Tag: Old Stuff

Time Off and Stonington, CT

  

  The husband has, for the very first time, given his crew this week off.   On the second day of the  most unnatural- for- him  hiatus -…..  he got antsy.  

    “What was I thinking, taking this week off.. there is SO MUCH TO DO!@#*!.”
   I pointed out for the  two thousand and twenty seventh time in our history together  that in the 27 years I’ve known him there has never been a time when there wasn’t SO MUCH TO DO!@#*!   but life is too short and every single being needs time to unwind and rewind and that included HIM, let alone his work crew.   I don’t know that he’ll ever truly get that memo, but I’ll keep trying.  Needless to say he was in and out of the office all week.  We did manage some fun though.. yesterday especially. 
   So.. off we went on a short ride to Stonington, CT .. a lovely old New England village with gorgeous old houses originally built for sea captains, etc.  Many of the houses on main street date back to the 1700’s and are beautiful kept. Main Street rides out to a peninsula where you get an unobstructed view of the ocean. The color of the water this time of year is deep blue green marine.  Gorgeous, wild, and COLD.
  Stonington is located in New London County, population approx. 18,000.   The first European colonists arrived in 1649 and officially became part of Connecticut in 1662 when CT received its royal charter. The town acquired wealth in the 1790s when its harbor became home to a fleet involved in the sealing trade – where the skins of seals clubbed on the Chilean and Patagonian coasts were sold as fur in China. 
Ugh.  

     Back to the day – First up was lunch at the waterfront  Dog Watch Cafe… loved it.  We found the people to be very friendly and the food delicious… I didn’t snap pictures inside, the shame of it. I can tell you with certainty their Reuben sandwiches, Veggie Burgers, clam chowder and Bloody Marys are the bomb.  The seafood everything looked pretty awesome too, maybe next trip we’ll sample some of that.  

 Then we drove down Main Street and I proceeded to drive  the guy nuts with the stop and go that is necessary for good picture taking.  It was very cold and the wind was blowing, so I darted in and out of the truck with great efficiency and speed, I must say.   Still…. the chagrin   🙂
  There are many charming stores and restaurants along the way… 
 

.. and the jewels in the crown.. all the old homes…..

The beauty is in the details.. everywhere.  Dental and crown molding abounds…  love the design of this window…

The entire village reminds me of one of my other favorite places, Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard.

 Most of these homes have ocean  in their backyard or just across the way.

 

 I could live here happily… love the color choices. What you see above is this homes backyard. 
 We also visited Stonington Cemetery located at the entrance to town…  a 22 acre non-sectarian burial ground founded in 1849, although there are many graves dating back to the 1700’s.   According to their website…  The Stonington Cemetery was incorporated in 1849 when a small 18th century burial ground was expanded by a group of Stonington residents who created a significant horticultural and aesthetic landscape site.  Many in the group made their fortunes in the whaling and shipping trades and were responding to the “rural” or “garden” cemetery movement of the time.  The intention was to create settings for relaxation and contemplation rather than sorrow or loss.   

Annie  Wheeler was just 15 when she passed. 

 Below is the very gothic Billings Mausoleum. It was a showcase for the art glass of the J & R Lamb Studios but the windows are all boarded up so you can’t view the glass. What a shame – but I suppose vandalism avoidance is the reason.

    The Mr. often talks about wanting a family mausoleum for when we have all passed.  Personally I see it as a big waste.  I want to be cremated and my ashes scattered where they might nourish a tree… or tossed off a cliff into the ocean. Use the money you might have spent on a lavish funeral and burial to donate to an animal shelter or homeless shelter.    I like the idea of becoming one with nature again, instead of a rotting corpse encased in whatever.. forever.     Who .. of the Billings loved ones.. comes to pay their respects now, I ask you?… and this will sit for centuries.. until someone decides it won’t. 
 HERE    is a listing for a lovely ocean front condominium down at the bottom of Main Street in this lovely town… if I win the lotto we can all share it for a little respite now and then, ok?  Ok. 
  It’s a new day all.. while we’re all still here… make it a good one 🙂  
 
