Photo by Bernie Meehan
Bernie Meehan took this stunning photo of the full moon rising over Lake Lillininah the other night. The photo is called Southville Moon because that moon is actually dangling over an abandoned Connecticut town called Southville that rests on the lake floor, many fathoms deep. The Town of Southville once had numerous houses, a blacksmith shop and a hat shop, but by the mid 1950s there were only a few residents remaining in the dying town and Connecticut Light & Power purchased them. They wanted to build a dam to generate power for the region and once the dam was completed, the area was flooded and it has been a lake ever since.
There’s something inherently spooky about a lake that covers a town, not to mention its tragic recent history. Today I learned that the lake is named Lillinonah after the daughter of the famous Chief Waramaug, head of the Pootatuck Indians, who lived in the area in the 1600s. There is a legend regarding the young Lillinonah and a male Englishman who supposedly died tragically in each others’ arms at an area of the lake that is now called Lover’s Leap.
Well here’s an excerpt from a rather scary poem called Dream-land by Edgar Allan Poe that I think goes very nicely with the photo. The rest of the poem can be found here.
By the lakes that thus outspread
Their lone waters, lone and dead,—
Their sad waters, sad and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily,—
By the mountains— near the river
Murmuring lowly, murmuring ever,—
By the grey woods,— by the swamp
Where the toad and the newt encamp—
By the dismal tarns and pools
Where dwell the Ghouls,—
By each spot the most unholy—
In each nook most melancholy—
There the traveller meets aghast
Sheeted Memories of the Past—
Shrouded forms that start and sigh
As they pass the wanderer by—
White—robed forms of friends long given,
In agony, to the Earth— and Heaven.
Nice job with the pic Bernie, lovely fall colors. Of course the poem is a perfect match, but we knew it would be.
Thanks for the PR Ann, the picture was taken at about dawn,with my new Nikon, mid-span on the RT-133 Bridge, with a delayed shutter opening, and the camera perched on the concrete rail of the bridge for stability.
Indian Princesses, flooded villages, endless stories buried in our past in this area. It is amazing how a moment in time, gazing at the moon, could conjure up thoughts about history, and what we’ve lost to time…..
Great details about Southville now being at the bottom of the lake. There’s a story just waiting to be written, full of sinister and creep. Fabulous photo, Bernie, and the Poe poem is just perfect for this seasonal post!
Bernie sent this: http://www.friendsofthelake.org/downloads/lillinonah_leap.20031211.pdf
This is indeed a beautiful photo. So still and serene. Nothing like the natural beauty of Mother Nature to take one’s breath away. One of the prettiest things I have ever seen was a full moon rising over the ocean. I sat and watched it for at least an hour, the rising moon with its light reflecting on the shimmering ocean water. The images haved stayed with me, and I can picture it so clearly, in my mind’s eye, so many years later. I tried to photograph it, but sadly, didn’t have the right equipment for night photography. My full moon was also in October….I wonder if there is something special about October moons. Thanks for sharing.
Bernie, that’s one fine photograph; October light is truly special.
I don’t think Ann will mind if I provide links to a couple of essays written by my good friend, author David Leff, about this fascinating (but decidedly creepy) subject of villages displaced by bodies of water. The first originally appeared in the Hartford Courant on May 23, 2010:
http://davidkleff.typepad.com/home/2010/05/beneath-the-lakes-an-inland-atlantis.html#more
The second originally appeared in the Hartford Courant on September 12, 2010:
http://davidkleff.typepad.com/home/2010/09/collaborating-with-nature-by-creating-lakes-and-ponds.html
Beautiful picture. And thanks to Bernie for the link to the story. Lovers crushed to death in each others’ arms. That’s the way to go. Pretty romantic stuff. Sniff, sniff.
Maureen, I do think October moons are extra special for some reason. Maybe because the air is different in October and the moon seems crisper, fuller, closer. October is my favorite month of the year. I love Halloween. I’m heading home from work right now to carve my pumpkin and toast the seeds.
Happy October everyone!
