Historic sites of interest in Greenwich, CT

Though it is located just forty minutes from the heart of Manhattan by commuter train, Greenwich, Connecticut has a very well-preserved collection of historic sites. This city, today a wealthy suburban outpost for New York’s elite, was originally settled almost 400 years ago in 1640, so there is plenty of history to be found. The first area of Greenwich to be settled was South Beach, today called Old Greenwich, and this is where many of the best historic sites are found.

The first stop should be the Old Greenwich Railroad Station, which has found its place on the National Register of Historic Places. It is still in use today as the city’s train connection to New York and New Haven, CT. The charming red wood building was constructed back in 1892, and moved to its present location in 1895. For the first forty years of its history, the station was known as the South Beach Railroad Station, reflecting the name of its neighborhood at the time. However, in 1931 the name was changed to reflect the name that was becoming popular for the area, Old Greenwich.

In the Cos Cob neighborhood stands the proud Bush-Holley House, constructed in 1730. In the late 1800s, the house was turned into a boarding house. A large number of Impressionist artists and students were attracted to the rural character of Greenwich, and began staying at the Bush-Holley House. This gave rise to the Cos Cob Arts Colony, where artists John Henry Twatchman, J. Alden Weird, and Robert Reid lived and created artworks. Today the house is a museum, with guided tours. Tours focus on the lives of the Bush and Holley families, who originally lived in the building, and the Impressionist artists who later colonized the structure.

A common monument in many parts of the east coast, Greenwich has a statue commemorating the soldiers who fought and died in the Civil War. The piece was completed in 1890 and installed at East Putnam and Maple Avenue. Today this granite soldier still stands stoically overlooking the traffic that passes by.

Further south at Greenwich Point Park, you will find a historic marker that commemorates the beach where the founders of the settlement landed in 1640. The marker notes that the slim strip of land known as Greenwich Point was then called “Elizabeth’s Neck” after the wife of Robert Feaks, one of the colonists. Situated behind the historic marker there is a large old anchor, which was taken from the shipwreck of the Thames-Sugar Boat ferry, which sank near Greenwich Point in

Museum reviews: The Musee dOrsay, Paris, France

The Musee d’Orsay is the second most well stocked museum in the world right next to the Louvre itself. It is an enormous museum that specializes in famous art created from the late 19th to early 20th century. It contains pieces by Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet Monet, and many other masters. As one traveller put it, “If it is not in the Louvre, it is in the Musee d’Orsay!”

The most noteworthy aspect of this museum is one that differentiates it from all others of its kind. The Museum is actually housed in an old railroad station and thus the building itself becomes half the attraction, art in and of itself.

It specifically shows art created from 1848 to 1914. The categories are vast but a sampling of them reveals emphasis on Decorative Arts, History, Literature, Furniture, Painting, Photography, and Sculpture.

As far as specific pieces it contains many that are considered the best representations of the Impressionist (Manet, Monet, Renoir) and Expressionist (Van Gogh) movements. Even someone who would not normally feel inclined to travel to a museum would find great value in something at the museum; if not the pieces, in the unique structure of the building itself. This is one of the few museums that has the potential to turn virtually anyone into an art lover!

If I had recommend one piece for the reader to check out it would be Vincent Van Gogh’s self portrait. It is a brilliant piece and one of the best of his great and storied career. “Blue Waterlillies” by Monet (1919). The museum also houses his excellent Rouen Cathedral’ series in its entirety! The highlight of the Rodin collection in the Orsay museum is the monumental composition called The Gates of Hell’ and they also contain The Thinker, which even non enthusiasts are well acquainted with. Rodin’s works are especially monumental to the point of almost overwhelming the viewer.

This is one of the best museums on the planet and should be recommend to everyone. It’s common to hear people sigh about the Musee d’Orsay, saying they preferred it even to the Louvre. Although much smaller than the Louvre, those comments are understandable, given the concentration of beautiful 18th and 19th century artwork and the variety of the pieces. It is really a matter of preference, but everyone who knows art knows this was one of the best periods on the timeline, and this museum captures the era in epic fashion. You have to see it at least once in your lifetime.