I am realizing I spend way too much time in waiting rooms. This time I was at my local garage waiting for my car to pass its emissions test. (It did eventually.) Two women who had moved to Norwich by choice were discussing what they had learned in separate local history of the city classes.

One of the side topics was how surprised one of the women was when she worked on her genealogy and learned her ancestors had begun their journey across the United States in New London, CT. What a coincidence she was living so close by because her son had been transferred here and she wanted to live close to him.

My mouth opened and the words shot out before I could stop them, “Did your ancestors settle in the Connecticut portion of Ohio?” Four blank staring eyes looked at me. “Ohio is a state in the mid-west,” says lady One. “Yes.” says lady Two. “Yes.” I replied. “Now its a state by itself but at one point it belonged to Connecticut and was called the Western Reserve. There are a lot of towns in Ohio named after towns in Connecticut and there is also the Western Reserve Academy.”

“No one mentioned that in the history class.” said Lady Two. I went back to my book hoping the two ladies would go home and check out my information. You can check out my information too.

The Connecticut Western Reserve was part of a “sea to sea” land grant to the Colony of Connecticut by the charter of King Charles II in what is now the northeast region of Ohio. The Pennsylvania portion of the land grant was surrendered after the Yankee-Pennamite Wars. Connecticut gave up more land after the Revolutionary War for its part of the wars debt around 1786. The remaining lands Connecticut sold starting in 1795 or so to a group of investors from the Suffield, CT area. Clear title remained in debate for a long time but somehow 500,000 acres were reserved for several New England towns that had been set fire to by the British during the War.

Yes you can visit towns called Norwich, Saybrook, New London, Litchfield, and Mansfield among others. To learn more about the Connecticut and Western Reserve Genealogy Connection search https//www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Connecticut_Western_Reserve_Genealogy. You’ll see a lot about the Hart and Jarvis families.

But don’t forget to take a peek at the architecture in Northern Ohio that mimics the traditional and familiar New England styles.

Don’t think that the New England styles of quilts didn’t travel with the settlers you’ll be able to recognize some of the styles of quilts in Ricky Clark’s new book, “Quilts of the Ohio Western Reserve.”

The land company sent surveyor Moses Cleaveland to the reserve for accurate measurements. He eventually founded the City of Cleveland. Story has it the “a” was lost by a printer who couldn’t fit the name across his newspaper banner. While you are looking up people, check out the name, Simon Perkins. He was a Norwich, CT son who did very well for himself but you will have to learn how by yourself.

There is certainly a lot more to the story than I am relating in this blog. I am an admirer of the history and multiple comebacks made by the Western Reserve University that was established in 1826 because a group of the settlers decided to build a school as good as Yale University back home, with the same sturdy looking brick buildings, and the same motto. It is now called Case Western Reserve University and is ranked 42^nd in the nation.

Norwich, CT was never and is not now a solitary city in the world with little or no connection to the state, country, or planet that it is located on. We have always been and currently are a part of a greater good. Our collective Norwich past has sent forth leaders, industrialists, financiers, farmers, writers and more. Yup, we even have a few crooks, criminals and murderers. Those interested in history need to be interested in all of the history not just the last 100 years and there should be at least some mention of the impact Norwich had on the world. That impact should be used as teaching points to our children to demonstrate that the basics learned here in Norwich can be used for a greater good and to grow larger and stronger in other places without fear.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

When I go out of town I always pick up brochures that look interesting or different than what I am used to. Frequently the brochures are about history, shopping and real estate. I had picked up six brochures and carried them with me to read while I was waiting for boarding to begin.

There was a delay due to storms and so I had time to kill and since I wasn’t driving I could enjoy an alcoholic drink. In one of the available selections of bars the lighting was dim but not dark, the music soft and it wasn’t very crowded. I ordered my drink and started reading one of the brochures. I can’t tell you what made me laugh in the brochure but suddenly there was a man at my table asking if he could join me and we began to chat. He told me his name and that he was in real estate sales in Virginia and had come North on business that had gone well. His return home was also delayed due to weather

and he too had picked up a few brochures to read with most of his having to do with the history of Rhode Island.

