2014-08-07 Potluck and a Capitol

A week ago we left Lake Lauderdale CG in Cambridge, NY, and drove about 85 miles to Travelers Woods of New England CG in Bernardston, MA.

Last Saturday, we attended the CG’s potluck in the pavilion. The theme for the potluck was Italian. Everyone was to bring their favorite Italian dish to share. Marilyn Googled Italian deviled eggs and brought a dozen. Everything was delicious. A theme is a nice way to make potluck dinners different. We could have different nationalities, holidays, etc.

Yesterday we drove the Jeep about 75 miles down to Hartford, CT to tour their capitol building We toured both the old and the new Hartford capitol buildings. The current capitol building is very ornate with columns and arches, etc. Here are exterior pictures.

We had a great docent for a tour guide. He told us about the bronze “Genius” statue that adorned the top of the dome from 1878 until she was damaged in the 1938 hurricane. Since the original was donated to the WWII metal needs, the statue in the lobby is a copy made from the original plaster model.  This statue sits under the beautiful dome.  I, and several others from the tour got to sit in the Speaker’s chair made from the wood of a tree that stood during Colonial days.

 

The Connecticut Colony was originally named the River Colony organized on March 3, 1636, merging with Saybrook Colony in 1644, and New Haven Colony in 1662 to form the present day State of Connecticut. From Colonial times until the Civil War, the General Assembly of Connecticut met alternately in Hartford and in New Haven.

We also toured the Old State House where the General Assembly met from 1792 to 1878.   In the bottom floor of the Old State House is a nice little museum containing a Lego Model of the Old State House along with Hartford’s first fire truck.   The fire truck began life as a horse drawn steam engine pumper. Some time later a gasoline engine was added. The gasoline engine generated electricity that drove the two electric motors attached to the two front drive wheels. It had to be a rough ride since the tires were hard rubber.

Type at you later.