Learning Things About My Hometown

From King Nutmeg:

I spent the first 22 years of my life in Simsbury, Connecticut, but I never got to know the town as well as I would've liked. Over the past dozen years or so, I've learned more about the town - see the bottom of this post for links to previous posts about Simsbury. In town recently for the annual golf tournament that I play in, I wandered through downtown. Frankly, I can't believe I haven't done this walk before with camera in hand. While I was familiar with most of what I saw, there were still a few surprises.

The biggest eye-opener was the first place I saw, the little building below, which is located on Phelps Lane, behind the Simsbury Historical Society compound. I'll discuss that area shortly.

Located a short distance from a restaurant that I've eaten at many times over the years, the former Probate Court was built in 1876. This Gothic Revival structure is home to the Simsbury Land Trust, and may just be the most adorable building in town. How have I never noticed this building?!

Along Station Street, which runs parallel to and south of Phelps Lane, I spotted two of the most well-known businesses in town.

Welden Hardware opened in 1889 - and I've never stepped foot into the store. I'm not even sure how long the business has been in this building. I believe it was formerly located next door (or perhaps part of the store still is), where another Simsbury stalwart is located.

Vincent Sport Shop (aka Vincent's) recently relocated from around the corner on Hopmeadow Street, the main drag through town. According to this Living Places article about the Simsbury Center Historic District, the brick building dates to 1900. The article refers to it as the Welden Hardware building. I don't know how long Vincent's has been in business, but it's certainly many decades. I have actually shopped here, I'm happy to say. The Vincent family is well-established in Simsbury, operating a funeral home nearby since 1902.

From here I walked down to Railroad Street, heading south. I crossed Wilcox Street, walked through a small parking lot and was soon standing in front of a fantastic former train station.

"The Central of New England Railroad Station, 736 Hopmeadow Street, ca.1880, is a one-story frame rectangular building, with bracketed roof overhang," per the Living Places article. The Central of New England Railroad eventually became the New Haven Railroad, I believe, and then the Penn Central. Railroads histories are difficult, as there were so many mergers in the 19th century. There was a line called the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, which ran between New Haven and Springfield, Massachusetts, and this might be the one in question here.

Currently at this location is Powdermen Spirits, a micro-distillery crafting whiskies, bourbon and vodka, per its Facebook page.

The old station faces the rear of a really cool complex with red-brick and red sandstone buildings. Tenants include retailers, small offices and a restaurant.

The Red Stone Pub is located in a former brick home that dates to 1904, per the restaurant's web site. I haven't eaten here, but I've heard the food and brews are really good.

A stable and carriage house were built the same year, using red sandstone from the nearby Ketchin Quarry. The owner was Ralph Hart Ensign, managing partner of Ensign Bickford & Company, a manufacturer at that time of safety fuses and detonating cord. E-B, as the company was known locally, was founded in 1836 in Simsbury. Its business grew to include missile and launch vehicle technology that was developed for Sandia National Laboratories; and space ordnance used by NASA.

As a kid, I regularly heard controlled explosions coming from E-B's test sites in the woods of town. In August 1984, however, I was at home when an explosion rocked my house so hard, I thought a truck had driven into the house. A major conflagration in the Powder Forest had taken the lives of three E-B workers, I learned soon enough on the national news.

Anyway, the sandstone former stables connect to the pub in a U-shaped design, and are just simply stunning.

I'm confused by the sign on the Hilhorst & Zoon store, which says "SINDS 1477" on it. The small company offers software for investment accounting, per its listing on the Granby-Simsbury Chamber of Commerce web site. "Sinds" is a Dutch word that translates to "ever since." This is what I guessed. I'm pretty sure software didn't exist in 1477, so perhaps this sign is an inside joke.

All of these buildings are located on Jim Gallagher Way, a short road connecting Hopmeadow Street to Iron Horse Boulevard, and situated next to the Simsbury Town Visitor Center. I know Jim Gallagher, as he is the father of one of the friends I play golf with once a year. He's a great guy - really funny, smart and with an unmatched sense of Simsbury's history. I first met him when I was in my early 20s, working as a reporter for the local weekly paper (R.I.P., Farmington Valley Herald). One of my "beats" was the zoning commission, of which Jim was the chairman.

Near the corner of Wilcox Street and Iron Horse Boulevard is a curious community bulletin board.

It looks a bit like a salt or pepper shaker. It's also reminiscent of the nearby Heublein Tower, which sits atop Talcott Mountain.

Heading north along Iron Horse Boulevard -- a bypass road that didn't exist when I was growing up, named for the steam locomotives that once ran by here -- I found the quaint ticket depot for the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center, another thing that didn't exist during my tenure in Simsbury. This was all farmland when I was a kid.

