Waterford
Waterford, Connecticut:
Waterford, Connecticut is located in Southeastern Connecticut between East Lyme and New London. Originally a home to the Nehantic Native Peoples and hideout for Captain Kidd and maybe his treasure at Jordan Cove... Waterford was settled in the mid 1600s Waterford was once part of New London, separating in 1801. Waterford, in colonial times was part of New London and was a simple farming community, had a couple of ferries and a shipyard at Niantic River and eventually thrived as a quarrying community (Millstone) and eventually a summer hideaway for New York and Hartford elites.
Waterford differs from a traditional New England town as through the years it has been eaten up by nearby New London essentially becoming an overgrown suburb laden with strip shopping centers and neighborhoods thus lacking a true town center. However Waterford does have several spots worth a visit and they are as follows:
Nearest to the Shore:
Traveling on Route 156 from Niantic one sees Millstone Nuclear Power Station covering the shoreline after Niantic Bridge. After traveling over the bridge and beautiful Niantic River follow signs to Mago Point. This former foot of the old Niantic Bridge has restaurants and a marina. Ideal for watching boat traffic and coming and going as well as charter fishing boats Mago point is in the process of re-inventing itself to a kinder, cleaner nice place. Local dining favorite Unks on the Bay offers local seafood in the traditional "tired captain chair" type of environment and is very busy. Best bet... take a nice drink and enjoy a table on the deck. The rest of the restaurant needs a signifigant investment to return to it's glory days and meet the demands of the discerning diner. Other seafood shacks dot the waterside and are "ok". Service is excellent but the food could be better. Sunset Ribs another establishment shares the area to the southside of 156 and offers nice vistas of the boating crowd. Decent food of the traditional "pub" type Sunset Ribs offers entertainment and a lively crowd. Often a magnet for the weekend biker&boater crowd which somewhat hurts the image in my opinion it is one of the few places in this area for entertainment.
In the area are also Oswegatchie point the former summer area for railroad tycoon Morton Plant and previous to that and European settlement home to Native Nehantic peoples. Views along the Riverfront are fantastic and Route 1 can be reached by following Niantic River Road to it's enterance (Route 1). Proceeding into Waterford one travels through Jordan Village, the historic center of Waterford at the bottom of Logger Hill. Jordan Village boast a historic church, turn of the last century shopping center and firehouse and a handful of homes. The Palmer House, the granite structure to the Northeast corner of 156 was the home to the Palmer Family when they ran the granite quarries at Millstone Point. Across the intersection of Great Neck road is a group of historic buildings detailing some of Waterford's historic past. An old schoolhouse is just one of the 4-5 buildings. Follow Great Neck Road toward the shore and see historic summer homes of the 19th century elite. Well manicured lawns and the spray of the ocean are common here.
Harkness State Park offers picnic tables, a beach and the historic Edward Harkness mansion. Similar to the mansions in Newport, RI Harkness offers a view of the guilded age. Finely restored and available for rentals and viewing the Harkness Mansion (Eolia) and gardens are worth a trip. Nearby is the Eugene O*Neill theater named after local playwright Eugene O*Neill. Offering summer theater and a playwrights conference the theater is well known in the New York theater circles. Earlier... Michael Douglas was involved in the theater.
Harkness Eola ** O'Neill Theater (click for more info)
Following this route one will reach New London and the Pequot/Ocean Beach section of New London. This area we will cover in our next section on New London. Waterford also offers standard Big Box shopping and dining via the Route 85 section off of I-95.
Our Suggestions for Attractions:
*Harkness Memorial State Park
*Great Neck Road Area & O'Neill Theater/Waterford Beach
*Niantic River & Mago Point
*Quaker Hill Historic District
Sunset Ribs**Niantic River**Mago Point
Places to Dine:
Many national chains including Panera, Olive Garden and McDonald's as well as dozens of local Pizza Places. Our suggestions are:
*Jordan Village Restaurant- Village Restaurant located in Historic Jordan Village. Great breakfast nook!
*Caffe NV-Gourmet Greek! Worth a stop
Places to Overnight:
*Rodeway Inn (National Chain)
*Spring Hill Suites (Marriot)
Niantic/East Lyme, New London and Groton all offer a number of hotels, motels, inn's and B&B's for your pleasure.
Summary/Review:
Waterford by no means is a destination. Shopping and national chain dining are plentiful, the shoreline is attractive at Harkness and the older more established areas along Jordan Cove, Great Neck Road, Goshen, Quaker Hill and Route 1 at Niantic River and Oswegatchie but our suggestion is to use a couple of hours at the above mentioned places and then head on to your next destination... New London.
Our next trip moves us on to the Historic Whaling City of New London, Connecticut.
