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Milford, Connecticut: Oysters, a Tombolo, and Captain Kidd's Legend

Milford, Connecticut

Pictures from Milford

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Milford Green Charles Island from Silver Sands State Park Milford Harbor

Milford was settled in 1639, when English colonists affiliated with New Haven Colony purchased land comprising today's Milford, Orange, and West Haven from Ansantawae, chief of the local Paugussett; the area's original name was Wepawaug, after the river. By 1822, Orange had separated from Milford, significantly reducing its size. In the nineteenth century, Milford was a successful shipbuilding, oystering, and farming community, as well as a popular beach resort on Long Island Sound. After postwar suburbanization, the Town of Milford, including the Borough of Woodmont, was incorporated as the City of Milford in 1959. Submarine pioneer Simon Lake was a Milford resident, and the town's maritime identity lives on in its Oyster Festival, established in 1975. Local legend holds that privateer Captain William Kidd buried treasure on Charles Island, off Milford's Silver Sands beach, in 1699, before sailing to Boston, where he was arrested.

  1. A boardwalk beach with a tombolo to Charles Island and its Captain Kidd legend.

  2. Three 18th-century houses near the harbor; the Eells-Stow House dates to c. 1700.

  3. Theater, concerts, and gallery exhibits in a restored train station.

  4. Birding platforms overlooking Long Island Sound tidal marshes.

  5. Waterfront brewery on the Housatonic with a biergarten and marina moorings.

  6. Craft-beer taproom with weekly can releases and food trucks.

Wepawaug, oysters, and a pirate's legend

Milford was settled in 1639, when English colonists affiliated with New Haven Colony purchased land comprising today's Milford, Orange, and West Haven from Ansantawae, chief of the local Paugussett; the area's original Native American name, Wepawaug, came from the river. The original settlement included what would become Orange and West Haven; by 1822 Orange had separated, significantly reducing Milford's size. Through the nineteenth century, Milford was a successful shipbuilding, oystering, and farming community, as well as a popular beach resort on Long Island Sound. After postwar suburbanization, the Town of Milford, including the Borough of Woodmont, was incorporated as the City of Milford in 1959. Simon Lake (1866-1945), the inventor and naval engineer known for his pioneering submarine work, was a Milford resident; the town's maritime identity also lives on in its Oyster Festival, established in 1975. Local legend holds that privateer Captain William Kidd visited Charles Island, just off Milford's Silver Sands beach, in 1699 and buried treasure there before sailing to Boston, where he was arrested.

Getting there

Milford sits directly on the I-95 corridor between Bridgeport and New Haven, with U.S. Route 1 (Boston Post Road) and Route 15/the Wilbur Cross Parkway also crossing town. The downtown Milford station, 1 Railroad Avenue, offers Metro-North New Haven Line service direct to Grand Central Terminal in New York, plus limited weekday CTrail Shore Line East service, restored October 7, 2024.

A tombolo, two breweries, and where to stay

Silver Sands State Park has a three-quarter-mile all-weather boardwalk and a natural sandbar, or tombolo, connecting the beach to 14-acre Charles Island, a wildlife sanctuary; sandbar crossing is prohibited May 1-September 9 for bird-nesting season. The Milford Historical Society operates three eighteenth-century houses near the harbor, headlined by the Eells-Stow House, built around 1700. Dockside Brewery pairs house-brewed beer with an outdoor biergarten and its own marina moorings on the Housatonic, while Tribus Beer Co. runs a taproom with weekly can releases and rotating food trucks. Milford itself has no independently verified in-town hotel or inn; travelers wanting a confirmed option can find Hotel Marcel, a Marcel Breuer-designed National Register landmark, about 15 minutes north on I-95 in New Haven.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Milford?
Milford sits directly on I-95 between Bridgeport and New Haven, with US-1 (Boston Post Road) and Route 15/the Wilbur Cross Parkway also crossing town. The Milford train station (1 Railroad Avenue) has Metro-North New Haven Line service to Grand Central, plus limited weekday CTrail Shore Line East service.
What is the legend of Charles Island?
Local legend holds that privateer Captain William Kidd visited the island, just off Silver Sands State Park, in 1699 and buried treasure there before sailing to Boston, where he was arrested.
Where can I stay in Milford?
No hotel or inn located within Milford could be independently verified as currently operating. The nearest confirmed option is Hotel Marcel, a Marcel Breuer-designed National Register landmark about 15 minutes away on I-95 in New Haven.
What is the Milford Oyster Festival?
An annual festival, established in 1975, celebrating the town's long oystering history and maritime identity.
Where can I get a local beer in Milford?
Dockside Brewery, a waterfront brewery on the Housatonic with an outdoor biergarten and marina moorings, and Tribus Beer Co., a taproom with weekly can releases and rotating food trucks, are both verified in-town options.

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