[Ex-Ithacan]

A continuation of the 2004 New England trip. I didn't spend much time in these cities, so the tours are mostly limited to the downtown area. The pics aren't great, but you'll get an idea of what I saw. Since this is a repeat, there won't be much commentary either (you lucky rascals).

Starting off with Danbury (pop ~ 75,000 and growing). I got these fairly early in the morning on a weekend. I was groggy so I didn't take very many pics.

1.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2637117592_99e0198824_o.jpg

2.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2636292599_64786025bc_o.jpg

3.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2637118004_4b75448f06_o.jpg

4.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/2637118192_5713c2d4d9_o.jpg

5.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/2636293231_814b466cce_o.jpg

6. Here ya go Trantor.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2636293443_d313fca0b5_o.jpg

7.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2637119048_03a14dfed5_o.jpg

8.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/2637119276_51681ecc64_o.jpg

9. This was for our Philly forumer friend.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/2637119462_b2cdb6c6cb_o.jpg


Next up is Meriden (pop ~ 58,000, and growing, but I didn't understand why). Seemed like there were a lot of what I thought were public housing projects, and not much of a downtown.

10.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2637126160_f74ed22e57_o.jpg

11.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/2637126396_8d1ccd7f80_o.jpg

12.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2637128288_bb950cb25e_o.jpg

13.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2636302587_d028090715_o.jpg

14. An old fire station.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/2637126808_e1c3893c86_o.jpg

15.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2637128066_dfeac043f7_o.jpg

16.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/2637126620_f619b5a9c4_o.jpg

17.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2637127062_37c4245c32_o.jpg

18.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2636303295_ef3d1c0a53_o.jpg

19.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/2636303503_1d9f638c42_o.jpg

20.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2636301959_648755e698_o.jpg

21.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2637127656_fd9a7a5ff3_o.jpg

22.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2636302151_d573fa98ba_o.jpg


Here's one of the more active small cities I visited. Middletown (pop ~ 43,000 and growing) is in great shape and the downtown seemed quite lively.

23. A bridge crossing from downtown.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2637131902_1b7be9ec40_o.jpg

24.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/2637131690_eba3a8e91a_o.jpg

25.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2636305941_2a53271e53_o.jpg

26.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/2636306173_8b7ddd9192_o.jpg

27.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/2636305059_eb3e557ecc_o.jpg

28.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2637130474_740bcf4b92_o.jpg

29.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/2637130972_dba81591d4_o.jpg

30.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/2637130686_84e066cf13_o.jpg

31.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2636304857_226510e605_o.jpg

32.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2636304627_04266afbce_o.jpg

33.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2636304183_cb7f0efdff_o.jpg

34.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2637129618_ea822f4788_o.jpg

35.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2636303967_323609e74c_o.jpg

36.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2636303711_30c938f5a4_o.jpg


New London (pop ~ 25,000 and steady) is an old port city and had a Naval Base. I like old ports so this city was a fun place for me to see.

37.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2636290059_bc41a4a75a_o.jpg

38.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2637115462_310f60f45d_o.jpg

39.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2637116236_1145dfd66b_o.jpg

40.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2636291169_60f866b28b_o.jpg

41.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/2636291335_e33f008d81_o.jpg

42.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2636291965_d8f3117cf6_o.jpg

43.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2636291755_c7767b9ec7_o.jpg

44.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2637116744_3e3ddb5851_o.jpg

45.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/2636290673_f13bb9a2fb_o.jpg

46.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3054/2637115636_ce3c8b3f82_o.jpg

47.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/2637115082_57bf353ebe_o.jpg

Not far from New London is Norwich (pop ~ 36,000 and steady). The downtown looked empty and had a bunch of unused old buildings. Kind of sad and forlorn.

48.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2637114894_a1409322b0_o.jpg

49.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/2637113326_cda8e55456_o.jpg

50.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/2637113512_04ca9f20e8_o.jpg

51.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2637113664_ce8537e356_o.jpg

52.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/2636288559_6df8a48bf7_o.jpg

53.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/2637114076_f119b1d8ac_o.jpg

54.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2637114286_f904d38fa5_o.jpg

55.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/2637114498_7c3bc53f36_o.jpg

56.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/2636289425_83cd67b532_o.jpg

57.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/2636287817_f59120fac1_o.jpg

58.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2636287419_1b20707e7b_o.jpg

59. It wasn't all bad, there were some nice occupied buildings.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/2637112938_5798defd37_o.jpg

60.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/2637112312_cea7f9a757_o.jpg

61.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3015/2636286787_3df4c16257_o.jpg

62. Nice looking City Hall
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2636287203_3643ab32a4_o.jpg

Finally (yeah, we made it) there was New Britain (pop ~ 71,500 and dropping). There were some nice buildings, but for the most part it was quite the gloomy place.

