Home Care In Washington Depot, CT

Connecticut is the third-smallest state in the country, so it's no wonder that there are lots of quaint communities and small towns. Despite its size, Connecticut has some rather sizable and well-known cities, like Hartford, Stamford, Danbury, and New Haven. Most of the outskirts of these more metropolitan areas and beyond are rural, meaning that there are plenty of still and quiet locations, while still being relatively close to the opportunities and activities of the cities. Connecticut's rich history only makes the smaller places that much more significant, with many stories dating back hundreds of years and residents often more than willing to tell the tale.

Washington

Amy Sherman-Palladino used the town of Washington as inspiration for the fictional setting of Stars Hollow in the television show Gilmore Girls. Washington itself has lots of nature and art, along with camping opportunities at places like Lake Waramaug. The Washington Art Association and Gallery features local art from the area, while the Gunn Historical Museum preserves history and artifacts. Over the Shepaug River is a 134-foot-long bridge called the Henry David Thoreau Footbridge. Henry David Thoreau was a 19th-century philosopher, and the railings on this bridge have his quotes all across. The surrounding wooded areas in Washington Depot are beautiful, and the bridge is near a parking lot, so it doesn't require much hiking to get to. Food places like The Pantry offer great food and drink after a hike.

Most Underrated Towns In ConnecticutFrom the capital city of Hartford to the Connecticut River that bisects the state, Connecticut seeks to draw a sense of wonder and unique attention to itself and its citizens.

Monroe

Monroe was incorporated in 1823, when the 5th President of the United States, James Monroe, was in office, although the land itself was purchased over a century before. Changing from mostly farmland to a now suburban community, Monroe still holds a lot of its history, with places like the Thomas Hawley or Daniel Busset House put on the National Register of Historic Places, not to mention the Monroe Center Historic District, which has around 60 buildings spread over a 120-acre area. Monroe is also known for the Warrens' Occult Museum, which houses "haunted" artifacts gathered by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, featuring the infamous Raggedy Ann doll "Annabelle."

Bethel

The town of Bethel began as a subdivision of Danbury in 1759 and was incorporated separately in 1855. It has a robust historic district, with locations like the PT Barnum Square and a former railroad station that now acts as a brewery. The oldest building in Bethel is the Seth Seelye House, built after the subdivision was established but before the town was fully incorporated in 1842. Eateries feature foods from different cultures, like the Stony Hill Diner with a mix of Greek and American food, along with Lebanese Cuisine featuring a mix of Lebanese and Mediterranean. Headquartered in the town is battery manufacturer Duracell. Bethel has had its fair share of notable people, with Cartoonist Henry Arthur "Art" Young, actress Jan Miner, Miami Marlins pitcher Matt Barnes, and showman P.T. Barnum.

Old Saybrook

An older town on the Connecticut coast, Old Saybrook was settled in 1738 and incorporated in 1854, around when other towns in Connecticut were. But settlers arriving go back to Dutch occupation in 1624, where they had a short-lived factory and trading post where Old Saybrook is today. Actress Katherine Hepburn once lived in a mansion overlooking the Long Island Sound and, over the years, has become an icon for the people in the area. The local arts center is named after her, called the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. Being a coastal town, Old Saybrook has a lighthouse out by the sea on Lynde Point, where the Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse stands 48 feet tall. Seaside places like Harvey's Beach are great for walking on the shore, and bars like the Little Pub Old Saybrook offer a place to socialize after a day in the town.

New Milford

New Milford is a part of the Greater Danbury Metropolitan Area and is 14 miles north of Danbury itself. It has several boroughs and districts, including Northville, Gaylordsville, and Merryall, over its nearly 64 square-mile area. Founded in 1712, New Milford is one of the older towns in the state. A trail lines the Housatonic River, which offers great nature views and even spots to watch out for trains that run through on the nearby tracks. Lovers Leap State Park also has a nice view of the river, meaning that New Milford has plenty of outdoor hiking. The Elephant's Trunk Flea Market runs on Sundays and has a great selection of local goods and tickets, as well as easy access to other thrift stores and shops.