 

  

Ghost Town For Sale – just in time for Halloween

  A while back I posted pics of a vacant “town” here in CT, just across the river. Click HERE for that post.  Long story short – an eccentric millionaire bought the place and in the 1960’s began transforming what was an old mill and homestead into a  village that he planned to have open to the public for events, etc.  Some old buildings – 1800’s.. from all around New England were moved to the property.. a church, a school, a livery stable, a General Store, etc… and his vision for a village, called Johnsonville, began to take life.  For a while there were activities.. like weddings and Christmas displays, a restaurant briefly, antiques store, etc.  But as his health declined, so did the village vision. Once he passed, the property went on the market – reasons for the family not continuing with his vision vary, and some family members insist they wanted to move forward with his plan.  Alas, it never came to be.   Nor did the sale.  Currently, the 62 acre property and all it’s buildings are going to auction… with the possibility that the whole thing will sell for as little as $800,000.    – wow.

Mike and I took one last stroll through the grounds yesterday before the probable event that it will all be taken down.  We hope not, but the truth of it is, there is so much work that would need to be done to restore each of the buildings, so much updating… i.e. asbestos removal, very expensive for each dwelling, etc… that the odds are not in favor of restoration of the village.

  I should tell you that if you are local and considering browsing the property… heed the no trespassing signs.  Even though it looks abandoned, it is not.  There are still family members living in one of the houses on the property and they don’t take kindly to us shutterbugs invading their space.  Understandable, and I’m sure there are hard feelings among them about the state of the property.

For an article on the property and auction, click on link below.

http://www.ctpost.com/realestate/article/How-much-would-you-pay-for-a-Connecticut-ghost-5827070.php

The original Johnson Homestead –

 

     In the above picture you can see the red restaurant building lower on the hill… and below is the church.. just across the street….

 

A School House moved to the site in the 60’s….

The post office building… just across the road from the homestead, where a there was once a productive working mill.  Moodus itself was a Mill town back in the day.

 
 

  There are several homes along the road, one or two still occupied …. they most likely date to the late 1800’s ,  early 1900’s.  All would need much work.

The Restaurant… I read in a forum for a while it was named the Red Door.   There was a Victorian Gift Shoppe below it, and perhaps an antiques shop as well.

 The General Store….

 The handle on the front door  is so unique.. there are touches like this throughout the buildings. I hope someone salvages them.

 
The Livery Stable/Carraige house

 
 
As we were leaving, storm clouds gathered, the sky darkened,
the wind picked up and rain fell swiftly.
We ran back to the car and I took one last shot of the Johnsonville Home….
 
As I looked over, I noticed something I didn’t think was possible, the house is so dilapidated.
Just a half hour previously.. see first photo in the post.. the porch was unlit.  
 

 

 
A message from the house?
A light turned on in the hopes of welcoming someone home?
 
I hope someone somewhere saves her.
 
If you’ve got $10,000 to put down to prove you are serious…you can bid on this
awesome little town.  Link to the auction HERE
 
 
 
 ď»ż

Well… really!

 We finally got the old well restored, thanks to our restoration guru Jeff and stone wizard Steve.  Jeff did a fantastic job making what is now new look old again.  I love the design.  The old well is still intact underneath and goes about 40 feet into the ground.  Amazing to see the interior… someone did all that stone work in very tight quarters 40 feet below the surface!  ACK!…

 Isn’t she lovely?….

Would you come with me if I asked?

I was minding my own business,  (no, really!)   just driving down Middlesex turnpike heading into Old Saybrook… when I noticed something there.. up on the hill, opposite the plethora of car dealerships. HOW had I missed that before??…  It was an old abandoned house, with yet another behind it.  And a remarkable house, indeed.

