The first thing you may notice in your visit to Wethersfield is that the pace here is a little slower. That's because Wethersfield is not a re-created village, but the real thing: a living and working community that also happens to be deeply devoted to preserving its authentic New England heritage, now nearly 375 years in the making. As you stroll along shade-covered lanes and by-ways, you'll be following thousand-year old footpaths tread by the very first inhabitants here - the Wongunk Indians. Amble about the largest Historic District in Connecticut and you'll find 50 houses built before the Revolutionary War; 100 built by the time of the Civil War; and another 150 built shortly thereafter. Each fascinating home captures the essence of the style in vogue at the time. 

A more formal approach would have you visiting the various museums and historic homes open to the public. Start at the Wethersfield Museum, 200 Main Street, for an overview of Wethersfield's historic past. Then visit the bedroom where Washington slept at the Webb-Deane- Stevens Museum. When you're done "museum hopping, "there are plenty of places nearby to eat, shop - or even stay overnight if you'd like. Of course, any visit to Wethersfield gives you the chance to explore life's simpler pleasures: enjoying a summer evening with ice-cream cone in hand; browsing an antiques shop or art gallery; relaxing at a sidewalk café; comparing notes with the locals about old home restoration; pausing at a garden shop or farm stand for fresh vegetables or something to plant in your own garden. Come to Wethersfield, and discover the place where history lives.

A mere 14 years after the landing at Plymouth, John Oldham and small band of enterprising traders settled in what is known today as Wethersfield. In 1634, the land was a mixture of timber, meadow, river and marsh. Native Americans - Wongunks - had lived here for centuries until discovered by the new-worlders. From that wilderness would be carved the very first permanent settlement in what would later become Connecticut, one of the 13 original colonies. Today, visitors can re-discover our nation’s heritage in an authentic, living, New England village, whose artifact-rich museums, historic homes, shops and places of interest are nestled among tree-lined streets.