Everything New London is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near New London.
The world's first nuclear-powered submarine was launched from Groton in 1954 and completed the first submerged transit of the North Pole in 1958.
Site of the 1781 massacre where British forces under Benedict Arnold killed surrendering American defenders after storming the fort.
New London's Custom House, built in 1833, anchored the city's role as one of America's three busiest whaling ports.
Largest maritime museum in America, preserving the heritage of Mystic's shipbuilding era and housing the Charles W. Morgan, last wooden whaling ship.
Boarding house that became the center of American Impressionism when artists began summering in Old Lyme around 1899.
Birthplace of Benedict Arnold, whose name became synonymous with treason after he attempted to surrender West Point to the British in 1780.
58 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Explore this massive granite fort overlooking the Thames River, a silent witness to centuries of American history. Built to defend against naval attacks, Fort Trumbull saw its first action during the Revolutionary War.…
Look out your window! You're approaching the New London Harbor Light, the oldest and tallest lighthouse in all of Connecticut and Long Island Sound. This beacon has been guiding ships for over 250 years, making it the…
Ever wonder what secrets a grand old house can hold? Well, get ready to uncover some right here at the Shaw Mansion. This isn't just any old house; it was once the nerve center of Connecticut's naval operations during…
Step inside one of Connecticut's oldest houses, built around 1678, and witness centuries of history unfold. This isn't just a house; it’s a time capsule. This remarkable structure was built by Joshua Hempsted around…
Stand here and imagine the roar of cannons and the desperate struggle for freedom! Fort Griswold witnessed one of the most brutal events in Connecticut's Revolutionary War history. On 1781, British forces, led by…
New London's Custom House, built in 1833, anchored the city's role as one of America's three busiest whaling ports.
Look at these magnificent homes, a frozen moment of New London's booming whaling industry! These four Greek Revival beauties, known as Whale Oil Row, were built between 1835 and 1845 for developer Ezra Chappel. Imagine…
Ever heard of a place that launched a thousand plays? That's the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Back in 1964, George C. White founded this non-profit theater company in Waterford, Connecticut. The goal? To nurture new…
Imagine New London as the whaling capital of the world. This house belonged to Acors Barns, a man who helped build that empire. Built in 1837, this is where Acors Barns lived. He wasn't just any whaler; his company…
Site of the 1781 massacre where British forces under Benedict Arnold killed surrendering American defenders after storming the fort.
Picture this: ocean-going freighters meeting the iron horse right here. Back in 1876, the Central Vermont Railroad built this pier to connect its rail lines with ships sailing the Atlantic. It became a crucial transfer…
They say a lonely lighthouse keeper still roams New London Ledge Light. Built in 1909, this unique lighthouse marks the entrance to New London Harbor. Legend tells of a keeper, some say named Ernie, despondent over lost…
You're near a place that revolutionized how we treat childhood illnesses. The Seaside, right here in Waterford, was the very first institution in the United States designed to use sunlight, or heliotropic treatment, for…
Pull over and check out this house – it’s a pre-fab marvel of modern design! It's the Winslow Ames House, a rare example of International Style architecture, built way back in 1933. Winslow Ames, an art history…
The world's first nuclear-powered submarine was launched from Groton in 1954 and completed the first submerged transit of the North Pole in 1958.
Get ready to dive into history, because right here is where the world changed underwater. The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, was commissioned right here in 1954. This wasn't just another sub;…
The real pizza shop from the Julia Roberts movie. A Slice of Heaven.
Largest maritime museum in America, preserving the heritage of Mystic's shipbuilding era and housing the Charles W. Morgan, last wooden whaling ship.
Step back in time aboard the Sabino, one of only two surviving coal-fired steamboats in America, now at Mystic Seaport. Built in 1908, the Sabino was originally named Tourist, and plied the waters of the Maine coast as…
Pull over for a minute; this is your chance to see a real piece of New England maritime history! The L. A. Dunton, a fishing schooner launched in 1921, is right here at Mystic Seaport Museum. She's one of only three of…
Ever wonder what it was like to fish the waters off Connecticut in the 1800s? The Emma C. Berry, docked at Mystic Seaport, offers a glimpse. Built in 1866 at the Palmer Shipyards in Noank, Connecticut, the Emma C. Berry…
Climb aboard, virtually of course, the Charles W. Morgan, an 1841 whaling ship and a relic of a bygone era when whale oil fueled the world. Built in 1841, the Charles W. Morgan hunted whales for their blubber, which was…
One of the last grand sailing yachts of the 19th century underwent a stunning transformation right here. Built in 1885 for oil tycoon Rufus T. Bush, the Coronet is a 131-foot wooden schooner. She sailed around the…
Ever wondered what life was like when Connecticut was just starting out? Right here, you’re approaching one of America's oldest wooden houses, built around 1660! Imagine stepping back almost four centuries.
