I don’t expect the little corner of Connecticut where I spent my childhood to remain the same as when I left. But there are some traditions that I consider immutable and one of them is Sunday brunch at Silvermine Tavern. Their sticky pecan-cinnamon honeybuns are legendary. Swans in the mill pond glide along to live jazz. But the 80 year old Norwalk institution closed in February. The 3+ acre property is for sale, including the restaurant, inn, and other historic buildings. Locals are of course concerned that the land will be developed. Local community groups have lost a meeting and event location. The N.Y. Times took note of the closing in an article covering the rough going of these quaint Connecticut taverns, many housed in the stagecoach stops and mills from bygone days. These historical places, because of their origins, may be near former major roads, but are out of sight and out of mind for most local and out of town diners. Three Bears Restaurant, a Westport institution for 100 years, closed in January, replaced by a new restaurant. Cobb’s Mill Inn in Weston, where my best friend held her wedding reception, has new owners who have evolved the business to survive. I suspect olde-tyme New England character will one day be found only in tourist locations dedicated to its preservation.