Another trip around the sun for Cornwall

CORNWALL — A community that celebrates together stays together.

In Cornwall last year, there was ample reason to celebrate. The small rural town was named one of America’s top vacation destinations, it welcomed a mix of familiar and new faces to town government, and a host of business developments filled Cornwallians with optimism.

In the grim of winter, Cornwall was uplifted after being selected by Family Destinations Guide as one of “America’s Favorite Small Towns to Visit.”

When asked about the town’s message to potential visitors, First Selectman Gordon Ridgway said, “There are a lot of reasons to come here and there’s also a lot of reasons to live here.”

Ridgway was elected to his 17th term as first selectman in 2023. New faces joined the board this year as well in Jennifer Hurlburt Markow and Rocco Botto. A host of other fresh electees took office in November when Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) came to Town Hall for a swearing-in ceremony.

“If you make it a tradition, I’ll be back,” said Blumenthal.

New business development in town stirred up excitement for the future in Cornwall. The Little Guild began construction on a multimillion-dollar new facility in West Cornwall, progress has been made toward the wastewater treatment center just down the road in West Cornwall, and Will Schenk has worked to reopen the Country Market in Cornwall Bridge.

It wasn’t all bright and cheery, however. A summer of heavy rain washed out roads throughout town and left river banks worse for wear. A roughly $700,000 repair of an abutment on River Road is expected to begin early in the new year.

But even in the rain, Cornwall found reason to celebrate.

Park and Recreation refused to let a downpour dampen the Spring Celebration: an April Fools’ Day extravaganza featuring holiday mascots including the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and The Grinch.

It also hosted the second annual Taste of Cornwall last summer on the village green. Hundreds attended for a plate of samplers from local restaurants, shops and farms along with live music from the International Bluegrass Ambassadors.

Farm animals, agricultural antiques, fresh food, and fun and games took over the green for the 31st annual Agricultural Fair in September. From wool spinning to bubble making, the fair’s attractions drew big crowds in honor of the seasonal harvest.

The agricultural spirit was reaffirmed when Cornwall’s Spencer Markow placed first overall at Eastern Regional FFA’s Safe Tractor/Equipment Operating Career Development Event at the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts. After some skillful tractor maneuvering and tactful demonstration of equipment knowledge, Markow brought home the victory for Connecticut.

In September, a delegation from the Island of Hawaii made pilgrimage to Cornwall to honor a centuries-old bond and retrace the journey of their ancestor, Henry Ōpūkaha’ia: the first Hawaiian to convert to Christianity.

“This is something we’ve always wanted to do,” said Kahu Wendell Davis, senior pastor of Kahikolu Congregational Church in Kepulu and descendant from the family of Ōpūkaha’ia.

At a town meeting in December, Cornwall approved the formation of an affordable housing commission to act as an advocate for affordable housing, and provide research, seek grants, and otherwise help facilitate the creation of new housing.