We had the pleasure of driving there during the summer from central Connecticut which afforded us the opportunity to take in the picturesque surroundings that Litchfield County has to offer. See my post “Driving through Litchfield County”.
Their grounds are not too visible from the roadway but their sign is adjacent to the driveway just over an old set of railroad tracks. They are located about a mile north of the center of Kent.
We were immediately greeted by a woman working in the reception “shed/barn” for lack of a better word. She provided us with the layout of the land, some paperwork and never asked for an admission fee. Turns out, unless it’s a special event, the fee’s are through donation. We provided them with what we felt was a reasonable donation because, frankly, it takes a fair amount of money to keep a facility like this rolling. Although it’s staffed by volunteers taxes, maintenance and utilities must be a sizable chunk alone.
We immediately headed over to the far end of the grounds where there was a substantial red barn. Here we were greeted by a gentleman that turned out to be the husband of the woman we just met upon arriving. He told us that he had retired from a job in New York City several years back. You could feel the passion, excitement and shear appreciation for the antique machinery that surrounded him. The barn was full of tractors, steam engines, steam rollers, and other aging relics such as bicycles. This gentleman was kind enough to walk us through and give us history on many of the more notable pieces on display.
From there we took a tour of the RY steam train which to the best of my recollection ran on coal piped in from the operators engine compartment. Here again we met a nice gentleman that filled us in on the history.
The final part of our visit took us to a large white building. This building also had a volunteer present who was busy doing some maintenance on one of the machines. He also happily answered any questions that I had. This facility houses belt driven steam engines of various sizes (some rather substantially large as you can see from the photo’s). What I found most peculiar was the Hubbard Steam Cycle. You’ll see a photo with a picture of the sign that accompanies the motorcycle for a brief explanation of it’s history.
I think this is a fun trip for individuals and families alike. If you like the country and fresh air you’ll simply enjoy being on their grounds for starters. If you have an appreciation for the history of machinery and how they have evolved over the years then this is the place for you. If you have kids they’ll enjoy the shear magnitude of some of their larger machinery.
When you’re done come out of the driveway and hang a right. Proceed a mile up the street where you’ll come upon quaint, small town Kent, CT. You can stop in the local grocery store or one of their restaurants to grab lunch. There is also an old historic train station in the center of town that is now the home of stores and offices but maintains its charm.
So go and enjoy the beautiful ride to CAMA. You’ll learn a lot while ther. You can’t help but appreciate the workmanship and quality that went into yesteryears machinery. Top it all off with a quick visit to “downtown” Kent and you’ll be glad you did!
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