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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: 860-437-6394
Hours: The grounds of the Old Town Mill are temporarily closed due to ongoing construction in the region.

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.

The recently-formed Friends of Cedar Grove Cemetery is an organizational group that will support the nonprofit cemetery via cleanups, groundskeeping, guided tours and walks and other events to highlight this significant site.

Address: 638 Broad St. New London, CT 06320
Distance from Water Taxi Landing: 3.2 miles
Phone number: (860) 442-1301
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8AM – 2PM

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 10:00 AM June 22nd through September 7th
Chapel Tours: Private tours must be arranged in advance.

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Water Taxi Season Opens Saturday, June 12th >

Season Opens on CT Open House Day Saturday, June 12th

Our water taxi service will get underway Saturday, June 12, 2021 with new programs and a renewed sense of purpose to promote history and heritage sites on the Thames, Amy Perry, the Thames River Heritage Park’s executive director announced today.

“It’s fitting that we’ll be launching our harbor cruises and boat tours on CT Open House Day which was created to enhance awareness and interest in the state’s tourism assets,” she said. In celebration of CT Open House Day the Park will be offering $5 rides on the hop-on hop-off harbor cruise running 11:40 am to 6:20 pm. Those passengers who show proof of being fully vaccinated may ride for free. Schedules, landing sites, tickets, season pass information and details can be found here.

Harbor cruises will operate Saturday, Sundays, and holidays. For a limited time Chelsea Groton Bank is donating $50 for every season pass sold up to $1,000. Season passes provide unlimited rides all season.

The Park has added two new historic narrated boat tours to its lineup. In addition to the popular “Submarines, Battlefields, & Betrayers. Military Life on the Thames” and “Suffragettes, Puppeteers & Patriot. Women of the Thames”, the new tours include “Blowholes, Blubber, and Breaches. Whaling Tales on the Thames” and “Water, Wampum, and Medicine Wheels. Mohegan Life on the Thames.” The latter was developed in collaboration with the Mohegan Tribe and will be led by Mohegan Tribe members. The tours will run Fridays at 6:15 pm, Saturdays at 4:30 pm and 6:15 pm, and Sundays at 4:30 pm. The tours will originate at City Pier. Tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for children under 12 who are accompanied by an adult. Tickets are available here.

Organized group tours will be available this year. Tickets include lunch, a guide for the duration of the tour and admissions to park sites that are included in the three themed tours. Go to Group Tours.

The park has renewed its contract with Vixen Ledge Marine LLC to operate the water taxi. The company is owned by Scott Arsenault who served under the previous operator as a captain from 2016 to 2018 and has served as operator since 2019.

Our 2021 sponsors include Groton Utilities, 98.7 WNLC, The Day, Crocker’s Boatyard, Garde Arts Center, Engineering and Consulting Center for Excellence.

Learn About the Upcoming 2026-2027 Performance Series starting November 10, 2026!

Season Opens on CT Open House Day Saturday, June 12th

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