Stafford Springs, Ct Fountain

Hay Market Square
Charles P. Holt Memorial Fountain
- 1894 -

Intersection of Routes 190 & 32, w/ Furnace Avenue
Stafford Springs, Ct 06076

Web Cam Go to Bottom

It's beautiful to watch, when things go smoothly!
The WebCam occasionally locks up

The oldest Rotary in North America?

Cover illustration from "Stafford Illustrated" 1895

Fountain at the far eastern end of the street

History -
            The fountain was built by Charles P. Holt's widow & daughter a year or 2 after his death (~6 years after the Great Blizzard). The railroad & train station were in place when the fountain was built. The town hall was dedicated January 1924.
            The trolley line added a relatively brief complication to this intersection (1908 - 1928). The route went by the Fair Grounds to WStafford, Rt-30 to Crystal Lake, SW to Shenipsit Lake, to the St Bernard Cemetery, to Grove St Station & into Rockville (interest is developing to follow as much of the line as possible with a multi-use Rail Trail through the 4 towns to join the "Spur" in Rockville). Photos in the Stafford Historical Society show the tracks passing to the right (north) of the fountain as it left the trolley shed on Furnace Ave, but trolleys would be on the wrong side returning home. Driving on left or right does not appear to have been of much public interest til after automobiles became common in the 20's & 30's. It was the auto that put the trolley out of business.
            When did the traffic start to go around it counterclockwise? Always? Or were there years of people passing it on either the left or right - tolerable because traffic was so light?
            Although the fountain missed the flood of 1877, when a factory dam broke, during both the 1938 hurricane (17-20 September, 6-17in rainfall) & Hurricane Diane (17-22 August 1955, 10-15in rainfall), the fountain became half submerged by water.

from MapQuest 2001

MapQuest aerial photo - 2001

Rebuilt in 1997 -

Modern Roundabouts - see my references on 1st page
Safety in Stafford - informal survey in the Town Hall in November'02 - no one could remember any 2 car accident of any consequence there!!!

Changes in 2005
An update of signs & lines 90% installated in June'05 to smooth the flow of traffic in Hay Market Square (Stafford Springs Roundabout)

A 2nd painted Divider Island (also called "Separator Island", or pedestrian "Refuge Island") was painted between the Railroad Station & the church. (eventually to be raised & landscaped like the one on the Furnace Ave side)
A 3rd painted (eventually to be bricked or cobbled) Divider Island was made south of the fountain near the RR tracks.
Yield signs (R1-2) on all 3 approaches w/ dashed yield lines. The one on the River Road leg is still waiting to be added <== "Reverse Priority" is essential to smooth flow thru circular intersections!
Advanced warning signs ("Roundabout Ahead" (W2-6)) are recommended by MUTCD - one was installed on River Road near Cumberland Farms, but the one on Main Street has not been put up by the town yet.
Direction arrows are recommended by FHWA, but were not in these Retro-fit plans.

(David Bartlett, Pres.Stfford Historical Commission, 684-5115), Back to 1st Page, Back to North East page
Written November'02 by R.N.White, revised Sept'05
Email: NEAR(at)cox.net