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Northwest Corner "The Hidden Corner," New York magazine once called the Litchfield Hills section of Northwest Connecticut, touting its virtues as a place for city dwellers to make their second homes. And hidden it is, this rural panoply called the Northwest Corner by its residents and the legions of weekenders and Sunday drivers who have headed here for years from across Connecticut and adjacent New York. Less than two hours’ drive northeast of New York City, the Litchfield Hills region is an unspoiled countryside with more state parks and public lands than any other area in Southern New England. Much of the land not in the public domain is owned by wealthy residents and visiting New Yorkers, who have made this their weekend retreat. Over the years, world traveler Eugene Fodor settled outside Litchfield, the late artist-author Eric Sloane lived in Warren, playwright Arthur Miller and actor Dustin Hoffman live in Roxbury, actress Meryl Streep and the late writer Harrison Salisbury in Salisbury, Henry Kissinger in Kent, actress Susan St. James in Litchfield, designers Bill Blass in New Preston and Diane Von Furstenberg in New Milford, and politician James Buckley and opera singer Placido Domingo in Sharon. The state parks and forests are relatively uncrowded and so are many of the inns, restaurants and shops that are supported by weekenders. This is a place for those who cherish nature, quiet times and a subdued sophistication. Cows outnumber people, and more deer are claimed by cars than by hunters. Litchfield County's 150,000 residents represent less than five percent of Connecticut's population but are spread across twenty percent of its land area. No town besides industrial Torrington and Winsted has more than a few thousand people. What the truly rural Northwest Corner has most of, simply, are trees. They line the roads and hillsides and, while you’ll see plenty of fall foliage up close, the longer vistas from roadsides and hilltops are infrequent and worth lingering over. The Northwest Corner embraces the estates of gentlemen farmers in Sharon and Norfolk, the remains of the early iron industry in Salisbury, the covered bridges and country stores along the Housatonic River, the Alpine inns around Lake Waramaug, the Indian ties of old Washington, the historic firsts of Litchfield, and the unrelenting quaintness of Riverton. It’s country fairs and flea markets, the Appalachian Trail, the sports-car races at Lime Rock, whitewater canoeing and camping in state forests. It’s picnicking atop Mohawk Mountain, visiting a working forest or winery, strolling through the living history of Litchfield, watching Hitchcock chairs being made. And, of course, viewing the fall foliage in all its glory. Be advised that the Northwest Corner is rather spread out – a collection of "pockets" that extend about 25 miles from end to end. Because even the residents don’t often travel among them, we've dealt with each pocket individually. The whole makes up a patchwork country sampler. Material excerpted from New England's Best, by Nancy and Richard Woodworth. Copyright 2002. Wood Pond Press E-mail feedback to: Home
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