The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en
Volume 15, Number 38
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Hawthorne Inn rolls out new look, menu and attitude
Welcome fall
By Karen Brancato Special to The Citizen
“There is nothing quite like a fall day. The cool crisp air, pumpkins in the fields, and playing in the leaves. The smile on your face can warm a chilly day.”— Anonymous. Sept. 23 is the autumnal equinox and the beginning of one of the prettiest seasons in New England. This photo is from Cold Spring Brook Farm Inc. on Deming Road, a heritage farm, over 100 years in continual agricultural use. For more photos from the farmstand go to page 7.
The Hawthorne Inn is in the midst of a million dollar make-over and customers are already enjoying the results of this big investment in one of Berlin’s landmarks. With new management, a new chef and, by month’s end, a hip new nightclub venue, the plan is quickly coming together. The new lounge, Bar 2421 is taken from the inn’s address, 2421 Berlin Turnpike. Bar 2421 will feature its own special menu, a raised level for band entertainment, and flat screen TVs. The inn “would like to re-
Photo by Karen Brancato
Executive Chef Kelly See Hawthorne, page 6 White
Historical society fair exhibit animates Berlin’s past By Lorraine Stub Special to The Citizen This year marks the seventh year the Berlin Historical Society will unveil new exhibits at the Berlin Fair’s Historical Museum Barn. Dedicated volunteers work for over six months researching and creating the displays and DVD that keep crowds returning to the barn. Our goal is to educate people about Berlin history in creative and entertaining ways. A highlight this year is a diorama depicting the original settlement of Berlin in what was known as The Great Swamp. In 1686 Captain Richard Seymour led a group from Farmington to this area and built a palisaded fort with 16 foot walls for protection. This being the 325th anniversary of
Berlin Historical Society members Steve Kearns and Sallie Caliandri ham it up in period photo cutouts. You can take a trip back in time at this fair exhibit, too.
The Seymour Fort, we take visitors back in time to a scene reminiscent of Plimoth Plantation with thatched cabins, a communal well, animals and crops. This year we also commemorate the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. Besides displaying memorabilia of that time, we have constructed a replica of the Soldiers Monument, the first Civil War memorial in the state. Designed by Kensington’s renowned artist, Nelson Augustus Moore, it was built with Portland brownstone and carved by artisans at the Bacon Quarry in East Berlin. The dedication ceremony for the monument at The Congregational Church in Kensington was considered at the time to be the most memorable day in Kensington history. Our
Berlin Fair
See Historical, page 5