Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley
National Heritage Corridor

The Last Green Valley

The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley in northeastern Connecticut has been called "the last green valley" in the Boston-to-Washington megalopolis. Close to Hartford, Providence, and Worcester but far enough away to avoid the urban sprawl of recent years, this 850 square mile region remains predominately rural. Roadways winding through rolling hills link the region’s many small towns, villages, farmlands and forests. Old mills dot the lowlands along the Quinebaug and Shetucket rivers and their tributaries.

In the past 50 years, many changes have come to this area. Many of the farms and factories have been put to new uses, such as housing, antique and craft shops, recreation, and high-tech industry. Amid these economic changes, this region has retained its fundamental attributes of lush woodlands, clean streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes; authentic sites representing distinct periods of American history; and opportunities for individuals and families to enjoy a rural, small-town lifestyle.

Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor is a special kind of park in that it embraces 25 towns with numerous villages and a total population of about 250,000. The Federal Government does not own or manage any of the land as it does in traditional national parks. Instead, citizens, businesses, nonprofit cultural and environmental organizations, local and state governments, and the National Park Service are working together to preserve the region's cultural history and to perpetuate its natural heritage.

VISITATION:

Highest during spring and fall. Lowest during January and February.

LOCATION:

Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor encompasses about 850 square miles in the northeastern corner of Connecticut. Stretching from Norwich north to the Massachusetts border and from Coventry east to Rhode Island, the valley includes the towns of Ashford, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Coventry, Eastford, Franklin, Griswold, Hampton, Killingly, Lebanon, Lisbon, Mansfield, Norwich, Plainfield, Pomfret, Preston, Putnam, Scotland, Sprague, Sterling, Thompson, Voluntown, Windham, and Woodstock.

 

ADDRESS:

For general information, write to:
Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc.
P.O. Box 161
Putnam, CT 06260

For information on tourism, contact:
Connecticut's Quiet Corner
P.O. Box 598
Putnam, CT 06260

860-928-1228

TELEPHONE:

860-963-7226, FAX 860-928-4720

OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:

The office of Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc. operates only during weekdays, usually 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The area is a living and working environment with activities around the clock. Publicly accessible natural areas are usually restricted to daytime usage. Many historical landmarks and museums are open on a limited basis and some by appointment only.

CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:

New England weather is notable for rapid change. Temperature during the summer is 70-80s F., winter 20-40s F. and spring/fall 50-70s F. Wear appropriate clothing and shoes for outdoor activities based on the season.

DIRECTIONS:

Major access roads are I-84 from Hartford and I-395 from the New London area and Worcester. Within the heritage corridor, a 32-mile section of Conn. Route 169 is a National Scenic Byway and 19.5-mile section of Conn. Route 49 is a State Scenic Byway.

TRANSPORTATION:

To the Heritage Corridor: In addition to major highways, Hartford, Providence (RI) and Worcester (MA) have access to airports, bus terminals, and Amtrak stations.

Within the Heritage Corridor: Personal vehicles are required.

FEES, COSTS, RATES:

No admission fees to the Corridor or to most of its regular programs and events. Some of the private nonprofit historical and environmental sites of interest do charge admission or accept donations for special events and programs.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:

Visitor Centers/Exhibits

The State Welcome Center, westbound on I-84 in Willington, has free brochures, maps and information available. The Coventry Visitor Center, 1195 Main St./Route 31 in downtown Coventry, provides free travel information from May to September. Connecticut's Quiet Corner supplies racks of brochures in each of 21 towns in their district. The Norwich Tourism Office is located at 69 Main St. in Norwich.

Trails, Roads

In addition to I-395 and Conn. 169, several state and local roads provide easy access to the Heritage Corridor and its natural and cultural treasures, hill town centers and mill villages. There are a number of state parks and forests within the Heritage Corridor that offer trails for hiking, biking and canoe access. The 25-mile Air Line State Park Trail is currently being upgraded for multi-use recreation. The Connecticut Forests & Parks Association's Walk Book provides trail information for the statewide "blue-blazed" hiking trail network that links the heritage corridor. The Northeast Connecticut Visitors District has produced an informative brochure about public access to the region's rivers and ponds.

