Hidden Gems Of Hartford And Tolland Counties

TOLLAND/HARTFORD COUNTIES, CT — The latest gem puts a section of roads in a historical light from good chunks of both Tolland and Hartford counties.

The most noticeable part of the old Hartford And Tolland Turnpike Company road system sits near the traffic light at the corner of Center Road and Hartford Turnpike (stare Route 30) in Vernon Center in from of Arts Center East. The historic historic marker is one of the few remaining Post Road mile markers.

The plaque on the stone marker says:

"Old milestone erected by Hartford and Tolland Turnpike Company - 1801. Six Miles Tolland Court House. McLean Tavern built in 1793 stood on these grounds. Marker placed by Sabra Trumbull Chapter D.A.R., June 14, 1984."

The milestone itself has the seemingly cryptic inscription "VI. M.T.C.H., which means "Six Miles Tolland Court House."

The milestone is set in a Barre granite slab and the tablet is bronze with the insignia of the D.A.R.

Vernon historians tell us that, before the railroads, stage coaches traveled regularly between Boston and New York along three "post roads," including the one being featured. Each mile along the route was marked with a milestone placed by the turnpike company, a sort of early version of the modern-day global positioning systems.

The Tankerhoosen.info site tells us that the Hartford and Tolland Turnpike Company was chartered in October 1801, to build and maintain a road from East Hartford through Vernon to Tolland. Beyond Tolland other roads branched off.

Thus the route from Hartford in the early 19th Century was Burnside Avenue, then Tolland Street to Buckland, then Tolland Street to the current intersection with Manchester's Oak Street at Exit 64, then on Route 30 on Talcottville's Main Street, to Vernon Circle, up Hartford Turnpike in Vernon to Route 74 in Tolland and on to Tolland Green.

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The Hidden Gems series features out-of-the-way mom and pop restaurants, small specialty stores you may have never heard of, little-known historical markers or beautiful nature spots that may be a bit off the beaten path, all located within Hartford and Tolland counties. Do you have a favorite "hidden gem" in the area that you wish to see featured in this column? Email your ideas to Chris.dehnel@patch.com.

Other Hidden Gems in the series:

2025

• Lightning Fitness
• Elmwood Cemetery
• Ellington Depot Deli and General Store
• The 1973 Nova
• George Washington Ate Here
• Roaring Brook Nature Center
• Kassandra Herbs Unlimited

2024

• Charhause
• JDM Imports CT
• Scott's Tree Farm
• La Toquilla Peruvian Restaurant
• Trattoria da Lepri
• Oscar's All-American Grill
• Flat Pennies Kitchen
• Doug Smith Island
• Lawrence Road Park Disc Golf Course
• Mario's Pizzeria & Ristorante
• Addison Bog and Woodlands
• The Family Brick Oven Pizza Truck
• Emmy Lou's Ltd. Gift Shop
• The Main Moose
• Cracker Barrel Pub
• Dudleytown Brewing Co.
• Snelgrove's Chocolatier and Florist
• Northwest Park
• Cornerstone Foundation
• Brignole Vineyards
• Wilma's Scoop Du Jour
• Morey Pond
• Belvedere/Smoke BBQ/Pierogi Queen
• Botticello Farms
• Hilliard Park Trail
• The Shenipsit Trail
• A Civil War POW's Story
• Becker Conservation Area
• Monument to a Great Sculptor
• The Attack of the Pink Flamingos
• Eagle Rock
• The Cirque Mural
• The Amerbelle Spillway
• Merlot on the Water
• Millpond Country Store
• Bobby Sands/Hunger Strike Memorial
• Farwell Barn
• Cornerstone's Prom Boutique
• The Wizard of Oz Sculpture
• Gardiner Hall Jr. History Museum
• Community Needs Board at Silk City Coffee
• The John P. Webster Library at First Church, West Hartford
• Sledding Hills, Hartford/Tolland Counties
• The Tankerhoosen Bench
• Marino's Ski Bites

