Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program Connecticut Rivers Thames River
Site
Location: Basic Information:
The Thames River is a
short river and tidal estuary in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It flows
south for 15 mi. (25 km.) through eastern Connecticut from the junction
of the
Yantic and
Shetucket Rivers at Norwich, to New London and Groton,
which flank its mouth at the Long Island Sound.
Differing
from its namesake, the River Thames in England, Connecticut's "Thames"
is pronounced as it is written, to rhyme with "James," rather than as "temz",
reflecting the pre-Hanoverian English pronunciation. The United States Coast Guard Academy, Connecticut College, a U.S. Navy submarine base, and the Electric Boat submarine shipyard are located on the river Two historic forts, now Connecticut State Parks,
overlook the mouth of the river which forms New London harbor,
Fort Griswold on the eastern Groton Heights, and Fort Trumbull on the
New London side.
Season: Site Contact Information: Site Coordinates:
USGS Quadrangles: Driving Directions: Directions Map: ITouch Map: Thames River Boat Launch Information: ADA Access: Site Description: Environment: Additional Info: Site History: The river has provided important harbors since the mid-17th century when it was known as the Pequot River for the Pequot Indians who lived in the area. Other early names for the river have included Frisius, Great, Great River of Pequot, Little Fresh, Mohegan, New London, and Pequod. The banks of this river are romantic and beautiful, and possess great interest, as the residence of the once powerful, noble hearted and brave Mohegans. At the mouth of the Thames River in South Eastern Connecticut are two distinct towns. New London being the mother of Groton or as it was called Groton Bank was first settled in 1646 by Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop. Groton grew out of necessity as the town lines of New London became too small, thus in the early part of the 1700s Groton Bank was founded. New London New London, originally called Pequot after the local tribesmen (Pequot) that inhabited the area is located on the western bank of the Thames River. From its earliest years New London grew based on its deep water port and that fact that it was protected from most major Atlantic Storms by Long Island, Fisher's Island and Block Island. During the early Colonial era ships from throughout the Indies and Europe made stops on a regular basis in New London. Wharf houses and warehouses dotted the Bank Street side, piers jutted out into the Thames River allowing easy offloading and loading of cargo to and from ports of the world. Along the "bank" were many stately houses, ships chandleries and taverns supplying the ships and sailors with all that they needed. The Outskirts of New London stretched westward to the Niantic River where a small rope ferry had operated at the start of the 1700s. This area was the former home of the Nehantic Indians and during the 1700s was the home to several farms, a shipbuilding village called Jordan in modern day Waterford. Groton Groton was settled and originally called East New London or Groton Bank. Settled by Nehemiah Smith and Capt. James Avery in 1656 nearly 20 years after the devastating attack on Mystic Fort to the east of Groton Bank, home of the feared Pequot Indian Nation. Groton in the late 1690s petitioned for their own church or "society" as the trek over the Thames River was often hard and dangerous. While maritime and Indies trade was popular here as well New London with it's easy access and coves offered a better suit for larger ships. Groton bank had its share but also focused very much on more local trade and fishing. Groton ran eastward to the Mystic River. At the head of the Mystic River was a small ship building and fishing village known as Portersville (Old Mystic). Other sparely populated areas included a fishing village of Noank and a handful of settlements northeastward into modern day Ledyard near the Indian Reservation lands and the Denison and Lester Homesteads. Offering protection to Groton Bank and again the Thames River was a fort built and named after Governon Matthew Griswold of Lyme - Fort Griswold. A relatively impressive fort built in European star style with a "V" shape works created to protect the entry. Barracks for up to 300 men were also built. Walls built of stone and earth nearly 9 feet tall Fort Griswold was an impressive site especially for potential raiders coming up the river. Its cannon could reach ships in the Long Island sound and was built high enough above any invading land force coming from the river to give it the advantage. However as early as 1776 the fort almost new was already in disrepair as noted by several men who manned the fort. Once Colonel Ledyard, Capt. Shapely and Coit of New London noticed this funds were demanded and the fort "somewhat" repaired. Also supporting Groton Bank were a series of Sea Coast Guard posts that ran from Noank and Portersville (Mystic) to Gales Ferry, again manned by 5-20 men they were designed to give warning of potential danger and to eventually limit the smuggling of goods to and from Long Island a Tory stronghold.
Although several alarms were sounded during the
war and other than the odd "probing" effort usually by Long Island
Tories to steal cattle and supplies the area was spared the wrath of
war. It is said that Sir Henry Clinton called the Thames River area "The
Den of Serpents" as the various privateers that came out of New London
took hundreds of prizes and there were was little the King's Navy and
Army could do to prevent it.
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