
A few weeks ago, I passed a construction site in a neighboring town. It looked like they were improving a Veterans Memorial, and like a good little blogger, I thought maybe I should get some pictures for a Veterans Day post. With traffic behind me and not a lot of options, I made the last left turn before the bridge over the Connecticut River. I was familiar with the road I had turned onto, but not the side streets I would be using to make an elaborate U-Turn. That’s when I discovered a small slice of Door-heaven.
East Windsor, Connecticut has many historic buildings, including a historic mill, but I didn’t know much about the old buildings in the area known as Warehouse Point. According to “The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor” this area and that name have been around for a very long time:
“Warehouse Point – As early as 1636, when Springfield, Mass., was settled, Mr. William Pyncheon undertook to send his supplies thither, around by water from Boston; and, finding that his vessels could not pass the falls at this point, he was obliged to provide land carriage 14 miles to Springfield. It was probably years before boats were provided suitable for running the rapids; and Mr. Pyncheon erected a warehouse, at the highest point his vessels could reach, on the east side of the river wherein to store his goods while awaiting transit by land. This warehouse probably stood about forty rods south of State street, and about forty-five to fifty rods below the present ferry-landing between West street and the river bank. It consequently gave to the place the name by which it has ever since been known — Warehouse Point.“
(It’s not often I get to use the word ‘thither’ in a blog post).
Springfield, MA and Warehouse Point, CT are both on the east side of the Connecticut River, which represented a substantial barrier in the 1600s. In 1829, the Windsor Locks Canal was built on the west side of the river, carrying canal boats above the Enfield Rapids for safe passage to Springfield. Later in the mid-late 1800s, the railroad pushed up through Windsor, and Windsor locks, crossing the Connecticut River in southern Enfield, making the canal obsolete.
CT has an OK-ish reputation for converting these old facilities into retail, residential and office space. East Windsor has turned some of these buildings into emergency response space. One of the mini-complexes of buildings has been transformed into the police station, Emergency Operations and a home to the ambulance service. Several factions want the town to commit to spending the (still in a questionable future) money from a new casino, to replace these facilities. I certainly hope that doesn’t involve tearing these buildings down.
After I stopped for some photos in East Windsor, I had a short – unofficial – stop to make at our local police station. Our station is nice, but the police and fire departments would love to have new digs. They struggle to fit in the shared space, but we haven’t found the money to build anything new. Maybe someday guys, maybe someday.
This post is part of Thursday Doors, a weekly emergency response to extinguish the cravings of millions of door aficionados around the world. If you have a door(s) to share, you are welcome to join the legion of dedicated volunteers mustering on any given Thursday. Similarly, if you enjoy looking at doors, you are calling on the right operation. Head on up to the main station in Montreal, where Chief Norm Frampton slides down the pole at 5:30 am to sound the alarm. Check out Norm’s doors and then look for “Sarge” the blue frog. Sarge will direct you to the large parking lot where all the dooresponders are parked.
I wasn’t able to find much information about the history of these buildings, but the Warehouse Point Master Plan states that the historic nature of the buildings in this area is to be preserved, and additions are to respect the period styling. That’s good news.
There is definitely a Colonial feel to all the buildings there Dan. I love to old buildings given new life and purpose, especially since they usually were made so much better than the newer ones.
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Thanks Cheryl. I’m so glad they aren’t planning to get rid of these. I think we need buildings like this to balance out the boring stuff they put up today.
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I agree!
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well said – and I also agree… so much blah today… :)
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Your interesting photos of these buildings seem quintessential New England to me. So glad that you were able to write a post with the word “thither” in it. Not many bloggers can do that! Kudos.
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Thanks Ally. I hope we keep these historic bits of New England around for a long time to come. Thither is a pretty cool word :)
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Love the contrast of the blue among all that red! Also love when you head off in one direction blog-wise and end up getting more than you planned.
Terrific post.
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Thanks Maggie. As much as I like planning ahead, I really like the spontaneous posts that stem from finding places like this.
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Doors on historic New England buildings = A+. Love the big old fire company building. :-)
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Thanks Judy. That was such a nice find. I’ve lived around here for over 30 years, went to church one block away from that street and never knew that fire company building was there. I just hope they continue to maintain and improve those buildings.
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Wow, buildings in red bricks! What a collection of gallery! Very interesting style! :)
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Thanks Liu. This is classic New England.
