I will never forget Sunrise Resort

My family and I vacationed at Sunrise Resort every year since I was 5 years old till I was almost 20.  We stayed there every third week of July with the same group of people we met and became really good friends with while staying there.  

I remember going to the little kiddie area next to the basketball court and spending the day with a bunch of other little kids while our parents enjoyed their time by the big pool and other amenities.  My family and I, the group we always hung out with when we were all there have so many good, fun and amazing memories of the resort. 

Our group was notorious for dressing up one day of the week and showing up during the morning band wake up route with Coo Coo.  One year, we dressed up as the Keystone Cops, another year we dressed up as hobos and created a little hobo camp down by the river along the route that Coo Coo would take the band to the dining room down by the river.  We would surprise him and all of the other guests and have a huge laugh.  Another year, we dressed up as a nudist colony.  We had a fence set up and all of use stood behind the fence, and all you could see was our heads and shoulders and then our legs.  My father, stood at the end of the fence holding a guitar over himself with nothing else on, he had on a small bathing suit behind the guitar.  It was hilarious to see all of the people's faces and the look on Coo Coo's face was priceless.  Our last year there together, and our last dress up performance was dressing up as little people with really big hats.  We did a little dance routine behind the cabanas for Coo Coo and the morning band, and then got to perform in the big show at the end of the week in the clubhouse for all of the adults.

I grew up at the resort, every July.  I met so many people, had so many summer flings with girls that I had met each time.  I even met my first real girlfriend there the summer of 1989.  We dated all through high school and even went to the same college together.  Sadly, we broke up my sophomore year and her freshmen year at school.  The spa/hot tub area was the place that we always hung out at.  That was where the teens hung out, made out and were able to be away from the parents.  We would also go the the snack bar by the pool and eat french fries and soda as a mid day snack.  Those french fries were so good, and I can still smell them.

The pool was awesome!  The high diving board was the best.  I first went off that board when I was 7 years old.  It was scary at first, but so much fun.  I used to do can openers off that thing and send water splashing every where on the deck and high into the air.  Everyone wanted to see just how high I could get the splash.  Most of the time, it went higher than the roof of the cabanas.  

The softball game between the guests and the staff was awesome too!  My biggest memory of that was when I was about 15 or 16, I was playing centerfield.  A ball was hit into the gap toward the "Frog".  I ran it down and turned and fired to home plate.  Unfortunately, my throw was a little off, as the ball sailed over the back stop and into the grassy area across the road by the pool.  Yeah, I must have thrown the ball 300 feet or more before it hit the ground.

I remember where my rooms were that we stayed in each year.  We stayed in the big white hotels over by the spa/hot tubs one year.  We stayed in the rustic cabins that were up on the hill behind the ball field for many years.  Mostly in the rooms in the lower parts of the cabins which the doors were on the back side along the edge of the hill above the cabins that the staff that lived on the resort stayed in.  The names of the cabins slip my mind, but I know exactly which room and cabin I stayed in.  From there, we stayed in the cabanas, our rooms were on the parking lot side on the second floor right near the basketball court and horse shoe pits.  The arcade and ping pong tables were in the covered area adjacent to the cabanas and directly behind the club house.  Those ping pong tables are where I first learned how to play the game of ping pong.  They were also the same tables I won my first ping pong tournament.

The resort was great for kids of all ages.  At night there were so many activities for all age groups.  I remember spending so many nights with Jock-O at the white building as you would walk down the hill towards the dining room from the cabanas, there was a white building on the left of the path.  There were stairs to get down to it.  Jock-O would play games and run casino nights and stuff like that for the kids.  The teens got to hang out with another staff member, Rusty was the guy who ran the teen activities while I was there as a teenager.  He would DJ at the pavilion behind the tennis courts, and we would have a dance party.  He ran all of the sports activities.  He even set up movie nights at Echo Hall.

