| A Long Drive is Worth The Trouble |
|
|
|
| Tuesday, 12 February 2008 | |
|
Last Saturday, I drove from Portland, ME to Guilford, CT and back again. Why did I drive 576 miles one morning and afternoon? My grandfather turned 80 and I didn’t want to miss the special day.
The drive was a pleasant one, since I hadn’t utilized this route in a number of years. What I was most impressed by was the charming towns of Guilford and Madison, CT. Situated between I-95 and the coastline, this area is extremely easy to get to and is populated with many unique bed and breakfasts, hotels, motels and campgrounds. Guilford was first settled in 1639 and has the third most historic homes of any town in New England. Some of these beautiful examples of past American life include; the Acadian House, Thomas Burgis’ home, the Jared Elliot House, Falkner’s Island Lighthouse, the Griswold House (my favorite), the Hyland-Wildman House, Pelatiah Leete’s home, the Elisha Pitkin house, Sabbathday House, and the Henry Whitfield House. The Christmas tree in the town green, was really charming. I hear they also offer free music concert on this traditional New England town green. I remember enjoying big band concerts with my grandfather as a boy, sitting in a similar town green in Essex, CT, not far from this very spot. Recreationally, the town offers two public beaches, three public marinas, two private yacht clubs, golf courses, tennis courts, and many trials for hiking and riding. The northwest side of Guilford is flanked by the Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous traprock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly the Vermont border. Notable features of the Metacomet ridge in Guilford include Totoket Mountain; its most notable peak, Bluff Head; and two eastern high points on the Totoket Mountain ridge named East Sugarloaf and West Sugarloaf. The 50 mi (80 km) Mattabesett Trail traverses Bluff Head;, a shorter network of trails criss-cross the Sugarloafs. Hammonasset State Park in Madison possesses the state's longest public beach, with campsites, picnic areas, and a fishing pier, and is extremely popular in the summer causing traffic jams on I-95 on peak days. My grandfather used to take us crabbing here in the summertimes. I remember it being a great place to walk along the shoreline exploring the tidal pools, as well as providing some challengin walks and hikes throughout its rocky dunes. Madison, CT also has a charming town green like Essex and Guilford. Its center preserves old village charm by keeping large franchises out. The center has many boutiques and coffee shops. Although it is called the center it is not the actual center of town, It is actually located on the south eastern side of town near Clinton. Many historic homes sit amidst pleasant cafes and are also dotted along Madison’s main streets. Some of the include; the Allis-Bushnell House, Meigs-Bishop House, the Jonathan Murray House, and the Shelley House.The coastal scenes provided in Madison are really unparallaled in the state and these Connecticut towns should be on the top of your list for the next New England weekend getaway. By Thomas Earl (1/23/2008)
|
|
| Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 February 2008 ) |
| Next > |
|---|
