Litchfield enquirer., 1880-11-04
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A TRIP THROUGH LITCHFIELD
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We clip the following from a letter in the
Norwalk Gazette describing a, carriage ride of
two hundred miles in Western Connecticut:
| On Tuesday the 18th, we took the longest
and hardest drive Of all. In the morning
after leaving Meriden the roads of Southing-
| ton were found very poor in comparison and
long stretch of sandy road caused US to
make an early stop for rest and dinner at .
Plaiuvilie we had this morning crossed the
track of our long journey of the Centennial
| year.
Over twenty miles remaining for our after
| noon stint demanded an early start for its ac-
complshment. We passed through the
| manufacturing towns of Forestville, Bristol
| Terryville and 'Fhomaston and were surprised
| to find 80 far in the interior and away from
water courses such a continuous and thriving
settlement, for it seemed all one place, and
our surprise was made the greater by the fact
that the settlement was not all in level places,
i but up and down high bills. About three p.
| m, we began to leave behind US the hum of
machinery and to commence the climb to
high Litchfeld through the lofty town of
Morris. II was to- be regretted that time did
not permit the full enjoyment of the romantic
| glen through which we started on this ascent,
but such features of an excursion serve the
1
and we had found too that justice cannot be
done to beautiful scenery except by at least
returning back wards over the roads leading
through it. Drives of such character leave
| lingering memories of enchanting scenes that
may be q joy forever. -r.,, So, .-
The last part of this afternoons drive very
unlike the former part brought US into well
| nigh unbrokeu communion with nature her,
self; we were on the backroads of not very
l Init Zoo hoA IN f0llat1
| in our way would not have added very greatly
to our happiness. q. At last we arrived before
the crowded piazza of the Lake View House,
| and nothing we had met was so Unlocked for
| as the overf1owing patronage accorded this
new resort, drawn too quite largely as we
found afterwards from Norwalk. Two days
were spent here where two weeks might have
been well employed, but time enough was al
lowed to witness some of the dOlngs of a man
whose lot in life would seem to be the most
enviable that can be conceived. ''l
| A whole afternoon was given to the inspec-
ton of the dairy and barn appurtenances of
/ Starts Farm: were you to surrender whole
page of the Gazette. it could be probably
4 filled with detailed account of this after
Moons sights alone. The large and fine out
building, the sleek and beautiful Jerseys the
extreme neatness and cleanliness on every
hand. the wholesale operations of the dairy,
Il
| would we'll repay visit from greater dis
lance than Norwalk. 1t has been said that
| there Is, or has been another similar establish
ment finer than this somewhere in the vicinity
| of Boston where the mixers go to their work
wearing kid gloves, but don't you believe it.
| With freshened recollections of Ridgefield
| we were able to make comparisons between
| two towns which owing to the wise liberality
of their early settlers are a credit to New
| Entro,d oan aonronlv fail that
the present inhabitants are displaying as much
| wisdom as their ancestors by keeping in fine
order their fair heritage and that they are al.
| ready beginning to reap their reward in the
| influx constantly increasing of gratitied sight
seers Although Litchf1eld is highest by five
| hundred feet and though its views are fine,
| the best being found little beyond Starts
Farm, yet the view at Ridgefeld is superior in
| extent aud beauty. Ridgetield, however, has
not yet enlisted as much. capital in the i'm
provemeLt of it's grounds and residences, a
/ matter not to be wondered at when we re-
member the intended magnihcence of Lltch-
| field which by its ancient charter extended on
the west as far as the Mississippi River.
AS we walked up and down the splendid
main street of this town the query frequently
recurred why are not the principal thorough
fares of the centres of all New England towns
made broad and handsome like this? Are we
not cheating the very pockets that we think
| we guard so we'll by so carefully withholding
| from public and aesthetic uses land that can
| be made most valuable to the community.
| On Thursday afternoon the 10Th inst, we
turned home, coming as far as Woodbury..
| We found the views through and beyond
Morris Centre still finer than the best in
| Litchfeld continued through the adjoining
| town of Bethlehem but stopped there.
Woodbury. is very thriving town, sur
prisingly 80 considering that it is ten or
twelve miles from any railroad; its lnhabi-
| tants are engaged IN several branches of man
ufacture. We had been cautioned against the
two hotels of the place in very strong Ian
guage and as strongly commended to the hos
| pitality of Mr.. Downes I who entertained
travellers We found the commentator well
| deserved, and the appearance of one of the
| we'll merited.
Friday afternoon we turned on our tracks
| to take in once more Lake Waramaug The
| drive took us through Washington, whose
average altitude is said to be greater than that
| of any other town in the State at all events
the close day and the steep climb proved
more trying to horse flesh than any proceed
| ing day. We were stfll cheered and invigo-
rated by a fine country and extensive views
but not however, through long distances as on
the day before We found the town centre
growing and apparently striving to rival
Litchfeld as a watering place. The town can
claim in the beauty of the Lake, which it
borders a fair set off to the size of Bantam
| Lake. As we gave your readers some account
Of this lake three years ago we will forbear
now, only mentioning that the well kept Hop
kins House founded by the Deacon is main
Ftained with all the good cheer and inviting
hospitality intact, by his son. 1t appeared
before and equally now as desirable place to
stay as any that could be imagined. Certain
lY it would seem so to those who experience
no serious difficulty Id sacrificing fashion to
comfort unfortunately the showers and mist
prevents an eagerly expected trip to the top of
the Pinnacle which Dr. Cayler calls the high
est point in the state and this also furnishes
good reason for another trip to Lake Wara-
maug. li-g.sst g.ss..rsYs...... Y.,. .5s--.g 49,
On Monday, we started out on the road to
Danbury, through New Milford, this also
formed part Of the previous trip. We made
detour in the afternoon, however; oyer
range difficult to. ascend, which probably
forms part of the town OF Bridgewater and
escaping the dangerous track crossings of
Brookfeld, at last arrived in Danbury.
AS regards the present condition of veIoci-
peding in England, several new inventions
have lately come out for making the amuse-
ment safer. Elderly gentlemeh-yes, and
ladies, too, elderly or not-can step up into a
comfortable seat, something like an arm chair,
lean back, work their feet up and down as if
they were at q sewing. machine and glide
along the ground easily and safely. This is
the modern tricycle. Nothing however. quite
come up to the two-wheeled phantom, the
dainty and delicate ''racery'' on one of which
Mr.. Cortis, an amateur rider, has just accom-
plished the astonishing feat Of ten miles in
less than thirty minutes rather faster than
twenty miles an hour. For combined ease
and speed of locomoton Dething can beat the
old bicycle, with its many modern improve
ments, except railway train, It is perfectly
easy nova young man from the merry Mid
lands has just done ito mount at -Birming-
ham, ride through Charming English scenery
| to Dover, take steamer, and mount again on
the opposite c9ast, visit all tire scenes of the