Connecticut
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums
Part of the New England region, Connecticut is one of the original 13 states that declared independence in 1776. Occupying part of the Appalachian Mountain chain, it covers an area once inhabited largely by Algonquian-speaking peoples like the Pequot, Mohegan, and Nipmuc. Indeed, the term “Connecticut” derives from an Algonquian term for “land on the long tidal river.” Permanent European settlements were established here by British settlers in the 17th centuries, eventually forming the Crown Colony of Connecticut. After formally becoming a state in 1788, the largely agricultural Connecticut underwent increasing industrialisation. One of its key industries has been weapons production, with the state contributing significantly to U.S. military efforts from the Civil War to Vietnam.
Archaeology & History Sites in Connecticut
Mark Twain House & Museum
The famous novelist Mark Twain lived at this house in Hartford from 1874 to 1891. It was here that he wrote such stories as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Designed in the Neo-Gothic architectural style, the house was completed the year Twain and his family moved into it. The house opened as a visitor’s attraction in 1974.
Museums & Art Galleries in Connecticut
Mystic Seaport Museum
Located in the evocatively named town of Mystic, the Mystic Seaport is the largest maritime museum in the United States. Launched in 1929, the open-air museum is home to over 60 historic buildings that have been preserved and moved here. These are accompanied by a range of historic sailing vessels docked in the museum harbour. Also on site is a research library for historians interested in the regions maritime past.
