With its low self-esteem and high urban blight, Hartford is the ultimate underdog city. Sad City Hartford documents the joys, sorrows and eccentricities of New England's Rising Star.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Keney Memorial Campground


The Keney Memorial Tower is one of Hartford's great forgotten landmarks.  Tucked away across from the Church and Ann Main, Albany and Ely intersection, an area we refer to as Hartford's Bermuda Triangle, the Keney Memorial Tower is right next to downtown, yet remains unnoticed by many.

With Spring now in bloom, the season for one of Hartford's natural phenomenons, mattress season, has arrived. Sad City reader Dave P. sent in this picture that captures not only Hartford's forgotten landmark, but a rare off sidewalk mattress sighting.



This photo of a mattress at the foot of the Keney Memorial Tower poses quite a vexing question; was this mattress dumped at Hartford's forgotten landmark or was it moved to the foot of the tower so a fan of Hartford landmarks could camp out by the tower?

If it was dumped here, what would compel the dumper to drag the mattress a few hundred yards to the base of the tower? And if it was set up for camping why not drag it around the other side of the tower where one would be shielded from the noise of traffic? It seems as if we have ran into a great Hartford mystery.

Either way perhaps Hartford could use this mattress as inspiration for tourism and introduce a new urban camping program.  The city could go one step further and combine urban camping with urban kayaking in Hartford's forgotten river and become a tourism mecca for those looking for an outdoor adventure in an urban environment.

Inspiration from this mattress aside, we still don't know the motivation of this particular mattress discarded. What so the readers think? Mattress dumper or urban camper?

7 comments:

  1. Well, obviously the mattress was dumped -- *from* the tower. Somebody (Rapunzel?) was sleeping up on the roof and heaved the old bed off, probably because they got a new one delivered.

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  2. I thought perhaps, Rapunzel had a haircut and thought she could jump from the tower onto the mattress.

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  3. It's clearly evidence of a romantic tryst. Some less-than-adequately equipped swain enticed his sweetie to the Foot of the Phallus to enhance her lustful expectations. The pre-positioned mattress greased the skids, so to speak.

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  4. Church and Ann intersection? You sure about that?

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  5. what is this tower? -why is it not open for tour?

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  6. SEX MATTRESSES YEAH- jump onto your honey pot -drive it deep - make babies -

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  7. I would love to stop by. But, I think it might have to wait until this summer. I did not know that Serlkay had ever expanded its size. I must say that a succesful family owned business in this day and age is a very refreshing sight! As well as this is a very refreshing site!
    campground membership

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