of My Favorite Spots in the West!

 

I wish I could say I was able to take a bus or a train for this trip, but this is strictly a road trip.  

I live in the beautiful and astonishing hills of Northwestern Connecticut.  Where I live is the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains.  Where I live there are few if any four lane highways.  We have country roads; some with numbers; some not.  We still have dirt roads in places.  We have scenic byways.  We have chocolate farms and country wineries.  We have farm stands and country nurseries where we buy plants.  It's a far cry from what most people visualize as Connecticut.

I chose a section of this area for a little road trip the other day.  It's one of my favorite routes to spend a day on.  I've done this road trip a dozen times in the years I've lived here; maybe more.

My first stop was at Kent Falls State Park.  This is one of the best known state parks in Connecticut.  It's known for it's rolling hill setting in Kent and its beautiful waterfalls.  It's got a large meadow to have picnics in and a little covered bridge across the brook at the bottom for pedestrians to enter the park.  On the weekends it's crowded.  I won't lie.  During Covid-19 it was barricaded to deter people from hanging out in groups.  I even saw people being arrested during that time for entering the park over the Jersey Barriers despite the police notifications.  So make no mistake; you'll be sharing the space with others.

There's one thing that we should all know about Kent Falls. There are many falls.  Not just the ones visible from the bottom.  The entire falls from the top falls to the bottom is roughly 250 feet.  The bottom falls are nice.  I enjoy them, but the most beautiful falls is at the top.  And to get there, you have to hike a bit.

 

Most people don't hike to the top.  That's the secret.  If you take the time to hike to the top and see all of the falls; you'll distance yourself from the crowd.  And the best part is at the top anyway.  It's a win win for anyone willing to make the trip up.

The hike is a bit strenuous, but it's less than a mile round trip.  There are multiple viewing platforms along the way and it's a really pleasant way to spend some time on a nice day.  To be fair, I've even taken this walk in the wintertime and it was very nice then too.

Kent Falls State Park is a great place to relax and see some awesome scenery.  If you continue on into Kent, you'll find all kinds of shops, restaurants and places to gather.  There is an old furnace and museum along Route 7 at the Kent Furnace.  There's a public bathroom with showers in the center of town, because the Appalachian Trail is close by.  It's all a lovely way to spend some time.

I left Kent Falls State Park and drove north on Route 7 just past Cornwall Bridge, home of the Cornwall Market.  This is a lovely country store with goodies for everyone.  

I stopped at Housatonic Meadows State Park next.  This is a lovely spot that you will find in multiple locations along the Housatonic River and Route 7.  There's picnic areas, fishing, hiking and camping.  The Housatonic River is one of the most beautiful rivers in the state.  Several miles of Route 7 are labeled as a scenic byway.  Almost everywhere you encounter the river you will want to take photos of it.  Housatonic Meadows is a great state park to visit for family picnics and other outings.

Following my snack stop in Housatonic Meadows, I continued on Route 7 to West Cornwall.  This little burg is home to several tiny shops, several of which cater to the outdoors person.  There's also a lovely French restaurant and a farmer's market on the weekends in season.  For a tiny town, there's always a little something going on, and that's the beauty of this part of Connecticut.  Even the tiniest of villages have activities.  Connecticut always has something to do.

The bridge itself was built around the 1860's.  It's been maintained well, and is still open to vehicle traffic as a one way bridge.  Down river from the bridge is the access to the river and facilities.  The river is a popular fishing, and non motor boating area.  There are also hiking trails along the river.

My last stop of the day took me from West Cornwall on Route 128 to Route 4 east to Mohawk Mountain and the vast recreation area there.  This is a mountain that has a lot to offer.  There's a road approximately three miles long from bottom entrance to top of the mountain.  There are multiple viewpoints along the way.  There's a tower that you can walk to that's got a great view and is interesting to see.  There's also a short trail that will take you to a very interesting spot.  It goes to the top of Mohawk Mountain Ski Resort.  The resort is on the west side of the mountain; open seasonally.  But the short trail at the top is one of my favorites.  I stop there in the spring sometimes just to play in the leftover snow when it's warm outside.

The view from the top is amazing, and one of my favorite stops.  But, the mountain is home to not one, but two epic trails.  You can catch the Mohawk Trail (25.2 miles) and the Mattatuck Trail (15.7 miles) from that mountain.  There are several trails confined to the mountain too.  If you prefer machines, in the winter there are snow machine trails as well.

So, there's one of my favorite day trips.  I've been doing this for 30+ years.  Hiking and waterfalls are a thing in my neck of the woods and I will post more road trips in the coming weeks and months.  I hope that this gives you an insight into how Connecticut really is.  It's a beautiful place for anyone who ever wondered why I live here.  So, get out, get some air and enjoy!

Here's some other trails that are in or run through Western Connecticut.