Putnam

Located in the northeast of Connecticut, away from more populated cities, is Putnam, which was incorporated in 1855. The arts scene in Putnam is more than alive, with The Bradley Playhouse hosting community plays and art galleries like Silver Circle and The Empty Spaces Project in town. Kids and families will love the Gertrude Chandler Warner Boxcar Museum, featuring work by the author best known for The Boxcar series of books. Plenty of antique stores and boutique shops line the town, including Jeremiah's, Antiques Marketplace, Sawmill Pottery, Kluttered Klosets, and more. Also in Putnam are tons of eateries, perfect for a bite to eat after walking around town. Places like Jessica Tuesday's, 85 Main, and Elizabeth's Farmhouse offer food and drink along with great lighting and atmospheres.

Colebrook

Colebrook is in the northern part of Connecticut and is quite rural. Nature offerings include the Algonquin State Forest, along with the Colebrook River Lake, boasting wonderful views any time of year, along with great fishing opportunities. The Haystack Mountain Observation Tower also has a great view, with a panorama of the Long Island Sound. Local brewery Norbrook Farm is a local favorite, offering both an indoor and outdoor experience. The Colebrook Historical Society & Museum was founded in 1953 and houses many items that represent life in the town, ranging from the 18th century to the present. They own local historical buildings like the Rock Schoolhouse, which was built in 1779.

Friendliest Towns In ConnecticutThis compact state is ripe with friendly locales ready to welcome visitors with quintessential New England charm and warmth

With the number of rural and small towns, there is no shortage of quiet places in Connecticut. These quaint towns are away from the normal city hustle and bustle and provide plenty of space to be open and free. These smaller and more tight-knit communities are all over the state, and combining that with Connecticut's size makes it quite easy to get around to wherever you need to go.

WASHINGTON — When a loved one dies, those left behind may not only need support services but a connection to others going through a similar experience.

The Center for Hope & Healing, a new resource from Danbury's Regional Hospice, not only offers local caregivers and families grief counseling but support groups with others who are also mourning the loss of their loved ones.

Lisa Esneault, director of communications and media for Regional Hospice, said the Center's approach is "very holistic, so in addition to the expert hospice care that the patients are receiving, we also support those who are left behind, who are grieving.”

Last August, Regional Hospice collaborated with Nuvance Health to expand its services in New Milford by opening two private hospice care suites at New Milford Hospital. Now, Regional Hospice has just opened the Center, at 2 Green Hill Road in Washington, to expand both its presence into Litchfield County and its bereavement services.

On top of caregiver and grief counseling support groups, the Center offers spiritual renewal sessions through prayer and meditation. It also offers sound healing, which uses instruments and music to balance and heal the body, mind and spirit.

Esneault said Regional Hospice's chaplains also offer monthly memorial services to provide families with an opportunity to gather together in celebration of their loved one's life.

All sessions are led by Regional Hospice’s team of licensed social workers, chaplains and therapists as well as the nonprofit’s team of hospice and bereavement trained volunteers.

Esneault added some of the people in Regional Hospice’s support groups have formed their own groups to socialize.

“It’s hard enough to lose somebody, but then having that support is absolutely instrumental in the whole healing process,” she said. “It’s really nice that they stay in touch and they do their own socializing together.”

The Center doesn't charge those who utilize its services. However, all donations are welcome. Social workers and volunteers provide the services and Regional Hospice, a nonprofit, funds the services.

The Center is an extension of Regional Hospice’s Healing Hearts Program, which specializes in bereavement services for families coping with the death of a loved one.

Esneault said the Center is “complementary” to Regional Hospice’s Center for Comfort Care & Healing in Danbury, which offers hospice patients 24/7 clinical care and at-home hospice care services.

For more information about Regional Hospice's services, visit www.makingthebestofeveryday.org or call 203-702-7400.

WASHINGTON — After 15 years, the final word as to whether a 81,000-square-foot inn will be built at a vacant girls' school could be a day away.

On Thursday, the town’s zoning commissioners are hoping to make a final decision on whether the conditions of approval have been met on the construction of The Wykeham Rise inn. The inn would include a 52-room hotel, spa, 118-seat restaurant, and event space for up to 24 outdoor tents.

