MIDDLETOWN — With a grey-clouded sky over the river five brave boaters set out for Key West in dugout canoes Thursday.
Setting forth in two handcrafted dugouts, Captain George Frick and four crew members headed down the Connecticut River towards Saybrook and the open water beyond. They are then to head down Long Island Sound to New York and then traverse the Inland (IntraCoastal) Waterway to Florida, a journey that will take about 6 weeks. We reported earlier on the making of the canoes and on an earlier trip down river to Greenport, Long Island. The photo at top is from an earlier excursion on the river and the one below is a view of two incomplete dugouts taken in Harbor Park, Middletown last year. A full account of the earlier trip can be read here and here (PDF). The top photo is from that site.
Here is an excerpt from a web site documenting the building of the canoes:
THE PROJECT Getting the tree An Eastern cottonwood tree -- 60 feet in length and 12 feet in circumference -- had been identified on Wilcox Island under the Arrigoni Bridge. Ron Klattenberg, Middletown City Council member and project organizer, observed that there were several auspicious signs for this project. The first was the weather. The massive tree identified to be cut down for the project fell during a storm; then subsequent days of rain helped wash the tree trunk down parallel to the river for launching. The cottonwood was floated downriver to Harbor Park in Middletown. Clients went upriver to watch the process. Not only were the clients watching, so were police, fire and Coast Guard boats. Everyone marveled at how George Frick, president of Friends of the Connecticut River, was able to manage to straddle the tree without falling off, then to bring it to shore. Crafting the canoe: Trial and error Now it was time for the AIC clients to begin the arduous and grueling process of chopping, burning, and carving the tree into a canoe. Under the guidance of George Frick and Ron Klattenberg, the young men set to work hollowing and carving out the dugout canoe. For a month they burned the wood to make it soft, then dug out the tree, all the while using primitive tools. Each day they carved, cooked lunch over the burning embers, then carved some more. While there are no historical records as to how the Indians in fact crafted these boats, Frick had some knowledge of the methods and type of shape that would be necessary to make this journey successful.
Tags: dugout canoes,paddling to florida,connecticut river,middletown ct,george frick
This will be a blog posting on the fly today. First a photo essay (a beautiful day for photography by the way) from Obama's appearance at Wesleyan University in Middletown to give the 176th annual commencement address in place of the ailing Ted Kennedy. Following the photos there will be an 8 minute video of the event and later I will add some comments about the address and also about remarks by President Michael Roth.
Funny, Obama thought he was at Wellesley; listen at around 6:10 in the video. (Omitted from the Obama campaign official You Tube video posted on Wesleying blog) And the Courant's blogger Melissa Pionzio thought she was at Palmer Field instead of Andrus Field ("Well, I'm here sitting under the trees on the side of Palmer field where the Wesleyan Commencement ceremonies will begin in about 45 minutes.") She also seems alarmed by the obvious presence of heavily armed security agents:
"There appears to be sharp shooters of some kind atop the glass connection between the campus chapel and I think Judd Hall (home of the psychology dept.) They are in black, with their arms folded - looks like there are about four of them. A woman with binoculars behind me confirmed that they have rifles up there, yikes!!
In the few days following the tumultuous events of last week (the police student confrontation*), peace has returned to the campus just in time for next weekend's reunion and commencement celebrations. Following is a portion of the university's announcement about the 176th Commencement. Senator Ted Kennedy was scheduled to be the speaker but his appearance remains doubtful because of recent health issues.
The 176th Commencement Ceremony (11 AM May 25) The Commencement Ceremony will be available live by Webcast. Please go to http://wescast.wesleyan.edu for details about how you can view the ceremony. A live broadcast of the Commencement ceremony will be available in the Memorial Chapel, Patricelli '92 Theater, Crowell Concert Hall, and Tishler Lecture Hall (Room 150), Exley Sciene Center, rain or shine. The ceremony may also be viewed online. Please check this site for details the week of May 18, 2008. In case of inclement weather, you may also call the main University number at 860/685-2000 to determine whether or not the University will institute the rain plan for the Commencement Ceremony.
