Hidden Gems Of Connecticut: MLK Edition 2022

MANCHESTER/SIMSBURY, CT — This week, we make two trips to Hidden Gems in Connecticut that pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz was so impressed by one of them that she made it her holiday tribute photo.

Here they are:

Simsbury

The MLK Memorial includes a series of glass panels that each discuss different aspects of Dr. King's life. The panels represent King's family history, his journey to Simsbury, his time in Simsbury and the impact it had on his life, his departure and return to the segregated South and MLK's legacy.

The memorial is not just a monument but rather a place where people can sit, reflect, and learn about Dr. King. It serves to educate people about the struggle that MLK dedicated his life to then, and continues today, to obtain equal rights. King was a young student when he worked in Simsbury and was heavily impacted by the integrated community.

The memorial is located in the center of town, on the grounds of Simsbury Free Library.

See more about the MLK memorial here.

Manchester

In Feb 2021, the town partnered on the project with CT Murals to fashion an MLK mural. It now takes up an entire exterior wall of the Mahoney Recreation Center. CT Murals is a project started by the non-profit The RiseUP Group in 2015 to create public art that is "inclusive and accessible for all."

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."

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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.

Columns in this series in 2022 include:

• The Connecticut Historical Society

Columns in this series from 2021 include:

• The First Decorated Christmas Tree
• Bolton Notch Trail Bridge
• 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
• Fox Hopyard Golf Course
• The Dodd Center For Human Rights at UConn
• Manchester Ropes Challenge Course
• 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm
• Fuego Picante Food Truck
• The Amistad
• 9/11 memorials
• Club Champion Golf Fitters
• New England Civil War Museum and Research Center
• Avery's Soda
• Salt 2.0 Restaurant
• The Grave of Jonathan, The Original Husky
• Golden Gavel Auction House
• Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut
• The Cogswell Temperance Fountain
• 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