Community Corner

Hidden Gems Of Hartford And Tolland Counties

The new version of an old Gem is worth revisiting.

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The new and improved version of the Cogswell Fountain in Vernon.
The new and improved version of the Cogswell Fountain in Vernon. (Chris Dehnel/Patch)

VERNON, CT — There's a Gem worth revisiting because its been given a bright new life.

Welcome to the new and improved version of the unique, eccentric and, some might say, just plain weird statue at Vernon's Central Park, right in front of Town Hall.

It's the Cogswell Fountain that dates back to the 1880s, but reintroduced last month — much more shiny and vibrant. The fiberglass replica of the original white bronze statue underwent extensive restoration at Bundy Motors on Route 30 and is now back atop a pedestal that also underwent restoration work this spring at the shop.

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The statue has a bit of a cult following and is mentioned in several lists about weird places to see in Connecticut.

The statue features not only Mr. Cogswell, but a fountain that once supplied fresh water to residents.

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Henry Cogswell was a millionaire dentist, temperance crusader and philanthropist. He pledged to erect a fountain for every 100 saloons across the country. The original monument sent to Rockville was topped with a life-sized statue of a man holding a glass of water in one hand and a copy of the Temperance Pledge in the other.

The first Cogswell statue was installed in Rockville in 1883 in honor of Henry Cogswell’s cousin, William Cogswell, a local builder, but was donated to a scrap metal drive during World War II.

The replica of the Dr. Henry Daniel Cogswell Fountain, cast on a plaster-like material, replaced it in 2005 after an absence of nearly six decades. The water no longer flows into the fountain.

It has been refurbished several times over the years — notably in 2013 and again this year.

The old version of the Cogswell statue was, well, dull, compared to the new one. (Chris Dehnel/Patch)
The new, more vibrant base of the Cogswell Fountain. (Chris Dehnel/Patch)

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The Hidden Gems series, created in 2019 by Patch editors Chris Dehnel and Tim Jensen, 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

2024

2023 and earlier

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