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Chaplin, Connecticut: A Deacon's Bequest and a Bypassed Village

Chaplin, Connecticut

Pictures from Chaplin

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Chaplin Congregational Church Natchaug River at the Route 198 bridge Black Spruce Pond, Natchaug State Forest

Chaplin was incorporated in May 1822 from parts of Hampton, Mansfield and Windham, named for Deacon Benjamin Chaplin, an early landowner and surveyor whose bequest created the town. Chaplin left three hundred pounds in his will to build a meetinghouse; the church went up between 1812 and 1815 on Chaplin Hill, and residents incorporated the town in his honor. Between 1820 and 1850, roughly 25 homes, a tavern and several stores were built along the curved road by the river near the church — the village standing today. When Route 198 was straightened in 1929, the new road bypassed the old village, leaving Chaplin Street intact; it received local Historic District designation in 1974 and was listed on the National Register in 1978, having survived because it lacked industrial water power and was bypassed by the railroads. The Witter House on Chaplin Street, built 1820-1821, housed three generations of physicians named Oren Witter.

  1. A 40-acre National Register district along Chaplin Street.

  2. A 50-mile rail-trail through Chaplin on the way to Portland.

  3. 13,438 acres across six towns, popular for horse trails and fishing.

  4. A rock-walled swimming hole on the Natchaug River; use caution.

  5. Housed in a renovated 1940s schoolhouse on Chaplin Street.

  6. Chaplin's principal public park, open sunrise to sunset.

  7. Counter-service coffee and baked goods on Route 6.

  8. A dependable early-morning coffee stop on Route 6.

A deacon's bequest

Chaplin was incorporated in May 1822 from parts of Hampton, Mansfield and Windham, named for Deacon Benjamin Chaplin, an early landowner and surveyor. Chaplin left three hundred pounds in his will to build a meetinghouse; the church went up between 1812 and 1815 on Chaplin Hill, and residents incorporated the town in his honor. Between 1820 and 1850, roughly 25 homes, a tavern, a general store, a dry goods store and a merchant's store were built along the curved road paralleling the Natchaug River near the church. Silk manufacturing and other small industries grew along the river, which bisects the town diagonally from northwest to southeast. When Route 198 was straightened in 1929, the new road bypassed the old village, leaving Chaplin Street intact; it received local Historic District designation in 1974 and was listed on the National Register in 1978. The Witter House, built 1820-1821, was home to three generations of physicians named Oren Witter, the first of whom served as Chaplin's first town clerk.

Getting there

Chaplin is a car-only destination: US Route 6 runs straight through town on the way from Willimantic/Windham toward Hampton and Brooklyn, and CT Route 198 begins at that US 6 junction and heads north across the Natchaug River toward Eastford and US 44. Interstate 395 is reached by following US 6 east toward Killingly, where it becomes an expressway near the interstate. There is no passenger rail station in Chaplin or anywhere in Windham County; the nearest trains are the CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield corridor well to the west. The railroad that once crossed Chaplin is now the Air Line State Park Trail.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Chaplin?
By car — US Route 6 runs straight through town, and CT Route 198 begins there and heads north to Eastford. There is no passenger rail station in Chaplin or anywhere in Windham County.
Is there a train to Chaplin?
No. The railroad that once crossed Chaplin is now the Air Line State Park Trail. The nearest CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak service runs on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield corridor, well to the west.
What is Diana's Pool?
A rock-walled pool on the Natchaug River, Chaplin's best-known natural landmark and a popular local swimming spot. It is unstaffed with no dedicated parking or facilities, and this stretch of river includes Class IV rapids — use caution.
What is the Chaplin Historic District?
A 40-acre district along Chaplin Street, centered on the 1812-1815 Congregational Church, with Federal and Greek Revival houses that survived unaltered because the village lacked industrial water power and was bypassed by the railroads and by the 1929 realignment of Route 198.
Is there a hotel in Chaplin?
No hotel, inn, motel or B&B could be verified inside Chaplin. The nearest options are The Inn on Storrs in Mansfield Center and The Inn at Woodstock Hill in Woodstock, though the latter's restaurant is open for private events only.

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