*The student-police clash created great controversy and charges and counter charges are in the air and on the blogosphere. We reported on it on Right of Middle; Wesleying blog has been all over it; Ed McKeon at Cauterwaled weighed in; the student run Wesleyan Argus published a special edition, also see Hartford Courant and Middletown Press.
Finally, an historical note regarding Wesleyan town/gown, police/student relations: On May Day 1954 following a veterans parade on Washington Street there occurred a near riot on campus. Right of Middle reported (April 30, 2007):
....events of the previous Sunday (Loyalty Day) when some Wesleyan students clashed with police and VFW members during a parade through town and onto the campus. The disturbance garnered nationwide attention, with charges of subversion on campus....An informal band of students with musical instruments began to perform in front of the Delta Kappa Epsilon house. Other students with their instruments joined the band and they all marched on High St to Washington St where they turned around only to find themselves leading the VFW parade which had just come up Washington and turned onto High.....From this point forward confusion reigned. Police, in attempting to clear the streets for the marchers, were accused of undue roughness although it was evident that a number of students provoked the officers. At least one student, Terry Hatter, was taken into custody; other students refused to doff their hats when the flag passed and were rebuked by police.
The commotion continued onto Andrus Field, The Argus reported::
The police then began to disperse the students. the marchers who had been standing on the other side of the stret started to cross the steet, saying something about “un-peace” apparently in reference to the sign. By the time they had reached the other side the students had been herded into the house by the police. The bulk of the paraders had reached Andrus field by this time and were awaiting the start of the speeches. Several inquisitive students had gathered behind Denison Terrace to view the proceedings. It was this time that the German Swastika flag, a trophy brought to Wesleyan by a veteran paratrooper after the war, was seen hanging from a dormitory window. The flag had been brought to the dormitory from the Alpha Delta Phi house, where it had been hanging for about twenty minutes. The Alpha Delta had gotten the flag from students who had been dissuaded from hanging it at the Beta Theta Pi house. (The Argus from the period-pdf)
Ahh youth....Happy Spring and Best Wishes to all new grads,,,We return to serenity below....
The video below was made today at Indian Hill Cemetery in Middletown. The brownstone 1850 chapel is a hidden architectural gem tucked away on this hillside. It was very windy there today so some segments of the video are marred by a roaring wind sound.
Tags: middletown ct,indian hill cemetery chapel,small churches,easter cemetery tour
Brian O'Rourke opened his, or should we say the community's, diner today for the first time since the disastrous fire many moons ago. According to the staff it was gangbusters from 5 Am 'till closing at 3 PM. I didn't get a chance to interview Brian this afternoon but hope to do so in the near future.
The moving of buildings, large and small, is a tradition here in New England. Years ago thrifty Yankees would recycle their buildings in many ways. Post and beam houses were disassembled and erected elsewhere. Entire buildings were jacked off their foundations, lowered onto log rollers, hitched to large teams of oxen or horse and taken to their new location. When lumber was cheap and iron nails dear, old houses would be burned for their nail content! Today, methods have changed but the tradition of moving buildings continues. The building moved yesterday, a former Methodist church built in 1853, was moved 2 blocks from #9 Liberty St. to #47 Rapallo Av. here in the city. Further North on Main St, the building next to O'Rourke's Diner, also a church, was moved to that spot many years ago. Much more recent is the dismantling of the 18th century mill on Washington St. near West. St., and just several weeks ago, the dismantling of an 18th century house on West St, just above the Gulf station. These buildings have been preserved and will be erected elsewhere.
This particular move required much planning and co-ordination among the consulting overseer, the moving contractor, various utilities, and the CT DOT. Traffic lights street lamps, and utility lines had to be temporarily taken down or protected from the huge building which would take over most of Main Street for its passage. This preliminary work was done early Saturday evening and traffic was rerouted to enable the crews to work unimpeded. All was ready around 1:30 AM Sunday morning and the building was then seen to inch its way off the corner lot, over the curb, and onto Main Street. Once there and heading North one could measure its progress in inches per hour! It was a fascinating spectacle, one that attracted quite a few observers despite the late hour. All in all, a slow motion parade with only a single float; not something you see everyday! Oh, and this building will be converted into four low income housing units on Liberty St as part of the revitalization of the city's North End, and will make way for commercial development of its former site at Liberty and Main.
