From the real Catskills

Very nice material - I am going to link it on my Catskills Institute website section on 'the other Catskills'

--Phil Brown, Providence, RI

A part of my past

I just wanted to tell you what an absolute fantastic job you have done on your website. Starting in 1972 through to about 1980 we used to go to Banner Lodge for our summer vacation. We really grew to love that place & I still have some really great memories of time spent there.

I learned back in the late 80's that the Banner family was closing the lodge & developing condos there. I was really concerned it would be gone for good & all the charm of that place would be lost too. I have gone back several times in the last few years & it is so incredibly sad to see what has become of Banner Lodge. I was just there last week & nothing has changed since the first time I was there.

I decided to do a web search of Moodus to see if I could find any old pics or anything about Banner Lodge & I came upon your website. It is very impressive & I really enjoyed reading all about the urban renewal in Moodus & the history. Even with Banner Lodge no longer in business the Moodus area is still one of my favorite parts of the state. Again, thanks for the great website & thanks for recognizing a part of my past that I thought was all but forgotten about. 

-Joe

History quiz

Just a quick note to let you know that I enjoy your web site on East Haddam history. I teach history at the middle school and on quiz days I usually give a bonus question on East Haddam history. It is a quick way for the kids to know a little about their town. I have lived here most of my life and it still surprises me how much I learn about the town. Anyways keep up the good work!

Thanks,
Roy Parker

An incredible site

What an incredible site. I was born in Middletown. My mother and father are from East Haddam. I went to Nathan Hale-Ray School, from which both my parents graduated. Although we moved from town years ago, we still have attachments there and I found your series of articles to be great. It was a shame what happened with "redevelopment," with some of my family bearing some responsibility. I look forward to more material, now that I have located your site. Keep up the great work.

-Sincerely, Ronald Polstein

Keep Moodus/East Haddam green!

As a former Moodus resident now living in South Carolina, I was surprised to see your article on the Internet. I was one of the minority who spoke against the renewal and was told that I didn't know what I was talking about. It was like archaeology, once you dig it up there is no putting it back the way it was. Moodus has nothing on what is going on in this county with development. Keep Moodus/East Haddam green. Thank you for the article.

--Gaspar J Ingui, Murrells Inlet, SC

Thanks for the greetings from Moodus

I checked out the website today for the first time and I'm really impressed. Reading your story on "redevelopment" transported me instantly back to old main street during my growing up years in town. I can still identify every store from Bernstein's to the Cabin Grill, and can visualize the interiors of those that I visited often. Man, the hours I spent hanging in Weinstein's reading comic books!

I remember while in high school I was president of FFA (Future Farmers of America) and our chapter voted to raise and plant flowers for the new shopping center as part of the beautification process. I remember we made plans to help beautify the park that was supposed to replace the old stores. Anyway, thanks for the "Greetings from Moodus" and keep up the good work, Ken.

-Bruce Sievers