Port of Groton
Cruising and Travel

The City of Groton is about half-way between New York City and Boston. It is the largest town between New Haven, Connecticut, and Providence Rhode Island. Nestled between the Thames and Mystic Rivers, the Port of Groton is a favorite of fishermen throughout the New England area.

Located in south-central Connecticut at the eastern end of Long Island Sound, the Port of Groton enjoys relatively mild winters and moderately warm humid summers. Snowfall in the coastal areas is limited. Temperatures range from an average high of 27°C (81°F) in July to an average low of 6.6°C (20°F) in January.

Visitors to the Port of Groton will want to see Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park. Fort Griswold was important during the American Revolutionary War, defending the Port of Groton and serving as a supply center for the Continental Army and sanctioned privateers who haunted British ships. The British captured the fort during the Battle of Groton but were not able to destroy it as planned. Today, the park contains the restored earthwork battery, several cannons, a shot furnace, and a powder magazine as well as several monuments. Also on the grounds, the Ebenezer Avery House was a shelter for the wounded after the battle. This Revolutionary-period house is a museum open for tours during the summer weekends.

The U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum holds the world's best collection of submarine artifacts, and it is home to the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear submarine. The museum tells the story of submarines from the Revolutionary War to modern times. The Navy's only submarine museum, the facility contains an outstanding archive of more than 20 thousand historic documents, 30 thousand photographs, 33 thousand artifacts, and other research materials. The displays are changed often, so visitors will have a new experience every time they visit.

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in the Port of Groton transports visitors to a past dominated by the indigenous peoples of the area. Interactive exhibits cover the 18 thousand year history of Native Americans and natural history. The museum contains two libraries, one of them designed for children, with materials on Native peoples throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to historic artifacts and materials, the museum offers changing exhibits and live performances of contemporary indigenous arts and cultures. Visitors will enjoy many hours in exhibit galleries on themes like "A World of Ice," "Arrival of the People," "Changing Lifeways," "A Pequot Village," "Life on the Reservation," and the "Mashantucket Pequots Today."

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