The building was first proposed by siblings Erika and Matthew Klauer to the town in 2008. It's known as the rehearsal site for the Rolling Stones’ national tour in 1989. Since that time, there have been several lawsuits against the town in regard to the proposal, and the Zoning Commission has received more than 30 letters from residents, who largely disapprove of the project.

Shelley White, Washington’s land use administrator, said the town's zoning commissioners want to vote on the application before the town's election, since many of the commissioners who have been involved with the decades-long project could be stepping down from their roles.

“After the election we will only have (one) original commissioner (David Werkhoven) ... and (Janet) Hill, vice chair, who was the land use administrator in 2007/2008 when the inn regulations were revised and when 101 Wykeham (Road) LLC applied for an inn in May of 2008, and now is a zoning commissioner in her retirement," White said.

White added Zoning Commission Chair Nicholas Solley isn't running for reelection and Valerie Anderson, a more recent zoning member, is running for reelection.

Zoning Commission special meetings for 101 Wykeham Road have been scheduled for Nov. 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. and Nov. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the main meeting room of Bryan Memorial Town Hall, 2 Bryan Hall Plaza, Washington Depot. The meetings can also be viewed on Zoom by visiting the town's website, washingtonct.org and searching for the meeting agenda. Commissioners are hoping to vote Nov. 2 but if they need additional time, they will meet again on Nov. 6, White said.

At the meeting, members will determine whether the proposal meets all conditions from a 2013 lawsuit settlement and a 2018 ruling, said White said. Once all the conditions have been met, the project will get the green light to move ahead.

The property has had several owners and several uses over the years, including the Wykeham Rise School for Girls, which was founded in 1902, and as the Rolling Stones' rehearsal site. It’s now vacant and an eyesore, said neighbors, who have had additional concerns about the property, ranging from the water supply to the building, the size of the proposed inn, and noise and traffic the inn could bring to the community.

WASHINGTON — What began as a conversation last spring has just turned into a reality — the town’s ambulance association, now housed inside the Washington Volunteer Fire Department, is getting its own home.

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The new headquarters, at 92 Bee Brook Road, “gives us our own space to be more comfortable, and has sleeping quarters so our responders can truly be on call in the building,” said Heidi Johnson, chief of the Washington Ambulance Association, known as WAA.

Ericson Insurance Advisors, who currently owns the building where the new headquarters will be, is selling it to the town of Washington for $1 million. Ericson has relocated its offices to Titus Road in Washington Depot.

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The sale, which is expected to take place early this week, was made possible through private donors and American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Washington First Selectman Jim Brinton said the new headquarters will be treated like every other town building.

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“The town will cover insurance, maintenance, utilities — things of that nature,” Brinton said.

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Johnson calls the new headquarters “a dream come true” that she said she never thought could happen.

“We are a small nonprofit and we are not a billing ambulance service,” said Johnson, about the 80-year-old independent nonprofit organization with nearly 30 members. The WAA serves as the primary emergency ambulance service for the town of Washington and provides mutual aid to New Milford, Roxbury, Warren, Kent and Bantam.

“We only exist because of our unpaid volunteers and the generosity of our community,” Johnson added.

Falling into place

The WAA has been headquartered at the town’s fire house at 109 Bee Brook Road since the firehouse was built in the early 1990s. Prior to that, it was located in a variety of buildings in Washington through the years.

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The conversation that started the wheels turning for the new headquarters began last June when a donor, who wishes to be kept anonymous, first heard about it while chatting with Johnson.

“I gave him a tour of our headquarters and told him what our goals are, and the conversation shifted toward ‘what if you can have your own headquarters?’” she said. “All the pieces then started to fall into place quickly.”

The donor approached the town with the idea of purchasing the building if enough funds were raised. The town agreed, and in October, a challenge was issued in town by donors to see who would be interested in contributing.

“My primary donor said they would contribute $250,000 and tried to encourage others to give at a higher level than what they usually had done and/or support it for the first time,” Johnson said.

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Beginning in October, donors put together several fundraisers and by year-end, $1 million had been raised privately.

Additionally, $250,000 of ARPA funds were put toward the purchase.

