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East Haven, Connecticut: Iron Works and a Century-Old Trolley Line

East Haven, Connecticut

Pictures from East Haven

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Shore Line Trolley Museum Old Stone Church Farm River State Park marshes

East Haven was settled in 1638 as part of the original New Haven land purchase and was first known as "East Farms," reflecting its role as New Haven's eastern farmland. Connecticut's first iron works was established here in 1655 near Lake Saltonstall by New Haven businessman Stephen Goodyear and Boston mining entrepreneur John Winthrop Jr., with Branford supplying land and charcoal; the Connecticut Colony granted township status in 1707, renaming the settlement from "Iron Works Village" to East Haven, though that status was later rescinded. After decades of petitioning, East Haven was finally incorporated as an independent town in 1785. During the Revolution, East Haven merchant Amos Morris ran a shoreline salt works to replace imports cut off by the war, until British Major General William Tryon's 1779 coastal raid destroyed the equipment. Foxon Park Beverages, the locally famous cane-sugar soda maker, was founded here in 1922 and is still family-owned.

  1. The oldest continuously operating suburban trolley line in the U.S.

  2. Shoreline trails, kayaking and birding at the Farm River estuary.

  3. A Long Island Sound beach with a splash pad in Momauguin.

  4. Town artifacts, photo galleries and genealogical records.

  5. A 1774 red sandstone meeting house on the East Haven Green.

  6. The cane-sugar soda maker behind White Birch, since 1922.

  7. Southern Italian cooking since 1990.

  8. A small-batch coffee roaster on North High Street.

  9. "East Haven's Japanese Gem," sushi with pickup and delivery.

  10. A Foxon-section Chinese kitchen.

  11. A 103-room all-suite hotel on Frontage Road.

The oldest trolley line in the country

The Branford Electric Railway running through East Haven is preserved as the oldest continuously operating suburban trolley line in the United States and is a designated National Historic District; it is operated today by the Branford Electric Railway Association as the Shore Line Trolley Museum, with a collection of preserved trolley and transit vehicles and unlimited rides included with admission. The Old Stone Church — the First Congregational Church of East Haven — is a red sandstone meeting house built 1769-1774 by stonemason George Lancraft and stands on the East Haven Green, added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 1982. Farm River State Park, designated in 1998, occupies the western shoreline of the Farm River estuary with trails, kayaking, fishing and birding for the snowy egrets, herons, ducks and gulls that gather along Long Island Sound.

Getting there

East Haven sits about three miles east of New Haven and is reached almost entirely by car via I-95 and U.S. Route 1, with Connecticut Routes 80, 100 and 142 feeding the Foxon, Center and shoreline Momauguin sections. The town has no rail station of its own; rail travelers use New Haven Union Station or New Haven State Street to the west, or Branford to the east, on Metro-North's New Haven Line, CTrail Shore Line East, the CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak, and drive the last few miles. Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) straddles the New Haven-East Haven line and is served by Avelo Airlines and Breeze Airways.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to East Haven?
By car via I-95 or U.S. Route 1. East Haven has no rail station; the nearest stops are New Haven Union Station and New Haven State Street to the west, and Branford to the east, all on Metro-North, Shore Line East, the Hartford Line and Amtrak.
Where is the Shore Line Trolley Museum?
At 17 River Street in East Haven, operated by the Branford Electric Railway Association on what it calls the oldest continuously operating suburban trolley line in the U.S. The 2026 season runs through August 30, Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (last trolley 3 p.m.); special events continue into September, so check the program calendar if visiting later.
Is there a train to East Haven?
No. East Haven has no train station of its own; the nearest are New Haven Union Station and State Street to the west and Branford to the east.
Is there a hotel in East Haven?
Yes — the Home2 Suites by Hilton East Haven New Haven, a 103-room all-suite hotel at 30 Frontage Road that opened in 2024 on the site of the former Quality Inn.

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