Stonington

Stonington
– Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

The town of Stonington shares its eastern border with Westerly, Rhode Island, and is located in the southeast corner of New London County. The town includes the eastern halves of the villages of Mystic and Old Mystic, the borough of Stonington, and the villages of Lords Point, Wequetequok, and Pawcatuck.  Settled in 1649 and named Stonington in 1666, the town grew as its shipbuilding and whaling industries thrived. Even today, the state’s last commercial fishing fleet is based in Stonington. The town, and especially the village of Mystic, is also a popular tourist destination, with a lively historic district, museums, and retail shops.

More on Stonington from the CT Digital Archive

Browse more interactive content on the CT Digital Archive website.

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The Stonington Battle Flag

The Stonington Battle Flag

On August 10, 1814, during a lull in the attack by the British on Stonington, citizens nailed a large US flag–a banner of defiance–to a pole above the battery. …[more]

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Places

Connecticut Freedom Trail. “Charles W. Morgan Whaling Vessel,” 2012. Link.
“Mystic Aquarium,” 2011. Link.
“Mystic Museum of Art,” 2016. Link.
“Mystic River Historical Society,” 2016. Link.
“Mystic Seaport,” 2017. Link.
The Stonington Historical Society. “Old Lighthouse Museum,” 2012. Link.
The Stonington Historical Society. “Palmer House,” 2016. Link.
The Stonington Historical Society. “R.W. Woolworth Library and Research Center,” 2012. Link.
“Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum,” 2008. Link.
National Register of Historic Places. “Stonington Harbor Lighthouse,” 1976. Link.
“The Denison Homestead,” 2017. Link.
“The Indian & Colonial Research Center,” 2016. Link.
“The Stonington Historical Society,” 2016. Link.

Documents

Copp, John B. “Map of Connecticut: Shows the Counties and Towns of the State.” Stonington, CT, 1795. Stonington Historical Society. Link.
“Map: South Part of New London Co. Connecticut - Page 188 and 189 of Town and City Atlas of the State of Connecticut.” Boston, MA: D. H. Hurd & Co., 1893. University of Connecticut Libraries - Map and Geographic Information Center - MAGIC. Link.
Connecticut State Library Digital Collections. “Stonington - WPA Architectural Survey,” 2014. Link.
“Stonington Collection.” Connecticut Digital Archive, n.d. Link.
O.H. Bailey & Company. “View of Stonington. 1879.” Bird’s-eye. Boston, MA: O.H. Bailey & Company, 1879. Connecticut Historical Society. Link.

Books

Marshall, Benjamin Tinkham, ed. A Modern History of New London County, Connecticut. Vol. 1. New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922. Link.
Stonington Historical Society. An Hour’s Walk Through the Borough of Stonington, Connecticut: With a Guide to Points of Interest, Historical Sites, Scenic Views, Stories of War and Peace, Industry, Commerce, and the Arts. Stonington,  CT: Stonington Historical Society, 2008.
McCain, Diana. Connecticut Coast: A Town-by-Town Illustrated History. Guilford,  CT: Globe Pequot Press, 2009.
Wheeler, Richard. History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, from Its First Settlement in 1649 to 1900: With a Genealogical Register of Stonington Families. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1977.
Mystic River Historical Society. Mystic. Portsmouth,  NH: Arcadia, 2004.
Mystic Seaport Museum, and Carl Cutler. Mystic: The Story of a Small New England Seaport. Mystic,  CT: Mystic Seaport Museum, 1980.
Minor, Thomas, Sidney H. Miner, and George D. Stanton. The Diary of Thomas Minor, Stonington, Connecticut, 1653-1684. New London, CT: Day Publishing Company, 1899. Link.
The Story of the Twenty-First Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, During the Civil War. 1861-1865. Middletown, CT: Stewart Printing Co., 1900. Link.

Articles

Calabretta, Fred. “‘They Came Here as Fishermen…,’” Fall 2013. Link.