Oh, one more thing. When I lived in Texas briefly, I learned how to scuba dive. One of our tests took place in a man made lake with very poor visibility. I cannot tell you how creepy it was to go down 30+ feet in a lake where you could hardly see 6 feet ahead of you and stumble across abandoned washing machines, parts of fences, etc. I was convinced a body was going to float by. I was never so happy to get out of the water as that day. Still makes me shiver!
Cat, I think scuba diving in a lake has got to be the creepiest thing ever. I would rather feed sharks in the Indian Ocean.
By the way, Happy Day Before Your Birthday!!!!!
Ann, I enjoy reading about these New England tales, history, tragedies, and legends. An Indian maiden with a beautiful name, a young Englishman leaped to their deaths, drowning in eachother’s arms in a moonlit river. Forbidden love? Great in myths and literature, sucks in real life. (I would know and now avoid it like the plaque).
Consulting medical oncologist tomorrow to discuss chemotherapy. I’ve done some research and due to its propensity (not a large percentage) to cause leukemia later in life, I rather avoid it if I can.
I’d rather be training Lily Belle. At 8 lbs. She is full grown. She’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer but she is a darlng.
Someone special came back into my life due to the cancer. It’s not all bad.
Gloria
Gloria that all sounds good. Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow!
One final entry for the New Yorker Critterati contest:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/photocontests/critterati_2010/entry512522586?previousId=512535859&nextId=512521540
Ann,
i tried the link it said inactive.. I will try again..
Good luck Gloria..!
What a Gorgeous photo and the story behind it is truly mesmerizing. Thanks Bernie and Ann!
Thanks for posting the photo & poem, Ann. I love “snows of the lolling lily” and those encamping toads & newts. Absolutely stunning photo, Bernie. Cat, which Lake? Unfortunately your description would fit quite a few, hereabouts!
Ann! Daphne is featured in an article about the photo contest on the New Yorker Website. I have tried to post a link here, do not know if it will work.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2010/10/on-dressing-up-your-pets.html
I was trying your link below, which did say inactive, so in trying to search the site for the contest, came across this.
Thanks for the link Maureen. The site is inactive because the contest is over I think. Or maybe, because of the piece you attached, PETA has shut it down.
So the Critterati winner will be announced tomorrow, eh? Get ready Ann! One of yours is sure to win.
Denise, I just googled man made lakes in Texas to see if I could remember that lake’s name…and apparently almost all lakes in Texas are man made. Ha! The lake I went to was near San Antonio. I’ve apparently blocked out the name.
Ais, I was terrified scuba diving. I hated every second of it. I was always afraid I’d choke on water down there, have to shoot up to the top, and then my lungs would explode. So why on earth did I do it? A boy. Why else. I was young and stupid.
Happy 43rd birthday, Catherine! I hope you have a wonderful day, and a fabulous 44th year. Oh, to be in my 40s again…or my 50s….
Well, I haven’t read about the lake’s tragic history, but I did see Gomer’s latest entry into the Criterati contest, and I love it! That Gomer is almost human. He just becomes the character. He has got to win. Well, I like Daphne’s photo too. And Mark’s. It’s a tough one, but no matter what, Ann’s gonna win first prize for one of her critters. I don’t even know if there is a prize. Is there a prize?
Do you know of the childrens book by Jane Yolen called Letting Swift River Go? (http://janeyolen.com/works/letting-swift-river-go/) I think it is about this area, or one similar, and a little girl who lives in the town at the time when the decision was being made to flood it. It’s a beautiful book, but my kids rarely let me read it to them because it’s sad-
they will, however, demand that I read Fireboat by Maira Kalman all of the time, which I can’t get through without choking up.
Thanks Sandra
I hope it’s not a sign of things to come, but last night (my birthday night) I fell asleep on the couch at 7:30pm.
I just saw the picture “Mark as the Nurse (Romeo and Juliet) by Ann, and that is a fabulous picture too Ann!
[http://www.newyorker.com/online/photocontests/critterati_2010/gallery?currentPage=1]
I had no idea about the underwater town! That is so interesting, and creepy, but very very cool. I also didn’t know the story of Lake Lillinoah and Lover’s Leap. Fascinating.
Bernie, lovely pic.