Tropical Storm Irene in Middletown: One Year Later

It's been one year since the devastating late-summer storm that prompted President Barack Obama to declare Connecticut a disaster area last August.

In Middletown, Tropical Storm Irene heavily damaged the century-old Wadsworth/Kerste deBoer Arboretum, a half-mile along Long Lane, lost about 25 of its 200 trees to the winds and rain on Aug. 29, 2011.

Back then, before Hurricane Irene even hit Middletown, or Connecticut for that matter — a freakish squall hit the majestic boulevard at 5:30 a.m., toppling 25 of its 200 trees, causing $128,000 in damage.

Over on East Street, an ancient white ash tree split in half, and one of its massive limbs completely took out one-third of the roof trusses of the home, as well as the original hand-hewn, chestnut center beam of the cedar-shake roofed home built in 1786 by Captain Giles Wilcox. The Brainard family has owned and resided in the home for the past three generations.

Today, much has changed at both sites. The Brainerd home's roof is entirely rebuilt and the only reminder of Irene is a gathering of the fallen trunk portion of the ash, still bordering the colonial's property.

This year on Arbor Day, the city planted three red maples at the arboretum as officials gathered to dedicate a stately row of new trees to replace more than two dozen .

Middletown Patch invites readers to comment on what they remember and what has changed and also upload photos here.

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