  They’ve been there for a very long time, these two old structures… and there’s no way to count how often I’ve passed them by.  This time was different because there has been some obvious clearing out by the road in front of the two structures and they are now exposed, easy for  passers by to see.Perhaps someone is looking to buy the property?  I just don’t know. 

  I asked the husband if he’d take a ride with me to photograph the place.   Uh-uh.  Nope. not doing it. The kids had the same reaction.   *sigh*     I often go it alone when a structure intrigues me so, but it’s not my first choice… especially to a place as creepy as this one.   These TWO.

 I don’t yet know the history.. other than to tell you it was used in the 1971 movie  “Let’s Scare Jessica To Death”…. go ahead, google it and you’ll see images of the house. There are the local stories that it is haunted by the spirits of two boys and their nanny.  People claim they have seen faces in the windows, felt spirits when entering the house (now impossible because it’s all boarded up).   I did look for faces… it’s a horrible thing I do to myself, scares the bejezus  out of me and yet I do it anyway.  What’s THAT about?  As a teenager I loved the horror movies… I’ve never yet seen the entire Exorc*st, having attempted to watch it several times only to hold a blanket over my eyes and fingers in my ears through half of it.  Ridiculous.      

 Anyway.. are you ready?… you’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.

 
 

and the house behind this one….
So.. did you see any faces???…
SHHHHH!!!    Don’t tell me. 

About that Tin….

 I meet some wonderful people now and again through this little blog, and one of you actually brought me to tears yesterday.  It’s the gestures that come out of the blue..acts of kindness or extending of a hand…. that bring gladness to my heart and tears to my eyes, because I am that much of an emotional twit, yes I am. You people show me again and again in the ways that you think of others .. that humanity thrives, good prevails..and Virginia, whether there is a Santa Claus or not, there are many truly lovely people in this world.

 When I mentioned our Trove visit in yesterdays post, I lamented over a Tin I had admired but walked away from, and you all encouraged me to -go back and get it-.  No sooner had your comments started coming in, than Arlene, who had originally tipped me off to the Trove and it’s treasures… left me this message…

Karen,
Thank you so much for featuring the Trove here. That is
actually my little stove in your pictures! Please drop by again when you
are able as there will be a surprise waiting for you.

Stay warm!
Arlene 

First of all, you have no idea how I adore that little stove!  It’s so well made and in great condition, and it’s just the kind I adored when I was a little girl.  There was one like it in my kindergarten class where we would make pizzas out of poker chips.    It floored me that the stove is actually Arlene’s treasure!  I hadn’t even known she had a section of antiques there!   Of the 100 items I photographed, only a few made it to the blog post and her piece was one of them.

Anyway… you can guess where I went this morning…. can you spot my new treasure?  Here.. in the dining room…  (the flash makes this room look stark, truly the light is more natural in person)

On top of the wall cabinet with my grandmothers Hummels and
100 year old Kewpie Tea Set…
is that Huntley & Palmers Superior Reading Biscuit Tin. 
Arlene, you shouldn’t have.. but I thank you so very much.

 

 
This tea set was given to my grandmother when she was a little girl.
I remember serving apple juice in the little cups with real sugar
in the sugar bowl.  She gave it to me a few years before she died,
knowing how much I had loved it.

Back to the Trove trip today… you know I couldn’t drop in without taking another look around.  I love children’s books.. and found an original 1933 edition of The ABC Bunny by an author I bet you are familiar with from many years ago… Wanda Gag. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, maybe one of her best loved books will.    

“Best known for her Newbery Honor winner Millions of Cats, Wanda Gág
(1893-1946) was a pioneer in children’s book writing, integrating text
and illustration. Born in New Ulm, Minnesota, she rose to international
acclaim. In recognition of her artistry, she was posthumously awarded
the 1958 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for Millions of Cats and the 1977
Kerlan Award for her body of work.”

So tired of all the winter weather, I have begun bringing SPRING out
around This Old House.  The book is a nice addition to the spring-things
in the  dining room.

 
Because this book was part of the Westbrook Library,
it has been handled by many little hands over a long stretch of time.
I love the taped pages, the smudges, the worn edges…
it has been loved. 