His knowledge of history dwarfed mine and time flew as he related story after story of farm properties he had sold and how on the older properties he tried his best to attach a chain of ownership as far back as he could verify so there could be no questions as to what had been there and who the property had belonged to. In his part of Virginia much of the land had been granted by the King as payment for favors and timber. Even though the grant land had been sold, broken up, and developed over the years the history of the area was everywhere and the chains are still part of active discussions and arguments.

His dealings here in the North which were just as rich in history don’t mention the early development of the area or the land. When land is purchased the history of the property may go back to when a house was built but anything prior to that is seldom brought up. Northern history appears to stop at the industrial revolution with occasional forays to the revolutionary and civil wars but once a factory was built all that came before is forgotten or ignored. Sometimes its the wording that makes all the difference. For example, we will refer to a house by the name of the individual or family who lived there at one time or who we think had it built. In the North with notable few exceptions we don’t refer to the individual craftsmen who performed the actual building of the house or mill or building. Who were the architects of the houses on Millionaires Row in Norwich, CT? Who designed the stained glass windows? The fireplaces? The staircases? Who laid out the streets in Taftville? Was it the first time such a plan was used or was it copied from somewhere else? Who designed the housing?

When did the stable become a garage? What and where were the businesses located in your part of town? Do you know who owned the property you are currently living on 100 years ago? 200 years ago? When was your area of the city developed? Was there a reason for its development? What was the land used for before it was developed? Do you know any of the stories that are unique to your area of the city or the state? Scandals are the best and frequently last the longest. Would it still be a scandal today?

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

Connecticut Trails Days Celebration is June 1 -2, 2019 but if you are in Norwich, CT we celebrate the four trails of Mohegan Park 365 days a year.

Mohegan Park is a free public park with plenty of convenient parking and well maintained and marked trails to choose from with varying sights and vegetation to enjoy.

The trails are open all year round. One of the most popular trails simply circles Spalding Pond. Walkers can observe people fishing in its stocked waters and painters with their easels off to the side of the path or on the little bridge. If you have been to any en plein air” art show in Connecticut you have probably seen a painting or more of Spalding Pond. The pond is a favorite of many photographers and artists as its always changing and there are so many different sights to see.

I like to go after any rain as there are so many mini-waterfalls and the sound of them all running at the same time is soothing and almost deafening at the same time. Visible only after a rain are a few tiny fairy abodes built near some of the waterfalls. When the waterfalls are not running the fairy houses once again disappear under the lush green growth.

Mohegan Park is a great place to make memories with you family. When one of my neighbors was tiny we spent an afternoon building a complex for the elves and the fairies to move into. We made twig walls and leaf slated roofs, a mattress of soft grass and fire pits so they could keep warm and pebble lined walkways. My young friend is now in college and doesn’t recall the afternoon but I sure do.

The trails criss cross throughout the park so you can make your walk as long or short as you like. You can look for specific plants and fungi. Various clubs, organizations and schools have sponsored walks that study and explain in detail all that can be found there. Please consult the local papers and WICH/WCTY radio for the latest updates.

Last year delicious edible mushrooms were plentiful along the red trail. Not all mushrooms are edible and some are poisonous so if you don’t know please don’t pick them or eat them.

Along each trail are designated picnic areas with charcoal grills and tables available at no charge. Yes, there are trash cans at each site for your convenience. Pack a picnic or a snack and enjoy the park.

Ask any one of the local restaurants to pack you a picnic lunch or visit any of the convenient large grocery stores for an international assortment of goodies. No matter your taste or need, Norwich, CT has the resources to meet your request. If you don’t see it, just ask!

Mohegan Park is open Seven Days A week. From dawn to dusk. There are four maintained hiking trails, a stocked pond for fishing, a seasonal beach for swimming, gazebos for shade and rest, plenty of convenient parking and beautiful scenery to enjoy and share with family and friends.

Don’t just visit during June! Spring walks with chill in the air are filled with earthy aroma and all the hopes awakening with fresh buds and new green leaves. A summer stroll is filled with bird song and the deep green colors of mature growth. In the fall the vibrant colors come out to play and the resident forest animals are making their winter homes ready and setting in their winter food stores. All provided with no extra entertainment fee. A winter hike makes you feel as if you have walked into a black and white sketch of history made long, long ago.

