MANCHESTER, CT — The latest journey to a Hidden Gem in Tolland and Hartford counties takes us to the side of a recreation complex in Manchester and a work of art that honors a civil rights leader.
Manchester's new Martin Luther King mural takes up an entire wall of the Mahoney Recreation Center.
The town partnered on the project with CT Murals, a project started by the non-profit The RiseUP Group in 2015 to create public art that is "inclusive and accessible for all."
Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The artist is Ben Keller, a young professional painter/mural artist who launched his own business in 2018. He started painting at the age of 12.
Keller's vision for "Birthing of a Legacy" depicts MLK "as a man bringing light to darkness and represents a symbol for more equal and positive times ahead. While the work will always continue, this mural is a reminder that the light is shining on 2021."
Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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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 tim.jensen@patch.com.
Other columns in this series:
- The Hilltop Restaurant and Bar
- Francesco's Ristorante
- The Modern Milkman
- Cotton Hollow Kitchen
- Fearless Cards, Toys and Collectibles
- Fork & Fire
- Lena's Italian Kitchen
- 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
- Dakota Restaurant
- 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
- The Packing House
- 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
- Stafford Palace Theater
- Mansfield Hollow State Park
- Old Tolland County Jail and Museum
- Hill-Stead Museum
- Mark's Restaurant
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