Character is destiny.
The landscape of Connecticut would not be the same without the life of enterprising Walter Hubbard.
Born Sept. 23, 1823, in Middletown, Conn., Hubbard was raised on a farm. At 18, he "secured a position as clerk in a country store where, by his thrift, his energy and his strict attention to his employer's interests, he was enabled to accumulate enough capital to embark in business for himself."
And he never looked back. First he opened a small store in Meriden. Then, along with his brother-in-law, Bradley, Hubbard founded the Bradley and Hubbard Manufacturing Company, growing it from clock making to quality lighting and other goods. By 1888, the company employed more than 1,000 workers and had showrooms in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago.
Commuters and travelers on busy Interstate 691, which bisects the park (Hubbard would have objected to its construction) see his signature castle high on the rocky crag of the Hanging Hills of Meriden. Castle Craig, a rook-like stone tower, commands attention, though many have no idea how to access the mountain road, nor why the landmark exists.
Walter Hubbard is why. He is the man who gifted some 1,800 acres to create a the buffer of land, water, pathways and woods, long before the age of open space preservation. Today known as Hubbard Park, it is only one of his park legacies. Hubbard was intelligent enough to donate the with the stipulation that "everything connected with the park was to remain free of charge for the people of Meriden, and that no concessions for profit were ever allowed within the park area." The point being that one human in business can change the face of a community, a state. If Hubbard was not a successful entrepreneur, the parklands would not be preserved.
At present, the park is Meriden's crown jewel, a Central Park-like oasis. The roads around Mirror Lake are festooned with seasonal light displays for the holidays and attracts thousands of visitors who can delight in the reflected beauty.
Today, Bradley and Hubbard lamps and other goods are highly collectible. Beautiful and well crafted, they, like Hubbard's work, stand the test of time.
More about the park roads, access, and hidden park features in an upcoming story.
