Hampton, CT is number 10 on my project to visit every town in CT.
Ten towns in, and I still haven’t crossed the threshold of a population higher than 2,000. Hampton was established in 1786, and has a population of 1,728. It is located in Windham County, in CT’s NE corner.
As far as I can tell, this would have been the only location in town to get a bite to eat. However, I had the bad luck to come to town on a day when they were closed. This happened to me in Cornwall as well!
Undaunted, I headed up the road to Trail Wood. Trail Wood, now owned and maintained by the Connecticut Audubon Society, is the former home of Edwin Way Teale and his wife Nellie. The couple moved to Hampton in 1959, escaping their growing discomfort with the press of humanity in Baldwin, Long Island.. Edwin was the author of 27 books focused on natural history, science, and photography. The trail below began my short stroll around the pond.
The first thing I came upon after heading down the trail was Nellie’s Summerhouse. The couple spent many evenings and mornings in the Summerhouse, enjoying the view of the pond.
I imagine if I came with a warning label, it would also say something about “elderly and fragile.”
Did I mention the view of the pond?
Continuing around the pond, I came to Edwin’s writing cabin. A three-season getaway from the distractions of the main house, Edwin could write quietly here, warming himself in Spring and Fall with a Franklin stove.
Ten of Mr. Teale’s books were written at Trail Wood, including his 1966 Pulitzer Prize winner, Wandering Through Winter. The cabin was made to be the same size as Henry David Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond
Another quiet spot, a little further up the path from the cabin.
Near the main house, there is a little information center in one of the old out-buildings. I was the first person to sign the log book in 11 days. Sadly, this little children’s puzzle fails to mention the beautiful and fascinating process of transpiration.
As I was running (literally running—the mosquitos were starting to get to me) around the far side of the house to get back to the parking lot, I spotted this sundial. I love a sundial!
At this point, I made my way home. On the way to Hampton, I passed a semi-permanent looking carnival food trailer in Windham, selling apple crisp, whatever that is. I fully planned to stop and get one on my way back, but alas my GPS sent me home an entirely different way. And yet somehow, it was still another great day in Connecticut!
2 Responses
Transpiration
Nature’s beautiful cycle.