The Industrial Revolution was a time when the business of making
things boomed. Along with it the towns that were home to mills grew
and grew as workers poured in from the country and distant countries
to work in the mills. Willimantic is one of those towns and now just
a ghost of its former life remains. The huge stone mills remain now
being made home to several small companies instead of the American
Thread. At the peak of its power , the mill ran seven buildings ,
owned a store for workers to shop in , owned a small shuttle railroad
to move product about and even the houses the mill workers lived in.
The mill even provided an annual fair for the entertainment of the
families of its town. The Mill owned fairgrounds were just down river
from the great mill. There was a very large grandstand to seat the
crowds that poured into town for the fair and all the families of the
mill workers came out to see great horse racing. Below the
grandstand a dusty oval track lay and harness racing horses careened
around it in moments of glory barely remembered.
Those fairgrounds are now known as Willimantic's Rec park! Home
to many an evening baseball game, the river still flows and the great
stone pillars stand gaurd at the entrance. Unfortunatley there is no
place in the park to hide a letterbox to commemorate its heyday. So
to find the box you should visit the Windham Textile and History
Muesam at 157 Union and Main St. Right across from the Stone Mills
below the frog bridge. The muesam is open FRI - SAT - SUN 1-4 and
other times by chance. You enter the small gift shop from Main St.
there is parking right there next to the building. When you walk in
you will see that frogs are the theme and the friendly hosts will let
you seek your box. The Grandstand Letterbox lies far below SINGER in
a small space of wood that could be moved and carried.

This box is part of the 2002 Sweeney School Series and planted by
Leader of the Pack for all to enjoy 3/17/02 Rated :easy -drive
up.It's the history lesson that counts!