63.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/2637108686_a34270acf2_o.jpg

64.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/2637109110_d1020dd5f6_o.jpg

65.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/2637132098_c86620a1f0_o.jpg

66.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2637132340_bbe5fa810a_o.jpg

67.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/2637109548_d0404d3f2d_o.jpg

68.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2126/2636284529_ab02cd30c0_o.jpg

69.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2636284721_fac6804bb2_o.jpg

70.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/2637108898_037b75287c_o.jpg

71.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/2636284079_c4bc08aace_o.jpg

72.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/2636283267_6554d36bcc_o.jpg

73.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2637107682_e5aa056f14_o.jpg

74.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2637108198_cfe3888d40_o.jpg

75.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3050/2637107812_02c3975220_o.jpg

76.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/2637110418_b7cfcee2bd_o.jpg

77.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2637110786_b3273573c1_o.jpg

78.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3069/2636285775_4fe29a688c_o.jpg

79.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/2636286003_867266ff98_o.jpg

80.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/2636286363_dddf82fd32_o.jpg

81.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2637111424_4be85ec06b_o.jpg

82.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2017/2636284963_d98e4de16d_o.jpg

83.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2636285375_2d924f21db_o.jpg


I'd love to go on another tour of these cities and see what kind of progress has been made in the last 4 years. Hope you enjoyed. :)

[Top Of The Park]

nice tour

[Thundertubs]

Those are precicely the 6 cities in Connecticut I haven't been to, so this was a bunch of fun. I'm still going to visit them myself (I want to visit every city in the US eventually, little hobby of mine). I might hit some of those up while heading down to NJ for Thx or Xmas. We'll see if any progress has been made. New Britian is a Charmer. That's where the Minnesota Twins AA team is, random fact.

Nice shots!

[kcexpress69]

Very nice tour Ex-Ithican!!:cheers: I'm getting to know New-England pretty well thanks to threads like yours, Thundertubs, Stepper77, and others!! I hope to visit some of these cities later on someday!! Thanks!! :D

[TinChelseaNYC]

Sad to see so many old beauties sitting around boarded up, unused and rotting. Nice tour! New London looks cool.

[Ex-Ithacan]

Thanks for the replies fellas.

@ Tt & kcex, seems like we're sympatico when it comes to gettin' around and seeing cities (and taking pics) that aren't seen on here very often, if at all. Who knows, maybe we'll have to meet up some day for a tour together. :D

[whatsthepoint13]

Im from Danbury originally...
lol glad to not live there anymore

[ctman987]

Ex-Ithacan since its been 4 years since youve visited these cities heres some updates since im very familiar with all of these places except for Danbury.

Middletown - Still a very thriving little city. Middletown does very well because Wesleyan University is located here and is adjacent to the city's downtown. Main Street is still home to dozens of shops and restaurants. Middletown also has no highways cutting through it either - I-91 passes through the rural western part of the city and Route 9 passes by the waterfront but are lights in downtown that kill the highway while it passes through Middletown.

New London - New London has made advances over the last four years. State officials fought the closure of the Submarine base here and won. Much of this city lives off business from the sub base and thousands came out to support state and local politicians in their fight. The US Coast Guard Academy is also located in New London. During the summer months the city gets a few stops by cruise ships - yes thats right! Thousands step off to explore the downtown. The city has been hit by layoffs at Pfizer because their Global Research Facility is here.

Norwich - Norwich has definitly improved since the last time you were there thanks to its location - right between the nation's two largest casinos (Foxwoods Resort Casino and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods and the Mohegan Sun Casino). Several of those downtown buildings that were pictured have been renovated by Indian tribes and local developers into luxury apartments. Theres a marina great marina downtown.

New Britain - This city definitly hit hard times in the past but the bottom never truly fell out. Its neighborhoods for one thing have remained fairly stable, thanks to a large Polish population which never moved out of the city. Downtown is seeing new life - some buildings are being renovated into apartments, there's a downtown supermarket, and a few new restaurants. One underutilized asset the city has is Central CT State University located on the outskirts of the city near the Newington town line. CCSU has about 11,000 students and a severe housing shortage which gives lots of opportunity to build student housing in the downtown.

Meriden - Meriden is probably the same as it was four years ago. There is a downtown that is pretty dense but is also surrounded by numerous housing projects. There are huge vacant sites very close to the downtown also. Also probably not to helpful for downtown activity is the fact that there is a Westfield Shoppingtown in Meriden, a typical suburban mall that is doing quite well.

