Hidden Gems Of Connecticut

VERNON, CT — The latest trip to a Hidden Gem in Connecticut takes us to one end of Central Park in front of Vernon Town Hall, where a statue with a colorful history stands.

Some call it historical and some say it sent a strong message. Others say the thing is just plain weird.

Anyway, the Cogswell Fountain is firmly etched in local lore.

In 1883, Henry Cogswell, a San Francisco real estate tycoon, millionaire dentist, eccentric philanthropist and temperance crusader, donated the fountain to the Rockville section of town in honor of his cousin, William Cogswell, a local builder.

Cogswell believed the availability of clean drinking water from public fountains would steer commoners away from the evils of "distilled liquors." He thus pledged to put up a fountain for every 100 saloons across the country.

Cogswell topped the fountains with life-sized statues of himself holding a glass of water in his right hand and a copy of the Temperance Pledge in his left. Many of the fountains were made of bronze or granite, but the one in Vernon was made of zinc.

That's when the adventures began. On July 4, 1885, local historic accounts tell us the statue was stolen and dumped into Shenipsit Lake, which is, ironically the town's fresh water supply.

Cogswell was rescued from the drink, but he "disappeared" until July 4, 1908, when he made an appearance as part of the Vernon Centennial Celebration. The statue was eventually donated to the World War II effort as scrap metal.

In the early 2000s, a replica was commissioned and in 2015, the replica was repaired.

The Cogswell Fountain has another distinction as being the Hidden Gem closest to another — The New England Civil War Museum and Research Center.

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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 Connecticut. Other columns in this series for 2021 include:

• The Old State House
• BouNom Bakery
• Union Pond Park/Jay Howroyd Fitness Trail
• The Submarine Force Museum/USS Nautilus
• The UConn Dairy Bar
• Grove Hill Cemetery, Vernon
• Backwoods Smokin' BBQ
• The Ranch House
• Connecticut State Police Museum
• Berlin Historic District
• Connecticut Parachutists Skydiving Club
• Tail Winds Ice Cream Shop
• The MLK Mural
• The Hilltop Restaurant and Bar
• Fork & Fire
• Lena's Italian Kitchen
• The Benedict Arnold Trail
• Swank Pearce
• Vernon Depot Historic Park
• Farr's Sporting Goods
• Robs Drivin Diner

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