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Hampton, Connecticut: A Naturalist's Farm in the Quiet Corner

Hampton, Connecticut

Pictures from Hampton

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Trail Wood writing cabin Fletcher Memorial Library Pine Acres Lake observation deck

Hampton was incorporated in 1786 from portions of five surrounding towns — Pomfret, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Mansfield and Windham — having been settled in the early 18th century as an agricultural community originally called "Windham Village." European settlement began about 1712, largely by families from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in territory that lay within the Nipmuck people's homeland. Hampton was an early mill town, with mills along the Little River as early as 1718 making cider, shingles and cotton. In 1872, a railroad station built through the efforts of former Governor Chauncey Cleveland let farmers ship perishables to distant markets, and the town eventually grew into a summer colony. Pulitzer Prize-winning naturalist Edwin Way Teale and his wife Nellie moved to their Hampton farm, Trail Wood, in 1959; Teale wrote ten of his 27 books there before his death in 1980, and Nellie donated the property to the Connecticut Audubon Society in 1981.

  1. The naturalist's former farm, now a 168-acre Audubon sanctuary.

  2. 2,000-plus acres centered on Pine Acres Lake.

  3. An Italian Victorian building serving as Hampton's library since 1924.

  4. 62 contributing buildings along a tree-lined stretch of Route 97.

  5. Farm winery tasting room with visiting food trucks.

  6. Self-catering vacation rental near Pine Acres Lake.

A summer colony and a naturalist's farm

Hampton was incorporated in 1786 from portions of five surrounding towns — Pomfret, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Mansfield and Windham — settled from about 1712 mostly by families from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Mills operated along the Little River as early as 1718, and the town later supported a tannery and factories making pins, buttons, rakes, spectacles, hats and silver spoons. In 1872, a railroad station built through the efforts of former Governor Chauncey Cleveland — who had practiced law in Hampton since 1819 and served as the state's 31st governor — let farmers ship perishables to distant markets, and Hampton eventually grew into a summer colony. Pulitzer Prize-winning naturalist Edwin Way Teale and his wife Nellie moved to their Hampton farm, Trail Wood, in 1959; Teale wrote ten of his 27 books there before his death in 1980, and Nellie donated the property to the Connecticut Audubon Society in 1981. The Hampton Hill Historic District, listed on the National Register in 1982, survives largely intact because industry and the railroads bypassed it.

Getting there

Hampton has no rail or transit of its own. US Route 6 runs east-west through town on the Willimantic-to-Brooklyn/Danielson corridor, and Connecticut Route 97 crosses it north-south as the tree-lined boulevard through the historic village center, continuing toward Pomfret and Scotland. The nearest interstate interchange is I-395 in Killingly to the east. There is no passenger rail station in Hampton or anywhere in Windham County; the practical rail options are Amtrak at New London to the south or Amtrak/CTrail at Hartford to the west.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Hampton?
By car — US Route 6 runs east-west through town, and Route 97 crosses it north-south through the village center. There is no passenger rail station in Hampton or anywhere in Windham County.
Is there a train to Hampton?
No. The practical rail options are Amtrak at New London to the south or Amtrak/CTrail at Hartford to the west.
What is Trail Wood?
The former farm of Pulitzer Prize-winning naturalist Edwin Way Teale, now a 168-acre Connecticut Audubon Society sanctuary with nearly 4 miles of trails, open dawn to dusk with a suggested $2 donation. The historic house is shown by appointment only.
Is there a restaurant in Hampton?
No restaurant, cafe, diner or bakery could be verified operating in Hampton. Quiet Corner Winery pours wine with visiting food trucks rather than serving full meals; plan meals in a neighboring town along US 6 or Route 97.
Is there a hotel in Hampton?
No hotel, motel or staffed inn could be verified inside Hampton. The one confirmed lodging option is Quiet Corner Cottage, a self-catering vacation rental near Pine Acres Lake.

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