Watertown United Methodist Church

 

There are three churches within one block, near the intersection of Watertown's Main Street and Connecticut Route 6.  This is the Methodist church.

RidgeCon

 Last weekend, Ridgefield Library hosted RidgeCon, an event encouraging dress-up like comic book and fantasy characters.

Several library employees dressed up.

A vendor outside didn't have much business.

Walkers

 Sometimes I walk on Main Street south of the downtown.  It is a one to three mile walk, depending on where I start and where I turn back toward town.

It is very pretty.

Benches are placed along the walk.  Sometimes I sit and watch other walkers pass by.  These folks were on the other side of the street.

I sometimes see Marty and Pam out walking along Main Street.  On this day they beat me to a bench.

Waterbury City Hall

 I went to Waterbury to see its elegant and restored City Hall.

The marble-faced building and four other municipal buildings in the complex were constructed in the 1910s.  All were designed by noted architect (and longtime Ridgefield resident) Cass Gilbert in the Georgian Revival and Second Renaissance Revival architectural styles.

The entire five building complex is on the National Register of Historic Places.  They were originally financed by one of Waterbury's brass manufacturing companies.

The central staircase is a masterpiece. 

 

A statue and plaques honoring Gold Star Mothers are in the center.

An "aldermanic chamber" for formal meetings of the city's governing body is at one end of the second floor.

Waterbury's financial fortunes suffered in the late 20th century when brass manufacturing moved to other states and countries.  City Hall suffered serious neglect and most civic functions left the building.  But, in 2007 a large bond issue was approved to finance renovation of the building.  It reopened in 2011.

Palace Theater

 While I was in Waterbury, I stopped at the box office of the Palace Theater and asked if I could go inside for pictures.  After a couple of phone calls,  a young woman appeared to escort me inside.

The theater was built in 1922.  These days it hosts a variety of live events, from locally produced shows to  traveling productions.  The theater seats 2,900 patrons.  It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

A musical about Jane Austen is coming soon.  Later this fall KC and the Sunshine Band will perform, followed by an America tribute show.  The Tina Turner Musical will be the season's highlight.

The theater shut down in the 1980s and was shuttered for 18 years.  In the early 2000s Connecticut had a governor from Waterbury and the Palace Theater underwent a $30 million renovation.

Pumpkins and Sunflowers

 Every year I pass this home in Wilton.  The owners grow extra large pumpkins.  This year they added extra large sunflowers.  And an extra tall Uncle Sam.

A Cardinal

 

A lonely cardinal sits and watches at an underpass below U.S.Route 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Linked to Monday Murals.