Connecticut River

Connecticut River. . , You are standing about three miles from the mouth of the Connecticut River, the longest river in New England. It measures over 400 miles from its source -- a series of linked, small lakes in northern New Hampshire, almost on the Canadian Border -- to where it empties into Long Island Sound. While the seasonal flow varies widely, over 2/3 of the fresh water flowing into the Sound comes from the Connecticut River. Through its 7 tributaries, it drains large areas of 4 of the 6 New England States., The discovery of "our river" by Europeans is attributed to Adrian Block in the early 17th Century. The Dutch explorer named the river Delersche Riviere, Freshwater River. The name Connecticut derives from the Native American word "quinnehtukqut", which means land of the long tidal river., From Colonial days until the beginning of the 20th Century, the river was a highway for transport of goods and a passage for travelers, notably from New York to Hartford and many other river towns. Today commercial traffic is very light, but the river has assumed a second life for recreational water activities., Old Lyme's Dinghy Dock, completed in 2002, was dedicated to foster the quiet enjoyment of this great American river by outdoor people with their canoes, kayaks, and dinghies., Funding partially provided by Long Island Sound Fund administered by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP).