Clinton, CT
This delightful Shoreline town derives from a small village formerly known as Homenoscitt. In 1667, the General Assembly in Hartford renamed Homenoscitt Kenilwoth after a British town of the same name. Due to a spelling error, Kenilworth gradually became Killingworth, and in 1838, the southern portion of Killingworth was officially incorporated into Clinton while the northern portion retained the name Killingworth.
With the Hammonasset, Indian, and Hammock Rivers all meandering their way through its marshes before emptying into the harbor protected by Cedar Island, Clinton embraced fishing as its primary calling, just as it was for the native Indians who trawled for flounder and harvested scallops, crabs, clams, and oysters in these same waters. As the years passed, fishing — whether undertaken for business or pleasure — has remained a local passion, with a bad day of fishing still better than a good day of doing almost anything else — unless that “anything else” takes place on the water, such as cruising, sailing, house boating, kayaking, rowing, or jet skiing.
As a result, the docks and wharves that once rang with the sounds of shipbuilders now hum with the sweet summer sounds of recreational vessels and their crews. Enterprises such as Indian River Marina do a steady trade in kayak sales and rentals, while Clinton Harbor is home to a number of marinas, including Old Harbor Marina and Cedar Island Marina — all kept hopping by everything from small day sailers to the umpteen-foot yachts they welcome for a weekend or the season with moorings, slips, and a full range of repair and maintenance services. And when anglers, recreational boaters, seasonal residents, and out-of-town tourists arrive in Clinton each summer, the town’s usual population of 3,000 soars to over 20,000.
That said, Clinton is no one-trick pony. The town also features three museums, three churches, and the scores of historic buildings that surround Liberty Green and line Waterside Lane. Many are still private homes; however, others are now home to the art galleries, bookstores, restaurants, and antiques shops that gently affirm the quiet ambiance of the town.
Shops include The Clinton Antique Center, and the Clinton Art Gallery. Restaurants comprise Saldamarco’s Italian Deli, Hanami Japanese Sushi Restaurant, Chips’ Pub III, and Henry on Main & Nola’s Café — a collaborative effort that encourages lingering over a good book with something tasty. And the former location of Coffee Break, a longtime Clinton favorite, is springing back to life with the opening of The Hangry Goose — it’s first incarnation already a hit in Old Lyme.
The Clinton Town Dock off Riverside Drive is where boats can be launched or passage booked on a charter leaving from the nearby Harborside Marina and Yacht Sales. On Commerce Street is Lobster Landing — a wonderful dining spot. And the Clinton Town Beach is nestled in one of the prettiest elbows of the Connecticut coastline just over the bridge at the foot of Waterside Lane.
For local entertainment there is the Andrews Memorial Hall Theater, where the Opera Theater of Connecticut routinely performs for full houses, where the free and highly celebrated George Flynn Classical Concert Series takes place during the cooler months, and where The Clinton Historical Society Museum Room upstairs offers a sweet taste of The Clinton Historical Society’s collection of free and open-to-the public museums, including its home, 1750 Elisha White House — or Old Brick, the George Flynn Library, the Buell Tool Museum, and the town’s historic gardens. And free outdoor concerts are also held throughout the summertime near the gazebo at Vece Green.
Those exploring inland Clinton up on Route 81 will not only find the very popular Chamard Vineyard and Bistro, on Cow Hill Road, but the Clinton Premium Outlets, which draws a steady stream of upscale bargain hunters year-round. And locals and visitors also find a good hike on the Clinton Land Conservation Trust trails in Peters Memorial Woods or an afternoon of watching the kids compete on the fields and courts of the Ethel Peters Recreational Complex and Indian River Recreation Complex equally pleasing.
