Our Mission

Historic Stonington is dedicated to illuminating the more than 350 years of history of the Town of Stonington, located in the southeastern corner of Connecticut. We offer records of the lives and fortunes of colonial settlers, blockade runners, ship captains, whale hunters, patriots, explorers, artists, and writers.

We recall the struggles between Native Americans and Europeans, the repulse of British forces in 1775 and 1814, and the exploration of distant oceans by Stonington seafarers. We see Stonington’s era as a polyglot seaport, a community of English, Portuguese, Irish, Italians, Germans, and African Americans. There are glimpses too of later years when Stonington became known as a city-dwellers’ refuge from the twentieth century, where village life and community survived.

We invite you to explore the resources of this site and to see Stonington in person as well. When you come, take the time to visit our three historic sites:

• The Lighthouse Museum, where you can climb into its light tower and look far out toward the Atlantic.
• Our National Historic Site, the Nathaniel B. Palmer House, home of the Stonington seafarer credited with discovering Antarctica.
• The Richard W. Woolworth Library, a growing archive of local records, manuscripts, and photographs, serves a national research audience.

You will find a warm welcome.