Golfing, Caching, & Visiting 7/25-28/2009

Saturday we stayed around the coach till noon or so and went to Chris's as he and Tyler and myself planned to play golf. We went to to a very nice par 3 course in Portland, CT. that had 3 par 4's on the front nine as well as the 6 par 3's and was a very nice well kept course. I actually hit the ball pretty good for not playing in over a year, and shot 41, Chris had 36 and Tyler had 60. Tyler hits the ball fairly well for someone who just started a few years ago and needs some practice oh his short game (don't we all) and his scores will get better.
Sunday we didn't do much but hang around the coach and then went over to Chris's, watched some TV and had dinner with them. We were supposed to go to a concert on the green but they were predicting bad t-storms later in the afternoon, which never came, so they canceled early in the afternoon.
Monday Mom and I went caching in Manchester, CT. Our first cache was located at the site of the old Woodbridge Tavern where in 1817 President James Madison stopped to change horses on his stage coach. George Washington also stopped here and was entertained on November 9, 1789.
Next cache was at the ruins of the Pitkin Glass Works in the Pitkin Tavern in Manchester. The Pitkin Glass Factory was established in 1783, after the Pitkin family (Captain Richard Pitkin and his sons) worked from 1775-1781 supplying gun powder to the Continental Army at a loss to them. [1] The factory produced items mostly made of green glass, including demijohns for trade with the West Indes. The ruins of the structure of the factory are located on what was once the Pitkin Farm, and what is currently the corner of Putnam and Parker Streets. Between the two streets is a grassy plot of land with a sign that identifies it as the former site of the Pitkin Tavern. Captain Richard Pitkin and his sons had produced gun powder for supply to the Continental Army. As a reward for this vital service, the new State of Connecticut granted to the Pitkins in 1783 a 25 year monopoly for the manufacture of glass. The Pitkin Glass Works manufactured bottles, flasks, and inkwells until about 1830. We didn't find this cache until we came back later in the day on our way home as it wasn't where it was supposed to be but laying on the ground under a tree very well hidden.
Next cache was located at the East Cemetery. The first acre of of land for East Cemetery was deeded by Thomas Pitkin to the Town of Hartford in 1751. The area was incorporated into East Hartford in 1783 and subsequently into Manchester in 1823, Additional purchases of land in 1843, 1856, 1867, 1896, 1925 and 1955 expanded the cemetery to its present 51 acres. It is the second oldest and largest cemetery in Manchester. We found our cache and were off.
The next 3 caches were the NRV caches at 2 restaurants and a party store. Next was a cache in Buckland Cemetery in a tree. Next was a cache at the old Vernon Depot in Rockville Junction in some rock along a trail. For 120 years, a railroad brought goods and passengers to and through Vernon and Rockville. Once a bustling railroad corridor, the trains and rails have long since left town. The last freight train passed through town in late1970, the last regular passenger train, 1955. The rails were removed in the mid 1970's, but the roadbed remains. Today, the old railroad routes are part of Vernon's Rails to Trails linear park. The Vernon Depot passenger station was located on the narrow strip of land that is bordered by Church Street, Phoenix Street, Birch Road and Washington Street. Today, nature has reclaimed the area, but there are still reminders of the past. Across from the Church Street parking area, the stone block turntable pit remains that once turned around the locomotives running to and from Rockville. A short distance from there, the footings for the water tower poke out of the ground. Next to the visitors shelter, the footprint of the passenger station has recently been cleared and defined with a wooden outline as part of a historical project (more on that here) . Near there, a telegraph pole about seven feet high sticks out of the ground. It had at one time supported two wood boxes that that housed communication devices.
Next cache was at the Phoenix Mill on the Tankerhoosen River in Rockville Center, CT. Stephen Fuller discovered a beaver dam here at this location on the Tankerhoosen and was the first to make use of the river's water power.
Our last cache was a virtual located at the Manchester Firefighter's Memorial Garden. The Manchester Firefighters Memorial Garden was dedicated on September 11, 2002 in memory of ALL THAT ANSWERED THE FINAL ALARM. Located at Fire Station No. 5, 331 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester, CT, the garden is a mix of memorials and plantings adjacent to the American flag. A New York memorial consists of two retired twin alarm boxes depicting the North and South World Trade Center Towers. On either side of the Towers, engraved in glass, are the names of all 343 New York Firefighters lost on September 11, 2001, including their rank and assignment. A Worcester, Massachusetts Memorial consists of a wooden gate with the names of the six Worcester Firefighters lost in a warehouse fire on December 3, 1999. Bushes spelling out a large W6 accompany the gate for an aerial tribute. A stone and flowering tree were dedicated to West Hartford Firefighter Pat Brooks who died in the line of duty November 12, 2002. On September 11, 2005, a Manchester Memorial was dedicated to the four South Manchester Firefighters who died in the line of duty. An eternal hydrant flows nearby to honor our own, Edward Post, Hose Co. #3 - April 20, 1921; George Bassett, Ladder Co. #1 - April 7, 1923; Laurence Freiheit, Engine Co. #1 - March 9, 1973; Frank Ennis, Hose Co. #2 - March 30, 1980. A tragic fire resulting in collapse claimed the lives of nine Charleston, South Carolina Firefighters in June 2007. The names of those who perished will forever be remembered on the granite stones arranged in a large symbolic “9”, which adorns the garden lawn. Another new addition is a beautiful bronze bell mounted on a granite stone, which was donated by two local citizens. The centerpiece of the garden is a large, hand-etched, memorial stone depicting Manchester’s twin quints, Old Glory and our American eagle. We got our information and we off back to the coach to shower and change and join the Faulkner's for dinner.
Tuesday we drove to Stafford Springs, CT to visit Margie and Michael Serafin who were Poppy's relatives. Margie is Tom's sister who is now 91 and still teaching ballet in Stafford Springs. We had a great visit and lunch with them and it was nice chatting and catching up on the past years. They still own there sulky and cart making business which is located next door to there home. All there carts are hand made from scratch and are quite lovely. We left about 2:00 and headed back to the coach to shower and pick up the dogs and head for Chris's for dinner.
Well that's about all for now so we will say until next time we love you all. Mom & Dad