So am I pushing Spring, you think? 

I’ve added some vintage blue in the form of pillows…

The pillows being a feable attempt to keep Frazier off those chairs..
because he just flops on top of them when no one is looking.

I’ve got a bunny and birds nest on the mantle…
and cadbury eggs and a beach scented candle on the island.

Hey.. SPRING?!!.. I know you’re just around the corner..
I’m throwing out the Welcome mats… the door is always open, you can join us any time!
And I want to thank the lovely people of the Trove once again… so nice to
meet some of you today, and such a wonderful surprise left by Arlene. 
It’s a beautiful thing.

Junk Hunting at The Trove

That’s what I call it, but truly it’s not junk, I oughta be clear about that. I’m not big on TV programs, especially reality TV… now that’s JUNK!  However, we love the History Channel’s version of reality TV… American Pickers, Pawn Stars, even Counting Cars… because not only are these people decent and genuine, you learn something valuable about items from our past.  

Thanks to one of my blog readers (I have to apologize, I forget which one of you tipped me off to this)…I discovered a new junk hunting location not far from here… The Trove in Old Saybrook, CT.  Mike and I took a ride on Saturday to check it out, and while we came home empty handed, we saw more than a few interesting pieces.

 A Kodak Brownie Camera in very good condition… The Brownie was a  very popular simple and inexpensive camera made by Kodak , the first being introduced in 1900, a cardboard model with an introductory price of just $1.  These cameras made photography much more accessible for the non professional.   This one is the Holiday series with a simple built in flash….made in 1953 through 1957.    I’m guessing they were called “holiday”  because they were a good choice to take along on vacations (on holiday) , easy to tote.

Mike had one of these when he was just a sprite. 
I remember a neighbor of mine had one in green
and he usually had bball cards attached to the spokes with clothespins
to make that awesome sound. This is an Oscar Hedstrom bike..
more info HERE if you’re interested.

Some lovely furniture, all from different periods..the drop leaf table
very reasonably priced.  If I had a spot for it….
Some of the curiosities you find in places like this are very… curious.

 

“Doctor M.A. Simmons
first practiced medicine in Georgia, where he brewed up Simmons Liver
Medicine (curing costiveness, lowness of spirits, colic, foul breath,
dyspepsia, etc.) and drove through the countryside with a five-gallon
keg of it, dispensing however much anyone wanted to buy. He moved to
Mississippi, first living in Holly Springs, but located in Iuka when the
proprietary medicine tax became effective in 1862.”

 An ad I found online for the stuff…

 
I took an immediate liking to this biscuit tin below, no bigger than a pencil box. 
I might go back and buy it, although I don’t really have a need for it. 
You know how you keep thinking about a thing 
even days after you walked away from it?


“Huntley & Palmers started life in 1822
as a small bakery in London Street, Reading. In 1846 the firm opened a
large factory on Kings Road in Reading and by 1900 this business was the
largest biscuit manufacturer in the world, employing over 5,000 people.”

  A beautiful two dollar note for the Eagle Bank of New Haven
dated August 1st, 1825.  The Eagle bank was the second bank to open in New Haven in 1811.

A Tom Thumb childs cash register/bank from the 1950s.

I love this case.. if only I had a place to put it!
 
I can imagine hours and hours of imaginative cooking on this adorable
childs stove, hand made with wood and still in beautiful condition. 
  Hmm.. to go back and get that biscuit tin.. or not. 
That’s todays question. 
 

I love when that happens!

  I just got in from the barn and coop chores.. it’s actually raining/snowing ICE right now.  Pelts your face as you walk in it, no kidding.  If you’re local, don’t do any driving that you don’t really  have to.  Hard to believe that yesterday was beautiful.