2023

• Rough Cut Cider at The Farm Stand at Lemek Farm
• Manchester Tailor Shop
• The Colossal Santa
• Riverside Reptiles Education Center
• By The Pond
• The Lugg Family Plot
• Most Excellent Cards & Collectibles
• The Richard Hubbard statue
• The Doughboy
• The Walt Whitman Stone
• Hometown Kitchen
• Elisabeth Bennet Statue
• Lafayette rides to Hartford
• Craft Bird Food Truck
• Collins Creamery at Powder Hill
• Rockville Equipment Message Board
• Dickson's
• Pickle Jar Deli
• Hilltop Creamery
• Palisado Avenue Historic District
• Tom's Place
• Vinnie's Little Acre
• The Peeking Cow
• The Bridge Over Trout Brook
• Middle Bolton Lake Boat Launch
• Fill-er-up soft serve
• Bryan's Landing
• Stafford Cidery
• La Notte Waterside Grille & Lounge
• Two Hopewell
• Manchester Cricket Ground
• Agent Orange Monument
• Dover Saddlery
• Booth 220, Mansfield Drive-in Flea Market
• Marlborough Barn
• Farley Mac's
• The Chapel at Grove Hill Cemetery
• The Big Pink Chair
• Hale vs. Webster
• Ken's Cards & Collectibles
• Union Bee Company
• Talcott Ravine
• New School Pizza Co. Pizza Bus
• Smyth's Trinity Farm
• Chic's Restaurant
• Shenipsit State Forest
• Gay City Ruins

