East Coast Road Trip: From Clemson to Montreal

Today, we ventured north about 20 minutes next to the Connecticut River to the town of East Haddam where an ancient ancestor of mine helped to establish the town many years ago.

I’ve been to East Haddam before back in 2014 but I’d wanted to show it to Lorna since I first saw it.

Nicholas Ackley was born around 1630 to Puritan parents likely in East Anglia, England. He arrived in Hartford, CT about 1650. About two years later, he married Hannah and children soon followed.

In 1662, he was one of 28 young men who decided to create a new town on the banks of the Connecticut River. He moved his family to his 14-acre plot in 1667, at the southern end of what became Haddam (across the river from East Haddam now).

In all, 10 Ackley children (5 boys and 5 girls) survived to adulthood. Nicholas’ wife, Hannah, died in mid-1680s and then he married the widow Miriam. Nicholas died in 1695.

The above genealogical research is sourced from this excellent book about his life by Nancy A. Mattison, a descendant herself:

The drive up was a little rainy but no wind at all. We drove around town a bit and ended up at Ballek’s Nursery, a very historic site since descendants of Nicholas Ackley continue to live there to this day!

Back in 2014, I visited Ballek’s and had mentioned that I was possibly a Nicholas Ackley descendant. The business’s long-time matriarch, Anita, whisked me away to her office to tell her story about the property, as she was also a Nicholas descendant.

Sadly, we learned that Anita passed in May of this year but she reached 93 years of age which is exemplary. She instilled her offspring, grandsons and granddaughters with a love of their historical heritage. We told her daughter and the granddaughter about my lineage and they loved to talk about it!

Some history about the Ballek Nursery that they have posted on their walls:

The Ballek’s have a couple of orange cats who seem to enjoy the attention… their makeshift beds are at “petting” level.

Before we left, we asked about a good breakfast or lunch place in the area. They recommended the nearby “Two Wrasslin’ Cats” (are you sensing a theme here?).

Unfortunately, the Cats were packed (long wait) so we decided to seek out other food and found a small market/deli where we purchased some sandwiches.

We were fortunate to be here on a weekend as the East Haddam Historical Society museum is only open 12-4 on Saturdays and Sundays. We arrived early so ate our sandwiches and then headed over to the very nearby Gillette Castle State Park which we had absolutely no knowledge of.

Gillette Castle was the dream of William Gillette who was an American actor, playwright, and stage manager best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. He gained fame for his distinctive portrayal of the iconic detective character on stage. William gave Sherlock his signature cape, pipe and “elementary dear Watson”. Not to be confused with the Gillette Shaving Co – totally unrelated!

We’d never heard of him. He was born on July 24, 1853, in Hartford, Connecticut. He began his acting career in the late 19th century and became known for his stage adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories and became quite wealthy doing so.

In 1882, William married Helen Nichols, the love of his life. He was 28, she was 22. 6 years later she suffered a ruptured appendix and sadly died. He vowed to her that he would never remarry and he never did.

Gillette wrote a play titled “Sherlock Holmes,” which premiered in 1899. He portrayed Holmes on stage over 1,300 times, and his portrayal is credited with helping to popularize the character in the United States.

In 1914, Gillette began construction on a unique and elaborate home in East Haddam, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River. The home was designed to resemble a medieval castle and featured eccentric architectural elements, including hidden mirrors, built-in couches, and lock mechanisms of his own design. The castle’s exterior was constructed with local and plentiful Connecticut fieldstone.

It’s definitely one of a kind and a must visit when in the area!

We enjoyed the Castle. We went in with literally no expectations and left with a much greater appreciation with the grand vision and artistry of William’s contractors.

Now that the East Haddam Historical Society Museum was open, we headed back there which was a short drive away. Higher expectations this time but left underwhelmed. ‘Nuff said.

Lorna found some historical maps at the museum noting different Ackleys around town:

When I visited in 2014, I was fortunate to score a sold out ticket to “Fiddler on the Roof” which was playing at the historic “Goodspeed Opera House” right downtown next to the bridge. A couple of weeks ago, I bought us matinee tickets for today at 3pm for the musical “The 12”.

So we headed downtown since we hadn’t spent any time there today.

Inside the Goodspeed… there was just one set.

From their website: “Jerusalem. The disciples are in disarray. Torn apart by the unthinkable death of their leader, see how twelve ordinary individuals come together to create one of the most powerful movements ever known. Filled with power and passion, The 12 is a universal story of love and how each of us must eventually navigate the loss of whatever we hold most dear. Join us for a profoundly moving musical that you will never forget!”

The characters:

After the show, we drove around the neighborhoods a bit – most homes have historical plaques indicating their build dates – usually in the 18th or 19th centuries.

On the way back to the Airbnb, we stopped to pick up dinner supplies and then to relax watching some college football.

Did you see a theme today? 🐈 🐱