  Anyway… You might remember in recent weeks I found an awesome vintage 1940’s ” Mobo Bronco” metal horse, made in England, … in an antiques warehouse.  The price was steep, $330.   I have a thing for vintage horse toys and would LOVE one of these little ride-on ponies to display in This Old House.  I thought the price was high, though, and decided to do some research.   The truth is, the value for such a horse in his particular color (he was black) was right on the mark, and in some parts of the country if you find one of these ponies, they go for even more money.   I found a few of them for a lower price on ebay, but the shipping to get it here would be another $50. more or less.  Still too much money to feel good about it.

 Then…I walked into this Good Will and Antiques shop just about five miles from here… looking for a little shelf for something else…

 and right inside the front door…
…….do you see it?….. 
I may have done a little happy dance right then and there.

His price was $200. Still steep. But.. I knew from my previous research
that that is as good as it gets with these ponies.
And hey.. he was RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD a piece… I mean
it was meant to be, right?

I did make an offer.. the fellow refused it.
No wiggle room whatsoever.

I went to the President of our Corporation to inquire
 about a possible frivolous purchase
and the possible consequences of such frivolity. 

Much to my surprise, the Prez  OK’d the purchase,
 Happy Valentines Day to me!
and my little metal horse is now happily retired
at the hearth of This Old House.
Now this little pony is older than I. 
He’s got some rust in the hind quarters
but he is in overall good health considering his age
and I just love the soft expression on his face.

He’s still got his original parts, even the red vinyl reins!
If a toddler sat on him right now, he’d go right back to work. 
Frasier had to make sure we weren’t bringing another dog in the house. 
He needs a name, don’t you think?
Suggestions, please. 

I’m on a mission

  I’m laughing to myself here because as soon as I typed that post title I knew it  will get my husbands attention, with an accompanying eye roll and heavy sigh.  And then maybe a glance at the credit card statement or his wallet.    But seriously…
 
  Several years back I walked into an antiques mall and walked out $75. lighter with a filthy, decrepit, tail-less  magic-marker riddled rocking horse that I thought must be ancient and worth big bucks if I just fixed it up.  I found out it was an Asian  knock off and I had not scored a find worthy of American Pickers best, but that’s OK.. I still love him to this day. I bought some horse tail hair and restored his pride, too. 
 
 
   This morning at another antiques barn I bumped into an old flame.   
 

 

 The WONDER HORSE
a vintage spring horse from the 1950s that typically sells now for around $25 – $100.
depending on the condition, model, etc.
 
Oh, how I loved those spring horses when I was a youngster.
  We didn’t have one, but when ever I got the chance 
to take a ride on someone else’s, I was smitten. 
 
These shown below may not be the actual “Wonder” horse.. usually stamped 
on the fender of the saddle.  I don’t see the mark in these pics..
but I love them regardless. 
 
 
This one is a beauty – and sold for $75. not long ago.
  

  
I didn’t mind tagging along to the grocery store with my grandmother on occasion…
because HER grocery store had one of these at the front door…

 And today… I saw yet another vintage horse I had not had the privilege of meeting before…
the MOBO BRONCHO  pedal horse. These were made in England started in 1947 through 1971 and were very popular here in the US because they were a relatively affordable and durable childrens 
ride-on toy. 
 
This is not the one I looked at… he was a black beauty and in excellent condition
for $350.   Too deep for my pockets. 
But this one below is a fine example of what’s out there to be found…
for between $150-350. depending on the condition. 
They are large enough for a small child to sit on and propel along by pushing
down the pedals with their feet.
 
 
 
 I am determined to bring another pony home to This Old House…
One similar to the vintage ponies you see above.
I have to find a real bargain, though… and so the hunt begins.
I may or may not  have just made a really low bid on ebay.
Depends who asks  🙂

George Washington Slept Here

   We went from “Polar Vortex” conditions to a balmy 56 degrees and rain all day yesterday. The Mr. and I  decided to take a drive to a town known for its well maintained centuries old homes – Wethersfield, CT.  

  The town, founded in 1633–34, has its niche in history, being “Ye
Most Ancient Towne” in Connecticut. Over 150 of it’s distinctive old Colonial homes still stand as a symbol of  its heritage since the early days of its
founding more than 375 years ago.

