Walking Tours are currently by reservation only. Please give us a call at 860-535-8445 ext. 11 or email us at museums@historicstonington.org to make your arrangements. Take a fascinating, one-hour walking tour through the narrow streets of Stonington Borough. Experienced guides will share stories of historic homes, sites, battles, railroad, and people that reflect Stonington’s rich history.

Home to the Pequot Tribe of Southeastern Connecticut, Stonington’s first European settlement dates to 1649 when Thomas Stanton settled on the banks of the Pawcatuck River. The Stonington Borough settlement began about 1750 when the advantages of Stonington’s harbor were first realized. Initially, fishing and farming were the primary industries which eventually led to shipbuilding, a vibrant coastal trade, a West Indies trade, and further exploration.

Stonington’s sea captains sailed the world and built fantastic homes that survive today in this perfectly preserved peninsula. Explorers included Edmund Fanning, who was also known as Pathfinder of the Pacific, and Nathaniel Palmer, credited with the discovery of Antarctica.

Stonington successfully defended her shores through two bombardments by British forces during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Today, Stonington is still home to Connecticut’s last commercial fishing fleet.