An Armory In Need of Some Amore

From Dave Brigham:

The Waltham Armory opened in 1907, according to this blog post, which you should read all of, and closed less than 60 years later. Since 1964, the imposing brick building has stood at attention, awaiting its next assignment.

A developer bought it many years ago, according to the above-referenced blog post, and has advanced plans to turn the armory into condominiums, but neighbors fought fiercely against that concept. There are some in Waltham who want to turn the building into a military museum.

This building is in a tight neighborhood of homes and, just up the hill, several medical facilities and office buildings. The site is close to Waltham's bustling Main Street, and within walking distance of a commuter rail station. I find it hard to believe the armory has been vacant for so long. I'm sure the building's interior is in rough shape, although it seems fairly well closed up from the outside.

A museum would be a cool addition to the city, as would a community center. But those ideas aren't going to make the developer any money, so the stalemate continues.

I will, of course, keep an eye on it.

For another recent story about an armory, see Mick Melvin's June 30, 2015, post, "Hartford Arming for New National Park."

Is That Paul Bunyan?

From Mick Melvin:

I was driving in Connecticut on a Saturday afternoon and saw this giant man. I thought to myself, “Is that Paul Bunyan?” I drove closer and sure enough, it looked like a lumberjack.

The enormous lumberjack is 26 feet tall, making it easy to spot. The curious thing about this giant lumberjack is that he has no axe. Turns out his name is The Muffler Man, and he's actually supposed to be a flagpole!

The giant statue sits outside of the House of Doors. The initial placement of the statue had the Muffler Man holding an axe. However, the town of Cheshire has a law in place that prohibits signs from being taller than seven feet. The original axe was replaced by a flagpole. Now the Muffler Man is a flagpole and an official landmark in Cheshire.

Matt Foley's Van?

From Dave Brigham:

Is this the van Matt Foley sleeps in when he takes a vacation from his place down by the river?