   We visited in the off season, meaning the museum houses are only open for tours by appointment or on  special occasions.  So, we weren’t able to go inside.  All are close together, however. We grabbed some breakfast and walked between, in and around rain puddles and snow melts to take some pictures.  While other continents can boast much older ancient structures, here in New England I still marvel at the homes that withstand the elements and other tests of time for hundreds of years. The design of homes haven’t changed much over the centuries either. 

The Webb House –  built in 1752 by Joseph Webb.   A young and successful merchant, he hired
Judah Wright to frame a stylish three-and-a-half story house and shop
with a massive gambrel roof that provided greater upper-floor storage
for Joseph’s trade goods.  It was also probably used as the sleeping
quarters for the household’s enslaved Africans.  In May 1781, Gen. George Washington
spent five nights in the house.  Here, in one of the front parlors,
Washington met with the French general Comte de Rochambeau to plan a
joint military campaign that led to victory at Yorktown and American
independence. 

 To see the interior, click on the link highlighted above.

Beautiful brownstone steps and foundation blocks…  
Brownstone was a popular, durable building material used in many places
Many of you are familiar with the brownstones in  brooklyn and NYC…
and one of the main quarries back in the day is located right here
in Portland, Connecticut, now a recreational water park.

   Pineapples were a sign of welcome in the early colonies and continue to be a popular element in decor today. Visiting was the main form of entertainment and sharing of news, making hospitality in  that period vital. The way a woman presented her “food” declared her personality and her family’s status. There were, in fact, competitions of this nature between the women, creating elaborate table displays with what they were able to acquire. If she could produce a pineapple for her company to enjoy, it was a  highly regarded gesture.  At that time, pineapples came on ships from the Caribbean and those trade ships sailed right into the cove mentioned below. 

 

The Deane House,  built in 1766,  was the home of Silas Deane, the first diplomat for the United States. 
Note the large size of the windows and front door.. This surprised me, as one would think those features would be smaller to keep out the New England weather.  I believe I read that  the doors were made so wide because in those days wakes were held in the deceased person’s home and the casket needed to be able to fit through the door.  The large windows were a status symbol, as glass was scarce. The wealthy had the economic ability to install them.

Beautiful old glass like this cannot be duplicated and is prized among 
antique and history enthusiasts.  These particular windows have a leaden hue…

These homes have many layers of (original?) paint and hardware.

BUTTOLPH-WILLIAMS HOUSE – 
Built for Benjamin Belden around 1715, this house – now a
museum – provided the setting for Elizabeth George Speare’s
award-winning novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which depicts a young
woman’s encounter with superstition and intolerance
 in a 17th century
New England town.

Note the smaller window size in these houses…

I Love the simplicity of this door.

More houses heading toward the cove…

 

The Cove and Warehouse…

Once part of a thriving commercial center, the warehouse located on the cove –
now housing a Wethersfield Historical Society maritime exhibit –
contains reminders of the West Indies trade that flourished in
Wethersfield from 1650 to 1830. Merchants exported lumber, grain,
onions, salted beef, fish and pork in exchange for salt, sugar, molasses
and rum from the Caribbean. 

We also drove through the ancient burying ground –


“The quaint, often poetic, inscriptions found on the
headstones in this historic burial ground tell poignant tales of the
demise of loved ones. The skills of a dozen different Connecticut Valley
stone carvers are represented here. The earliest one – Leonard
Chester’s table stone – dates from 1648.”

 
Many stones had this face or a variation  of it on them…
An Angel?  The Sun?  A Spirit Guide?

If you care to stay for a while among these colonial treasures,
there is a bed & breakfast right in the heart of it all –

The Silas Robbins House


Silas Robbins, an owner of the seed business Johnson, Robbins and Co.,
built the large house in 1873.
It is now renovated and  available for weddings, special occasions and as a B & B. 

*LOVE* the front door!