The food was outstanding.  Every meal was delicious and the variety was perfect.  The themed meals were incredible as well.  The paddle breakfast was a great tradition.  Take a canoe down the river to a field where they had tables set up and a pancake buffet style breakfast waiting for you.  The Luau was another great traditional themed meal.  The food was cooked on huge grills and you ate at picnic tables.  Music playing all the time.  Just unbelievable.  The memories are amazing.  I love Sunrise Resort.

I was so sad to hear that it was closing and I am even more sad to know that it has been abandoned and unmaintained over the past three years.  It is a shame that nothing has been done to preserve such a great place that so many people made so many memories at.  To see the pictures of it all overgrown, the pool empty, the windows broken and buildings falling apart makes me so sad to know that I spent so many years in those buildings, in that pool, walking along all of the roads and paths. 

Heck, I even worked there for a summer, as part of the house keeping staff.  I drove around in a beat up station wagon, stopping at all of the buildings the guests stayed in and picked up all of the dirty linen and towels that the housekeeping girls would take out of each room.  Not a great paying job, but I loved the place so much that I didn't care about the money.  I just loved being at the resort.

I will never forget Sunrise Resort.  I will never forget all of the people I met and made so many memories with.  I will never forget the people who worked there, like Coo Coo and Jock-O and Rusty who touched my life in such a way that it breaks my heart to know that that special place is no longer.  I would have liked to been able to take my son there for vacation every year and show him what a fun and great place Sunrise was. 

I hope that someday, someone will rescue that great piece of property and restore it back to Sunrise.  If it was open for business today, I would book my vacation there right now with my family and start making more memories.  I will continue to follow this story and pray that the state of CT does something good with this land.  It's too bad that it can't be renovated and kept as a museum or something.

Thank you,

--Sean Malo

No meat but great time at Hlton's

I was at Ted Hilton's  way back 1945, after the war's end with 2 of my friends. I had a great time, ate fish and seafood all week -- no meat on the menu..

--Alex Golzwarden

Hiking and romance at Hilton's

I think 1958 and 1960 were the summers I spent at Ted Hiltons with my family.  It was such a beautiful place -- the gorgeous Salmon river, the grounds, the pool, all the activities, the wonderful food and the dining room.  There was music at night, outside, and inside was square dancing.

We would have a guided hike through the woods, be hot and exhausted at the end,  to find a long table laden with cool drinks and food. All the employees were friendly and enthusiastic.  They loved being there as much as the guests.  And there was Roy with a cowboy hat, always on horseback, announcing all the activities we should join in, when and where.

I even had a romance with a very special young man who worked there.  I think he stayed for many years and if he is still there I want him to know Hiltons and our friendship are very special memories. for me.

--Joan Daly

Fresh food, country air

Back in the day, Moodus was the resort capital of Connecticut, with more than 50 resorts serving tens of thousands of vacationers during the season. People came for the clean country air and food fresh from the farm next door. In fact, many of the resorts started out as farms whose families welcomed first family and then other visitors to enjoy the Moodus summer.

Honeymoon at Hilton's

We spent a week at the resort in May 1954 one week before my husband was sent to Japan and Korea.  It was a wonderful week and the food and guests were great.  We still have pictures of the boat ride and us enjoying a night of entertainment by the guests including my husband.  We still have fond memories of that week, and pictures of the cabin we stayed in.

--Ruth and Harry Bolger

Eels in the river at Hilton's

My family visited Ted Hilton's in the summer of 1952.  The week as I remember was wonderful.  The horses were tied up and waiting on the far side of the river so one had to row across.  I had a crush on the top wrangler. We went riding at least three times, once for an early morning breakfast ride.  We stayed in the new lodgings at the top of the hill -- overlooking the swimming pool, where I also spent a lot of time.  The river was lovely with its little sandy beach -- but it was the first time I ever saw an eel -- and didn't appreciate the experience as that long, black shiny, slimy thing coiled about my ankle!  The food was great and I remember one morning particularly.  I always got up very early and there I could walk down to the lodge by myself and eat with other guests, likewise early risers.  I was 10. 