Programs/Activities:

During the Walking Weekend each year, more than 50 guided walks are offered at historic, natural, and cultural areas throughout the 25 towns in the valley. These special events are usually held during the Columbus holiday weekend. In August and September, agricultural fairs are staged in various communities. An Antiquing Weekend is held the first weekend in November. Each year Norwich holds a Rose Arts Festival in June and an Oktoberfest.

Lodging and Camping Facilities:

The Heritage Corridor offers a full range of privately owned motels, country inns, bed & breakfasts, campgrounds and recreational trailer parks. A brochure on accommodations may be received from Connecticut's Quiet Corner.

Food/Supplies:

A full range of restaurants, groceries, general merchandise and specialty stores are found throughout the heritage corridor. Major commercial services are found in Norwich, Willimantic, Killingly and Putnam.

Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:

The information centers, points of interest and visitor services within the Heritage Corridor are managed and staffed by Corridor partners and not by the National Park Service.

Accessibility:

Points of interest within the Heritage Corridor should be consulted if there are access questions.

Special Needs:

Many points of interest are unstaffed and have minimal facilities. Hospitals and emergency room services are located in Putnam, Willimantic and Norwich.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:

There are many ways to experience the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy—at a leisurely pace—the region's historic sites, museums, natural areas, country fairs, festivals and other activities. In addition to the areas highlighted below, you will find many delightful sites that are open periodically. Inquire locally about them and about restaurants, lodging facilities, campgrounds, and antique and craft shops.

Historic sites and Museums of interest include:

Roseland Cottage on Conn. 169 in Woodstock is an 1846 Gothic Revival house and gardens, maintained by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. Open seasonally.

The Brayton Gristmill and Marcy Blacksmith Collection, Route 44 at the entrance to Mashamoquet State Park in Pomfret, interpret two aspects of the town's agricultural past. Open seasonally.

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is located off Route 44 in Mansfield and offers a collection of over 2,000 puppets and puppet memorabilia. Opened spring through fall. Also in Mansfield is the William Benton Museum of Art, located on the University of Connecticut campus. It is opened year around and offers a variety of changing exhibits. The Connecticut Museum of Natural History has engaging exhibits of natural history and science, and is also located on the UCONN campus in the Wilbur Cross Building. Open year around.

The Mansfield Historical Society Museum is located in the original 1843 Town Hall on Route 195. Opened seasonally, it presents annual changing exhibits dealing with the town's history, including the establishment and growth of the Storrs Agricultural School (1881), now the University of Connecticut. The Gurleyville Grist Mill is located on Stone Mill Road and is the only stone gristmill in Connecticut, and one of only three in New England. It is also opened seasonally.

In the town of Willimantic, the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum has exhibits of memorabilia and artifacts, including railroad cars, engines and a turntable. Opened year around. The Windham Textile and History Museum at Union and Main St. preserves the regional history of 19^th-century textile manufacturers. Also opened year around. Just west of this site is the Jillson House Museum, with special summer exhibits. Call ahead for hours.

A Georgian Farmhouse is the main feature of the Nathan Hale Homestead at 2299 South St., Coventry. A month before the family moved into the rebuilt 1776 house, Hale was hanged by the British as an American spy after uttering his famous last words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Also in Coventry is the Strong/Porter House on South Street, an 18^th-century saltbox that was home to Nathan Hale's ancestors.

Lebanon Green is ringed with a number of sites connected to the Revolutionary War. The Governor Jonathan Trumbull House is the home of the only Colonial Governor to support the War for Independence, and was visited by Washington, Franklin, the Adamses, Rochambeau and Lafayette. Nearby is the Revolutionary War Office where Governor Trumbull convened the Council of Safety to deal with the defense of the colony of Connecticut and to supply provisions to the Continental Army. The Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. House is located across the Green and interprets the years following the American Revolution, as the Colonies became the Young Republic. The birthplace of "the father of gastric physiology," Dr. William Beaumont, is a tribute to early 19^th-century medicine and exhibits period medical instruments in a recreated doctor's examining room. All are opened seasonally.

