MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS IN FIVE RIVERS CONSORTIUMUT

Avery-Copp House

154 Thames Street Groton, CT 06340

The Avery Copp House, built c.1800 on the banks of the Thames River in Groton, CT

Lived in by generation after generation of the same family for 200 years.

Objects and artifacts within tell the story of life in this lively Groton neighborhood from just after the Revolutionary War through the Victorian era, the age of industrialization, mass immigration, the Great Depression, and the years of both World Wars.

Located on three acres of terraced grounds overlooking the river, with Victorian gazebos and a carriage house.

Open May – October; please call (860) 445-1637 for hours.

We are happy to schedule group tours and winter visits by request.

e-mail: averycopphouse@sbcglobal.net

U. S. Coast Guard Museum

15 Mohegan Avenue, New London, CT 06320

The U. S. Coast Guard Museum is the Coast Guard's official museum.

The museum exhibits a variety of objects representing the history, missions, and traditions of the Coast Guard as well as the service's five predecessor agencies:

Revenue Cutter Service

Life-Saving Service

Lighthouse Service

Steamboat Inspection Service

Bureau of Navigation

The museum is located on the grounds of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Admission is free

A photo I.D. is required to enter the campus.

Thomas Lee House

Route 156, Niantic, CT 06357

Thomas Lee House (c1660) was purchased by the Historical Society in 1914.

It is one of the oldest wood frame houses in Connecticut still in its primitive state.

As it stands today, furnished, aged and weather-beaten, shaded by tall, graceful Locust trees, it is a picturesque and interesting salt-box structure.

Open for guided tours daily - except Mondays - from 1 to 4 pm, from late June until Labor Day, or by appointment.

Call (860) 739-6070 for further information.

Submarine Force Museum

1 Crystal Lake Road, Groton, CT 06340

The Submarine Force Museum, located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, is the only submarine museum operated by the United States Navy and maintains the world's finest collection of submarine artifacts.

The museum traces the development of the "Silent Service" from David Bushnell's Turtle to the modern Virginia class submarines.

It is also home to Historic Ship NAUTILUS, open to the public as the first and finest exhibit of its kind in the world, providing an exciting, visible link between yesterday's Submarine Force and the Submarine Force of tomorrow.

Smith Harris House Museum

33 Society Road, Niantic, CT 06357

Greek Revival Style House serving as the East Lyme Town Museum

Furnished in the mode of middle 19th century living

Special Annual Events

Heritage Weekend in early October

Wassail Party in December

Spring Tea in May

Open June to August, Friday to Sunday- 12 noon to 4 pm

Phone number 860-739-0761

Shaw Mansion also scroll up to New London County Historical Society, Inc.

11 Blinman Street, New London, CT 06320

During the Revolutionary War the house was visited by George Washington, General Nathanial Greene, and Commander of the Navy Ezek Hopkins; and later, by the Marquis de Lafayette.

Naval Office for CT during the American Revolution, the building was also home to Nathaniel Shaw, Naval Agent for CT.

Exhibit on Privateering and Benedict Arnold's raid on New London.

Guided tours available. Extensive research library. Open year-round.

Richard W. Woolworth Library

40 Palmer Street (just outside boro off Route 1A)

A modern research center located next door to the Palmer House

Shares a parking lot at same street address.

Opened in June, 1998 as a modern archival library with a large area for researchers

The walls of the James Merrill Reading Room has a collection of 19th century portraits of Stonington people

Named after Richard W. Woolworth (1935 - 1989) a Stonington resident

More information (860) 535-1131

Old Lighthouse Museum

7 Water Street, Stonington, CT 06378 (Stonington Village)

The lighthouse was once the beacon for the many vessels approaching Stonington's harbor from L.I. Sound.

In 1840 the original structure was dismantled and the materials used to build a new tower and keepers dwelling on the present site.

The Lighthouse has been owned and operated by The Stonington Historical Society since 1927.

It is open 10 to 5 from May 1 to Oct. 31.

(860) 535-1440

New London County Historical Society, Inc also scroll down to Shaw Mansion

11 Blinman Street, New London, CT 06320

Built in 1756, this house has been home to the New London County Historical Society since 1907.

NLCHS collection includes logbooks, manuscripts and business records for whaling firms, the West Indies trade, sealing on Desolation and Heard's Islands, Revolutionary War privateering and the creation of the New London Naval Base (now Submarine Base).

Guided tours of the mansion available. Open year-round.

Nathan Hale Schoolhouse (operated by Sons of the American Revolution)

36 Meridian Street, New London, CT 06320

Nathan Hale taught in the schoolhouse from 1774-1775 when the Revolutionary War started

He joined the army and was commissioned as First Lieutenant in the Seventh Connecticut regiment and executed in New York on September 22, 1776 as a spy

Hale is credited with saying "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

Open to the public on weekends during summer

contact info: The CT Society of the Sons of the American Revolution P.O. Box 411, East Haddam, CT 06423

Phone (860) 444-6771

Mystic Seaport - The Museum of America & the Sea

75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, CT 06355

Mystic Seaport -- The Museum of America and the Sea -- is the nation's leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. Mystic Seaport houses a collection of more than two million objects.

