HARTFORD — Since it was first put on display in December 2009, the modern bronze copy of “The Genius of Connecticut,” with its steely face, prominent wings and flowing robes, has been a major attraction on the daily tours of the State Capitol.
Connecticut
7 Most Eccentric Towns in Connecticut
In the New England region of the U.S., there are so many vibrant states that are worth exploring. With a host of bizarre yet scenic small towns to uncover, there is no shortage of sights and quirky finds, especially in the state of Connecticut. Travelers who want something new and refreshing that will keep them in awe may enjoy everything the “Constitution State” has to offer. From Old Saybrook to Willimantic, these eccentric towns are sure to leave a lasting impression!
Old Saybrook
A community-driven destination with loads of charm, Old Saybrook makes it easy to fall in love with the state! General William Hart House is a historic stop for finding 17th-century marital showrooms and lavish forays built during the early Revolutionary days. Fort Saybrook Monument Park is a perfect birdwatching site with 17 acres of storyboards and historic Saybrook Colony photographic memories. At Clark Community Park, one may even come across happy locals and vast green fields for conversational ball games.
People who prefer a simple golfing experience can try out Fenwick Golf Course’s lovely greenery for Long Island Sound beauty and Connecticut River splendors. Essex Saybrook Antiques Village is one of the quirkiest spots in town for discovering old memorabilia, antique furniture arrangements, and vendors who love to talk about the craziest objects found in their time! The Penny Lane Pub may appeal to anyone with a penchant for English-style tastes and casual wine-tasting moments. Those who need a bite can stop by The Tea Kittle Restaurant for juicy chicken burgers and quality lunch meet-and-greets.
Putnam
Aptly named after a famous war general and was once called Aspinock, Putnam is a New England mill town that knows how to please tourists! The Aspinock Historical Society is recognizable by its 1970s museum relics, roleplaying workshops, and tours of genealogical immigration history. Gertrude Chandler Warner Boxcar Children’s Museum is another museum that makes itself known with tributes and honorable photography dedicated to the famous author. Putnam Lions Memorial Dog Park is full of amusing dog-shaped sculptures that will always bring warmth and happiness to canine lovers!
Visitors can find many stunning views and golfing ranges around the nature trails of the Connecticut National Golf Club while sipping on fancy wines and spirits. For those who like pottery and handmade creations, Sawmill Pottery offers unparalleled clay demonstrations and artisan community classes to help kids of all ages fit in. For eccentric dining options, tourists can choose The Stomping Ground for bar-oriented gourmet dishes, or Elizabeth’s Farmhouse for cocktail chit-chat and romantic dinners.
Mystic
Mystic, the “Head of the River,” is a village town full of seaport history and adventurous quirks! The Mystic Seaport Museum is a typical stop for travelers who want to be exposed to maritime artifacts, global ship industry workshops, and fascinating 19th-century recreations. At the Denison Homestead, visitors can trek through historic daffodil gardens and learn about some of the state’s oldest families. Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center is home to various tourism discoveries like the Meditation Trail, the Peace Sanctuary for wildlife lovers, and over 175 species of birds!
The Mystic Aquarium is an easygoing stop for family-friendly sea creature entertainment and vibrant whale petting. Travelers who revel in nightlife can enjoy Mystic Dark Room’s speakeasy dancing nights and intimate couples-friendly lounges. At Old Mistick Village, guests and residents alike can check out eclectic American gifts, dog-loving patios, and village souvenirs for the trip back home. Rio Salado is the perfect Southwestern diner for vacationers who want delicious signature salsa and other Southwestern delights right on a beautiful patio deck!
New Canaan
New Canaan, or “Next Station to Heaven,” is a famous destination in the state that is worth it for newcomers. The Glass House is the most prominent yet bizarre historical structure around, and its pavilion architecture and woodland surroundings make for a pleasant and iconic stop. Nature enthusiasts may find all there is to offer at Olive and George Lee Memorial Garden, a pink-colored garden and hidden gem for anyone who craves spring blooms and calming terrains off the beaten path.
