Odd times in Connecticut

With a history of human settlement predating the formation of the United States, or even early European settlement for that matter, charter bus travelers to Connecticut will not be surprised to learn that Connecticut has its share of oddities and quirky sights. Taking a charter bus, coach bus, party bus, mini bus, passenger coaches or school bus chartered from Charter Bus Connecticut, come with us a a charter bus ride for a view of the odd, the strange and the bizarre to be found in Connecticut.
Take a charter bus ride to East Haddam to visit Gillette Castle. This medieval style castle was built from fieldstone over a period of 5 years by actor and playwright William H. Gillette. Renowned for being the actor who played Sherlock Holmes on stage, Gillette was also a somewhat ingenious designer, who let his personality run free in the construction of his castle. Some of the quirks of this place include the castle’s 47 doors that each incorporate a different wooden puzzle lock, a set of hidden mirrors which allowed Gillette to view his guests in the living room from his bedroom upstairs and a 3 mile long miniature scale railroad.
Reputed for causing the death and financial ruin of anyone who owned this mansion, Dunnellen Hall in Greenwich is a short charter bus ride away from Hartford, Connecticut. Originally built by magnate Daniel Reid, this 28 room Jacobean mansion sits on 26 acres of land, and has 21,000 feet of living space. Gifted to Reid’s daughter and her family who lived there without incident till the 1950s, Dunnellen Hall was bought by Loring Washburn. Right after Washburn moved in, his financial empire quickly slid into ruin, and the property was bought by showgirl Dodge Moran in 1966, who then quickly sold it to financier Jack R. Dick. 3 years later Dick was indicted before a Grand Jury and died in 1974 before charges could be filed. The next owner was Ravi Tikkoo, who before the purchase had made his fortune in oil supertankers. Less than a decade later, he had also gone bust, forcing him to sell the property to the current owners, a couple you may have even heard of, Harry and Leona Helmsley. The Helmsleys were indicted for tax evasion, and Leona Helmsley served an 18 month jail term.
If you need proof that people have always loved the weird and bizarre, take a charter bus to Joseph Steward’s Museum of Natural and Other Curiosities in Hartford. Opened in 1797, making this one of the oldest museums in the United States, Joseph Steward’s museum is proof that even over 200 years ago, people loved to see the strange and the odd. Steward collected oddities after he realized that he needed something more to draw people into his art gallery and collected a number of “natural and artificial curiosities,” including an 18-foot Egyptian crocodile, the horn of a unicorn and a calf with two complete heads.
For a fun filled charter bus trip of Connecticut, give Charter Bus Connecticut a call to find out how they can help you plan your trip with their fleet of charter buses and friendly, personalized service.