While this building looks historic, I believe it is a relatively new addition to the performing arts complex.

I worked my way back up to Hopmeadow Street and strolled past the historical society's compound. As a general rule, I don't make photos of museums, but I made an exception for my hometown. Below is the Phelps Tavern, which fronts on Hopmeadow Street.

"The Phelps house and tavern was owned by five generations of the Phelps family for nearly two hundred years," according to the historical society's web site. "The building served as family home, canal hotel, lodge meeting site, entertainment hall, and local tavern. From 1786 until 1849, three generations of fathers and sons, and one widow, served as tavern-keepers.

"Built for Elisha Phelps in 1771...[t]he building was a family residence until Noah Phelps, Elisha Phelps’ brother, acquired the first tavern license in 1786. His son Noah A. Phelps ran the tavern from around 1805 until his death in 1817. His widow Charlotte operated the tavern herself until her son, Jeffery Phelps, purchased the property in 1820.

"Jeffery Phelps ran the tavern for 29 years, closing the business in 1849 to devote himself to agriculture and other interests. The building was remodeled in 1879 and 1915 by resident family members, and remained a family home until it was given to the Simsbury Historical Society in 1962 as a gift by Mary Phelps Ensign Lovejoy. The last family occupants were the family of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey O. Phelps, 4th."

I recall stepping onto the historical society grounds just a few times as a kid. Once was during Simsbury's 300th anniversary celebration in 1970, when I was five years old. The other was for a haunted house perhaps a few years later.

The other building I photographed on the campus is a circa-1790 schoolhouse, below.

"This school was originally located on Tariffville Road in what is now Bloomfield, near the present Old Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church," the society indicates on its web site. "At the time, this was an area of Simsbury known as Scotland; the school served Scotland North District pupils in Simsbury until 1843 when the area was annexed to the Town of Bloomfield."

OK, that's some new history for me.

"The building was modified in 1826 and served as a school house until 1933 when it was converted into a single family home. It was acquired by the Simsbury Historical Society and moved to its present location in 1970."

Back along Wilcox Street, I spied a solid stone wall that I guessed was once the property line of a large home. Currently on the site is a Bank of America branch. When I was a kid, that building was what I thought of as the "fancy bank," as it was a newer, much more modern building than the Colonial house across Hopmeadow Street where I had a savings account starting when I was pretty young.

My guess turned out to be correct, as I found out when I asked folks on a Simsbury-related Facebook group. "The property where the bank sits was the Henry Edwards Ellsworth home," one group member informed me. "I think that’s the spot where John E. Ellsworth lived in a green colored wooden structure of a beautiful home," another said, referencing Henry's son.

A third member provided some great history: "Was razed in late 60's, early 70's! There was a bowling alley in the basement and some of the wooden balls and pins reside in the Bowling Hall of Fame courtesy of Red Burnham! House was 3 story's (sic) if I remember right!"

Yet another member had fond memories of the home, where her grandmother worked. "We used to visit her there and played in the yard - the gate was there and let us get over to Pattiston’s general store. The house was really beautiful inside - Mrs Ellsworth had an elevator chair on the front stairway that we were allowed to ride on."

The Ellsworth family was obviously a well-to-do clan, with involvement in Ensign-Bickford and other local businesses.

My time running short, I headed back toward my car, and walked around the former train station and caboose that make up Plan b restaurant.

"The New Haven and Northampton Railroad Depot, 1875...was built by the successor to the New Haven and Northampton [Canal] Company, in conjunction with the Connecticut Western Railroad," per the Living Places web site cited above. "It is a rectangular brick Italianate structure with wide overhang of its gabled roof."

I'm not sure the stories behind the caboose and old engine behind the restaurant.

Next door to Plan b is a relatively new shop, A Spoonful of Britain, which sells British groceries and home decor.

I'm guessing this building was built by a railroad as well. Outside the shop, I found myself looking for Dr. Who.

Yes, I know the Tardis was located in a blue police box, not a standard red phone booth. Or at least I did once I searched online while writing this.

This all makes me think of Wee Britain:

As I was ready to head off to meet my friends for breakfast, I had to make a photo of the old mail Jeep below.

I'm pretty sure that the mailman who delivered to our house used to drive a rig like this. Brought back fond memories of my childhood in the Weatogue section of Simsbury.

For more about Simsbury, see these posts:

(see February 4, 2016, "Stealing Back Into the Past of My Hometown").

(see February 7, 2013, "President Little, Part II: From Myth to Man").

(see December 29, 2012, "Exploring Back Home").

(see September 20, 2011, "In Search of President Little").