Connecticut's Top 10 Historical Attractions

OLDIES BUT GOODIES: CONNECTICUT'S TOP 10 HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS

Connecticut is proud to be the home of some of America's most famous novelists, an interactive museum exploring 11,000 years of Native American history, a plethora of historic inns and colonial homes dating to the early 1600s, just to name a few notables.

1. Experience Connecticut's Seafaring Past
   Mystic Seaport has been a maritime destination since the 1600s, with over 600 vessels constructed along its coast. Visitors can relive its prosperous past in a re-created 18th century coastal village that includes period buildings complete with historians, musicians and storytellers who make history come alive. The Seaport also boasts the nation's leading maritime museum, which includes the world's largest collection of maritime photography and artifacts. www.mysticseaport.org or (860) 572-5315.
   
2. Connecticut Redefines the Home
   In the 1950s, the town of New Canaan, known for its "conservatism" suddenly became avant-garde when five architects used the idyllic natural surroundings to create works of modern art. The most famous of these buildings is the Philip Johnson Glass House. In Hartford, April 23-June 19 is "Living Modern in New Canaan" exhibit, with walking tours of Hartford's modern architectural landmarks available throughout May. www.ctvisit.com
   
3. When Dinosaurs Roamed… Connecticut?
   Connecticut went pre-historic after the discovery of the largest dinosaur track site in North America. Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill also features an arboretum containing more than 250 species. Activities for children include fossil boxes, scavenger hunt and making a dinosaur track bookmark - the perfect souvenir! www.dinosaurstatepark.org or (860) 257-7601.
   
4. X-Ray Insight into the Past
   The Wadsworth Atheneum, built in 1842, is the country's oldest public art museum. Now through March 31, get behind what some of the greatest artists were thinking at the "What Lies Beneath: Revealing Painters' Secrets" exhibit where infrared and x-ray technologies provide crucial insight to the painting, www.wadsworthatheneum.org or (860) 278-2670.
   
5. Before Broadway, there was Goodspeed
   Since 1876, the Goodspeed Opera House has shined its spotlight on several highly acclaimed works of theater including the original production of Man of La Mancha, Shenandoah and Annie. In 2009, classics such as 42nd Street and Camelot are slated to run. www.goodspeed.org or (860) 873-8668.
   
6. Historic Inns
   Planning a getaway? Consider Connecticut's historical inns. Two terrific choices: the Bee & Thistle Inn in Old Lyme dates to 1756 and has been an inn since the 1930s featuring quaint rooms and award-winning dining. www.beeandthistleinn.com or (860) 434-1667. In the historic hamlet of Essex lies the Griswold Inn, which opened in 1776 and is one of the oldest continuously operated inns in the country. Don't miss the dining and the Tap Room bar. www.griswoldinn.com or (860) 767-1776.
   
7. Freedom Afloat: The Freedom Schooner Amistad
   For those on the Amistad, freedom began in Connecticut. The Freedom Schooner Amistad, a recreation of the original 136-ton, 129-foot-long ship where one of the most famous slave revolts in history occurred, will be docked at the Mystic Seaport Museum Shipyard this March and April before departing on a Connecticut coastline tour during May and June with the availability of public sails and overnight sails. www.amistadamerica.org or (203) 495-1839.
   
8. Explore the Culture of Connecticut's First Inhabitants
   At the award-winning Mashantucket Pequot Museum in Mystic, experience the lives of the tribe dating back 11,000 years. Watch a recreation of a caribou hunt and hear the native tongue of this noble tribe and participate in an excavation. www.pequotmuseum.org or (800) 411-9671.
   
9. Defining History: the Noah Webster House
   The Noah Webster House, built in 1823 in West Hartford, is the restored colonial birthplace of the author of the first American dictionary. Exhibits change regularly and with their special Tavern Nights recreate times past with home-cooked foods, traditional beverages and colonial music. www.noahwebsterhouse.org or (860) 521-5362.
   
10. Visit the Birthplace of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer
    Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, lived in Hartford from 1874 to 1891 and his home is now a recognized historical landmark. The Mark Twain House was where Twain created the legendary characters of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. www.marktwainhouse.org or (860) 247-0998.