Pull over for a moment and imagine the life of a literary giant. This unassuming house is the former home of James Merrill, one of America's most celebrated poets. Merrill purchased this house in Stonington Borough in…
Walk the sacred ground of Uncas, a powerful Mohegan leader, at the site of the principal Mohegan settlement. This is Fort Shantok. Between 1636 and 1682, this land served as the main settlement for the Mohegan people.…
Wander through this historic cemetery, the first formally incorporated in Connecticut, and discover stories etched in stone. This isn't just any old burial ground; it’s a living timeline of how we honor our dead.…
Pull over for a second; the ground beneath you whispers tales of a forgotten world. This is where the Norwich State Hospital once stood, a sprawling complex that housed thousands of patients for nearly a century. Opened…
Stand on this beach, and you're near what was once Fort Mansfield, a coastal defense built with the threat of Spanish invasion looming. Constructed in the late 1890s, the fort's purpose was to protect the entrance to…
Imagine standing guard here, knowing the fate of Long Island Sound might rest on your shoulders. That was life at Fort Terry. Established in 1897, this coastal fortification on Plum Island was built to protect the vital…
Imagine a house overflowing with artists, their easels set up in the gardens, the air thick with the smell of oil paint. That's 96 Lyme Street, the Florence Griswold Museum, and once, the heart of American…
Get ready to grab for the brass ring on one of the oldest carousels in the US, where the horses actually 'fly' out from the center! Built around 1876, this carousel in Watch Hill is one of the oldest of its kind.…
Boarding house that became the center of American Impressionism when artists began summering in Old Lyme around 1899.
That little lighthouse over there, Plum Island Light, has been a silent sentinel guiding ships through the Long Island Sound for over a century. The original granite lighthouse was built in 1869. It stood tall, a beacon…
Prepare to be transported back to the Gilded Age; the Ocean House embodies the elegance and grandeur of a bygone era. The original Ocean House opened its doors in 1868, quickly becoming a coveted destination for the…
Birthplace of Benedict Arnold, whose name became synonymous with treason after he attempted to surrender West Point to the British in 1780.
Hey, check out that wedge-shaped building ahead! It's Norwich's very own Flat Iron Building, officially called the Carroll Building, and it's been a landmark here since 1887. It was built at the intersection of Main and…
Brave Plum Gut and check out that 'sparkplug' lighthouse! It's the Orient Point Light, warning ships away from the narrow, dangerous passage between Orient Point and Plum Island. Built in 1899, this lighthouse stands…
Imagine the steam engines that once turned on this railroad turntable, a relic of Connecticut's railroading past. This is the Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site. In 1871, the Connecticut Valley…
Pull over for a minute and imagine horse-drawn carriages pulling up to this very spot centuries ago. This is the Black Horse Tavern, built way back around 1712.It was built by John Burrows, on land that was among the…
Step inside Cypress Cemetery, a silent city where Old Saybrook's earliest stories are etched in stone. This isn't just a graveyard; it's a living history book, filled with the names and dates of the people who shaped…
Ever wonder what early industrial life was like in Connecticut? You're driving right into it! This historic mill village, powered by a scenic waterfall, is a living snapshot of the past. It’s a remarkable example of how…
Pull over for a minute; you're looking at a piece of Connecticut history that's almost vanished. The Long Society Meetinghouse is one of the few colonial 'broad side' meeting houses still standing. Back in the early…
Pull over for a minute and imagine secret meetings, hushed voices, and the birth of a nation, all happening right here. The Leffingwell Inn, built around 1675, became a crucial meeting place during the American…
Imagine life in 1679! Right here, Deacon William Parker built what's believed to be one of Connecticut's oldest houses: the Parker House. Deacon Parker, a prominent figure in early Saybrook, constructed this 1+1⁄2-story…
Imagine learning your ABCs in a building that's over 200 years old! That's the story of the East District School. Built in 1798, this simple schoolhouse in Norwich, Connecticut, educated generations of children. But it…
Ever wonder what it was like to break barriers and make history? You're near the James Pharmacy, once owned by Anna Louise James, one of Connecticut's first African-American female pharmacists. Anna Louise James, born…
Imagine the weight of a nation's birth resting on your shoulders – that's what Samuel Huntington carried within these walls. Built in 1783, this house was the home of Samuel Huntington, a man who signed the Declaration…
Ever wonder what river life was like back in the day? This spot along the Connecticut River was a bustling hub of maritime activity. Back in 1878, this building was a steamboat warehouse, a vital link in the river's…
The Valley Railroad first ran along the Connecticut River in 1871, connecting Hartford to the shoreline town of Old Saybrook. For decades it hauled passengers and freight through one of the most scenic stretches of New…
Ever wondered about Connecticut's secret islands? You're approaching one right now, a wild, boat-access-only escape on the Connecticut River. This isn't just any island; it's a piece of pristine nature preserved for…
Pull over here – you're near the Ivoryton Playhouse, a place that’s been putting on shows for generations! Built in 1911, it was originally Comstock-Cheney Hall, a community gathering place. Milton Stiefel bought the…
Imagine the clatter of machinery and the scent of ivory – this spot was once the heart of piano key production! Pratt, Read and Company, established here in 1863, grew into a major manufacturer, processing ivory into…
Imagine finding a place where people lived thousands of years ago. That's what the Tomaquag Rock Shelters are all about. In the late 1950s, a man named Nathan Kaye discovered these shelters under two granite outcrops…
Get ready to step into a real-life Sherlock Holmes mystery! This isn't Baker Street, but it's the eccentric castle dreamed up by William Gillette, the actor who famously portrayed the detective on stage. Gillette, born…
William Gillette was the most famous Sherlock Holmes of his era. He played the detective on stage over 1,300 times starting in 1899, and he invented many of the Holmes trademarks people still associate with the…
Prepare to be transported to the Italian countryside, right here in Connecticut! Villa Bella Vista, built in 1908, is no ordinary house. Commissioned by Eila Pierre, the villa was crafted by Italian masons who…
A medieval-style castle built by the actor who originated Sherlock Holmes. Secret rooms and trick locks.