Dan Antion

Simsbury et al

Welcome to Thursday Doors! This is a weekly challenge for people who love doors and architecture to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos, drawings, or other images or stories from around the world. If you’d like to join us, simply create your own Thursday Doors post each (or any) week and then share a link to your post in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time). If you like, you can add our badge to your post.

I’m trying to keep these posts low on text during May for two reasons. One, I have announcements related to the Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). Two, I had an entry this week that which was quite a bit of reading. I hope to have another entry on Monday, maybe not as long, but more than a normal week.

So, today’s doors are the more doors from Simsbury, Connecticut, and some doors I gathered on the way to and from Simsbury. Actually, although not important, Simsbury is a town I travel through on my way to our daughter’s place when I’m trying to avoid the highway.

Last week, I had a picture of an odd building. i mentioned wanting to learn more about it. It’s part of the Simsbury Historical Society campus. It’s shown and described in the photos below.

This is the house I was wondering about last week. It was built as a symbol to the town’s history
AS A SYMBOL OF SIMSBURY’S RICH HISTORICAL HERITAGE AND AS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF THE FAITH, COURAGE AND SIMPLICITY OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS, THIS BUILDING OF UNIQUE COLONIAL DESIGN WAS BUILT TO SERVE AS HEADQUARTERS FOR THE THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWN OF SIMSBURY AND NOW AS PART OF THE SIMSBURY HISTORIC CENTER IS DEDICATED TO THE USE, EDUCATION AND ENJOYMENT OF ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Regarding the Writing Challenge. We have ten very good entries, and more on the way, I’m told.There’s still time to join us. So far, we have poetry, short stories and blog posts. That’s the best part of TDWC–anything goes. Visit the challenge page. Find a door that inspires you and write something. In addition to the fun of participating in the challenge, you benefit from the promotion around the TDWC. Last I checked, there have been almost 70 clicks on the links to the entries list at the challenge page, and I will be promoting it throughout May and into June.

To read the entries that have been written, and / or to pick a door and start writing, check out the TDWC Page.

This is an orthodontist’s office
The Public Safety complex at the only angle where I could capture the whole building
The Public Safety – south side
The Public Safety – north side
This town had a rough start
This fire station is in Easy Granby, a neighboring town to Simsbury
A very steep and tall gambrel
In memory of Dr. Samuel Higley – Student, teacher, doctor, metallurgist, inventor. First to make steel – 1727. Designed and struck first copper coinage – 1737
Not exactly a door, but they thought it necessary to preserve these
Barn on the grounds of the Historical Society
Education center on the grounds of the Historical Society
Perhaps a tribute to the native Americans who lived here before.
bank in the center of town
No doors here – no walls, either
Barn on the grounds of the Historical Society

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114 comments

    • It does make you wonder. Lots of farmland along the Farmington River, so I guess they worked hard to be self-sufficient. Trade with other towns would have been possible, but difficult. At least before the railroads were being built.

      You have a great collection today.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. Hi Dan – lots of interesting history here … I love the photos you’ve shown us of a great range of buildings … I like the indigenous Indian structure … I’d like to visit – unlikely! Cheers Hilary

    Liked by 1 person

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    • The Indians tried several times to destroy this town. I would imagine hunting, fishing and farming were all good in this area. I’m not sure the settlement is one of our prouder New England moments, but the town has done well to preserve its history.

      Liked by 1 person

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  16. Thanks Dan for the details on last week’s image, The Salsbury building.
    Great photos all as usual this week!
    I like the prominent brickwork of The Public Safety Building. You dud well to capture its many angles. Realy gorgeous!
    The first white house has the door so far on the right almost as if the left side of the facade was a later addition, maybe?

    Love the ted barn, so cool looking. Its roof is stunning.

    Thank you for your work on TDWC and compiling the excellent entries thus far. My wheels are spinning with ideas.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I’m glad you liked the doors in this post, Suzette. You may be right about the white house. Many of these homes started out small and grew by additions over time. Some even had additions removed and replaced with larger ones. Others just kept adding on.

      I loved the church you shared today, and I hope you will join us for the writing challenge. I always enjoy your poetry, and the way you craft your posts.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  17. Ooooo, the thatched building is fantastic and the red and white barn really catches your eye. All these buildings are interesting and it’s always nice to see that they are well maintained. Well, except for the building with no doors or walls, and almost no roof! Looks like it had been a three-car garage. That level of neglect is very sad to see.