Waterford, Connecticut is located in Southeastern Connecticut between East Lyme and New London. Originally a home to the Nehantic Native Peoples and hideout for Captain Kidd and maybe his treasure at Jordan Cove... Waterford was settled in the mid 1600s Waterford was once part of New London, separating in 1801. Waterford, in colonial times was part of New London and was a simple farming community, had a couple of ferries and a shipyard at Niantic River and eventually thrived as a quarrying community (Millstone) and eventually a summer hideaway for New York and Hartford elites.
Waterford differs from a traditional New England town as through the years it has been eaten up by nearby New London essentially becoming an overgrown suburb laden with strip shopping centers and neighborhoods thus lacking a true town center. However Waterford does have several spots worth a visit and they are as follows:
Nearest to the Shore:
Traveling on Route 156 from Niantic one sees Millstone Nuclear Power Station covering the shoreline after Niantic Bridge. After traveling over the bridge and beautiful Niantic River follow signs to Mago Point. This former foot of the old Niantic Bridge has restaurants and a marina. Ideal for watching boat traffic and coming and going as well as charter fishing boats Mago point is in the process of re-inventing itself to a kinder, cleaner nice place. Local dining favorite Unks on the Bay offers local seafood in the traditional "tired captain chair" type of environment and is very busy. Best bet... take a nice drink and enjoy a table on the deck. The rest of the restaurant needs a signifigant investment to return to it's glory days and meet the demands of the discerning diner. Other seafood shacks dot the waterside and are "ok". Service is excellent but the food could be better. Sunset Ribs another establishment shares the area to the southside of 156 and offers nice vistas of the boating crowd. Decent food of the traditional "pub" type Sunset Ribs offers entertainment and a lively crowd. Often a magnet for the weekend biker&boater crowd which somewhat hurts the image in my opinion it is one of the few places in this area for entertainment.
In the area are also Oswegatchie point the former summer area for railroad tycoon Morton Plant and previous to that and European settlement home to Native Nehantic peoples. Views along the Riverfront are fantastic and Route 1 can be reached by following Niantic River Road to it's enterance (Route 1). Proceeding into Waterford one travels through Jordan Village, the historic center of Waterford at the bottom of Logger Hill. Jordan Village boast a historic church, turn of the last century shopping center and firehouse and a handful of homes. The Palmer House, the granite structure to the Northeast corner of 156 was the home to the Palmer Family when they ran the granite quarries at Millstone Point. Across the intersection of Great Neck road is a group of historic buildings detailing some of Waterford's historic past. An old schoolhouse is just one of the 4-5 buildings. Follow Great Neck Road toward the shore and see historic summer homes of the 19th century elite. Well manicured lawns and the spray of the ocean are common here.
Harkness State Park offers picnic tables, a beach and the historic Edward Harkness mansion. Similar to the mansions in Newport, RI Harkness offers a view of the guilded age. Finely restored and available for rentals and viewing the Harkness Mansion (Eolia) and gardens are worth a trip. Nearby is the Eugene O*Neill theater named after local playwright Eugene O*Neill. Offering summer theater and a playwrights conference the theater is well known in the New York theater circles. Earlier... Michael Douglas was involved in the theater.
Harkness Eola ** O'Neill Theater (click for more info)
Following this route one will reach New London and the Pequot/Ocean Beach section of New London. This area we will cover in our next section on New London. Waterford also offers standard Big Box shopping and dining via the Route 85 section off of I-95.
Our Suggestions for Attractions:
*Harkness Memorial State Park
*Great Neck Road Area & O'Neill Theater/Waterford Beach
*Niantic River & Mago Point
*Quaker Hill Historic District
Sunset Ribs**Niantic River**Mago Point
Places to Dine:
Many national chains including Panera, Olive Garden and McDonald's as well as dozens of local Pizza Places. Our suggestions are:
*Jordan Village Restaurant- Village Restaurant located in Historic Jordan Village. Great breakfast nook!
*Caffe NV-Gourmet Greek! Worth a stop
Places to Overnight:
*Rodeway Inn (National Chain)
*Spring Hill Suites (Marriot)
Niantic/East Lyme, New London and Groton all offer a number of hotels, motels, inn's and B&B's for your pleasure.
Summary/Review:
Waterford by no means is a destination. Shopping and national chain dining are plentiful, the shoreline is attractive at Harkness and the older more established areas along Jordan Cove, Great Neck Road, Goshen, Quaker Hill and Route 1 at Niantic River and Oswegatchie but our suggestion is to use a couple of hours at the above mentioned places and then head on to your next destination... New London.
Our next trip moves us on to the Historic Whaling City of New London, Connecticut.
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