Mystic Country

City of Groton

295 Meridian Street
, CT
860 446 4103
860 445 4058 fax

www.cityofgroton.com

Imagine sitting on the banks of Thames River and watching a whole city go down in flames. Your stomach turns into a giant ball of knots; your palms begin to clam. Your heart races with anticipation and your body begins to tremble with fright. You know full well that within minutes you will be next. This is what the American Patriots were feeling the morning of September 6 1781 before the Battle at Fort Griswold - a battle that would go down in history as being the bloodiest of the American Revolution. About 150 Patriots lined the walls of the Fort to take on 800 British that were working their way across the river. Three horrid attacks took place within a 40-minute time span resulting in 88 American deaths and another 35 American men wounded. Worst of all the charge was led by the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold. In 1830 locals built a 135-foot-tall stone monument to honor the defenders at Fort Griswold. The plaque above the doorway reads . . . in memory of the brave patriots who fell in the massacre at Fort Griswold . . . When the British under the command of THE TRAITOR BENEDICT ARNOLD burnt the towns of New London and Groton and spread desolation and woe throughout this region. In 1868 area residents with the help of the State of Connecticut purchased 112 acres on the Thames River and presented the site to the Federal Government for use as a Navy yard. During World War I the Navy yard was officially commissioned a submarine base. Fittingly Groton is known as The Submarine Capitol of the World. It is home of the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics a firm responsible for the construction of 74 diesel submarines to the Navy during World War II. In 1954 the company launched the worlds first nuclear-powered submarine the USS Nautilus currently displayed at the Historic Ship Nautilus/Submarine Museum. Groton is also home to the National Submarine Wall of Honor. This monument is in memory to the 52 submarines that didnt come home from WWII.

City of New London

181 State Street
, CT
860 447 5201
860 437 4467 fax

www.ci.New-London.ct.us

Observers on New Londons Thames River on the morning of September 6 1781 were horrified at the sight before them. From this vantage point they would have seen people scurrying in every direction in a desperate attempt to catch a breath of clean air. They would have heard screams of terror through the smoke-filled air. They may have even seen the traitor Benedict Arnold leading a troop of British soldiers as they burned and ravaged New London. When it was over the city lay in ruin. New London didnt stay down for long. The city with its natural harbors and deep water quickly rebuilt to become a leading maritime port. By 1819 whaling was on its way to becoming the economic livelihood of the city. Whaling would dominate the economy for a half century. By 1846 New London was the second largest whaling port in the world. Today the town still stays true to its maritime roots. Perhaps thats why the United States Coast Guard Academy is located here. Each year cadets come to New London to learn maritime history and methods for protecting life and property along Americas waterways. New London also has roots seeded deeply in American literature. One well-known person who claimed New London as his home is critically acclaimed playwright Eugene ONeill. Winner of four Pulitzer Prizes he also was the first American dramatist to win the Nobel Prize. His boyhood home Monte Cristo Cottage in New London is the setting for two of his masterpieces Long Days Journey into Night and Ah Wilderness! The cottage is a registered National Landmark and is a living memorial to the playwright and his work. The city has many historic homes including the oldest operating custom house in the nation. The front doors of the Custom House are made from the planks of the frigate Constitution. New London is also home to the oldest surviving structure in New England (1678 documented). This small coastal city boasts the Lyman Allyn Art Museum the Garde Arts Center the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse and the Shaw-Perkins Mansion the site of the naval office during the Revolutionary War.

City of Norwich

100 Broadway
, CT
860 823 3700
860 823 3790 fax

www.norwichnow.com

Norwich is located in southeastern Connecticut. We are the perfect home base for excursions to Foxwoods Resort or Mohegan Sun Casinos Mystic Seaport and Aquarium and New London Submarine base. These attractions are less than twenty minutes from Norwich. The Rose City of southeastern Connecticut is blooming with major revitalization efforts and what makes Norwich exceptional is its deep historical roots. George Washington was quite familiar with Norwich. As a matter of fact he was supposed to dine with local resident Christopher Leffingwell in Norwich but Leffingwell had to decline. Caring for the 10000 troops Washington brought to Norwich kept Leffingwell too busy to meet with the famed General. Not all residents of Norwich however would serve their country so well. Benedict Arnold was born on January 14 1741 in Norwich Connecticut. He would later become the worlds most notorious traitor by siding with the British. His actions resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Patriots. The Old Norwichtown Burial Ground located up on the town green serves as a fine example of colonial tradition. The burial ground houses many historic figures from southeastern Connecticut such as Hannah Arnold the beloved mother of Benedict and Boston Trowtrow Governor of ye African Trib. There is also a memorial in honor of LaFayettes French soldiers who died while at Camp Norwich Town in 1778. From its 19th century emergence as a retail and manufacturing center Norwich has continued its role as a leader in southeastern Connecticut. With a multi-ethnic population and organized efforts to revitalize the downtown (Chelsea) Norwich is adapting to its new position as a service and tourist destination. In 1995 the Senator Thomas Dodd Memorial Baseball Stadium opened and is home to the Connecticut Defenders the San Francisco Giants franchise. Annual events such as Indendence Day Fireworks Celebration Taste of Italy and Grecian Festival as well as many other local celebrations make the Rose of New England bloom with possibilities all year.