Ethos

Meriden, Connecticut: Silver City and the Steamed Cheeseburger

Meriden, Connecticut

Pictures from Meriden

See all 3 photos →
Castle Craig, Hubbard Park Harbor Brook in Meriden Green Downtown Meriden

Meriden, formerly known as North Farms, was incorporated as a town from parts of Wallingford in 1806 and became a city in 1867, named for the village of Meriden in England's West Midlands. The city earned the nickname "Silver City" for its dominant silverware industry, established with help from Horace and Dennis Wilcox and firms including the Meriden Britannia Company and the International Silver Company. In 1944, the War Manpower Commission named Meriden "The Nation's Ideal War Community" for its industrial and patriotic contributions during World War II. Castle Craig, a 32-foot stone observation tower atop 976-foot East Peak, was built in 1900 and formally presented to the city by philanthropist Walter Hubbard, president of Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing; Hubbard Park's layout was designed in consultation with the Olmsted Brothers. Meriden's Daffodil Festival, the city's largest community event, has been a tradition in Hubbard Park since 1978.

  1. An 1,800-acre park with the 1900 Castle Craig stone tower on East Peak.

  2. The Historical Society's downtown museum on the Silver City's past.

  3. A 14-acre downtown park with a daylighted Harbor Brook and amphitheater.

  4. Cabaret-style community theater, home of the Castle Craig Players since 1992.

  5. Meriden's signature steamed cheeseburger, served since 1959.

  6. The city's other beloved steamed-cheeseburger counter.

  7. Hibachi and daily fresh sushi on South Broad Street.

  8. Halal Indian restaurant, one of Meriden's top-rated independents.

  9. Upper-midscale hotel near Silver Lake with a heated pool.

  10. Budget interstate hotel at the I-91/I-691 junction.

North Farms to the Silver City

Meriden, formerly known as North Farms, was incorporated as a town from parts of Wallingford in 1806 with just over 1,000 residents, and became a city in 1867 with just under 9,000 residents; it was named for the village of Meriden in England's West Midlands, near Birmingham. The city earned the nickname "Silver City" for its dominant silverware industry: Horace and Dennis Wilcox helped establish it, and major firms included the Meriden Britannia Company and the International Silver Company. In 1944, the War Manpower Commission named Meriden "The Nation's Ideal War Community" for its industrial and patriotic contributions during World War II. Castle Craig, a 32-foot stone observation tower of native trap rock atop 976-foot East Peak, was built in 1900 and formally presented to the city on October 29, 1900 by philanthropist Walter Hubbard, president of Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing; Hubbard Park's layout was designed in consultation with the Olmsted Brothers. Meriden's Daffodil Festival, the city's largest community event, has been a tradition in Hubbard Park since 1978.

Getting there

Meriden sits at the "Crossroads of Connecticut," midway between New York and Boston. Drivers arrive via I-91, I-691 (connecting to I-84), Route 15 (the Wilbur Cross Parkway/Berlin Turnpike), and US 5. The downtown Meriden Transit Center is a stop on the CTrail Hartford Line commuter rail between New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, with Amtrak's Hartford Line, Northeast Regional, Valley Flyer, and Vermonter service on the same New Haven-Springfield corridor; Meriden has no Metro-North or Shore Line East service.

Steamed cheeseburgers and a stone tower

Meriden is the hometown of the steamed cheeseburger, a local invention best known through Ted's Restaurant, serving its "World Famous Steamed Cheeseburgers" since 1959, and K LaMay's Steamed Cheeseburgers, the city's other beloved counter. The access road to Castle Craig, atop Hubbard Park's East Peak, is open May 10 through October 30, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weather permitting, with the tower top reaching 1,002 feet above sea level. Meriden Green, a 14-acre downtown park opened in September 2016 on a former industrial site, daylights Harbor Brook while doubling as flood-storage infrastructure, a block from the Meriden Transit Center. For lodging, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Meriden near Silver Lake and Red Roof Inn Meriden at the I-91/I-691 interchange are both established options on the north side of town.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Meriden?
Drivers arrive via I-91, I-691 (to I-84), Route 15/the Wilbur Cross Parkway, or US 5. The Meriden Transit Center has CTrail Hartford Line commuter service plus Amtrak Hartford Line, Northeast Regional, Valley Flyer, and Vermonter trains; there is no Metro-North or Shore Line East service.
Why is Meriden called the Silver City?
For its dominant nineteenth-century silverware industry, established with help from Horace and Dennis Wilcox and firms including the Meriden Britannia Company and the International Silver Company.
What is a steamed cheeseburger?
A Meriden invention: a cheeseburger steamed rather than grilled. Ted's Restaurant has served its version since 1959, and K LaMay's Steamed Cheeseburgers is the city's other longtime purveyor.
What is Castle Craig?
A 32-foot stone observation tower atop Hubbard Park's 976-foot East Peak, built in 1900 and donated by philanthropist Walter Hubbard. The access road is open May 10-October 30, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., weather permitting.
Where can I stay in Meriden?
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Meriden, near Silver Lake, and Red Roof Inn Meriden, at the I-91/I-691 interchange, are Meriden's two verified in-town hotels.

Some booking links on this page earn Ethos a commission at no extra cost to you.

Connected pages

Same region