Located in the Gurleyville Section of Storrs, CT this lovely historic home is surrounded by preserved land and hosts charming, classic perennial gardens. Now peaceful and tranquil, Gurleyville Center of Storrs Mansfield, CT was once a central hub of activity with The Button Factory, the Gurleyville School, Methodist Chuch and even Clark’s grocery store!  Historic Gurleyville Center is located approximately one mile from the UConn campus.

 

We love historic homes and have enjoyed living in a 1770′s antique cape style home set on over 10 acres for many years. The antique home in this photo is named ”Firefly Farm” and is located in Storrs, CT just a short distance from the University of Connecticut.  The Barn is a very well designed addition built in recent years – it fits in beautifully with the flow of the land and the classic cape style antique home.

 

The Mansfield CT Little League 2009 All-Stars Minors Team heads to the District Championship game Wednesday, July 15th against Jewett City. Mansfield has been undefeated this season and we have really enjoyed watching some their games. Great kids, coaches and families, it just does not get any better than that!

 

Perfect place to relax and enjoy the view on Columbia Lake in Connecticut!

 

Willowbrook Road and Oak Hill Road retain a classic feel from the era of the 1930′s and 1940′s when most of the homes were built. Many of the homes were built by Deans at the school and are within walking distance to the UConn campus as well as the University presidents mansion. With highly elegant homes for that period, the neighborhood still retains a sense of classic graciousness.  Homes in the neighbohoods within walking distance to UConn are highly sought after as the small town of Storrs Mansfield, CT  has only a few neighborhoods close to the campus.

 

The  presidents mansion at The University of Connecticut  is, sadly, no longer being used by the University president.  I love the classic architecture of the home and the way it sits regally and yet comfortably above the small enclave of homes on the road winding up to the property.  UConn faculty built  homes in the neighborhood leading to the presidents mansion on Willowbrook Road and Oak Hill Road.  They are almost all of the same era, classic 1930′s and 1940′s homes with the presidents mansion being built in 1940.

 The neighborhood and homes were incredibly elegant for the era and the neighborhood still retains the same feel to this day. My mother remembers going to the presidents mansion for University of CT functions many years ago.   The home is not  being lived in by the current UConn president  as it has been reported that even though UConn and The UConn foundation have spent over 1 million dollars in recent years renovating the property and mitigating mold problems, his wife suffered  a severe reaction to mold in the house and could not live there.

You can imagine this has been a controversial issue, especially since the University has spent about $200,000 to renovate and rent another home for the UConn president to live in and that house has it’s OWN controversial history………more on that in another blog.  The homes in the neighborhood surrounding the (former) presidents mansion are highly sought after for both their close proximity to UConn and the quality of the neighborhood.

 

Tom and I love to sponsor the Mansfield CT Little League Majors Tournament Team (it used to be called All-Stars and I still use that term, old habits die slowly!).  Here is a photo of our grandson, Alex Cornell ,hitting a home run in the last game of the season.

We will be hosting the team party for the kids and their families at our lake house on Columbia Lake this weekend – boating, tubing, swimming, kayaking and lots of fun for all.  Margaritas anyone? Can’t wait, the kids always have so much fun together – and so do the adults!

 

What’s up with the Frogs on the bridge in Willimantic,, CT? You’ll love this story:

In 1743, around the time of the French and Indian War, the townspeople of Windham, Ct were jolted awake by the horrifying sound of a screaching, screaming enemy. They seized their muskets and prepared for the impending Indian attack.

In the morning they marched to the area the sounds had come from, only to find that due to the drought in the area, a pond had dried up and there were hundreds of dead bullfrogs who had fought to the end for the last puddles of water.

The Pond was renamed Frog Pond, the story spread throughout the colonies and a legend was born.

There is even a Zippy the Pinhead comic strip devoted to the Frog Bridge

I swear, you just can’t make this stuff up………..

 

The Burns Real Estate Group in Storrs Mansfield ,CT hosts an annual Halloween Party and since Sarah Palin is recently the center of great media attention again, I just had to post this photo. One of our favorite loan officers came to the 2008 Halloween party dressed as her favorite politician, Sarah Palin!

 

Flags flying over Columbia Lake in CT on one of the most perfect 4th of July days I can recall – doesn’t it always rain in Ct on the 4th of July? July 4th, 2009 was perfect…………it just doesn’t get any better than this.