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Bristol, Connecticut: Clockmakers, Carousels and America's Oldest Amusement Park

Bristol, Connecticut

Pictures from Bristol

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Lake Compounce, aerial view American Clock & Watch Museum Carved carousel horse, The Carousel Museum

Bristol began as the agricultural village of New Cambridge, incorporated under the name Bristol — for Bristol, England — in 1785, and as a city in 1911; first permanent settler Ebenezer Barnes arrived in 1728. By 1790 Gideon Roberts was making wooden-movement clocks and peddling them by horseback, and the trade grew through the 19th century with manufacturers such as J.H. Sessions and Son and Ingraham Clocks; Noble Jerome patented a clock design here in 1839, and Hugh M. and Stanley P. Rockwell patented the Rockwell hardness tester in 1919. In 1846 Gad Norton opened the lakefront at Lake Compounce to the public, founding what is now the oldest continually operating amusement park in the United States. Bristol is nicknamed the "Mum City" for its former leadership in chrysanthemum production, and ESPN has broadcast from studios on Middle Street since 1979.

  1. America's oldest continually operating amusement park, since 1846.

  2. The first American museum devoted entirely to horology.

  3. Hand-carved carousel animals, with a Lake Compounce anniversary exhibit.

  4. Housed in the former Bristol High School, built 1890.

  5. A free nature center with an accessible mile-long trail.

  6. Where Babe Ruth hit a 1919 home run.

  7. A throwback breakfast and brunch diner.

  8. A downtown breakfast-and-lunch cafe.

  9. A full-service hotel in the Lake District.

  10. Extended-stay suites near Lake Compounce.

Clocks, carousels and Babe Ruth's home run

The American Clock & Watch Museum opened April 10, 1954 in the 1801 Federal-style Miles Lewis House — the first museum in America devoted entirely to horology — and its collection has grown to more than 6,000 timepieces. The Carousel Museum preserves hand-carved carousel animals from across the country, including horses from around 1890 and 1905, and is running a major exhibition on Lake Compounce's 180-year history. Muzzy Field, opened July 8, 1914 on land donated by Adrian Muzzy, hosted Babe Ruth for a 1919 home run before a crowd of nearly five thousand and later fielded the Bristol Owls, the Bristol Red Sox and even the Green Bay Packers in 1943; today it holds baseball, football and soccer fields, and the Bristol Historical Society has revived vintage 1864-rules games there since 2018.

Getting there

Bristol is a drive-to city with no passenger rail station of its own. Route 72, the E. Bartlett Barnes Highway, runs as a limited-access expressway from the Plainville town line into eastern Bristol, connecting to I-84 at Plainville and to Route 9 at New Britain; west of downtown it continues as a boulevard and surface streets. U.S. Route 6 also serves the city. The nearest CTrail Hartford Line stops are Berlin and Hartford Union Station; Bristol's former Forestville railroad station is no longer in passenger use. CTtransit's New Britain division runs local routes 541, 542 and 543 within Bristol, with Route 923 Bristol Express connecting toward Hartford.

Where to eat and stay

Riverside Restaurant, a throwback breakfast-and-brunch diner on Riverside Avenue, has served omelettes, Belgian waffles and diner staples since long before its 2014 "Best Breakfast" honor. Parkside Cafe on North Main Street serves homemade omelettes, pancakes and daily specials. Bristol's lodging clusters in the Lake District around Century Drive: the DoubleTree by Hilton has a saltwater pool and on-site dining, while the extended-stay Home2 Suites has 90 suites with efficiency kitchens.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Bristol?
By car — Route 72 (the E. Bartlett Barnes Highway) connects to I-84 at Plainville and to Route 9 at New Britain, and US Route 6 also serves the city. There is no passenger rail station in Bristol; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line stops are Berlin and Hartford Union Station.
Is there a train to Bristol?
No. Bristol's former Forestville railroad station is no longer used for passenger service. The nearest CTrail Hartford Line stations are Berlin and Hartford Union Station, both reached by car.
What is Lake Compounce?
Opened in 1846 by Gad Norton, Lake Compounce is the oldest continually operating amusement park in the United States, with the 1927 Wildcat roller coaster and the wooden Boulder Dash (2000). It straddles the Bristol-Southington town line.
What is the American Clock & Watch Museum?
The first American museum devoted entirely to horology, opened in 1954 in the 1801 Miles Lewis House. Open Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Monday-Tuesday by appointment); admission $12 adults, $10 seniors, $5 students, free under 6. Phone (860) 583-6070.
Is there a hotel in Bristol?
Yes — the DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol and the Home2 Suites by Hilton Bristol both sit on Century Drive in Bristol's Lake District.

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