Thursday Doors: Ahern Funeral Home

Thursday Doors: Ahern Funeral Home

Is it just me, or can you tell that a home is a funeral home before you even see the sign? There is just a certain look about most funeral homes that gives their true purpose away. Not so with the Ahern Funeral Home in Hartford, CT. I noticed the pristine appearance and stunning architecture…

Thursday Doors: Aetna, I’m Glad I Met Ya!

Thursday Doors: Aetna, I’m Glad I Met Ya!

Remember this tag line? Introduced by Aetna in 1982, it helped to create brand name recognition for the company across the nation. I met a friend for coffee at Aetna today and decided the building would be a great subject for Thursday Doors, a weekly round-up hosted by Norm 2.0. According to the website’s history…

Thursday Doors: A Winner in Newport!

Thursday Doors: A Winner in Newport!

Every year, the city of Newport, RI hosts a Holiday Door Decorating Contest as part of its annual Christmas in Newport celebration throughout December. There are various categories including Residential, Restaurant, Bed & Breakfast and Commercial, and in the colonial tradition materials used must be natural. Fruit, pine cones, various types of garland, fresh and dried…

Thursday Doors: Westmoor Park

Thursday Doors: Westmoor Park

How many towns can boast their own demonstration farm offering a wide variety of programming to its residents? I would venture to say not very many! Thanks to the foresight and generosity of Mr. Charles Hunter who left the property to the Town of West Hartford when he passed in 1961, West Hartford residents are…

Thursday Doors: Sisters of Saint Joseph Convent

Thursday Doors: Sisters of Saint Joseph Convent

What do you do with a massive 185,000 square foot brick building that is no longer useful for its original intended purpose? A building with beautiful architecture and an integral component of the street scape in the local area? We have just such a scenario in my current home town of West Hartford with the…

Thursday Doors: Boston Fire Department’s Engine 33 and Ladder 15

Thursday Doors: Boston Fire Department’s Engine 33 and Ladder 15

There is something about an old city firehouse. Especially in Boston. And especially this one on Boylston Street. I stumbled across this on a cold January day, in the city with my daughter for some birthday lunch and shopping. Built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, this firehouse opened in February 1888 with Engine 33 and Ladder 15…