The town of Stonington, Connecticut boasts a fascinating living relic of American history: a working steam-powered apple cider mill. USA Today points out in an AP item that B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill has been churning out hard cider--one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in America from Colonial times to the early 20th century--since 1898. The mill produces cider from various types of apples grown in New York's Hudson Valley, including Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Red Delicious, and Empire. The two-acre property features a steam engine that can be seen in action from September to late December, powering a 100-ton press that squeezes the juice out of 30 to 40 tons of apples a week. The juice is then pasteurized, bottled, and consumed by many happy visitors who swear that it's the finest cider in the land, with slight variations in taste depending on which apples are used. Apple foods are available as well, such as apple cider donuts, apple fritters, apple jams, and apple salsas. Guest at the Four Points by Sheraton Meriden might find the short drive to B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill worth their time.

[image via USA Today and the AP]