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Lisbon, Connecticut: A Railroad Tunnel and a Rural Synagogue

Lisbon, Connecticut

Pictures from Lisbon

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Newent Congregational Church Haskell House (Andrew Clark House)

Lisbon was incorporated in 1786, set off from Norwich, and sits in New London County between the Quinebaug and Shetucket rivers, inside The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor; its town center is the village of Newent. The town takes its name from Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The Taft Tunnel, completed August 28, 1837 for the Norwich and Worcester Railroad, was Connecticut's first railroad tunnel and is still in freight use. Cabinetmaker Ebenezer Tracy ran his shop here from the 1770s to 1803, becoming the preeminent Windsor chair maker in Connecticut; his work is held by the Connecticut Historical Society, Winterthur Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. On September 4, 1774, 464 men mustered at Captain Benjamin Burnham's inn after the alarm from Boston. Anshei Israel Synagogue, a rare rural synagogue built in 1936 by fifteen Russian and Polish immigrant farming families, closed in 1987 and was later transferred to the town.

  1. An 1810 Georgian farmhouse with only three owner families.

  2. A rare 1936 rural synagogue, open by appointment.

  3. An 1858 meetinghouse hosting concerts and the town farmers' market.

  4. A 1755 tavern where 464 men mustered in 1774.

  5. A 59-acre park with trails and disc golf.

  6. Pick-your-own berries and pumpkins since 1997.

  7. Route 12 pizza and pasta since 1986.

  8. A full-service bar and grill at Lisbon Landing.

  9. An authentic 1798 colonial, Lisbon's only verified lodging.

A meeting house, a tavern and a synagogue

Religious use of the Newent Meeting House site dates to 1723; the present building opened in 1858, and after its congregation wound down, the church and grounds were given to the Town of Lisbon in August 2023 and leased for 100 years to the Lisbon Historical Society. Burnham Tavern, on land the Burnham family bought in 1723 and ran as a tavern from 1755, was a thrice-daily stagecoach stop on the Norwich-to-Woodstock turnpike until the railroad arrived; it now covers 129 acres of walled fields still leased to local farmers, with newly designed walking trails. The John Bishop House, an 11-room Georgian farmhouse built in 1810 by John Bishop at age 79, has had only three owner families, and its granite basement fireplace, crane and iron cauldron survive intact. Through the 1800s Lisbon's economy rested on agriculture together with wool and silk factories.

Getting there

Lisbon is a drive-to town on the I-395 corridor, roughly seven miles northeast of Norwich: take I-395 Exit 21 for Route 12 (River Road) to reach Lisbon Landing and the commercial strip, or Exit 19 for Route 169, a National Scenic Byway that runs up through the historic town center at Newent. There is no passenger rail station in Lisbon; the lines through town, including the Taft Tunnel, carry only freight. The nearest passenger rail is New London Union Station, reached via I-395 south to I-95.

Berries, pizza and a green with a farmers' market

Grant's Berry Patch & Farm Stand, working over 12 acres since 1997, offers pick-your-own strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and pumpkins alongside a farm stand and CSA. Lisbon Meadows Park, a 59-acre town park off South Burnham Highway, has ballfields, a tennis court, walking trails and disc golf. The Lisbon Farmers' Market sets up on the Newent Meeting House Green each Thursday afternoon through the season. For food, Green Onion Pizza Restaurant has served Route 12 since 1986, and Chili's Grill & Bar anchors the Lisbon Landing retail strip. Haskell House Bed & Breakfast, an authentic 1798 colonial on Ross Hill Road recorded on the National Register as the Andrew Clark House, is the only lodging verified inside Lisbon.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Lisbon?
By car — I-395 Exit 21 (Route 12) reaches Lisbon Landing, and Exit 19 (Route 169) reaches the historic Newent town center. There is no passenger rail station in Lisbon; the nearest is New London Union Station.
Is there a train to Lisbon?
No. The rail lines through Lisbon, including the historic 1837 Taft Tunnel, carry only freight. The nearest passenger rail is New London, reached via I-395 south to I-95.
What is the Taft Tunnel?
Completed August 28, 1837 for the Norwich and Worcester Railroad, it was the first railroad tunnel in Connecticut and remains in active freight use — there is no public viewing area or safe visitor access.
Is there a hotel in Lisbon?
Haskell House Bed & Breakfast, a 1798 colonial home on Ross Hill Road, is the only lodging verified inside Lisbon. Book through Airbnb or VRBO.
Can I visit the Anshei Israel Synagogue?
The 1936 building, no longer a house of worship, is a museum open by appointment; email the Lisbon Historical Society's Paula Adams at padams60@sbcglobal.net.

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