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Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park

The Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park rests on a vantage point above the Thames River, containing the remains of a Revolutionary War fort and a 135-foot obelisk monument to pay tribute to those who died defending it. The park is the site of the 1781 Battle of Groton Heights where British troops, under the command of the infamous traitor Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, attacked the fort which resulted in a massacre of American soldiers.

Fort Griswold was named after then Deputy Governor Matthew Griswold. In tandem with Fort Trumbull on the opposite side of the harbor, Fort Griswold served to defend the port of New London, a supply center for the new Continental Army and a friendly port for Connecticut- sanctioned privateers who preyed on British ships.

The Groton Monument was built between 1826 and 1830, and is the oldest monument of its type in the country. Built of granite quarried locally, the Monument stands 135 feet tall with 166 steps. A marble plaque shows the names of those who died defending the fort.

The property also includes the Monument House Museum, which was built in 1830. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) began meeting there in 1894, and members began donating artifacts from the battle and other periods of Groton’s history. The Revolutionary War exhibit houses a painting depicting the battle and a model of the Fort as it looked on September 6, 1781. An observation platform and interpretive signs were added to the fort to give visitors a better understanding of the fort’s features and to better protect the earthworks.

Address: Monument St. & Park Ave. Groton, CT 06340
Distance from Groton Water Taxi Landing: 0.5 Miles
Phone Number: (860) 445-1729
Hours: The Museum and Monument are open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The park grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Admission: Free

Ebenezer Avery House

Following the loss of American troops at the Battle of Groton Heights on September 6, 1781, the wounded soldiers were loaded into a wagon to be transported down the hill and onto the British ships. The men guiding the prisoners to the Thames River quickly lost control and were forced to release the wagon. It collided with a large tree, further injuring the already disabled soldiers. They were taken into the Ebenezer Avery House which stands today on the grounds of the Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park. Today, the Ebenezer Avery House is open to the public as a museum. It was restored and furnished by The Avery Memorial Association with the antiques of the revolutionary period.

Address: 57 Fort St, Groton, CT 06340
Distance from Groton Water Taxi Landing: 0.1 Miles
Phone number: (860) 446-6612
Hours: 12-4PM, Saturday & Sunday | Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (or by appointment)
Admission: Free, suggested donation

Avery-Copp House

The Avery-Copp House shares the history of Groton as it was experienced in this home and the surrounding community just over a century ago. We focus on the years between 1890 and 1930, and exploring our museum will reveal this period as a time of great social, domestic, and technological change.

In the decades between 1890 and 1930, households enjoyed the introduction of electricity, plumbing, telephones, the phonograph, and the radio. This neighborhood saw the construction of the railroad bridge across the Thames River, the introduction of the trolley as a new form of public transportation, and the invention of the automobile. Society was impacted by World War I, the 1918 influenza pandemic, women gaining the right to vote, and the great changes brought by massive immigration—especially, in our community, from Ireland and Italy.

Tours of the house will take visitors through the rooms, both plain and fancy, that were used by the family who lived here—and are still filled with their original possessions. Under the same roof, but with a very different story to tell, were the Irish immigrant domestic servants who lived and worked here. The vintage kitchen and third floor living quarters remind us of the challenges faced by people who came to America seeking a better life during the last century.

Address: 154 Thames St Groton, CT 06340
Distance from Groton Water Taxi Landing: 0.3 Miles
Phone number: (860) 445-1637
Hours: May 23 – October 11 | Saturday-Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Free

US SUBVETS WW II National Memorial East

Overlooking the shores of the Thames River in Groton, this outdoor memorial is dedicated to the 3,617 courageous submariners who lost their lives during WWII. Fifty-two engraved granite stones around the concrete walkways honor each of the US Submarines lost in World War II. The National Memorial (East) was constructed using an actual conning tower of a WWII submarine.

Address: 37 Bridge St, Groton, CT 06340
Distance from Groton Water Taxi Landing: 0.6 Miles
Admission: Free

Submarine Force Museum / USS Nautilus

The Submarine Force Museum is home to the Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear powered vessel. Nautilus was launched on January 21, 1954, with First Lady Mamie Eisenhower breaking the traditional bottle of champagne across its bow as she slid down the ways into the Thames River. It was also the first ship to go to the North Pole and first submarine to journey “20,000 leagues under the sea.” Visitors can explore the spaces where the crew of this historic vessel worked, ate, slept, and entertained themselves on their long voyages far beneath the ocean’s waves.

Operated by the United States Navy, the Submarine Force Museum boasts the finest collection of submarine artifacts in the world. Visitors can peruse thousands of artifacts, documents and photographs spanning the history of submersibles. The museum traces the development of the “Silent Service” from David Bushnell’s Turtle, used in the Revolutionary War, to the Ohio and Virginia class submarines utilized by our military today.

The building was originally established in 1955 as a “Submarine Library” by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation and served as an archival and research center. In April 1964, the entire collection was donated to the Navy and relocated to the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton. The 6,000-volume reference and research library is a world-renowned collection relative to the history of US submarines and is open to anyone looking for information on submarines or submarine history.

Address: 1 Crystal Lake Rd, Groton, CT, 06340
Distance from Groton Water Taxi Landing: 2.6 Miles (by car)
Phone Number: (860) 694-3174
Summer Hours (May 1- October 31): Monday-Sunday | 9am – 5pm | Tuesday – Closed
Winter Hours (November 1 – April 30): Monday-Sunday | 9am – 4pm | Tuesday – Closed
Admission: Free

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