Page 167 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

C ONNEC TICUT  165

lovely woods, some 500 prehistoric dinosaur
valleys, lakes, and tracks beneath a geodesic
wildlife offers dome. It also has a display of a
great oppor- life-size model of an 8-ft- (2-m-)
tunities for tall Dilophosaurus.
sports; among Just outside the town of
them canoeing, East Haddam is the bizarre
kayaking, white- and ostentatious Gillette
water rafting, Castle, built in 1919 by the
tubing, fly-fishing, actor William Gillette. This
and hiking. In Fall, 24-room granite mansion is
the brilliant foliage built like a medieval castle,
along the region’s complete with battlements
roads is a sight in and turrets, and is rife with
itself for visitors oddities such as Gillette’s
to the state. home-made trick locks
The Billiard Room, Mark Twain House, Hartford Litchfield’s many and furniture set on wheels
historic houses and tracks.
Olivia. Of special interest are the include the 1784 Tapping Picturesque Old Lyme
library with its ornate wooden Reeve House and Law School, boasts several 18th- and
fireplace mantel; the tranquil the country’s first law school. 19th-century houses built for
Billiard Room where Twain On the outskirts of the town, on sea captains. It is also renowned
wrote some of his best- known Route 202, Mount Tom State for the Florence Griswold
works, including The Adventures Park has trails leading to the Museum, housed in an 1817
of Tom Sawyer; and the Master 1,325-ft (404-m) summit. The mansion. Paintings by some
Bedroom with its beautifully lake is ideal for activities such of America’s leading artists,
carved bed. An informative as scuba diving, swimming, such as Childe Hassam and
visitor center illuminates Twain’s boating, and fishing. Clark Voorhees, adorn the
life and work. walls of this museum, together
Next door is the Harriet with superb works by other
Beecher Stowe Center, where t Connecticut River artists who lived in art patron
the famous author of the anti- Valley Florence Griswold’s house and
slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin painted on its wall panels to
(1852) lived until her death in Windsor: * 27,800. n (860) 701- repay her generosity.
1896. The house is adorned with 9113. Old Lyme: * 6,800.
gingerbread ornamentation P Wethersfield
typical of late 19th-century The Connecticut River Valley is n Greater Hartford Tourism District,
Victorian design, while the dotted with picture-postcard 1 Constitution Plaza, Hartford, (888)
elegance of its interior displays perfect little towns and villages. 288-4748. ∑ ctvisit.com
Harriet’s less well-known talent Windsor, settled in the early P Gillette Castle
as a decorator. 1630s by Pilgrims from 67 River Rd, off Rte 82, Hadlyme.
Plymouth (see p157), has a Tel (860) 526-2336. Open late May–
P Mark Twain House number of historic houses open Columbus Day: 10am–5pm daily. &
and Museum to visitors, such as the 1758 8 7
351 Farmington Ave. Tel (860) 247- Strong-Howard House, which E Florence Griswold Museum
0998. Open 9:30am–5:30pm daily. has been restored to reflect
Closed Tue (Jan–Feb), public hols. life in the 18th century. Nearby 96 Lyme St, Old Lyme. Tel (860) 434-
& 8 obligatory. 7 1st floor only. is the Palisado Green, where 5542. Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat,
∑ marktwainhouse.org 1–5pm Sun. & 8 7 ∑ flogris.org
nervous settlers built a walled
stockade in their 1637 war with
the Pequot.
r Litchfield Wethersfield, settled in
* 8,850. n Litchfield Hills Visitors’ 1634, stands as a primer of
Bureau, PO Box 968, (860) 567-4506. American architecture from
∑ northwestct.com the 18th to the 20th centuries.
Especially worth visiting is the
This picturesque and historic Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum,
town is at the center of the which is a trio of dwellings
Litchfield Hills region in north- that depict the lifestyles of
western Connecticut, which three different 18th-century
many people consider the most Americans – a diplomat, a
scenic part of the New England. wealthy merchant, and a leather
Anchored by the Housatonic tanner. The Dinosaur State The Harpist by Alphonse Jongers at the
River, the bucolic landscape of Park in Rocky Hill preserves Florence Griswold Museum

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