Old Saybrook Center in Lower Connecticut River Valley Region, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
The Connecticut River
Photographed by Michael Herrick, September 2, 2021
1. The Connecticut River Marker
The only river that flows the length of New England, 400 miles from the Canadian border to Long Island Sound, the Connecticut River is often compared in its beauty to the Hudson and Rhine Rivers. It has withstood intensive development mainly because of the sandbar blocking the entrance to large vessels. The first effort to improve navigation came in 1773 when the legislature approved a lottery for marking the Saybrook bar. Today the Army Corps of Engineers maintains a 15-foot channel. For three centuries, the river served as a ready-made highway for trade and travel. Ferry service between Saybrook and Lyme began in 1662. Shipbuilding along the river was once a major industry, accounting for over 1,000 vessels. By 1824, there was regular steamboat service between Hartford and New York. Environmental programs have restored the River as a resource for recreation. The eight-town Gateway Commission protects the estuary as far as 17 miles upstream by means of a conservation zone.
( photo captions )
- Map showing location of ferry to Old Lyme.
- S.S. Middletown
- Early river scene.
Topics. This historical marker
this page online
Location. 41° 17.057′ N, 72° 21.117′ W. Marker is in Old Saybrook in Lower Connecticut River Valley Region, Connecticut. It is in Old Saybrook Center. It can be reached from College Street (Connecticut Route 154) east of Fenwick Street, on the left when traveling east. Located in Fort Saybrook Monument Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Old Saybrook CT 06475, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Connecticut River Valley, on the Connecticut Shoreline, and in Mystic and the Eastern Shore. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Middlesex County and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Winthrop and the Warwick Patent (a few steps from this marker); The Pequot War (a few steps from
Photographed by Michael Herrick, September 2, 2021
2. The Connecticut River Marker
Other markers no longer nearby. Adrian Block Dutch Exploration (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named The Saybrook Bar (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Also see . . . Connecticut River (Wikipedia). (Submitted on September 28, 2021, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 28, 2021, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 457 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 28, 2021, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.
