Hidden Gems Of Connecticut

BERLIN, CT — When approaching this week's Hidden Gem, one tends to slow down — almost to a crawl — to take a close look at a journey back in time.

Welcome to a stroll through the Berlin Historic District and the Emma Hart Willard birthplace along state Route 372.

Preservation Connecticut points out that the Berlin Historic District, also known as the Worthington Ridge Historic District, features several important architectural styles, including New England Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic, Late Victorian, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Tudor Revival. It's one of the most concentrated sections of historic architecture in Connecticut.

The district also includes the birthplace of Emma Hart Willard. According to Connecticut History.org, Willard was born, the 16th of 17 children, to Samuel and Lydia Hart in 1787, in Berlin. She went on to rise to international fame as a leader in women’s education and proponent of the co-educational system.

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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. Other columns in this series for 2021 include:

• 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

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