Connecticut
The first park in Connecticut is almost 200 years old. How to visit this spring
VIDEO: Groundbreaking at Uncas Leap Heritage Park
VIDEO: Groundbreaking at Uncas Leap Heritage Park
Matt Grahn, The Bulletin
As the snow begins to melt and the warmer weather of spring starts to creep in, many people will be heading back outdoors into nature, and for many, that means returning to a local public park.
Whether you prefer to enjoy the spring weather with a run, a bike ride, a picnic or a simple walk, Connecticut has plenty of public parks that make for a perfect spring day.
If you want to immerse yourself in history as well as nature, Connecticut also has plenty of historical parks, with the state’s first park, Bushnell Park, opening almost 200 years ago.
Here’s how to visit Connecticut’s oldest park this spring.
History of Bushnell Park
Located in front of Connecticut’s state capital, Bushnell Park was first established in 1861. However, the idea for the park was first suggested by Rev. Horace Bushnell, pastor of Hartford’s North Congregational Church and graduate of Yale University, in 1853.
According to the Bushnell Park Conservancy, Rev. Bushnell proposed the park for multiple reasons – to clean up the city, create a space where poor children could play and build a beautiful setting that would establish Hartford as the state capital over New Haven, which shared the title of capital with Hartford at the time.
While plenty of parks were popping up in the states in the 1800s, one of Rev. Bushnell’s ideas made this park proposal unique – the sourcing of the park through public funds.
A Hartford City Council meeting in October 1853 unanimously approved Rev. Bushnell’s idea, and in January 1854, Hartford citizens voted the idea through, making Hartford the first city to use public funds for the creation of a park.
After years of securing land and creating a design, Bushnell Park, then called City Park, was established in 1861 under a design by Swiss-born architect Jacob Weidenmann. The original park contained 157 varieties of trees and shrubs, graceful paths, the Park River and several bridges.
Over the years, Bushnell Park has gained many additions, including the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, the Capitol building overlooking the park, the Corning Fountain, the Carousel and the Performance Pavilion. Due to flooding, the Park River was buried in an underground tunnel in the 1940s, resulting in the destruction of its bridges.
Today, Bushnell Park remains a scenic place to connect with the Hartford community and escape the business of city life.
How to visit Bushnell Park
Bushnell Park is open daily from dusk to dawn. For those driving to the park, 99 Trinity St. in Hartford is the best address to use in a GPS. Metered parking, which is free on weekends, is available around the park’s perimeter.
Bushnell also frequently hosts community events like yoga classes and movie nights, as well as free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch from May through October.
Connecticut
27 Wrestlers Named State Open Wrestling Champions In Connecticut Over Weekend; Xavier Dominates Tournament
Over the weekend, the two-day CIAC State Open wrestling championships took place at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven, Connecticut.
Twenty-seven wrestlers (14 boys, 13 girls) were named champions in their respective weight classes, displaying intense wrestling featuring the best wrestlers across the state.
Championship bouts started around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday and lasted about two hours.
Below are the results from both the boys’ and girls’ state open championships.
106 lbs.: Xavier’s Josh Perez def. Stafford’s John Bean 17-2 (technical fall)
113 lbs.: Ridgefield’s Cole Desiano def. Suffield/Windsor Locks’ Peter Annis 8-0 (decision)
120 lbs.: Xavier’s Zack Dixon def. Somers’ Will Acorsi 12-0 (majority decision)
126 lbs.: Windham’s Delmazio Despard def. Xavier’s Alexander Depratti 4-3 (decision)
132 lbs.: Fairfield Warde’s Jude Grammatico def. Xavier’s Zaphyr Musshorn 2-1 (decision)
138 lbs.: Ledyard’s Lukas Boxley def. Terryville’s Ethan Bochman Rodriguez (pin)
144 lbs.: Xavier’s Braylon Gonzalez def. Ridgefield’s John Carrozza 3-1 (decision)
150 lbs.: Bristol Central’s Alex Lamarre def. Middletown’s Isaiah McDaniel 1-0 (decision)
157 lbs.: Newtown’s Antonio Arguello def. Notre Dame-West Haven’s Riley Storozuk 8-4 (decision)
165 lbs.: Gilbert/Torrington/Wolcott def. Trumbull’s Hubert Szymko 2-0 (decision)
175 lbs.: Xavier’s Vincent Rivera def. Fairfield Prep’s Jack Lilly 14-10 (decision)
190 lbs.: Xavier’s Chase Catalano def. Fairfield Warde’s Dylan O’Brien 2-1 (decision)
215 lbs.: Lyme-Old Lyme’s Taiyo Gemme def. Staples’ Julian Rousseau (pin)
285 lbs.: Shelton’s Chase Galke def. Ellington’s Jacob Palermo 3-0 (decision)
100 lbs.: South Windsor’s Sophia Gordon def. West Haven’s Isha Khanna (pin)
107 lbs.: RHAM’s Brooke Heffernan def. New Milford’s Clara Reynolds 9-2 (decision)
114 lbs.: Branford’s Ava Gambardella def. Jonathan Law’s Selena Batres 6-0 (decision)
120 lbs.: Trumbull’s Jillian Blake def. Fairfield Warde’s Monica Flores Romero 17-1 (technical fall)
126 lbs.: Ellis Tech’s Adelina Tate def. Fairfield Ludlowe’s Ashlynn Cummings (pin)
132 lbs: Amity’s Eliana Selaris def. Daniel Hand’s Evely Lavigne (pin)
138 lbs.: Stratford’s Winner Tshibombi def. Greenwich’s Gaby Aliaga 22-8 (majority decision)
145 lbs.: Stratford’s Gabriella Kiely def. New Milford’s Josephina Piel (pin)
152 lbs: Bunnell’s Matilda Tote def. Shelton’s Ella Piccirillo (pin)
165 lbs: Trumbull ‘s Marangelie Teixeira def. New Britain’s Kaydence Atkinson (pin)
185 lbs.: Platt’s Kayli Morris def. Bristol Central’s Shyann Bryan (pin)
235 lbs.: Norwalk’s Jeily Euceda def. Maloney’s Arianna Bellamy (pin)
Xavier High School (Middletown, CT) has been the most dominant wrestling program in the state in recent memory. Once again, they stole the show in the state opens, winning its fifth-straight state open title.
The Falcons had seven wrestlers compete out of the 14 state open titles in the boys’ division and had five winners with two runner-ups. As a team, they totaled 218.5 points, which was 72 more points than any other team.
Connecticut
Pedestrian killed after being struck by Amtrak train
An investigation is ongoing in Stonington after a person was fatally struck by an Amtrak train Saturday morning, according to Stonington police.
Police were notified around 11:25 a.m. by Amtrak police that a pedestrian was struck by a train between the Route 1 overpass and the Prospect Street and Palmer Street railroad crossing.
When crews arrived, they pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
The train involved is stopped while Amtrak police conduct their investigation and ask the public to avoid the area at this time.
Authorities say there is no threat to the public.
No further details were released.
Connecticut
Man shot, critically injured by police in Hartford; mayor says there will be a ‘full review’
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