Litchfield County: Past in Present

by Anne Pyburn and photographs by David Cunningham, November 30, 2011

Unspoiled Vistas, Charming Villages

In Litchfield County, you’d expect to find tidy Colonials and village greens, welcoming wayside pubs and well-mannered citizens in towns with crisp, blue-ribbon names like Kent, Winsted, Barkhamsted, Bridgewater—and you’d be absolutely right. You’d expect to find creative folk of all sorts inhabiting an area so pretty that National Geographic Traveler ranks it among the world’s top 50 scenic places, and you’d be right again. Nestled in Connecticut’s northwest corner about 40 minutes east of Poughkeepsie, Litchfield County is where Manhattan sleek meets New England pristine, and both sides win.

A trip to Litchfield County might be as simple as taking a drive—with 19 designated state parks and forests, finding unspoiled vistas of rolling hills and flowing waters is not difficult. But this is an area where humans have created some fairly spectacular sights and experiences as well, and odds are you will be drawn in—to a historic site, a shopping district, a gallery, a performing arts event. Largely tiny—most have populations of under 5,000—Litchfield’s towns have more than their share of charm.

Take Kent, for example. In 2010, Yankee magazine named Kent New England’s top leaf-peeping destination. For the competition, towns were judged on 14 criteria. Besides fall color, evaluators assessed scenery, vistas, water, drives, hikes, culture, farmers’ markets and farm stands, orchards, parks, covered bridges, lack of congestion, shopping, and a final combined category for food and lodging.

The leaves may have fallen, but the Kent Gingerbread Festival is in full swing this month. “Enjoy as we transform Kent into an enchanted Gingerbread Village!” beckon promoters. Fifty shops will display gingerbread creations in their windows and other holiday pleasures and promotions will be ongoing through December 31 in “a town where parking is free, merchants smile, and gift wrapping is always complimentary.” Kent’s also got a vibrant arts community, ranging from New England tradition to the contemporary sensibilities of places like the Morrison Gallery, home gallery of Peter Woytuk, whose life sized bronze elephants and other assorted livestock currently grace Manhattan’s Broadway Mall. (“Peter Woytuk on Broadway” is featured in this month’s Portfolio)


Covered Bridges

To the north of Kent lies Sharon, where you’ll find Sharon Audubon Center, a wildlife sanctuary and nature center with 11 miles of hiking trails and raptor aviaries. Everyone’s invited to join a team for the Christmas Bird Count on December 18, or just stop by and meet the birds. North of Sharon lies Salisbury, where they like to race vintage cars and hold ski jump competitions, home of still more beautiful views, outstanding antique shops, cozy B&Bs, and historic wonders.