| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Grenouille |
Posted - October 19 2003 : 10:53:36 PM
History of the Bridge:
The frogs upon this bridge recount the celebrated Windham Frog Fight of 1754. The spools represent Willimantic's historic prominence in cotton thread manufacture. David E. Phillips, an inspirational teacher and writer, suggested the decorative design.
Windham was founded in 1632; In May 1726 Connecticut's General Court organized a new county to administrate growing settlements at Ashford, Canterbury, Killingly, Plainfield, Pomfret, Voluntown, Windham and Woodstock. Windham gave its name to the new county and was designated the administrative seat. By the mid-eighteenth century the town of Windham had developed into a thriving legal and mercantile community.
The following account of Windham's famous frog fight is condensed from David E. Phillips' Legendary Connecticut (1984). In 1754 Windham's Colonel Eliphalet Dyer raised a local regiment to fight in the French and Indian War. Those left behind felt vulnerable to attack. The Windhamites worst fears seemed realized during a steamy-hot June night when unearthly screams emanated from the darkness: Valiant villagers grabbed muskets arid fired blindly into the night.' Some believed that the Day of Judgment had arrived, and gave prayer. Others hid under their beds. 
The awful truth was revealed at dawn. Several hundred dead and dying bullfrogs were discovered in a dried-up millpond, two miles east of the village center. They had fought to the death in futile attempts to find moisture in the drought-ridden pond. Windham became forever known as the scene of the "Battle of the Frogs." 
http://www.dot.state.ct.us/bureau/eh/ehcn/road/FrogBrdg.htm |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Highlander |
Posted - October 27 2003 : 01:39:23 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Grenouille
History of the Bridge:
The frogs upon this bridge recount the celebrated Windham Frog Fight of 1754. The spools represent Willimantic's historic prominence in cotton thread manufacture. David E. Phillips, an inspirational teacher and writer, suggested the decorative design.
Windham was founded in 1632; In May 1726 Connecticut's General Court organized a new county to administrate growing settlements at Ashford, Canterbury, Killingly, Plainfield, Pomfret, Voluntown, Windham and Woodstock. Windham gave its name to the new county and was designated the administrative seat. By the mid-eighteenth century the town of Windham had developed into a thriving legal and mercantile community.
The following account of Windham's famous frog fight is condensed from David E. Phillips' Legendary Connecticut (1984). In 1754 Windham's Colonel Eliphalet Dyer raised a local regiment to fight in the French and Indian War. Those left behind felt vulnerable to attack. The Windhamites worst fears seemed realized during a steamy-hot June night when unearthly screams emanated from the darkness: Valiant villagers grabbed muskets arid fired blindly into the night.' Some believed that the Day of Judgment had arrived, and gave prayer. Others hid under their beds.
The awful truth was revealed at dawn. Several hundred dead and dying bullfrogs were discovered in a dried-up millpond, two miles east of the village center. They had fought to the death in futile attempts to find moisture in the drought-ridden pond. Windham became forever known as the scene of the "Battle of the Frogs."
http://www.dot.state.ct.us/bureau/eh/ehcn/road/FrogBrdg.htm
A great poem emerged from Windham after this incident:
Some were well pleased,and some were
mad,
Some turned it off with laughter
And some would never hear a word
About the thing hereafter.
Some vowed that if the De'il himself
Should come,they would not flee him,
And if a frog they ever met,
Pretended not to see him.
|
| Scott Bubar |
Posted - October 21 2003 : 10:00:12 PM
Great story, Grenouille. |
| richfed |
Posted - October 21 2003 : 05:45:34 AM
My grandpappy used to love those ... snails, I mean. I can remember him lugging burlap bags filled with those critters over his shoulder ... YUK! Of course, I made pets of a few of them.
My policy is to never eat anything that has a skeleton on the outside ... too much like bugs!
Great frog story, though! |
| Bill R |
Posted - October 21 2003 : 01:30:40 AM
I seem to remember them tasting sorta like fishy chicken too. Guess that's why the Frenchies like garlic....disguises the taste. Also had snails one time in a garlic sauce. Now, I love raw oysters, raw clams, steamed clams but it took some doing to eat those snails. Sorta like steamed clams but more rubbery as I recall, but don't think I could have chambered those things without the garlic sauce! |
| Grenouille |
Posted - October 20 2003 : 2:56:25 PM
You know, I had frog legs for the first time at an all-you-can-eat
French buffet near Trois-Rivieres in Quebec a couple of years ago.
They didn't impress my palate much. I thought they tasted like fish rather than chicken. They did have some other excellent dishes, though. it was one of the best buffets I ever gorged myself at. I guess frog legs is an acquired taste.
Jim
quote:
Originally posted by Bill R
VILLAGE FEAST!!!!!!!!! Saute those sucker's legs in a little butter garlic sauce, take them out and keep warm, add fresh dairy cream to the sauce in the pan with some nice herbs, reduce and pour over the whole on a platter!!!
Could it be that's why the French were rumored to be coming? They'd heard about all those frogs ready and available for the pan???????
|
| Bill R |
Posted - October 20 2003 : 12:46:55 PM
VILLAGE FEAST!!!!!!!!! Saute those sucker's legs in a little butter garlic sauce, take them out and keep warm, add fresh dairy cream to the sauce in the pan with some nice herbs, reduce and pour over the whole on a platter!!!
Could it be that's why the French were rumored to be coming? They'd heard about all those frogs ready and available for the pan??????? |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - October 20 2003 : 01:05:26 AM
Thats a good one, Grenouille. It just goes to show that human nature is a constant in an ever-changing universe!!!!!
Your Most Humble Servant,
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