Foiled Again? Thompson Chocolate, Meriden December 2022 I had an absolutely full old school CTMQ day of "stuff" to do. I had taken off Fridays in December, so after I dropped my son off at his school in Windsor, I sped towards Meriden. I time out my days like this to the minute, so the plan was to arrive at … [Read more...]
Andrews Homestead Museum
A Silver Metal Meriden (Google Maps location) September 2018 Meriden. What do you think of when someone mentions Meriden? The Police Academy? The formerly bustling silver industry? Both? Well, then do I have a museum for you! The Moses Andrews House is a historic house museum in Meriden. Built about … [Read more...]
Lamentation Mountain State Park
Lamentation Mountain State Park Berlin & Meriden I've seen this small, unremarkable state park also referred to as a "state park scenic reserve." Because Connecticut doesn't like to make anything easy. Lamentation Mountain itself includes a long ridge with nice views... but that ridge and summit is actually west of … [Read more...]
Connecticut State Police Museum and Educational Center
An Arresting Museum Meriden (Google Maps location) February 28, 2015 I am good friends with several cops. Only one is a state policeman, and he's in Maryland. And actually, although I went to his (first) wedding and lived with him for a spell, we haven't spoken in well over a decade. Shout out to Tags. … [Read more...]
Jacknife (1989)
Jacked Up Jacknife, 1989 When I began putting together my list of Connecticut movies, I hadn't heard of the large majority of them. This didn't strike me as surprising, as I've never been a big movie watcher. And as far as knowing off the top of my head which movies were, like, Connecticut movies... well, I'm not … [Read more...]
CTMQ’s Guide to Meriden
Everything Meriden I’ve been exploring and writing about Connecticut since 2006. After a decade, I began compiling CTMQ guides for each town in the state. I plan on “completing” Meriden CTMQ-style... as well as the other 168 towns, cities, and boroughs in Connecticut. That is the ultimate goal of CTMQ. If … [Read more...]
Meriden’s Town Trails
Meriden's Town Trails Meriden is the Silver City because there were a lot of silver manufacturers there back in the day. The silver legacy can be found all around town. But it wasn't just silver that put Meriden on the map; it was all sorts of manufacturing and metalworking. Like, Bradley & Hubbard … [Read more...]
The Quiet (2005)
Shhhhh The Quiet, 2005 You’ve likely never seen The Quiet, nor have you likely even heard of it. It did have a national theater release and it wasn’t universally panned, but The Quiet was just a quiet little movie. It’s also very disturbing on a few different levels and most importantly for us, the whole thing … [Read more...]
Concept of Freedom Trail: Meriden (2)
George S. Jeffrey House 66 Hillside Avenue This is one of those stops along the Freedom Trail that has given me more to ponder than I would have ever thought. For one, it’s for sale which recalled (for me, and surely only me) another stop along the Freedom Trail up in Vernon – the Charles Ethan Porter House which … [Read more...]
Castle Craig
Castle Craig Meriden Stone Tower (~32 feet) on East Peak (976 feet) Perhaps the goofiest name of all the towers in the state, Castle Craig is also one of the most accessible. Visitors can drive right up to the base (almost) of it. Reservoir Road up to the tower is only open April to October from 10-4:45 each day, … [Read more...]