--Jeanne Melis Mills

Young, in love, in Moodus

Hi. Just thought it would be fun to go back to the Ted Hilton resort for our 60th anniversary. We were there only once, went by bus with a cardboard suitcase. We didn't own a car then. We were there the week of August 8th l949. We were very young & in love. We're still together, healthy & still young at heart. We stayed a week in a cabin on a hill. One of my fondness memories were the fresh blueberry pancakes. I make a batch at least once a week ever since I ate yours. All the meals were good then. I 'm amazed I found you on the internet. When I made the blueberry pancakes this morning I remembered your place. We will pleased to receive information on Ted Hilton's Resort. Thank You,

--Mr & Mrs Michael Grella, Hicksville, NY

Memories of Coo Coo

My parents went to Ted Hilton's for their honeymoon in 1949, and our family went to Frank Davis Resort every summer in the 70's.

I especially remember fondly Roy "Coo Coo" Duka, the entertainer from those summers. He used to recruit campers at 6 am to go around with instruments and wake up the other campers. He would blow smoke bubbles from his cigars and run all sorts of activities for kids and adults. He even had a nightclub act for the adults. Sometimes he rode around on a white horse during the Hawaiian barbecue. All very fond memories!

Fantastic

I have enjoyed reading all of the excellent information on your website. The photos and book selections are absolutely fantastic. I especially love the old resort information. My father worked at Frank Davis and I at Sunrise through high school. It is amazing to see how much has changed at that resort, yet stayed the same.

--Tinamarie Berger

Frank Davis Resort a wonderful place

My memories of family vacations are always in vivid color when thinking of Frank Davis Resort. Each Christmas I'm reminded of it's magical touch on my childhood by a Christmas ornament I had made at one of the arts & crafts workshops. It has a tiny figurine inside a clear plastic ball with worn writing that reads, "To Coo Coo-with love"

From the car that traveled into the water to the children's parades, it was a wonderful place that I can keep coming back to each year. Thank you!

--Lauren Field

Roy Coo Coo Duka Dies

For years Roy Duka was the all around entertainer for the Frank Davis Resort. From handing out instruments to the guests, with his "wake up" band, to war canoe races, putting on audience participation plays (written by his wife Franny), the man kept going from sunrise to way after the sunset.

CooCoo brought years of joy and laughter to so many guests. To me, he was one of the main reasons many people kept returning to Frank Davis (I know it was the reason for our family returning every year.

I received a call from Roy's wife Franny a few hours ago, and was told Roy had passed away. My family started going to Frank Davis when I was only 12, I am now 42. My father Jack "Jocko" Castronovo was a New York fireman and fell in love with CT and this area so much that when he retired we moved up here. He even got a job at the resort. . He and Roy were close for 30 years.

Thank you,
--Annmarie Anderson

Honeymoon at Hilton's

My wife and I were married June 27, 1953 and spent our honeymoon at Ted Hilton's (which became Frank Davis Resorts, which is now Sunrise).

Truly a memorable occasion. One unforgettable happening: I developed a toothache, and Mr. Hilton personally took me into a dentist for relief. He said that no one should be uncomfortable on their honeymoon. What a man!

--Don

Summers at Hilton's

Hello,

My name is Mary Ann (Golub) Ferguson. I grew up in Moodus...Born there in 1945 and resided there until 1965. My e-mail buddy, Irving Axelrod just told me about this site and it is WONDERFUL! I worked for 4 summers at Ted Hilton's for Ma Hilton and Frank Davis...How great it is to see what you have done on this site...

--Mary Ann

Ted Hilton's memories

I am thrilled to see your pictures and text of Moodus. I lived there from about 1935 to 1963. The memories it brought back! My father was a chef at Ted Hilton's from about 1935 to about 1940. His name was Holland E. Shaw. There is a card with his picture in the old dining room at the camp.

Respectfully,
--Grace (Shaw) Lechner