Just north of Lebanon in Scotland are two historic sites: The Waldo House was owned by the same family from 1715 to 1975. The Huntington House is the birthplace of Samuel Huntington, signer of the Declaration of Independence, twice elected president of the Continental Congress and ten-term governor of Connecticut. Both locations are opened seasonally.

A small country lawyer's office, the Daniel Putnam Tyler Law Office, is located on Conn. 169 in Brooklyn. Tyler was the great-grandson of Revolutionary War hero Israel Putnam and practiced law from 1822 until his death in 1875. Just south in Canterbury, the Prudence Crandall Museum building at the corner of Conn. 169 and 14 served amid much controversy, as an academy for young black women in 1833 and 1834. It now houses exhibits on black history, abolitionism, women's rights and related subjects.

The Leffingwell House at 348 Washington St., Norwich is the restored home of Christopher Leffingwell, an American Revolution supporter whose entrepreneurial pursuits included the state's first paper mill and a chocolate factory. It is open seasonally. The Slater Museum and Converse Art Gallery is located near the Norwich Free Academy on Crescent Street. Its collection of Greek, Roman, and Renaissance casts, American art and furniture from the 17^th-20^th centuries is open year around.

Natural areas of interest include:

The Mashamoquet Brook State Park on U.S. Route 44 in Pomfret offers camping, swimming, picnicking, and fishing. At Trail Wood on Kenyon Road of Conn. 97 in Hampton, three miles of trails wind through the 130-acre farm of the late naturalist author, Edwin Way Teale. This Connecticut Audubon Society preserve offers guided walks, nature programs, and museum exhibits. The 23,000-acre Pachaug State Forest off Conn. 49 in Sterling Plainfield and Voluntown contains an extensive system of hiking and equestrian trails and a beach at Great Fall Pond. Hunters and anglers enjoy the forest. The 385-acre Mohegan Park, on Harland Road in Norwich, has walkways, picnic facilities, and, off Judd Road, a rose garden that commemorates Norwich as "The Rose of New England."

Other points of interest:

This part of Connecticut is known for its antique shops. An array of craft, gourmet, gift and antique shops dot the countryside and fill village areas. There are numerous theaters in the Heritage Corridor offering productions year around. Farm tours, pick-your-own farms, and farm stands are favorite stops for visitors. Of special note is Capriland's Herb Farm, 534 Silver St. (off Route 44) on Coventry, with 38 enchanting theme gardens. All levels of sporting activities are available, including watching a Norwich Navigator baseball game (Yankees AA professional baseball team).

BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:

A stay from two to five hours will allow for a boat ride, house tour or walk in one of the parks. A day trip will allow for more exploring and multiple days are suggested to see most of what the Valley has to offer in its historical museums and at its natural resources.

SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS:

Of particular note is Walking Weekend, always held on Columbus Day Weekend in October. The event features over 55 guided walks of varying themes throughout the Heritage Corridor area. A Walking Weekend brochure is available after August 15^th. A seasonal calendar of events is produced every three months containing a wide variety of activities scheduled throughout the heritage corridor. Contact Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc. or Connecticut's Quiet Corner for more information.

Prudence Crandall Museum in Canterbury is the official site for the National Park Passport Program, where passports may be stamped or purchased.

VISITOR IMPACTS:

Much of the land in the heritage corridor is in private ownership. We ask that you respect the rights and property of others. If in doubt about ownership or rules and regulations, ask for information at the Heritage Corridor office.

ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:

In addition to seeing the hill town-mill village theme throughout the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley landscape, one might choose to also visit Old Sturbridge Village just north of the Valley in Massachusetts (a recreated 1830's farming community); Mystic Marinelife Aquarium and Mystic Seaport just south in Mystic, CT; Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in neighboring Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Lowell National Historical Park (with working factory demonstrations).

For more information about the surrounding areas of Connecticut, contact:

State Office of Tourism, 860-258-4355 or 800-CT-BOUND.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Write, call or e-mail the Heritage Corridor office:

Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc.
P.O. Box 161
Putnam, CT 06260
860-963-7226, FAX 860-928-4720

Or send us eMail

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Last Updated:Monday, 10-Nov-97 13:29:33
http://www.nps.gov/qush/
Author: Charles Tracy