The Museum also offers educational programs from pre-school through post-graduate, including daily Planetarium programs.

For more info please go to :http://www.mysticseaport.org

Mystic River Historical Society, Inc. - Portersville Academy

74-76 Hight Street, Mystic, CT 06355

MRHS was founded in 1973 to preserve and promote the historical traditions of the greater Mystic area.

The Society owns two buildings: Portersville Academy, a schoolhouse built in 1839, and the William A. Downes Building which houses most of our collections.

As a community organization, the MRHS relies on volunteers to create monthly lectures, walking tours, appraisal days, house tours, and other popular events.

We actively collect and store books, papers, and photographs pertaining to the Mystic River area, and make our collection available for researchers.

The Society is not related to the Mystic Historic District Commission.

Phone (860) 536-4779

Mystic Arts Center

9 Water Street, Mystic, CT 06355

Located in legendary downtown Mystic, the Mystic Arts Center provides fun for the whole family!

Stunning galleries overlooking the Mystic River create a beautiful location for visitors to view pieces from our exclusive permanent collection and purchase unique works of art from changing exhibitions featuring talented local artists.

State-of-the-art studios attract artists of all ages and ability levels to unleash their creativity in fun classes, workshops, and summer art camps featuring new and diverse themes in a variety of media.

The Center also hosts special events and lectures throughout the year.

Open daily from 11-5.

Monte Cristo Cottage

325 Pequot Avenue, New London, CT 06320

Owned and operated by the Eugene O'Neill Theater situated in New London

Boyhood home of Eugene O'Neill and the setting for two of his most notable works: AH Wilderness! and Long Day's Journey Into Night

The only permanent home of O'Neill from his birth in 1888 until 1917 when he began supporting himself as a playwrite

E-mail for more information to montecristo@theO'Neill.org

(860) 443-5378 X 227

Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center

Mashantucket, CT

Native American museum and research center

Offers an array of engaging experiences for young and old

Life- size walk through dioramas, changing exhibits and live performances of contemporary arts and cultures.

www.pequotmuseum.org

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

625 Williams St., New London, CT 06320

Lyman Allyn Art Museum is a community-based museum located in New London, Connecticut.

Founded in 1932 by Harriet Upson Allyn in memory of her father, Lyman Allyn, the Museum serves the people of Southeastern Connecticut and is free to the residents of New London.

The Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a non-profit organization with 501(c) 3 status.

Housed in a handsome Neo-Classical building designed by Charles A. Platt, the permanent collection includes over 15,000 paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, furniture and decorative arts, with an emphasis on American art from the 18th through 20th centuries.

The museum is located at 625 Williams Street, New London, Connecticut, exit 83 off I-95.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am- 5:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 –5:00 pm, closed Mondays and major holidays.

For more information call (860) 443-2545.

Jabez Smith House

259 North Road, Rte 117, Groton, CT 06340

Excellent example of 18th century domestic architecture with its 1 1/2 story, gable-roof structure & central brick chimney

Built in 1783 on the site of one of Groton's earliest settlements

Was occupied by Smith descendants until 1980

On the National Register of Historic Places

Is owned and maintained by the Town of Groton

Phone (860) 445-6689

Indian & Colonial Research Center

39 Main Street, Old Mystic, CT 06372

Housed in the 1856 Mystic River National Bank building, the I.C.R.C. was founded in 1965 to house, preserve and make accessible the collections and research material of Eva L. Butler.

Research focus is on Colonial American history, Native American topics and genealogy.

The I.C.R.C. is on the state of Connecticut's list of authorized genealogical societies, allowing our members to research vital records newer than 100 years old.

The I.C.R.C. is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 4 P.M, year round, and by appointment.

For more information, call (860) 536-9771. Our mailing address is PO Box 525, Old Mystic, CT 06372. Or visit http://www.theicrc.org.

Hempstead Houses

Intersection of Hempstead & Jay Streets, New London, CT 06320

The Joshua Hempsted House is the oldest house in New London and one of the few remaining 17th century houses in the state.

On the same site is the Nathaniel Hempsted House (1758)

Open Mid May to Mid October from Thursday to Sunday 12 to 4 pm.

(860) 443-7949

Garde Arts Center

325 State Street, New London, CT 06320

Motivated by a sense of history, a commitment to excellence in the arts and the need for a revitalized New London and Southeastern Connecticut, a group of community leaders created the Garde Arts Center in 1985 as a non-profit performing arts organization.

Their goal was to save the historic Garde theatre, one of the few remaining historic movie palaces in Connecticut.

Built in 1926 during the golden era of the motion pictures and vaudeville theatres, the recently restored one-of-a-kind Moroccan interior of the Garde Theatre, along with the new seats and state-of-the-art stage equipment, provide a very audience-friendly theatre venue in a warm and beautiful atmosphere.

Today the Garde is nationally recognized for its unique architecture and multi-faceted programming playing host to Broadway touring shows, opera, dance, music and family theater.