Over at Grace Farms, visitors can even take part in architectural and cultural film festivals that are equal parts lively and quirky. The Carriage Barn Arts Center hosts vibrant exhibits and visual art performances to reel in outsiders with an appreciation for local talent. Those who like friendliness and laidback chatting can shop around and converse with the locals at New Canaan Farmers Market, a trendy little locale with fresh produce and seasonal goods. Hungry stomachs may want to book their evenings at Spiga, a renowned Italian restaurant with scrumptious handmade pasta and classic cheese fare.
Branford
Recognized as “Totokett Settlers’ Rocks” due to its historical foundation, Branford is a coastal paradise for many. Stony Creek Museum has seaside village trinkets and Thimble Islands history packed into a cozy but beautiful granite estate. Thimble Islands is a landmark that is easily underrated among locals and tourists who may prefer marine cottage views and sunny archipelago picnics. Branford Trail makes travelers feel even more at ease with its 28-mile solitary hiking routes and shoreline breezes.
At Stony Creek Brewery and Calus Farm Brewery, sunset-loving tourists can participate in craft beer sensations and chow down on food truck varieties while new to town. The 1928 Cocktail Club is an overlooked hangout bar for all who want to feel immersed in fruity blends and social mingling. At Grey Goat Farmtique, a plethora of unique oddities await backpackers with an eye for rural home decor gifts and local farm ingredients. For quiet dining and casual evenings, one can stop by Saltbrick Prime Steakhouse for mouthwatering meats and savory seafood.
Madison
Named after the 4th president of the U.S., Madison is a natural escape boasting lots of interesting stops. The Deacon John Grave House is a saltbox landmark with 1680s foundations and lively tours of eccentric household relics and tools used by its first settlers. At Hammonasset Beach State Park, one can find beachfront vibes, sand-loving residents, and shoreline amusement all along Long Island Sound; it even has oddly shaped rocky formations!
The Stuart Alan Lerner Gallery is a notable stopping point for touring some of the most interesting textile arts and whimsical flower vase sculptures. At Susan Powell Fine Art, there is even more artistry to find as tourists can admire local showcases of rural environments and exceptional private collections. The Audubon Shop is a nifty 1980s locale featuring high-quality travel toys, colorful furnishings, and friendly staff who love to show newcomers around! One can try out Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille for fireplace ambiance and fabulous customer service for Irish bar food and live music sessions.
Willimantic
Willimantic, or “Thread City” and “Frog City” to its residents, has lots of excitement and strange thrills to suit any itinerary! The Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum is a historic and cultural site with railroad showcases and vintage locomotives that may draw in newcomers with its guided tours of 1850s handcars. At Windham Textile & History Museum, guests are invited to interact with milling archives and textile ornaments that have been passed down over the years. Frog Bridge is a landmark that caters to outsiders with bizarre architectural motifs like giant thread-spun frogs!
Within the Windham Theatre Guild, community-oriented live shows and fun seasonal events make for a pleasant musical evening, should anyone feel up for theatrical entertainment or cultural education. Corleone’s is a noteworthy bar featuring friendly bartenders and Victorian atmospheres best suited for easygoing customers. Sarah Winter Clothworks is one of the most underappreciated and hospitable locales in town, selling trendy clothing items, colorful pattern creations, and unusual sewn gifts that may surprise anyone! As for those needing a bite, Royal Buffet has authentic sushi and Asian-American cuisine to keep people coming back for more.
These eccentric small towns in Connecticut are the best options for any traveler who wants new sights and amazing community pleasures. Having lots of opportunities for commercial, natural, and historical knowledge, no tourist will ever feel out of place while exploring what is out there in the New England region. With each town providing a vibe that will resonate with almost anyone who wants spectacular tourism, this list has everything one needs for a good time!
Connecticut
‘The Genius of Connecticut,’ an allegorical statue, may never ‘return’ to the top of State Capitol
Brian Pencz, facilities administrator for the state Office of Legislative Management, which runs the 14-acre State Capitol complex, in a file photo in 2024. A statue called ‘The Genius of Connecticut’ has no skeletal body inside, ‘so it’s not stable enough to go up on top of the Capitol,’ said Pencz.
While thousands have seen the 18-foot-tall sculpture up close and personal, the goal of Capitol historians and preservationists has been to put the replica atop the gold dome. The original ruled over the building’s Gothic architecture from 1878 until damage to its base was found after the Hurricane of 1938, when the statue was dismantled and removed piece-by-piece.
