Unlocking the Mystery: The “Jail” That Wasn’t, in Willimantic, CT
Have you ever driven by a building that just screams “mystery”? That’s exactly what happened to me, Dan Blanchard, from the Travel in Time Show, in Willimantic, Connecticut, the old thread capital of the world. Known for its unique Frog Bridge featuring huge frogs on huge spools of thread, Willimantic also holds a secret downtown in its Memorial Park that looks strikingly like an old, historic jail.
I had driven by this structure for years, always wondering about its story. Located down the road from the Frog Bridge and in Memorial Park, the building’s mysterious appearance sparked my curiosity. I was determined to find out its history.
My search began like many modern investigations: a Google search. But I couldn’t find anything on this “old historic construction” in Willimantic. I then turned to YouTube, only to find nothing there either. Scratching my head and wondering why there was no information, I even tried AI Chat GPT, still with no luck. The mystery was only deepening.
Next, I reached out to local resources, starting with the Willimantic Police Station. I asked about the “historic jail-looking structure” in Memorial Park, but they had no information and suggested he try the Willimantic Historical Society. Following their advice, I contacted the Historical Society, only to find they also had no information on the structure. This lack of available information made the mystery even more intriguing.
My next quest led me to the VFW, where I heard there might be a historian who could help. Unfortunately, he wasn’t around on the day I reached out. So, while I waited to connect with the VFW historian, I wondered for a few days about what the jail cell could have been used for. Was it a drunk tank that held people overnight to dry out? Was it a cell to just temporarily hold people who were going to a bigger jail somewhere the next day? Was it an attempt to save money? After all, back in the day, it was way cheaper to dole out physical punishment like a whipping or branding than maintain a jail.
After a few days, I finally got in touch with the VFW’s historian, and I finally got an answer. The historian revealed that the structure wasn’t a jail at all. The original jail was actually in the basement of the town hall. This jail-looking structure is actually a memorial. He explained that it says “memorial” right on the top and commemorates various wars, including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. War memorial plaques are located inside the structure. He also told me there used to be a boxing ring behind the memorial. As a veteran myself, I found this revelation about the building being a memorial “great” but confusing.
So, this raised another question: if it’s a memorial, why does it have bars, a lock, and look like a prison? The historian explained that a long time ago, people were vandalizing the place. The plaques inside were made of brass, which is valuable, and people were trying to steal them. That’s why the bars and the lock were added – to protect the memorial from theft and vandalism. So, while it looks like a prison, it’s truly a memorial. This realization was “mind-blowing”.
This journey to uncover the truth behind the mysterious structure also led to some interesting leadership lessons. First, and perhaps obviously, don’t vandalize or steal things, even if they are valuable or you are desperate.
Another lesson is about resilience and doing what’s right. Everyone makes mistakes and gets into trouble, sometimes some of us even go to jail. The key is to “pick yourself up again and again and again and go back and do what’s right,” emphasizing that this is often “hard” rather than “easy”.
The final lessons involve self-awareness and seeking good counsel. A powerful technique suggested here is to imagine you are always being watched, like being on an “imaginary stage” or the “world stage”. If you knew you were constantly observed, you would likely choose to “do the right thing”. Another perspective is to imagine an “imaginary council of elders” and consider the advice they would give you. Their guidance would likely be to “do the right thing”.
Ultimately, the leadership lesson drawn from this investigation is clear: Do the right thing. Don’t do what’s easy. Do what’s hard. Do the right thing.
The next episode of Travel in Time promises a visit to the Lebanon Green, exploring George Washington and the French troops planning their strategy against the English in the American Revolutionary War.
*Check out Dan’s historical leadership book series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN8XS8XS?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_aps_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1746200479&sr=8-1
*Watch Dan’s YouTube video about this blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I-LWy82jls
*Listen to Dan’s podcast about this blog:
*Learn more about Dan: www.GranddaddysSecrets.com