Florence Griswold Art Museum (Lyme Historical Society)

96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371

The Florence Griswold Museum encompasses eleven acres along the Lieutenant River in Old Lyme, Connecticut. In addition to the recently renovated 1817 Griswold House, where the artists of the Lyme Art Colony lived, the Museum features a modern riverfront gallery, education center, historic gardens, and a restored artist studio.

The Museum is located at 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, exit 70 off I-95

It is open year round Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1-5pm.

Admission: $8 for adults, $7 for seniors & students, $4 for children 6 to 12, & free to children under 6.

For additional information contact the Museum at 860-434-5542

Or go to www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org.

Eugene O'Neill Theater

305 Great Neck Road, Waterford, CT 06385

Founded in 1964 by George C. White and named in honor of America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwrite

The O'Neill is home to six distinct programs: The O'Neill Playwrights Conference, National Theater Institute, Critics Institute and the Monte Cristo College in New London

Infomation: (860) 443-5378 x 0

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center

109 Pequotsepos Rd, Mystic, CT 06355

A non-profit environmental education center and wildlife sanctuary

Adjacent properties consisting of over 300 acres of preserved land

Eight miles of walking, hiking and birding trails

A natural history museum including interactive exhibits, nest & egg collections, "Night in the Meadow" theater, live turtles, frogs, & birds of prey

The center also offers a state-licensed pre-school, summer camp, a specialty gift shop & educational programs for all ages

Open seven days, year-round

For more information call: 860-536-1216

Denison Society & The Denison Homestead Museum

120 Pequotsepos Road PO Box 42 Mystic, CT 06355

Built in 1717, the Denison Homestead is the third house to be constructed on 200 acres of land granted to Captain George Denison in 1654

It is believed to be one of the few homes in this country to be continuously owned by the same family.

It currently houses the society’s offices and the Dension Homestead Museum.

Each of its five main rooms represents a different period of history in America and of the Denison family who lived in the house during that period of history.

The Homestead is open from mid-May to mid-October.

For further information call (860)536-9248 or check our website at www.denisonsociety.org.

Custom House Maritime Museum

150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320

Housed in a handsome, federal-style building

complete with vaulted ceilings

a flying staircase

heart-of-pine floors

front doors made of wooden planks salvaged during the 1830

restoration of Old Ironsides

The Museum tells the story about New London's three century long connection to the sea through exhibits, educational programs, a Maritime Lecture Series, and the Frank McGuire Maritime Research Library

As a bonus, the government still maintains an active Customs Office on the top floor, making this Custom House, built in 1833 by Robert Mills, the oldest continuously operating Custom House in America.

Museum Store featuring maritime history & lighthouse gifts, t-shirts, tote bags, posters and postcards and more.

For more information, call us at (860) 447-2501

Or go to our web site: http://www.nlmaritimesociety.org.

Connecticut College Arboretum

Route 32, New London, CT 06320

Owned by Connecticut College for the benefit of the college and the community

Functions in support of the college's mission by helping to prepare men and women for a lifetime of learning about and interacting with the natural world

Provides an outdoor laboratory for use by faculty and students in Botany, Zoology, Biology and Environmental Studies

Also provides a place where people from the community may enjoy passive recreation to learn, reflect and renew themselves

Free Sunday afternoon guided tours from May to Oct 30th

Special programs throughout the summer

Infomation (860) 439-5020

Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut

409 Main Street, Niantic, CT 06357

Hands-on, educational experience for the children in your life.

We engage, encourage and challenge children (of all ages) with exhibits and programs focused on the arts, sciences, safety and health, culture and history.

The museum recently underwent an extensive renovation project and is now reopened with all your old favorites, and much that is new!

New exhibits, a new classroom, newly painted walls with beautiful murals, new programs and even a new ACM reciprocal membership.

Don¹t miss the live critters in our rainforest exhibit, the Health Discovery Center, or Mythical Beasts, Legends & Heroes.

Our Global Village is a hit with youngsters and for the really little ones, check out our new infant and toddler area.

The outdoor garden, X-Play-Nation Park, will delight all ages with its sights and sounds.

Come to the Museum and create at the art table, build in the CAN-STRUCT exhibit, command an authentic, two-person submarine, and enjoy the many exhibits that change regularly for you and your family's enjoyment.

Ph. 860-691-1111, Fx. 860-691-1194

Captain Nathaniel Palmer House

40 Palmer Street, Stonington, CT 06378

An historic house museum just outside Stonington boro off Route 1A

16 room Victorian mansion built in 1852 by Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer and his brother Alexander Smith Palmer

Majestically sited on a high rise of ground over looking the upper end of Stonington harbor

From its octagonal cupola the family could identify ships arriving from distant ports.

(860) 535-8445

Groton Bank Historical Association

GBHA’s objective is to research and promote the history of Groton Bank and to maintain historical village character.

To accomplish this GBHA publishes information about Groton Bank and sponsors several historical-educational meetings annually.

Enjoy a walking tour and find most of the different architectural styles from the colonial period to the early 20th century displayed in the houses and buildings found in the old village of Groton Bank.

Brochures for the self guided "Historic Groton Bank Walking Tour" are available at various public buildings and some Groton Bank businesses.

Visit GBHA on the web at: www.grotonbankha.com/index.html