Old Lyme, CT
Once a part of historic Saybrook Colony, Old Lyme became an independent town in 1655, incorporating under the name South Lyme in 1855 before changing its name to Old Lyme two years later.
The town’s early industries included fishing, shipping, and ship building, but when the 19th century dawned, this lovely little village on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River found a new calling as both a summer resort and a place where artists came to paint. Indeed, its fine blending of rural and village life with a watercolor wash of cordial gentility has ensured a leisurely ambiance. Families often come here as tourists and return as
residents to savor the clean air, deep woods, sandy beaches, good schools, and diverse recreational opportunities. Likewise, a large contingent of mariners lives here, taking to the waterways in fleets from April to November. And when the warm weather arrives, this quiet community literally bustles.
Old Lyme is also proud home to a large population of egrets, herons, and osprey who greatly outnumber the people. Indeed, the salt marshes at Great Island, the fresh river waters, and the brine and sediments swept upriver at high tide have created a stunningly diverse ecosystem, thanks to the town government and the State of Connecticut, which have done a superlative job of protecting and restoring acres of habitat.
The surest sign that you have arrived in Old Lyme is the Hallmark Ice Cream Drive-In on Shore Road/Route 156, where generations of year-rounders, seasonal residents, and tourists alike have enjoyed some of The Shoreline’s best ice cream — and these days, a wonderfully expanded menu!
From Shore Road take Smith Neck Road to the Great Island Wildlife Area /Roger Tory Peterson Natural Area Preserve. Stretching low and wide, it is almost primitive, were it not for the boats and lighthouses also visible. Deemed to be among the Last Great Places by the Nature Conservancy, it draws flocks of birds — and the painters who paint them.
As noted, the tradition of painters painting in Old Lyme is longstanding, with the first of The Old Lyme Art Colony gathering at “Miss Florence’s house,” located just off Lyme Street, which runs through the historic district of Old Lyme Center. Daughter of a sea captain, she opened her home to many an artist in the late 19th and early 20th century. Now known as the Florence Griswold Museum, the mansion is a national historic landmark, featuring room upon room of impressionist and contemporary works in its galleries — and on some of its paneled walls. On the grounds is Café Flo, offering a tempting selection of luncheon items and lovely views of the Lieutenant River.
Also on Lyme Street are the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts — a nationally accredited school offering a degree program in the fine arts, as well as a gallery of works by local painters, and the Lyme Art Association, which holds regular workshops and lectures and exhibits regional work. Across the street is the iconic Old Lyme Inn, enticing patrons with outstanding food, beautiful rooms, and The Side Door — a hip jazz joint featuring some of the biggest names in the business. Nearby is The Chocolate Shell with its dazzling show of creative confections. And Lyme Street is the new home for the pet-friendly Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center and Sanctuary.
Meanwhile, Old Lyme’s Hangry Goose Restaurant, with its delicious breakfast offerings, lunch selections, and scenic views, is just off Route 1 on Halls Road, which also runs through Old Lyme Center.
And be sure to visit Sound View, a crowded retro beach colony off Shore Road, where every avenue leads to the water — and to the Carousel Shop, which features beach gear, gifts, and splendelicious Italian ices from Vecchitto’s, as well as tickets for the its absolutely superb Allan Hershell Carousel, now in its 101st year of whirling all summer long for kids of all ages.
