Power Plant Reflection

Gales Ferry, CT

At one time, there really was a ferry here crossing the Thames River.   The ferry was established by John Comstock, Ralph Stoddard Jr, and John Hurlbut in 1740.  Later it was owned by Roger Gale from 1759 to 1764 whose name lives on to this day.  Today the site is the home of the Yale University Crew training camp, whose boathouse was pictured in this blog last week.  This is the view across the the Thames River looking at the village of Uncasville.  I'm sharing this with Weekend Reflections, where you'll find many more wonderful reflections.  Enjoy your weekend and thanks for visiting my blog. 

Snowy Beach

Madison, CT

I had the chance recently to visit Hammonassett State Park in Madison, CT, the afternoon after a major snow storm hit our area.  The temperature was about 15ºF with steady wind blowing, so I didn't stay out too long.   It always seems that the clearest, brightest skies always occur on the coldest days.

Citizen's Bank

New London, CT

Don't you think all bank buildings should look like this? 

Yale University - Students

New Haven, CT

Yale University - Book and Snake Tomb

New Haven, CT

Yale University is noted for a number of undergraduate landed "secret societies", perhaps the most famous being the Skull and Bones Society which claims amongst its members,  Presidents William Howard Taft, George Bush and his son, George W Bush.  Each society owns their own meeting hall/ building which is characterized by having no windows nor any other identifying signs.  The buildings are called tombs.  The one pictured here belongs to the Society of the Book and Snake, founded in 1863.  I'm not sure for what purpose these societies exist.  I guess that's why they are secret. 

Yale University-Master's House Delivery Door

New Haven, CT

Yale University - Iron Gate

New Haven, CT

I failed to note where this particular gate is located.  It might have some connection to a fraternity at Yale due to the greek letters, Delta Psi, seen above the arch. 

Yale University-Boat House

Gales Ferry, CT

I knew it was here in Gales Ferry someplace, and I actually found Yale's boat house on the Thames River, located in Gales Ferry.  Although the boat house is pretty far from Yale University in New Haven, the Thames River is the site of the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in America, the annual Yale-Harvard Regatta. This boat race has been a one sided affair, with Harvard holding a 94-54 edge in wins over Yale.  The calm waters afforded a very nice reflection, which I'm linking to Weekend Reflections.  

Yale University-Sheffield Tower

New Haven, CT

This is a view of the base of Shefflield Tower.  I could spend hours looking closely at all the buildings   at Yale, and I'm sure I would not be able to find all the details that went into their construction.  One doesn't see this level of detail in today's buildings.  It's obvious from all the scientific symbols seen here that this building was once a part of the Shefflield Scientific School.  Currently I think it is part of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.  "Lux et veritas" translates roughly as "light and truth", if I recall my high school Latin correctly.  The good Fr Nicholas would be proud that I remembered something from his Latin classes.  

Pardon the Interruption...

Niantic, CT

I'll return to posting some more pictures from Yale, but thought I'd get the requisite winter snow pictures posted today.  The first picture is my patio as I found it this morning after the latest big storm to hit our area of Connecticut.  I think we got about 8" of snow, perhaps more.  The predictions were pretty accurate this time.  I've heard the storm was worse near Boston and Cape Cod was especially hard hit.  The snow was followed by some bitterly cold temperatures.  Tonight it's predicted to get down to the single digits near the shoreline. Spring cannot come fast enough. 

Yale University-Memorial Rotunda

New Haven, CT

This is another part of the complex of buildings which includes the Commons, pictured earlier, and Woolsey Hall, the main auditorium of Yale University. 

Yale University-Sheffield Tower

New Haven, CT

Sheffield Tower, along with Sheffield Hall, and Strathcona Hall now occupy the site of the original Yale Scientific School, which was founded in 1847 and later re-named the Sheffield Scientific School.   Named after Joseph E Sheffield, a railroad executive and early benefactor of Yale, the Sheffield Scientific School offered courses early on in agricultural chemistry, practical chemistry and civil engineering.  The school influenced the transition of US higher education to the modern model used today which incorporates the teaching of the sciences along side the classical liberal arts. 

Yale University-Woodbridge Hall

New Haven, CT

Across the quad from yesterday's post is located Woodbridge Hall, home to the central administration of Yale University.  The building was designed by the firm of Howells and Stokes and is considered to be in the French Renaissance style.  The building is named after the Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, one of the founders of Yale.  

Yale University Commons

New Haven, CT

Yale University Commons was once the dining hall for the entire student body.  Food is still served here today, but each of the university residential "colleges" now has it's own dining hall.  The building is part of a complex which also contains Woolsey Hall and the Memorial Rotunda, built in 1901-1902 as part of Yale's bicentennial celebration.  The buildings were designed by, John Carrère and Thomas Hastings, who also designed the New York Public Library.  I love the columns in this building.  