Middletown North End Action Team (N.E.A.T.) Community Organizer Lydia Brewster
The North End Action Team is a grassroots advocacy group that began in the spring of 1997. Purpose of N.E.A.T.as a non-profit community organization, shall, through its members and the Advisory Board, organize and mobilize the residents in the neighborhood, empowering them through a process of democratic decision-making and direct action, to address particular issues affecting the neighborhood. This corporation will propose neighborhood initiatives, design and produce communal events and fulfill the function of watchdog at City Hall and in the state government. N.E.A.T. shall not endorse political candidates or parties.
Our Mission: The North End Action Team is a neighborhood advocacy group consisting of residents and stakeholders of the North End neighborhood of Middletown, Connecticut. It's mission is to enrich and advocate for neighborhood interest.
N.E.A.T.'s storefront headquarters at Main St. and Rapallo Ave Middletown
Sign announcing the project featuring the major tenant It's Only Natural Market
Developer Peter Harding (r) and Nehemiah Housing Corp.'s Michael Taylor (c)
In 1986, Middletown community members formed Nehemiah Housing Corporation to develop and operate a range of housing options for families and individuals who are unable to find quality affordable housing. Nehemiah builds communities by developing affordable housing for families and individuals with resident services and quality property management, as appropriate, with a focus on Middlesex County.
Brian Cigal of TimberFrame Barn Conversions enjoys coffee and snacks provided for workers and spectators at N.E.A.T. headquarters by Lydia Brewster (r)
N.E.A.T. hospitality!
Workers dwarfed by the huge building and its carriage! John deNicholas (l) , Nicholas Bros., supervising.
Hydraulically powered aircraft type wheels and tires inch the building forward
Halfway into Main Street, starting to turn and head North
Moving North on Main Street; estimated speed an inch a minute!
Paul Cigal(r), overseer of project with Joe deNicholas, of Nicholas Bros.,the moving contractor,
I spoke with Paul Cigal today about his professional experiences and his involvement in this moving project:
Over the last 20+ years in the building trade and historic preservation field, I've had experience coordinating projects that involve moving buildings on wheels; with cranes; and by taking apart, moving by flatbed truck, and reassembling at a new location. My friend and former partner, David Berto, is involved in this Middletown project with N.E.A.T., and he contacted me to ask if I would participate in this one. These types of challanging projects are just what I like to accomplish and I jumped at the chance. Working for Peter Harding as project coordinator, I solicitated bids from the trades, applied for and secured the many permits required for the move, and completed tons of paperwork. I'd guess I talked with more than 100 people over the course of two months in order to move this house.
About 20 folks assembled this beautiful September morn for the annual cleanup of the Coginchaug River in Middletown CT. This effort is sponsored by the Connecticut River Watershed Council and other organizations. We found carpets, mattresses, tires, and shopping carts just to mention the larger items. Other assorted trash filled scores of large garbage bags. The city supplied materials handling supplies and trucks to haul away the debris.
This post also appears at http://conservacity.us I apologize for earlier photos here which did not render properly for all viewers.
That so stunningly magical a place as "The Floating Meadows" can exist unnoticed, under our very noses, is exposed today in Peter Marteka's excellent column in the Hartford Courant. Marteka writes a weekly piece called "The Path Less Traveled" and this weeks offering is an account of his, mine, and a couple dozen others' journey into the Mattabesset River and a hidden world ofWild rice, Arrowroot, and Swallows.
Marteka'a column begins.....
When I first decided to journey up the Connecticut and Mattabesset rivers, I had visions of my canoe tipping over because of strong currents, slapping away mosquitoes the size of blimps and paddling around half-sunk refrigerators and washing machines rusting in the murky water. Not even close.
Peter Marteka is pictured below as we near the bridges between Middletown and Portland.