    Once again, nice tour around a very interesting town with lots of rich history.
    Ginger

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    • Thanks Ginger. I’m hoping that garage will be rebuilt this summer. Otherwise, it should be allowed to rest in peace. I’m glad I checked out the little historic district in this town. That barn with the thatched roof is pretty cool.

      Like

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  22. The colourful barn and that education center look the most inviting.

    I appreciate all your work around the writing challenge, including your most excellent Ljubljana green door story.

    In my today’s post there is the first piece (out of three) which I wrote to one of the doors on offer. Plus there is uncle and his gift of Spanish doors + mother and a certain grave. https://manjameximexcessive6.wordpress.com/2023/05/11/thursday-doors-gifts-spain-a-door-poem/#Spain#Pamplona#Tito#AmericanSentence

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I am so glad you swapped that green door in for us, Manja, and I’m glad you enjoyed the story.

      You post today is wonderful. A delightful poem – in a style I didn’t know existed – and some wonderful doors from your uncle’s travel. Thanks for always supporting this challenge.

      Liked by 1 person

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  27. Hi Dan, What a picturesque town. I like the house built as a symbol of the town’s history. The tribute built for Native Americans is interesting, too, and the barn on the Historical Society’s grounds looks too good to be a barn.

    This is my second set of Moroccan doors.

    11.05.23 Thursday Doors and a lot to be thankful for

    I’m going to try participating in the writing challenge. I was inspired by the story you wrote on Manja’s doors :). I hope I can do it.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I’m glad you like the doors, Smitha. The town celebrates its history. I think that’s a good thing.

      I hope you can join us. I enjoy your writing and I enjoyed the doors you collected for today.

      Like

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    • That’s the story across much of New England, Dale. It’s sad. I’d like to say we’ve learned how to all live together, but… Anyway, I’m glad you liked the doors. I’m glad they included the Indian house on the site. At least they aren’t trying to hide their history.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • That’s my favorite door today, too. The town is spread over a lot of land. There are still a lot of farms out there, but the town center area is really beautiful. I like they they celebrate their history – warts and all.

      Liked by 1 person

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  33. The house with the gambrel roof looks to be in the same neighborhood as the orthodontist. I wonder if he lives and works there? Makes you wonder if he tells his patients: ‘we’ll adjust those braces then stop by the kitchen for a treat on your way out.’

    Liked by 1 person

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  46. I am new to the Thursday doors. I was introduced to the Thursday doors writing challenge on Miriam Hurdle’s blog and I was interested in joining in. I love all the images here. Recently I have been looking for a more creepy door image that will inspire me to write something thrilling.
    Here’s my take on the Thursday writing challenge:
    https://thesphereisclear.wordpress.com/2023/05/11/thursdaydoors-the-mark-of-mystery/

    And thank you for hosting the challenge, Dan.

    Liked by 1 person

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  54. Dan, what an eclectic collection of doors this week. I smiled at the stocks because friends and I posed in stocks when we went to Colonial Williamsburg. You don’t see too many of those out West! I agree with Natalie about the barn doors and the Native American structure. Again, our structures in the West look so different. What is antique to us is modern to the East Coast. LOL Here are a couple of examples of the early 20th century. http://alwayswrite.blog/2023/05/10/wq-19-how-appropriate-is-royal-purple-for-mothers/

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  55. So, Simsbury is a special place since it’s on your way to see your daughter. Wow, 1670! I love that it’s a testimony to “the faith, courage, and simplicity of the founding fathers…” The charming white house would have been a nice place to visit my orthodontist many (many) years ago. I am hoping to write a story for the Writing Challenge. There’s so much going on for me right now, just like everyone else I’m sure, but I’m waiting for my muse to show up in the midst of a lot of transition. I hope she finds me soon! :) Have a lovely weekend, Dan.

    Here’s my last post featuring Vienna. https://brendasrandomthoughts.wordpress.com/2023/05/13/thursday-doors-random-buildings-doors-in-vienna/

    Liked by 1 person

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    • In 1670, they had to have a lot of faith to rebuild that town – twice! I loved your random doors. The curves are so graceful. I hope your muse finds you. There’s still plenty of time, but things do seem to be hectic all over. I hope you have a nice weekend.

      Liked by 1 person

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  58. Thanks for finding out more about that little building. What stories are here! I come from a family who looked for the back ways to get anywhere, so I’d happily drive through Simsbury to avoid a highway.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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