Yale University- Sterling Memorial Library

New Haven, CT

Yale is the third oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is located in New Haven, CT.   The buildings, colleges and campuses are entwined within the city, and it's often hard to tell where the city ends and the university begins.  I recently spent an afternoon walking around one small part of the campus and will be sharing some pictures from Yale this week.  This is a picture of Sterling Memorial Library.  I'm sure any students attending Yale spend many an hour here. 

Winter Tree Reflection

Old Saybrook, CT

Here's my contribution for this week's Weekend Reflections hosted by James.  Please stop by over there to see many more interesting reflections.  Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend.  

Benches

Old Saybrook

Country Roads

Lyme, CT

Old Building Revisited

Norwich, CT

I had photographed this building about 2 years ago and posted in this blog here.  Back then I thought the building would not last much longer.  I was surprised recently seeing the building still standing, however  it doesn't appear that much has happened with the site, either with further demolition or renovation.  In stark contrast to this building, the angular building rising above the tree line in the background is the Mohegan Sun Casino, which is where the region's wealth lies today.

Railroad Crossing

Norwich, CT

Historic Floods

Lyme, CT

Located at the historic Chester-Hadlyme Ferry, this sign serves as a reminder of the force of nature.  I thought it was an appropriate reminder today since we had some pretty heavy rains yesterday  and all of southeast Connecticut was under a flood watch.  Fortunately, today I have heard of no major floods in the area, much less any of historical proportions. 

Chester-Hadlyme Ferry Landing

Lyme, CT

Long before bridges, ferries were used to transport people across the Connecticut River.  This is the site of the historic ferry that connects the town of Chester on the west with the towns of Lyme and East Haddam on the east.  The ferry only operates in the summer time and has been in operation in one way or the other for over 200 years.

Baldwin Bridge

Old Saybrook, CT

The still waters of the Connecticut River made for a nice reflection the Baldwin Bridge, which carries I95 and US1 across the river, connecting the towns of Old Saybrook on the west to Old Lyme on the east.  The bridge was completed 1993 at a cost of $460 million dollars and today over 80,000 vehicles cross the Connecticut River via this bridge daily.  Two of those vehicles would by mine, as I cross this bridge on my daily commute to and from work.  This view is to the east, from the Old Saybrook side of the bridge.  Have a nice weekend, and check out some of the other great reflections at Weekend Reflections.

Winter Trees

Old Lyme, CT

Smoke Stack

Montville, CT

Wagon Wheel

Montville, CT

Rocking Chair and Barber's Pole

Montville, CT

The Past

Montville, CT

I think this windmill would be more at home somewhere out in the western plains, and not here in Connecticut.  The structure itself hardly looks old enough to be adorned with the sign "The Past",  so I thought I'd give a vintage look to this photo.

The Houston, Stanwood and Gamble Co Stationary Steam Engine

Montville, CT

I could find very little information by searching on the web for the Houston, Stanwood and Gamble Co.  It has been rare when I can't even find a mention in Wikepedia when I search for a company, place, building or artifact.  The best I can figure out is that the company existed back in the late 1880's  and made stationary steam engines like the one shown here.  They made a lot of them in their short history for use in such places as saw mills, primarily throughout the south.  The Gamble in their name has some relation to the huge Proctor and Gamble Co.  Searching for company turns up many images, and references to people who collect old steam engines.  I'm not sure what became of the company.

While photographing this engine I was approached by a gentleman who offered a little history of the engine and asked if I was a collector or "steam engine buff".  I said no, I was just intrigued by the engine and enjoyed photographing it.  He then offered to pose with the engine for a fee of $25.00, or 3 pictures for $60.00.  I politely declined.  I think he might have been the owner of the antique mall in the background.   

Connecticut River Slips

Old Saybrook, CT

There are nice reflections even on very cloudy days.  I'm linking this to Weekend Reflections.  I hope it's warmer where ever you're at this weekend!  

Frick Eclipse "Portable" Steam Engine

Montville, CT

Over the last year and a half or so, I've been watching the construction of a new antiques mall located in Montville, CT, right next to the Nature's Art attraction, home of the T-Rex which has been featured prominently in this blog.  Now the mall is complete and is decorated outside with a couple of antique engines, including this Frick Eclipse Steam Engine.  The Frick Co was founded in 1873 by George Frick who developed a small steam engine suitable for use on a farm.  For their time, the engine pictured here was considered to be "portable" in that it could be pulled by horses to any location which needed power.  The Frick Co also produced steam tractors.  Soon the company found out that their steam engines were ideally suited to drive ammonia compressors,  which were needed by the refrigeration industry.  They eventually became a company known for their refrigeration units.  Today the company survives as a part of the larger Johnson Controls Co, still making large refrigeration units.  I'm pretty sure their modern compressors don't rely on steam power.

Happy New Year

Niantic, CT

Just a quick shot this morning outside my home in Niantic of the first sunrise of the New year.  Happy New Year to all my readers!