Up in Wallyworld!!!!

Most of us know it as Wally World, to the more serious it's called Wallingford. Myself though, I have always wondered about the Yalesville Signs you see on Route 15 as you enter the town in both directions. for years I thought the name had ...something to do with the near bye Yale College located in New Haven. I was wrong .Just recently during the some research I thought I had finally solved this mystery. Through some random reading about Wallingford, I discovered that the founder of the Associated Press was Moses Yale Brown. As it turns out Moses, who was born in Wallingford, founded the multinational non-profit news angency in 1846. At the time Moses was the owner of the New York Sun Newspaper. Moses convinced four other newspapers to join the Sun and split the cost of transmitting the news of the current Mexican American War. Thus these newspapers went to form The Associated Press. Such a popular event related to Moses, I just assumed that Yalesville was name after his middle name. Well I was wrong again. As it turns out, the village of Yalesville is named after Charles Yale. Yale purchased the lands near the Quinnipiac River around the beginning of the 19th century. So that's where Yalesville comes from, as simple as that. Wallingford though, not so simple...actually very exciting! There is history, the arts and much to do along its North and South Colony Roads also know as Route 5. Just near the Wilbur Cross Parkway is the infamous Oakdale Theatre which as been pumping our concerts of famous artist such as Chicago and Frankie Vallie for years. One of the more prominent private college preparatory schools in the nation resides here, know as the Choate Mary Hall. The school has taught the likes of John F Kennedy, Michael Douglas and Jamie Lee Curtis. Not far from the school lays Gouveia Vinyard, where one can taste some the of states best wines, while getting a 360 degree view of the surrounding towns. If you like wine and great views, then this is the place for you. For transportation history, Wallingford is home to what is the oldest railroad underpasses in our country. Built in 1838, this is where Route 150 heads underneath a railroad that back in the day was meant for only horse carriages in both directions. These days, the underpass is controlled by traffic signals, that allows only on vehicle in each direction. To top if off one of the signers of The Declaration of Independence, Lyman Hall was born here. Yes, there is a school named after Lyman in town called Lyman Hall. This time I was right about making the connection with a last name. You will see that there are a lot of right things about Wallingford, even in Yalesville!!!

Click here for information on my book, "The Signs of Connecticut," a chronicle of those familiar blue signs that have the names of Connecticut's towns on them.