2022 and earlier

• The Bissell Ferry
• Bidwell Tavern
• Tree Farms In Hartford/Tolland Counties
• Henry Park Holiday Lights
• The Vintage Shops
• The Schofield Spring Water Dispenser
• Harry Lugg Memorial Field
• Alfred E Pope Horse Trough and Fountain
• The CT Heavy Artillery Regiment Mortar
• The Ancient Burying Ground
• The Wolf Pack Bobblehead
• The Tolland Inn
• The Gathering Ground Restaurant
• Poke Don Hawaiian Restaurant
• The Husky Olympic Monument
• The Mazz Pizza Company Truck
• The "Keyhole" Tunnel
• ANTIQ'S
• Broad Brook Opera House
• Bart's Luncheonette
• McCann Family Farm
• Banquet Hall at Grassmere Country Club
• Willington Common Bell
• Chez Ben Canadian Diner
• Farmington Canal Aqueduct
• Grave of Gettysburg Casualty William Whitney Goodell
• Riverfront Park Boathouse
• Connecticut Freedom Trail
• The David Smith Bridge
• Wadsworth Antheneum
• Southwest Cemetery
• The Polish Plate
• Ferry Grill & Chill
• The Print Hub
• Lacrosse Unlimited
• Ellington Agway
• Jefferson Fry Co.
• Hartford History Center Suffragist Sculpture
• Windsor Locks Canal Irish Workers Monument
• Utsav Indian Cuisine
• Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
• Madeline Regan Preserve
• Frontier Airlines at Bradley
• Munson's Chocolates Factory Shoppe
• Connecticut River Valley Wildlife Museum
• Lobster Craft
• Center Springs Park
• MLK Monuments
• The Connecticut Historical Society
• The Bridge At Bolton Notch
• Civil War Drum
• Civil War Powder Keg
• Mile 4, Manchester Road Race
• The West Hartford Armory
• The Capitol's Nooks and Crannies
• Wickham Park Aviary
• 55 West Main, New Britain
• Bottle and Can Redemption Centers
• The Dodd Center for Human Rights at UConn
• Manchester Ropes Challenge Course
• 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm
• Fuego Picante Food Truck
• The Amistad
• The 9/11 memorials
• Club Champion Golf Fitters
• Golden Irene Restaurant
• Avery's Soda
• Petersen Flower Farm
• R Dee Winery
• Golden Gavel Auction House
• The Cogswell Temperance Fountain
• The Old State House
• BouNom Bakery
• Union Pond Park/Jay Howroyd Fitness Trail
• Cedar Knob Restaurant & Banquets
• UConn Dairy Bar
• Topstone Golf Course
• Backwoods Smokin' BBQ
• The Ranch House
• Foster Hill Farm
• Emma Hart Willard Birthplace
• Connecticut Parachutists Skydiving Club
• Just Be Salon
• Tail Winds Ice Cream Shop
• The MLK Mural
• The Hilltop Restaurant and Bar
• Francesco's Ristorante
• The Modern Milkman
• Cotton Hollow Kitchen
• Fearless Cards, Toys and Collectibles
• Fork & Fire
• Southwood Antiques & Marketplace
• Swank Pearce
• Vernon Depot Historic Park
• Farr's Sporting Goods
• Robs Drivin Diner
• Powder Mill Barn
• At the Dam
• Lena's Restaurant
• The Genius of Connecticut
• The Notch
• LuAnn's Bakery
• Ecker Hill Disc Golf Course
• The Kona Ice Truck
• Olympia Diner
• Mountain Dairy
• Anthony Jacks Wood-Fired Grill
• Pabs African Restaurant
• Henry's Pizzeria
• South Windsor Wildlife Sanctuary
• The Country Butcher
• Aby's Bakery
• Liberty Street Market & Deli
• Wilderness Lake Campground and Resort
• Time Machine toy and hobby store
• Paul Gregory's Bistro Cafe
• The Scoop
• Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District
• Faddy's Donuts and Ice Cream
• Riverfront Miniature Golf & Ice Cream
• The Historic Babcock Tavern
• High Grade Finishing
• Craig's Kitchen
• Sikorsky S-16 Bi-Plane Fighter
• Navy ZNP-K Airship Control Car
• Rosedale Farms & Vineyards
• Nathan Hale Homestead
• Burke Ridge Farms
• Necker's Toyland
• Civil War Monument at Mt. Hope Cemetery
• Gene Pitney Memorial Benches
• Joe McCluskey/Manchester Road Race Statue
• Samuel Field Knight Historic Marker
• Carol's Lunchbox
• Country Casuals
• Country Cobbler
• Beau's Burger Shack
• Daniel Glazier Tavern
• Mount Southington Ski School
• Awards & More
• Marquis de Lafayette Monument
• The Little Red Store
• River Bend Bookshop
• Gerry's Donuts
• Traveler Restaurant
• First Decorated Christmas Tree
• The Stanley-Whitman House
• Vernon's Santa House
• Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut
• Old Country Banquet Hall
• Brazilian Gula Grill
• Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop
• Congregational Church of Burlington labyrinth
• Noah Webster House
• The Bushnell's Green Room Wall
• Belding Wildlife Management Area
• The Aborn Castle
• Heublein Tower
• Birthplace of Jonathan Edwards
• Grave of Revolutionary War Soldier Heman Baker
• Jessica's Garden, Lobster and Ice Cream Shack
• Shade Swamp Sanctuary
• Ken's Corner Breakfast & Lunch
• Tolland Red and White
• Cold Harbor Seafood
• Nye Holman State Forest/Heron Cove Park
• Hosmer Mountain Soda Shack
• Connecticut Trolley Museum
• Matterhorn Mini Golf
• Wood Memorial Library & Museum
• Hastings Farm
• Liquid Nirvana
• Iwo Jima Survivors Memorial Park
• Academy Hall
• Southington Drive-In
• Little Theatre of Manchester at Cheney Hall
• Somersvillage Gifts & Gourmet Baskets
• New England Civil War Museum
• The Pinchot Sycamore
• Mansfield Hollow State Park
• Old Tolland County Jail and Museum
• Hill-Stead Museum
• Mark's Restaurant