More space, renovations

Aside from having much more storage space, the new headquarters, at 6,660 square feet, will enable the WAA to provide more services to the community, Johnson said.

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Currently, when the WAA needs to have meetings or hold classes, it has to reserve the space with the fire department.

“Since we are in the fire house, the fire department always has the priority on that,” Johnson said.

“We’ve said for a long time that the fire department and ambulance services work really really well together but they simply have outgrown that building. They’re all extremely busy, and this was an opportunity,” Brinton added. “Sharing the building with the fire department can be strategically difficult because both services are constantly training.”

In the new location, the WAA will be able to hold more classes and community events without any conflicts. Additionally, the WAA would like to train more members to teach CPR and first aid.

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Johnson said her long-term goal is to make the new headquarters a regional training center for EMS.

“We’re hoping that we generate a lot of interest from this move in having this nice space,” Johnson said.

She said she hopes more people may want to become certified in the WAA’s services, and hopefully they can fill some voids in the surrounding towns.

Renovations need to be done to the new headquarters prior to moving in, Johnson said.

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“Renovations to the main building involve moving a few walls around in one space to make for a larger training area with proper storage for all of our needs,” Johnson said.

Additionally, the WAA is building bays off the back of the new building to park two ambulances, and one additional bay will be built for its future needs.

The WAA is accepting donations, which will go toward retrofitting the building and customizing the building to suit its needs. Donations can be made through washingtonambulance.org. Please indicate that the donation is exclusively for the new headquarters.

Johnson said she’s extremely grateful to everyone who played a role in making the new headquarters happen.

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“This shows that people really do appreciate all of the sacrifices we make every day in our efforts to provide this vital service,” Johnson said. “This is our first real headquarters to call our own.”

[email protected] 203-948-9802

As the trees shed their green hues and don their fiery reds, oranges, and yellows, there’s a unique joy in embarking on scenic drives and hikes during the Fall season, with each step crunching through a carpet of fallen leaves.

Enjoy the crisp air and the rustling of the leaves with these colorful locations in CT:

Macedonia Brook State Park, Kent – Cobble Mountain

The Cobble Mountain Trail overlook has views of the Taconic and the Catskill mountains, with beautiful hues of changing leaves.

Mount Tom State Park, Litchfield

A one-mile hike will bring you to a stone tower located 1,325 feet above sea level. You can also enjoy multiple hiking trails, fishing, picnicking, and leaf-peeping.

Mohawk State Forest, Cornwall

Scenic views to the north and west include the Catskill, Taconic, and Berkshire ranges. The Mattatuck and Mohawk trails (blue-blazed) offer hiking options.

Pachaug State Forest, Voluntown – Mt. Misery Overlook

Encompassing 26,477 acres, this forest also offers miles of roads and hiking trails. Note: EEE has been detected in mosquitoes in several towns, including Voluntown.

Peoples State Forest, Barkhamsted – Chaugnam Lookout

This location offers two different trails, “Henry Buck Trail (blue blazed trail) and Agnes Bowen Trail.

Shenipsit State Forest, Somers – Observation Tower

Shenipsit Trail (blue-blazed) runs by the tower for your hiking enjoyment. The observation tower on Soapstone Mountain provides beautiful views.

Talcott Mountain State Park, Simsbury – Heublein Tower

This hiking trail is 1.25 miles long, taking around 30-40 minutes to get to the tower, which is 1,000 feet high, promoting breathtaking views.

Dennis Hill State Park, Norfolk

Dennis Hill State Park, located 1,627 feet above sea level, provides beautiful views of New Hampshire, Vermont’s Green Mountains and more. Note: Parts of the Dennis Hill State Park Pavilion might be closed because of scheduled construction.

Goodwin Conservation Center, on Route 6 in Hampton

The conservation area includes Pine Acres Pond, where you can see reflections of the Fall colors and watch wildlife.

Hidden Valley Preserve, Washington Depot

A 727-acre property that includes a forest and meadows, a meandering river and multiple hiking trails.

The Connecticut Forest & Park Association established the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail System. Learn more here.

To make the best of your visit and to be aware of the peak foliage timeframe, click here.