The Appalachian Trail (2189 miles)

The East Coast Greenway (3000 miles upon completion)

Metacomet Trail (114 miles)

Mattabesett Trail (58.2 miles)

Tunxis Trail (38.5 miles)

Happy Hiking!

https://ctparks.com/parks/kent-falls-state-park

https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/connecticut/kent-falls-state-park

https://ctparks.com/parks/housatonic-meadows-state-park

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-englands-ultimate-roa_b_3831817

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/connecticut/beautiful-drive-through-ct/

https://ctvisit.com/listings/town-kent

https://ctvisit.com/listings/eric-sloane-museum-and-kent-furnace

https://www.cornwallmarket.com/

https://www.explorecornwallct.com/shop

https://cornwallct.org/explore-cornwall-ct/cornwall-ct-covered-bridge/

https://ctvisit.com/listings/town-cornwall?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwg8qzBhAoEiwAWagLrHIFHjiluJN2n3Gnla6pVrTaHm7D8DLXbtPzN04VADZJ94tX0yNE5hoCKDQQAvD_BwE

https://www.mohawkmtn.com/

https://portal.ct.gov/deep/state-parks/forests/mohawk-mountain-state-forest-state-park/overview

https://ctvisit.com/articles/connecticuts-long-hiking-trails

Just Another Thing to Love About Hartford! Elizabeth Park!

 

This is a bonus post about other things I'm doing in Hartford, CT and the immediate vicinity, including West Hartford.  This one has a story.

A couple of years ago, I took an afternoon cruise out of New London, CT to look at several lighthouses in and around Long Island Sound.  That day, I decided to do something in the morning on my way to the cruise.  My decision was to stop by Elizabeth Park on the border of Hartford and West Hartford to look at what was reportedly beautiful rose gardens.

This is where it gets funky.  I used Google to find the park.  I specifically said the rose gardens at the park and Google took me to Prospect Street via Route 44.  There were a few parking spaces in a pull off looking area along the street, which was very busy.  I decided that it wasn't worth having an accident with my car and went on my way.  Simple.  It was an issue.  I didn't know much about the park.  I went and saw lighthouses and had a great day.  I never thought about it again.

I took the 927 bus to Hartford recently, as I posted about.  On the way, the bus took Asylum Avenue through West Hartford as its route into the city center, and wouldn't you know; it went right by the main entrance to what turned out to be an amazing, enormous park with many things to see and do.  It wasn't just rose gardens.

The drive by astonished me.  I couldn't believe I never investigated the park further back when I had my first encounter with it.  So, a few days later, I asked my husband to investigate the park with me.  What a fabulous place.  It's just a city park.  There are no entrance fees.  There are no parking fees.  Just open spaces, beautiful gardens, a great pond.  It has an event venue, a restaurant, a snack bar outside and a visitor center with gift shop.  It has ball fields, tennis courts, and so much more.  

I finally visited the rose garden I'd heard so much about.  I wasn't disappointed.  It's large enough that there were two weddings taking photographs in the garden and it still didn't seem crowded even with other patrons as well.  

The park welcomes horticulturists to donate hybrids they breed, making a large pool of different types of roses.  Each hybrid gets its own name plate and the creator gets their credit.  It is a great system and the gardens never seem to end.  Neither do the surprises.  Almost every inch of the garden; even the gazebo in its center, is covered with plant life.  It is absolutely stunning, and a must see this time of year.

The rose gardens aren't the only attraction in Elizabeth Park.  There's a lot to see.  We saw a plethora of water fowl, bunnies, and tons of squirrels of all colors and kinds.  The pond with stone bridges and a fountain was gorgeous as well as another, larger gazebo without the plant life and many greenhouses where plants begins life.  We didn't eat inside at the restaurant, but we did stop outside at the snack bar by the pond to grab a snack.  Such a relaxing and fun day.

There were more than just roses.  There was a rock garden.  There were exotic trees.  Most of them were marked so you could learn where they came from and what they were.  It was incredible.

After exploring quite a bit of the park, we stopped by the information center/ gift shop before we left.  They had books about they area and all the roses in the park.  It wasn't just t-shirts in there.  

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Elizabeth Park.  I was quite surprised it was just a city park.  Hartford and the immediate area continues to enthrall me with its surprises.  Don't mark this one off your list of possibilities.  The city has a lot to offer.

So, when you wonder where you could go that you haven't already been in the Northeast, don't forget Hartford, Connecticut, and certainly don't forget about Elizabeth Park on the border of Hartford and West Hartford and the rose gardens. Enjoy!

https://elizabethparkct.org/

https://www.hartfordct.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works/Parks-Directory/Elizabeth

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g33970-d106103-Reviews-Elizabeth_Park-West_Hartford_Connecticut.html

https://hartford.com/elizabeth-park/

https://www.instagram.com/elizabethpark_hartfordct/?hl=en

https://pondhousecafe.com/