Visit the park early and often . All visitors are welcome and it’s one of the best benefits Norwich, CT has to offer to residents and visitors.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

When you are a kid everyone says to ask questions. Seek out the reason why. Get to the root cause. But when we become adults asking questions becomes wrong. Embarrassing. Hurtful and sometimes painful. It’s the wrong thing to do and might even, in some cases result in punishment.

Well, whoa. Stop and lets back up. When and why does asking questions become wrong when we become adults? Is there a magic moment in our transitioning teens when we are taught a lesson in a class perhaps that asking questions gets attention. I guess not everyone wants to be the star of every moment of every day. Is it that moment when everyone realizes the person with the question does not know something everyone else knows. Or do they? Everyone should have the magical moment of quietly being told on the side, “Thank you for asking the question because I didn’t know either but was afraid to to ask.”

People! Most of you reading this are grown ups. Asking questions is more than just how we learn its how we progress. Asking questions is how we clarify information so that all involved are certain everyone has the same tools to work together to make the progress being hoped for. Seeking answers leads to innovations and new ways of seeing the information in a different light.

What? We all don’t see, hear and process information in an identical manner at all times? Really? Seriously? Who knew? Uh oh there I go asking questions. I know there are times I go a little overboard with my questions but for me questions are a tool to get the conversation started.

I don’t like or appreciate secrets. Not everything needs to be aired publicly but if I am asked to make a decision I like to have all of the information I need so I can make a sensible one. That doesn’t mean I can’t make the wrong decision but I can at least make the claim I made the most informed decision that I could at the time.

So what is it with the the Norwich City Council and the civic leaders of Norwich, CT? They loathe, hate, despise, abhor and obstinately refuse to ask questions. The only thing worse than asking questions is apparently having a discussion where questions might be asked and accurate information shared. Who needs facts when leaping to conclusions is so much more fun and if at all possible making galloping allegations with no basis in fact. It’s budget time and just demanding people to, “Trim the fat.” may not be the best answer. Why aren’t the budgets being examined and discussed? Are there discussions between the know-it-alls and the implementers? “How?” is a good question to start with. How is it done now? How should we be doing it? How long will it take to transition? How much will it cost? How do we begin?

It is time for the residents and tax payers of Norwich, CT to stand up and stand together to demand our City Council representatives act together for the benefit of all of the residents of the city. If all they are going to do is call each other and the hard working employees for the system we call our government names and say they lack confidence in what they are doing; then it is time for a change.

Norwich, CT needs leaders who are not afraid to ask questions, to offer suggestions, who are willing to meet, learn, watch, observe and even participate in the actions that are taking us into the future. Norwich can either move into the forefront of the future or it can remain tagging along behind other cities and states hoping for the crumbs left behind as time, the tide, humanity and the world move on.

So my Norwich, CT leaders what questions will you be asking? Where do you see us in the future? What role do you see yourself in? A helper or guider into the future? Or a stalwart defender of our place in the past.

The choice you see belongs to all of us.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

Just read the best article for a 2019 idea in the August 2017 Rotarian Magazine. The article was all about the Rotary Club in Duns, Scotland and how they started a “dementia cafe” to give caregivers and people with dementia a place to meet for tea, share information and learn from visiting social workers and other experts. The club funded the rent and other expenses to meet one afternoon a month at a local church.

Norwich, CT may already have such a cafe and I am simply not aware of it but it could certainly welcome some help whether its an extra baked good, or pound of coffee or tea.

The American Legion Post in Norwich, CT on Laurel Hill would be a wonderful place for a “Forget-me-not” cafe. Once a month or once a week. There is plenty of room for a few or a crowd space is always a premium in Norwich, CT and plenty of on the level parking. No walking miles. All parking is close and convenient. There is a playground and horseshoe pitch in the back as well as a large and lovely gazebo.

The cry of its closing is once again ringing loud because the bar portion of the club needs professional and not just volunteer management but I am not involved in that. I am seeing a wonderful and valuable space that is desperately needed in Norwich possibly going to waste.

If there is a cry in Norwich to save a space, to save a building I can think of no place with a greater value than the American Legion Post # 4 on Laurel Hill. If you are an organization looking for a space to grow please consider using the American Legion on Laurel Hill in Norwich.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .