Derby, Connecticut

Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut claims to have served the first hamburger sandwich in America in 1900. The Lassen family still uses the original cast-iron vertical broilers from 1898 — the beef is cooked standing…

Did you know that this peaceful green used to be a graveyard? From the city's founding in 1638 until around 1821, the New Haven Green was the primary burial ground. It's estimated that thousands were buried right here.…

Bronze sculpture commemorating the 1839 slave ship revolt and the landmark Supreme Court case that freed the captives.

Third-oldest institution of higher education in America, chartered in 1701 and named for benefactor Elihu Yale.

Pulling into New Haven, you're passing a transportation hub that has witnessed generations of comings and goings. This is Union Station, the third iteration of the city's main railroad station. The current station,…

Check out that bridge! It’s more than just a way across the river; it’s a survivor from a time when railroads were king. Built in 1904, the Housatonic River Railroad Bridge, also known as the Devon Bridge, is a Scherzer…

Ever wonder how Connecticut got its reputation for healthy crops and safe food? You're about to drive past the very spot where it all began! Back in 1875, right here in New Haven, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment…

That striking building ahead? It’s the Hotel Marcel, a testament to architectural innovation and sustainable design. Originally built in 1968 as the headquarters for the Armstrong Rubber Company, later known as Pirelli,…

Ever heard of the cotton gin? This is near where Eli Whitney invented it, changing the course of American history. In 1793, Eli Whitney, fresh out of Yale, was looking for a way to make his mark. He developed the cotton…

Frank Pepe started baking bread on Wooster Street in New Haven in 1925, then switched to pizza — thin, charred, coal-fired apizza that would make New Haven a pizza pilgrimage city. The white clam pie, topped with fresh…

East Rock Park isn't just a pretty view; it's a place where soldiers said goodbye before heading off to war. Back in 1847, during the Mexican-American War, a regiment of New Haven volunteers gathered at the base of East…

Get ready to hear about a Bridgeport treasure, Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, a place where conservation meets recreation. It all started back in 1922, when wealthy local farmer James W. Beardsley bequeathed over 100…

Founded in 1840, this is the oldest Jewish congregation in New England, a testament to the enduring spirit of faith and community. In the 1840s, a group of German-Jewish immigrants in New Haven came together to form a…

Site of Eli Whitney's armory where he pioneered mass production using interchangeable parts for musket manufacturing.

Step back in time to the roaring twenties at this last surviving casino, where flappers danced and fortunes were won and lost. The Laurel Beach Casino was built in 1929. It's the last of what used to be seven casinos…

Imagine a time when New Haven was bubbling with the promise of locally brewed beer. The Quinnipiac Brewery, built in 1892, stood as a testament to that era. This massive brick complex on River Street churned out beer…

You're approaching a spot that's been a strategic defense point for New Haven Harbor for centuries. This is Fort Nathan Hale. The first fort here was built in 1659. Later, during the Revolutionary War, a new fort was…

Built in 1847, this seaside hotel offers a glimpse into the golden age of coastal tourism. Back then, before air conditioning, city dwellers flocked to the shore for cool breezes and relaxation. The Milford Point Hotel,…

Imagine navigating into New Haven harbor in the late 1800s without a reliable light! That's why Southwest Ledge Light is so important. Completed in 1877, this lighthouse marks the main channel into New Haven. It was one…

Hear that calliope music? It's coming from one of the few remaining early 20th-century carousels in the country! This beauty was built around 1905, boasting carvings from the legendary Charles Looff and Charles Carmel.…

You're near one of New Haven's oldest homes, the Pardee-Morris House, a survivor from the early colonial days. It was likely built in the late 1600s, offering a glimpse into New England's First Period architecture. The…

Naugatuck is the cradle of American rubber, the place where Charles Goodyear's vulcanized rubber was first made, so the name sounds like it ought to be some industrial coinage from the factory age. It isn't. The name is…

Imagine a place where vaudeville legends and Hollywood stars once graced the stage. That's the story of the Palace and Majestic Theaters in Bridgeport. These theaters were built in 1921 and 1922 by Sylvester Z. Poli, a…

Step right up to discover the life and legacy of P.T. Barnum, the master showman and circus magnate. This spot matters because it's home to the Barnum Museum, a treasure trove dedicated to his life and Bridgeport's…

Pull over for a second, because the history of this place is wild. Fairfield Hills Hospital, once a self-contained city for thousands of patients, has a story etched into its very walls. Construction started in 1929,…

Ever wonder what it was like to ride a trolley back in the day? You're in luck! The Shore Line Trolley Museum is the oldest continuously operating trolley museum in the United States. Founded in 1945, the museum was…