[NYC4Life]

Greats pictures of small cities hardly ever seen. However; on many of the shots they look sparse and depressing. The Downtowns can really use a revival.

[ColDayMan]

Gracias!

[seaskyfan]

Thanks for the photos!

The New London train station (visible in #39) is one of my favorites. It was designed by H H Richardson. Truly a gem.

[Ex-Ithacan]

^ Thanks for the info seasky.


@ ctman: appreciate your input and update. I really would like to visit those places again (well maybe not Meriden ;) :D )

Ex-Ithacan since its been 4 years since youve visited these cities heres some updates since im very familiar with all of these places except for Danbury.

Middletown - Still a very thriving little city. Middletown does very well because Wesleyan University is located here and is adjacent to the city's downtown. Main Street is still home to dozens of shops and restaurants. Middletown also has no highways cutting through it either - I-91 passes through the rural western part of the city and Route 9 passes by the waterfront but are lights in downtown that kill the highway while it passes through Middletown.

New London - New London has made advances over the last four years. State officials fought the closure of the Submarine base here and won. Much of this city lives off business from the sub base and thousands came out to support state and local politicians in their fight. The US Coast Guard Academy is also located in New London. During the summer months the city gets a few stops by cruise ships - yes thats right! Thousands step off to explore the downtown. The city has been hit by layoffs at Pfizer because their Global Research Facility is here.

Norwich - Norwich has definitly improved since the last time you were there thanks to its location - right between the nation's two largest casinos (Foxwoods Resort Casino and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods and the Mohegan Sun Casino). Several of those downtown buildings that were pictured have been renovated by Indian tribes and local developers into luxury apartments. Theres a marina great marina downtown.

New Britain - This city definitly hit hard times in the past but the bottom never truly fell out. Its neighborhoods for one thing have remained fairly stable, thanks to a large Polish population which never moved out of the city. Downtown is seeing new life - some buildings are being renovated into apartments, there's a downtown supermarket, and a few new restaurants. One underutilized asset the city has is Central CT State University located on the outskirts of the city near the Newington town line. CCSU has about 11,000 students and a severe housing shortage which gives lots of opportunity to build student housing in the downtown.

Meriden - Meriden is probably the same as it was four years ago. There is a downtown that is pretty dense but is also surrounded by numerous housing projects. There are huge vacant sites very close to the downtown also. Also probably not to helpful for downtown activity is the fact that there is a Westfield Shoppingtown in Meriden, a typical suburban mall that is doing quite well.

[ctman987]

^ Thanks for the info seasky.


@ ctman: appreciate your input and update. I really would like to visit those places again (well maybe not Meriden ;) :D )

Haha ....if your back in the area I would definitly make a trip and do Middletown, New Britain and then Hartford or go to southeast CT and do New London and Norwich....things have definitly changed over the last few years!

[theWatusi]

nice tour :tup:

[boden]

Very enjoyable thread Tom.
Meriden.....now that is a new one to me. Looks pretty urban too.

:cheers:

[CTroyMathis]

I live in New London these days. Nice to see you post it up on here ex-ith.

[holladay]

Damn, I love New England! If I ever have enough capital to start developing properties I will definitely pursue old buildings like the ones you photographed.

[Evergrey]

Connecticut is so awesome... and has been getting lots of love on here lately!

[Sekkle]

New Britian is a Charmer. That's where the Minnesota Twins AA team is, random fact.


The twins now, huh? When I was growing up it was the New Britain Red Sox at Beehive stadium. And Meriden Square Mall was my mall growing up (no shots of it here - for good reason, and reading ctman's post, I guess it has a different name now?) Ah the memories. Great shots. I love seeing CT represented here!!!

[hymalaia]

The twins now, huh? When I was growing up it was the New Britain Red Sox at Beehive stadium. And Meriden Square Mall was my mall growing up (no shots of it here - for good reason, and reading ctman's post, I guess it has a different name now?) Ah the memories. Great shots. I love seeing CT represented here!!!

are they still called the "hardware city rock cats"? I found that name hilarious. I was born in the New Britain hospital. That's about my only connection to that place. I love all the small historic cities in New England, even if they are run down. There are so many, so close to one another!

[blade_bltz]

Ah so THAT's what the "Dirty Den" looks like. Thanks for the pics!

[KevinFromTexas]

Awesome tour, Ex.

This is an interesting building. Kind of different.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2637126160_f74ed22e57_o.jpg