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Stonington, Connecticut: A Borough That Defied the British Navy

Stonington, Connecticut

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Stonington Harbor Light Water Street shops

Stonington, settled in 1649 and named in 1666, occupies New London County's southeastern corner against the Rhode Island line. Its shipbuilding and whaling industries once thrived, and the state's last commercial fishing fleet still works out of Stonington Harbor. During the War of 1812, townspeople defied a British naval attack on August 10, 1814, by nailing a large American flag to a pole above the shore battery — remembered as the Stonington Battle Flag. The borough also produced Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer, credited with an early sighting of Antarctica; his home on Palmer Street is now a National Historic Landmark museum. At the harbor's edge, the Old Lighthouse Museum, run by the Stonington Historical Society, is billed as America's first lighthouse museum. Vineyards, a working harborfront, and the borough's Water Street storefronts carry that maritime history into the present day.

  1. America's first lighthouse museum, run by the Stonington Historical Society.

  2. National Historic Landmark home of the Antarctica-sighting sea captain.

  3. A working shoreline winery with a summer concert series.

  4. A coastal-farmland winery with a WWII-era airfield.

  5. A small beach at the end of a Water Street stroll.

  6. Waterfront seafood open seven days.

  7. A borough institution built on local seafood.

  8. An 18-room boutique inn on the harbor waterfront.

A borough that defied the British Navy

Stonington, settled in 1649 and named in 1666, occupies New London County's southeastern corner against the Rhode Island line. Its shipbuilding and whaling industries once thrived, and the state's last commercial fishing fleet still works out of Stonington Harbor. During the War of 1812, townspeople defied a British naval attack on August 10, 1814, by nailing a large American flag to a pole above the shore battery — remembered as the Stonington Battle Flag. The borough also produced Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer, credited with an early sighting of Antarctica; his home on Palmer Street is now a National Historic Landmark museum. At the harbor's edge, the Old Lighthouse Museum, run by the Stonington Historical Society, is billed as America's first lighthouse museum.

Getting there

Drivers reach Stonington's Mystic-side neighborhoods via I-95 Exit 90 to CT Route 27; the borough itself sits further east along Route 1. There is no Metro-North or Shore Line East service in Stonington — the nearest Amtrak trains serve Mystic and New London daily.

Vineyards, a working harbor, and Water Street

Stonington Vineyards and Saltwater Farm Vineyard, both working shoreline wineries, host tastings and summer events. At the foot of the borough, duBois Beach offers a small stretch of sand at Stonington Point, reached by a walk down Water Street past the Old Lighthouse Museum. The state's last commercial fishing fleet still docks in Stonington Harbor, and Water Street's restaurants — Breakwater at Stonington Harbor and Water Street Cafe among them — look out over the working waterfront.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Stonington?
Drivers take I-95 Exit 90 to CT Route 27 for the Mystic side of town; Route 1 continues east to the borough itself. There is no Metro-North or Shore Line East service in Stonington — Amtrak trains serve nearby Mystic and New London daily instead.
What is the Old Lighthouse Museum?
Billed as America's first lighthouse museum, it sits at the foot of Stonington Borough near Stonington Point and is operated by the Stonington Historical Society, open daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
What is the Stonington Battle Flag?
During a lull in the British attack on Stonington on August 10, 1814, townspeople nailed a large American flag to a pole above the shore battery as a banner of defiance — the event remembered today as the Stonington Battle Flag.
Who was Nathaniel B. Palmer?
A Stonington sea captain credited with an early sighting of Antarctica. His home at 40 Palmer Street is now a National Historic Landmark museum with China-trade artifacts, open daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with tours on the hour.
Is there a beach in Stonington Borough?
Yes — duBois Beach, a small beach at Stonington Point, sits at the end of a walk down Water Street through the historic borough.
Does Mystic Seaport Museum count as a Stonington attraction?
Mystic Seaport Museum sits on the Stonington side of the Mystic River, but the village of Mystic itself straddles Stonington and Groton as its own census-designated place — see the separate Mystic guide.

Foliage

Still green this week · estimated peak Oct 28–Nov 3

On the Connecticut Heritage foliage driving route.

Derived from the Connecticut DEEP fall foliage map. DEEP's map is a climatological estimate last published in 2023; it describes a normal year, not this one. Stage names are ours. See the statewide forecast.

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