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Your photographs are lovely. There is something so intriguing about doors and New England seems to have the most charming and enchanting history behind their theirs.
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Thanks! I love finding these old buildings. The idea that this part of Connecticut was a trade center, is amazing to me. These days, nothing much comes up the CT River, and nothing at all comes this far up.
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I would love to tour New England this time of year. I loved in upstate NY for a year but missed the opportunity to visit CT, ME, VT, etc….it’s on the bucket list. Thanks again!
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Fab finds, Dan! Varied, interesting doors. I am quite fond of them all, and envy the earlier architecture of your area. Love the fire escape shots, and the dual-level doors on the tower :)
And thither. I can’t even tell you when I last saw that word!
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Thanks Joey. I drive by the long building regularly, but I never go down the side street. So much to see down there. Taking photos of the police station seemed a little risky, especially with Norm’s “no bail for you” policy, but I was sure I could explain Thursday Doors.
I think the next time I have to send a package, I might use thither at the Post Office.
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Don’t you just love it when you make a great unexpected find because you deviated from a normal route? I suspect this might not be the last time you go exploring around this area 🙂
Thanks for reminding me of the “mansard roof” – a style that I really like, but can never remember the name. It’s the tower with its mansard roof that would have caught my attention if I was driving nearby. Great find!!
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Thanks Joanne. I wish I knew why that tower is there, but I like it and the upper and lower doors. It’s so funny. I’ve driven down the street in front of the long building and the street by the river hundreds of times. This might be the first time I drove on any of the two or three streets that connect them. I didn’t know what I was missing.
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We’re such creatures of habit … tending to favour the same routes … but every once in a while we find a winner!
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Great photos, Dan, but I especially like that artistic one.
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Thanks Lois. I’ve been sneaking more and more of those into the gallery, as I get more comfortable with this camera.
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Wonderful discovery Dan. The fire escape minus the necessary stairs is my favorite shot. Nicely done.
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Thanks Norm – I should thank you twice, as that’s the shot you inspired!
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I especially love the tower. When I worked in downtown Buffalo, I used to stop to take photos of buildings with towers and steeples – and there are a lot of them in Buffalo! I think it’s time I get out and do a little more photography, now that I’ll have some extra time.
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That’s always a good idea, CM. Towers and steeples just draw our attention like nothing else. I’m glad you liked this.
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How nice for all of us readers that you were drawn thither… great post and shots Dan!
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Ha ha – yes, thither. what a neat word. Thanks!
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Any post with “thither” in it is a good post. Wonderful pictures — my favorite is the one with the reflection of the house across the street. :)
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Thanks. When I saw the reflection in that photo, I decided to include the house. I like those garage doors.
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Oh-oh! So much to like. I love the part with the tower… and that blue house with matching detached garage! Great collection Dan. And, ‘thither’ is officially the word of the day! Hugs.
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Thanks Teagan. I knew you would like ‘thither’ – I picture Corneilus sending his supplies thither by land locomotive. When I saw the reflections of the blue house, I knew I had to include it.
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Cornelis will certainly have to use that road locomotive… because his beloved submarine is going to crash as a grand entrance. LOL. All sorts of things will go tither and yon, hither and tither. :D Thanks for making me smile.
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Reblogged this on KCJones.
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Thank you so much!
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Cool buildings and doors, Dan. Isn’t it great when a plan for something else produces doors? You need to take more side trips down the unknown streets!
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Some more great doors this week, Dan. Generally speaking, the more red brick I see, the happier I am. Cheers!
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Any post that sends me to my dictionary is a good one as far as I’m concerned. Although I have heard the word before, I wasn’t 100% sure what thither meant. So, yay you! Great doors too… and great news that they – and the buildings surrounding them – will be preserved.
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Thanks – I had to look it up too. I really like the doors, and seeing the buildings mentioned Master Plan was comforting.
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All the branches of first responders and police I esteem highly. They have such a difficult task today. The ones I know have a big heart and idealists. But am getting off the subject – nice doors and buildings, as well as interesting info!
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Thanks. The first responders I’ve dealt with are wonderful. When I fell and had to be taken to the ER, the policeman and the ambulance guys were so genuine in their caring. It made me feel instantly better.
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I love the shot where the moss is growing on the roof. Well done, Dan.
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Thanks John. These buildings offer many great angles.
