National Register of Historic Places

Mystic River Historic District

West Mystic, New London County, Connecticut
Listed
August 23, 1979
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
79002728

About this property

The Mystic River Historic District encompasses the part of the village of Mystic, Connecticut that is on the Groton side of the Mystic River. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 1979, approximately 235-acre (95 ha) which includes much of the village of West Mystic and many buildings from the 19th century. The historic district includes properties along Route 1, West Mystic Avenue, Route 215, High Street, Pearl Street, and Cliff Street. Mystic Pizza is located in the district, made famous by the movie of the same name. According to the 1979 National Register nomination, the importance of the district is derived "from the completeness of the 19th-century community here preserved. Seldom are houses, public buildings, stores, and factories of a 19th century town all in place, in good condition, and still in use, as they are in Mystic. The variety of architectural styles that the prosperous seafaring citizens employed in building up their community provide fine examples of the ongoing, 19th-century development of taste and design." The district's boundaries are similar to those of a local historic district that was designated in 1974, but it includes more modern structures than were included in the local designation, and its boundary lines are less irregular. It includes the former train depot of West Mystic. site of Fort Rachel where a single 12-pounder cannon repulsed British attack on Mystic in 1814 site of the Mystic massacre of Pequot Indians in 1637, location not precisely known

Location

West Mystic, New London County, Connecticut
41.35555, -71.97243

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

SABINO (steamer)
Industrial
0.5 mi
L. A. DUNTON
Industrial
0.5 mi
EMMA C. BERRY (Fishing Sloop)
Industrial
0.5 mi
Mystic Bridge Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
CHARLES W. MORGAN
Early Republic
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mystic River Historic District listed on the National Register?

Mystic River Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 23, 1979.

What type of historic resource is Mystic River Historic District?

Mystic River Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mystic River Historic District?

The period of significance for Mystic River Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Mystic River Historic District?

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