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Discover the Thames on CT Open House Day

Discover the Thames during Connecticut Open House Day on Saturday, June 11th. Hop aboard the Thames River Heritage Park water taxi for a 1-hour, hop-on hop-off harbor cruise to visit the festivities on both sides of the Thames. Start on the east or the west side of the river; enjoy the sites, sounds, and programs; then hop on the water taxi and continue the fun on the other side of the Thames.

The City of New London and the City of Groton are offering complimentary shuttle service to the historic sites and festivities. See below for information on Open House Day on the Thames events.

Board the water taxi from any landing:

Fort Trumbull State Park in New London – on the hour
City Pier in New London – 20 minutes after the hour
Thames Landing in the City of Groton – 40 minutes after the hour.

Special Ticket Price on Opening Day: $5

Ye Antientist Burial Ground

One of the earliest graveyards in New England and the oldest colonial cemetery in New London County, the Ye Antientist Burial Ground is the final resting place of Gurdon Saltonstall, who served as Governor of the Colony of Connecticut from 1708 to 1724, and Lucretia Harris Shaw. The wife of Captain Nathaniel Shaw, Jr., Lucretia turned her home into a hospital for soldiers returning from British prison ships.

Address: 1 Bulkeley Pl, New London, CT 06320
Distance from Water Taxi Landing: 0.8 mile

Old Town Mill

The Old Town Mill was originally built in 1650 by John Winthrop Jr., the founder of New London and later the Governor of Connecticut. Listed on the National Historic Register, the Mill is one of the oldest industrial sites in Connecticut. On September 6, 1781, General Benedict Arnold burned the mill down during his raid on New London. The mill was rebuilt soon after on the original site.

Address: 8 Mill Street, New London, CT 06320
Distance from Water Taxi Landing: 0.9 miles
Phone number: (860) 447-5243
Hours: The grounds of the Old Town Mill are open year-round until sunset. The mill is also available to groups by special appointment.

Summer Open House Days: July 13th, July 27th, August 10th, August 24th | Free Tours of Building and Grounds

Cedar Grove Cemetery

Cedar Grove Cemetery is a 76-acre non-sectarian, non-profit burial ground in the city of New London, Connecticut. Still an active cemetery, Cedar Grove also is the final resting place of many of the city’s most significant citizens, ranging from a noted colonial-era diarist and ship captains from the city’s heyday as a major whaling port, to top elected officials and wealthy Gilded Age industrialists. Established as part of the rural cemetery movement in the 19th century, Cedar Grove was designed as a peaceful haven with park-like natural features.

Address: 638 Broad St. New London, CT 06320
Distance from Water Taxi Landing: 1.9 miles
Phone number: (860) 442-1301
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Pequot Chapel

The Pequot Chapel is a charming Victorian-era chapel built in 1870 in the Carpenter Gothic Revival style. Operating for over 150 years, it is a non-sectarian house of worship welcoming all who wish to attend Sunday services and other special events through the summer, and a traditional service of lessons and carols in December. Each Sunday features a different minister from churches as close as downtown New London and as far away as Texas. It’s also a storybook setting for weddings from May through October. Built by hotel proprietor Henry Crocker, it provided churchgoing guests of the Pequot House a new option on Sundays, saving them from a tedious 45-minute horse and buggy ride to downtown churches three miles away. Incorporated in 1872, the deed was turned over to a Board of Trustees, which continues to operate and maintain the Chapel today. Pequot Chapel stands as a symbol of a cultural heritage in the best New England tradition. Pequot Chapel is blessed with two stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Mr. Tiffany was a regular summer visitor at the Pequot House and attendee of services at the Chapel.

Address: 857 Montauk Ave, New London, CT 06320
Distance from City Pier Water Taxi Landing: 2.2 Miles
Phone Number: (860) 442-0812
Hours: Sunday church services are held weekly at 11:00 AM June through Labor Day.
Chapel Tours: Private tours must be arranged in advance.

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