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Now, though, the discovery of a lack of interior framing inside the 5,500-pound daemon, the allegorical protector of Connecticut, is making the administrators who run the 14-acre State Capitol complex worry whether it would be safe to put the sculpture atop the 274-foot-tall gold dome after a $50 million rehabilitation of the building begins late this year.
“There’s no skeletal body inside, so it’s not stable enough to go up on top of the Capitol,” said Brian Pencz, facilities administrator for the Office of Legislative Management in Hartford. “That is what the X-rays that we had done show.”
‘The Genius of Connecticut’ statue in the central atrium on the State Capitol, in Hartford, Conn., on Sept. 28, 2023. A plan to move it to the top of the dome may not move forward because of structural concerns about the statute.
The half-million dollars budgeted to hoist “The Genius” atop the dome — with its crown of oak leaves representing the state tree, a wreath of dried flowers in her right hand and mountain laurel, the state flower, in the left — could increase dramatically if the 20 pieces have to be taken apart, an armature inserted and the pieces welded back together, he said.
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That’s the issue before the State Capitol Preservation and Restoration Commission. The advisory panel, along with the Office of Legislative Management, considers a remounted “Genius” the culmination of the $50 million cleaning and repair program at the Capitol that includes applying a 3/1000ths-inch of gold leaf on the dome and rehabilitating 522 windows.
That cost doesn’t include necessary repairs to the original base of the “Genius,” above the dome in the area called the “lantern” of the Capitol, itself a tribute to the nation’s role in the American Civil War.
Complicating the work on the “Genius” is that the Polich Tallix Foundry of Rock Tavern, N.Y. — where it was cast, based on the 2007 advanced laser imaging of the plaster copy of the original that resides in the Capitol’s north lobby — has been sold to another company.
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Pencz recently told the Capitol Preservation Commission that it will have to wait a year or more to see whether adding a new skeleton or armature is even possible.
“I reached out to that company and a competitor of theirs to have them come in and look at it so we can at least get the process started, and I have only heard back from one and they’re out until mid-summer next year,” he said.
‘The Genius of Connecticut,’ a copy of an identical statue that was atop the State Capitol between 1878 and 1938, is a regular stop for tours under the Capitol’s 257-foot-tall rotunda. Plans to move it to the dome are threatened by a structural assessment of the sculpture.
State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, co-chair of the legislative Appropriations Committee who leads the Preservation Commission, said she would like to know the cost of a skeletal component for the “Genius.”
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“I think it’s important for us to kind of get there. Personally, I’d like to see the ‘Genius’ get back where it belongs,” she said. “That’s where I’ve been along and I’d like to see that happen.”
Before the 1938 hurricane, the original statue had previously been hauled down in 1903, for about a year, when officials were concerned about damage from high winds, according to a 2021 article by Central Connecticut State University Professor Matthew Warshauer.
Warshauer, in a phone interview Monday, said he would also like to see the new version of the “Genius” atop the dome. But Warshauer also said he’d prefer that a statewide, grassroots citizen-fundraising effort pay for it, rather than state funds. He cited the importance of civic engagement, particularly in this semiquincentennial year of celebrating — and discussing — the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
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“I wholeheartedly support raising the ‘Genius’ to the center of the Capitol and its towering heights,” Warshauer said. “But what will such an action mean if it’s done only by the General Assembly and not the public? Today we have to decide what our symbols are and what they can mean. It’s up to the people to decide, with the help of civic leaders and historians. It’s more meaningful if done with intention by the people and different groups of people.”
BRIDGEPORT — Bridgeport City Hall was closed Monday due to a power outage, officials said.
Mayor Joseph Ganim said services at City Hall, located at 45 Lyon Terrace, would be closed for the day and would reopen as soon as power was restored. The building contains many city departments, including the Town Clerk, Tax Collector, Building Department, Licensing and Permits and the Board of Education.
United Illuminating, which serves Bridgeport and more than a dozen other towns in southern Connecticut, reported 15 power outages in Bridgeport Monday morning. The outage reportedly began around 4 a.m.
The city said any residents who have payment deadlines for Monday will have an extension contingent on the reopening of City Hall.
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