Travel Oracles 50 States: Connecticut
As part of my summer series - Travel Oracles 50 States - I am revisiting each os the fifty American states as an overview on travel culture and history. Today: Connecticut
Joined: Connecticut ratified the new U.S. Constitution on January 9, 1788 and became the fifth state to join the United States, having been strongly against British loyalism before the American Revolution. During the civil war, the New England state played an important role in the Civil War, providing arms, equipment, technology, money, supplies and manpower for the Union Army. Several Connecticut politicians played significant roles in the Federal government and helped shape its policies during the war and the subsequent Reconstruction.
Original Indigenous Peoples: The state-recognized sovereign nations are the Eastern Pequot, Golden Hill Paugussett, and Schaghticoke tribes with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan having federal recognition as well
First Settlers: The first European settlers in the Connecticut area were the Dutch. In 1614, Adriaen Block explored the lands along the Connecticut River. Settlement did not occur until 1633, when a small fort was erected at the site of Hartford, then called New Hope.
History moment: One of the original 13 colonies, Connecticut played a prominent role in the development of the U.S. The Hartford Courant, the nation's oldest continuously operating newspaper, was an influential voice for the rebel cause during the American Revolution and President Abraham Lincoln's Party in the 1860s. During the Revolutionary War, Connecticut was essential to supplying the war effort during the American because its coastline harbored privateers that captured almost 500 British ships and more importantly, vast stores of food, supplies, and ammunition.
Known for: the Constitution State, state song is “Yankee Doodle”, beautiful Autumn foliage, Yale University, Peabody Museum of Natural History, the home of ESPN, Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold, was born in the town of Norwich 1741, birthplace of former president George W. Bush
Places: There are so many charming colonial towns around the state, but the main cities & towns are Stamford, Danbury, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury, Norfolk, Mystic and more
Movie setting: Christmas in Connecticut, Bringing Up Baby, Auntie Mame, The Ref, The Stepford Wives, Mystic Pizza (and tv shows like Gilmore Girls, Billions and the US version of The Office)
Musicians from: Karen Carpenter, Liz Phair, John Mayer, Moby, MGMT
Surprising facts: Connecticut is apparently home to the first hamburger (1895), Polaroid camera (1934), helicopter (1939), and color television (1948). The first automobile law was passed by the state of CT in 1901. The speed limit was set at 12 miles per hour. The first lollipop-making machine opened for business in New Haven in 1908.
One of the original 13 colonies and one of the six New England states, Connecticut is located in the northeastern corner of the country in the midst of the great urban-industrial complex along the Atlantic coast, bordering Massachusetts to the north, Rhode Island to the east, Long Island Sound to the south and New York to the west. It is the third smallest U.S. state, but it ranks among the most densely populated. Connecticut's 253 miles of shoreline blows salty sea air over beach communities like Old Lyme and Stonington, while patchwork hills and peaked mountains fill the state's northwestern corner, endless farmland in the northeast, as well as chic New York City bedroom communities such as Greenwich and New Canaan, where boutique shopping bags are the dominant species. Let’s travel to Connecticut
My experience: Having lived in NYC for over a decade, I went to Connecticut often, easily hopping the train from grand central station. Some friends have country houses I love to relax at, but also there are many lovely beach towns along the Long Island Sound, which makes for an excellent weekend getaway.
Southwestern Connecticut: A rich swirl of old New England and new New York, a region that consistently reports the highest cost of living and the most expensive homes of any area in the country. Its commuter towns are home primarily to CEO types. Some still make the hour-plus dash to and from New York City, but many drive to Stamford, which is reputed to have more corporate headquarters per square mile than any other U.S. city. Venture away from the wealthy bedroom communities, and you'll discover cities going through various stages of urban renewal: Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Danbury.
The Litchfield Hills: The foothills of the Berkshire Mountains provide beautiful scenery in Connecticut, New York, to the west, and Massachusetts, to the north, complete the rectangle. Rolling farmlands abut thick forests, and trails—including a section of the Appalachian Trail—traverse state parks and forests, and two rivers, the Housatonic and the Farmington, attract anglers and canoers, and the state's three largest natural lakes, Waramaug, Bantam, and Twin, are here. Sweeping town greens and stately homes anchor Litchfield and New Milford. Kent, New Preston, and Woodbury draw avid antiquers, and Washington and Norfolk provide a glimpse into New England village life as it might have existed two centuries ago.
New Haven, Mystic, and the Coast: New Haven is the final urban obstacle between southwestern Connecticut's overdeveloped coast and southeastern Connecticut's quiet shoreline. The remainder of the jagged coast, which stretches to Rhode Island, consists of small fishing villages, quiet hamlets, and relatively undisturbed beaches. The only interruptions along this seashore are the industry and piers of New London and Groton. Mystic, Stonington, Old Saybrook, Clinton, and Guilford are havens for fans of antiques and boutiques.
Hartford and the Connecticut River Valley: Less touristy than the coast and the northwest hills, the Connecticut River Valley is a swath of small towns and uncrowded state parks punctuated by a few small cities and one large one: the capital city of Hartford. South of Hartford, with the exception of industrial Middletown, genuinely quaint hamlets vie for attention with antiques shops, scenic drives, and romantic restaurants and country inns.
Nature: Explore the Weir Farm National Historic Site in Ridgefield and Wilton, as well as parts of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the New England National Scenic Trail, the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail, and the Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor.
Ranking in US: Per the annual US News report, Connecticut is currently ranked #20 in 2021, up from #21 out of 50 in 2019. It’s a very nice place to live (economy, education, healthcare) and has close proximity to NYC, Boston and Washington, D.C. by train. It’s main challenges lie in opportunity and infrastucture.