They call it 'Bug Light' for a reason – this little lighthouse has stood watch over Bridgeport Harbor for over a century. It marks Tongue Point, guiding ships safely in and out. Built in 1891, the Tongue Point Light,…

This lonely point of land has guided ships for centuries, but the light you see now is a bit of an engineering marvel. In 1846, the original wooden tower was replaced. This new tower was one of the first prefabricated…

These unassuming houses whisper stories of freedom and community, standing as the last tangible remnants of Little Liberia, a thriving 19th-century African-American neighborhood. The Freeman sisters, Mary and Eliza,…

Imagine stumbling upon a little piece of Russia nestled in the Connecticut countryside! That's exactly what you've found near the Russian Village Historic District. In the 1920s, Russian émigrés, including George…

Look out your window – you're about to meet a sleeping giant! Native Americans called this rugged mountain 'Hobbomock,' believing it was a powerful, slumbering figure. Legend says Hobbomock was a mischievous giant who…

Dating back to the late 18th century, this is one of the oldest brick school buildings in Connecticut. Built before 1800, the Bullet Hill School served generations of Southbury children. Local records show that children…

Ever wonder where the French army camped during the American Revolution? You're driving right through it! Right here, soldiers of Rochambeau's army rested and prepared, supporting American independence. This spot was…

This unassuming farmhouse was the sanctuary of a journalistic titan who dared to take on a powerful monopoly. This is Twin Oaks, the home of Ida Tarbell from 1906 until her death in 1944. Tarbell, a pioneering…

Imagine soldiers drilling right where you're standing! Seaside Park's story begins not with picnics and beaches, but with war. Back in 1846, as the Mexican-American War heated up, the State of Connecticut established a…

This sprawling campus hides a complicated past, one that asks difficult questions about how we treat the most vulnerable. Southbury Training School opened in 1940 as a self-sufficient residential facility for adults…

Pull over for a sec, because this is one of the oldest brick houses in Connecticut, built way back in 1756 for a really wealthy farmer. This is the John Barker House. John was doing pretty well for himself to afford a…

Check it out, you're near the Bronson Windmill, a unique survivor from a time when windmills dotted this whole area. Frederic Bronson, who owned a big estate around here, had this windmill built in 1893 and 1894. It was…

Imagine enduring one of the harshest winters of the Revolutionary War, right here. In the winter of 1778-1779, General Israel Putnam chose this location in Redding as the winter encampment for his Continental Army…

You're approaching something truly special: the oldest private songbird sanctuary in the entire US! It all started with Mabel Osgood Wright, a passionate bird lover who, in 1914, decided to create a haven for our…

Ever swung an axe? Someone here might have made it. This area was once the heart of the Bradley Edge Tool Company, a thriving industrial village in the mid-1800s. The company was founded in 1834 and produced a variety…

Ever heard of 'Sleigh Ride'? You're near the home of the man who wrote it! This Mid-Century Modern house on Grassy Hill Road was built in 1953 for Leroy Anderson and his wife, Eleanor. Anderson was a famous American…

Prepare to witness architectural history! Right here, nestled in Weston, stands a testament to the genius of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe: the Morris Greenwald House. Morris and Rose Greenwald commissioned Mies van der Rohe…

Archipelago of small granite islands in Branford's Stony Creek harbor, steeped in legends of Captain Kidd's buried treasure.

Could this be the oldest surviving building in Branford, dating all the way back to 1705? This is the Howd-Linsley House. Built around 1705, the house is a significant example of early 18th-century residential…

Picture this: a getaway for the wealthy, a working-class granite hub, and a pirates' hideout all rolled into one! That's the story of the Stony Creek–Thimble Islands Historic District. Starting in the mid-1800s, wealthy…

Imagine learning in this one-room schoolhouse built in 1790! It's the Umpawaug District School, and it's the only one-room schoolhouse still standing in Redding. Kids from this area walked here every day to learn their…

Out here in the middle of Long Island Sound, that lonely lighthouse marks a dangerous, shallow shoal. It's called Stratford Shoal Light, also known as Middle Ground Light. Built between 1875 and 1877, the lighthouse…

This rare wrought iron bridge is a testament to engineering ingenuity. It's known as the Red Bridge, and it has stood here for over a century. The Red Bridge was built in 1891 by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company. Its…

Marvel at this rare example of a wrought iron lenticular truss bridge from 1884! This unassuming bridge is a piece of engineering history. The Sheffield Street Bridge was built to span Hancock Brook in Waterbury. It was…

Danbury was America's hat-making capital for nearly two centuries, producing most of the nation's hats and sparking a landmark Supreme Court labor case.