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:-)
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I’m struck by how writing your door posts take you out of your way and around the bend and have led you to see and appreciate both doors and the building that surround them. Which, in turn, your words have done for us. I loved these particular doors and buildings.
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Thanks so much Janet. These doors / buildings caught me by surprise, but I like them.
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You would love this place we found near us. A demo place. They go in and grab everything before it gets demolished to re-sell, They have a barn filled with rows of doors. Maybe I should go in and ask if i can take pictures, They rent some really neat things to movie sets too!
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I love those places. We don’t have one too close to us, but we can get there is necessary. The one we visited didn’t have many good looking doors.
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Great gallery, Dan. Glad to read about the efforts at preservation.
janet
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Thanks Janet. It would be great if they can keep these buildings. maintained.
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Do you have videos of Chief Norm sliding down the pole? Or are you planning to blackmail him? A very thithery history lesson, Master Dan.
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We might have to bribe Mrs. Norm for that video.
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I loved your intro to Norm’s Thursday Doors! You’re always so clever with those.
I had to look up how much the measurement “rod” was and convert it to feet. :) I think I knew that once when I was in Real Estate, but that was a LONG time ago and forgot it. Use or lose it! I lost it.
The No 1 company’s building is my favorite in this collection. The Mansard roof is another.
I didn’t know it was called that. Thanks for that tidbit.
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I know the references they are talking about, but I didn’t look up how long a rod is. I did look up the meaning of ‘thither’ :)
Fire Company #1 was a total bonus. I’ve lived here over 30 years and I didn’t know it was there!
I like casting Norm is various roles. We need to get a video of him coming down that pole. Thanks for dropping by, commenting and for the tweet – you’re the best!
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If Norm goes down the pole then I want advance notice to be there for that! I’ll have my camera ready. :)
re: thither- I always thought it went with hither. :) as in come and go?
No. I looked it up. Thither is distant which is the right word for the amount of rods in this case. If it was 50 rods (825ft!) that’s a ways!
Me thinks my understanding of Hither and Thither might be wrong. :) Going to look that up now. :)
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Between us and Teagan, we can set language back 200 years 🙂
My guess is Norm feel about that pole the same way he feels about bail.
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LOL! No doubt! :)
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Love the photos Dan! And I love learning something new everytime I visit your blog! Thank you!
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Thank you for visiting !
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Love that word thither. I’m partial to “old English”, at least some. Again another thank you for a history lesson, Dan. You never know what treasures you’ll find “just around a corner”. Loved your gallery and I thank you for teaching me something I had not known before. 🤗
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Thanks Amy. I think the best thing about this post was finding something special on a road I’ve been driving past for over 30 years. I am impressed by how many people like ‘thither’ – I expect to see it mount a comeback ;-)
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We tend to get so caught up in our “habits” that we pass things blindly until one day …. Example …. I had to use a detour due to road work and in going a different way I discovered a Colonial Home that I still have yet to go back to with my camera. Cool beans. And yeah … old English is fun to use! ☺️
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You have been successful with your “doors” angle. If we had the time, would strt up a “subway day”…..but no time……push on WebSite
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Door-heaven, Dan. Nothings beats finding the unexpected, especially when it is old and filled with history. The beauty of architecture is what it’s all about. Anytime one of these buildings goes, it is a sad day. Too much rambling, I need to thither along. Thanks for a great doors post.
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Thanks Jennie. These places are scattered through New England (as you know) but we’ve lost a lot of them. I’m glad these appear to be safe.
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Me, too!
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Nice finds, Dan! Including increasing your vocabulary :) I think finding warehouses are like finding pots of gold cause you know there’s got to be some great doors in warehouse buildings.
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Thanks. I’d love to go inside and stumble around. I wonder how the police would feel about that 🙂
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Don’t worry! You have the Norm Framton TD explanation! 😆
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Happy Veteran’s Day to all those affected by loss, service or memories of their time during wars.
This was such a heartwarming post which really touched me, Dan.
The buildings are beautiful and brick buildings are some of my favorites!
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Thanks Robin. I love the old brick buildings.
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Lot of red! I love that:)
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I do like it when I see red in the mix.
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These shots brought back such vivid memories of New London and New Haven. There is no place quite like New England.
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Those two cities are two of the finest New England has to offer. I haven’t been through New London in over 30 years. I need to pencil that in. Thanks.
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New London has changed so much. My former partner is on the Historic Landmark’s Committee in New London.
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