ESSEX, Conn. — You’ve got to be intrigued with a region that labels swans as a menace.
“Those beautiful birds? How could that be?” exclaimed a tourist who spotted several of the graceful avians afloat on the Connecticut River near this charming village.
Elegant as they might appear, it turns out that the birds she saw are mute swans, not native to North America, and they are a threat to native species. They have voracious appetites, depriving native waterfowl and fish of food by overgrazing submerged aquatic plants, and they’re rapidly increasing in number.
Yet there’s no denying that the sight of these large, graceful birds is a plus for visitors to this historic settlement. Essex, one of a small number of American towns that has ever been attacked by a foreign power, attracts thousands of visitors with its low-key New England ambience, and the broad Connecticut River is an integral part of the appeal.
Marinas line the riverfront, and the Connecticut River Museum at the foot of Main Street showcases the town’s rich heritage as a major shipbuilding venue. The nation’s first warship, the Oliver Cromwell, was built here.
It is precisely Essex’s role as an important shipbuilding site that led the British to attack it during the War of 1812. On April 8, 1814, a force of British marines and sailors advanced on Essex and set fire to 28 American vessels, making it one of the largest losses suffered by the United States in that war. The town commemorates that “Burning of the Fleet” with an annual Loser’s Day parade and re-enactment in May.
The river museum has extensive exhibits relating to the British attack. Among the other displays: a full-size replica of the early American Turtle submarine and models of passenger ships that regularly ran up the 407-mile-long river to Hartford.
Old inn a landmark
Tree-lined Main Street is home to chic little shops with names like Sweet P’s, Pocket Full of Posies and Scensibles. One of the country’s oldest hostelries, the Griswold Inn, operating continuously since 1776, is a landmark on the street. Its Taproom, chosen as one of Esquire magazine’s best bars in America, is a lively weekend nightspot.
One of the biggest attractions for visitors is the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat. This popular excursion takes guests upriver by steam train to the town of Deep River, where passengers board a riverboat for a cruise on the Connecticut River, followed by a train ride back to Essex.
The combination makes for a delightful experience, and the 1 1/4-hour narrated cruise on the riverboat takes passengers past two remarkable landmarks.
Home to “Sherlock”
On a hill overlooking the river stands the Gillette Castle, an unusual mansion built by a well-known turn-of-the-century actor, William Gillette. Its exterior is faced with unfinished stone, all its interior woods were hand-carved with an adze, and because Gillette was known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, one room replicates the stage set of Holmes’ fictional home.
On the western bank of the river, the iconic Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, built in 1876, has been producing three musical plays yearly since 1963. Over those years, 19 musicals launched here have gone on to Broadway and reaped more than a dozen Tony awards. This year’s play selections: “42nd Street,” “Camelot” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”
Another nationally recognized theater, the Ivoryton Playhouse, is in the town of Ivoryton, adjacent to Essex. Such well-known stars as Marlon Brando, Helen Hayes, Art Carney, Cliff Robertson, Ethel Waters and Groucho Marx have performed on its stage.
Katharine Hepburn, who lived just a few miles downriver in Old Saybrook, appeared at the Ivoryton early in her career. Remaining on this year’s schedule: “Marilyn … Forever Blonde,” “The Full Monty,” “The Odd Couple,” “The Miracle Worker” and “Jerry’s Girls.”
And if you’re wondering how Ivoryton got its name, it’s because its principal business was the making of ivory piano keys until that practice was banned. Today, pianists don’t tickle the ivories. They tickle the plastic.
The details
Information: 888-288-4748 or and click on the River Valley link.
