A week ago, I went to visit my cousin and her family up in the east coast. It's not my first time to visit her in her home in Wethersfield, Connecticut; but for some reason I have never explored this old historical town with its New England charm. Therefore, I took it upon myself to demand a tour of this beautiful town.
Off we went to Old Wethersfield, Connecticut's first permanent settlement established in the 1600's, with its charming New England homes, some of which were old captains' houses, as the first settlers who founded Wethersfield in 1634 picked the site beacause of the Connecticut river.
Strolling along shade-covered lanes and by-ways, it was amazing to know that I was walking along hundred year-old footpaths tread by the very first inhabitants of this place. Walking along Main Street, our first stop was at the Main Street Creamery & Cafe', as my cute little nieces wanted me to have a taste of one of their favorite treats. Main Street Creamery & Cafe' offers several flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurts and more...and they even have low-fat ice cream as my 10 year-old niece pointed out to me. The building looked really quaint and fun with its purple paint and halloween decor. I can't blame the kids for wanting to stop by, especially after having a taste of their ice cream.
After satisfying my sweet-tooth, we went on to explore the old historical homes, some of which are now museums. As it was already late in the afternoon, I had to contend myself with just enjoying the external facade of these houses since they were already close to the public for the day. There was the "Webb House" where Washington and Rochambeau planned The Campaign ending at Yorktown in 1781. Then a few steps away was the home of Silas Deane, an American diplomat in the revolution. A few steps more brought us to this old charming building, the Comstock, Ferre & Co., one of the oldest seed company in the US.
We then went to the Wethersfield Cove, a natural inlet in Wethersfield, which was originally an oxbow of the Connecticut River and a former site of much local trade and travel in those times. A few families were enjoying the what's left of the afternoon sun, fishing or simply hanging around soaking up the great view of the cove. As for me, I enjoyed taking photos of whatever caught my eye.
As it was getting late, we had to head home, but we had one more stop, the new Silas W. Robbins House B&B. Originally, this mansion was built in 1873, was ravaged by a fire in 1996. It stood abandoned until 2001 when it was restored to its original beauty.
It is indeed an old New England town but it definitely does not have cobwebs in it. I enjoyed every second of my Old Wethersfield town tour. Thanks to my cousin and her family for satisfying my curiosity of such a beautiful town.
What a wonderful thought to know that this town is the real thing, not a recreated village. A living and working community that deeply works hard in preserving it's authentic New England heritage.
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