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Plainfield, Connecticut: Four Villages and a Fish Hatchery

Plainfield, Connecticut

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Central Village Historic District Moosup Valley State Park Trail

Plainfield was incorporated in 1699 under the name "Quinebaug"; Governor Fitz-John Winthrop renamed it Plainfield a year later. The town is made up of four distinct villages — Plainfield, Moosup, Wauregan and Central Village — each with its own postal and fire service. Plainfield Academy, established in 1770 and incorporated in 1784 as only the third school incorporated in Connecticut, prepared boys for Yale before closing in 1890. The town's 19th- and 20th-century prosperity came from water power on the Moosup and Quinebaug Rivers and from four railways that once intersected here, drawing French Canadian, Irish and British immigrants to work the mills. Moosup, named for Narragansett sachem Maussup, has held an annual V-J Day parade since 1961, one of only a handful still held in the United States. Major League first baseman Walt Dropo, "the Moose from Moosup," grew up here, where his father worked at the local textile mill.

  1. A public state fish hatchery with tours by arrangement.

  2. A 5.8-mile rail-trail spanning Plainfield and Sterling.

  3. An 1895 Queen Anne library serving Moosup.

  4. A 130-acre mill-village National Register district.

  5. Connecticut's largest state forest, with an enduro trailhead in Plainfield.

  6. Plainfield's summer swimming destination.

  7. Seasonal drive-up stand serving since 1957.

  8. Italian-American family restaurant and lounge.

  9. Breakfast, lunch and bakery run by a vocational nonprofit.

  10. Budget hotel off I-395 near the casino resorts.

  11. Interstate hotel with free breakfast.

  12. Independent budget motel in the Moosup village.

Four villages and a V-J Day tradition

Plainfield was incorporated in 1699 as "Quinebaug" and renamed Plainfield a year later by Governor Fitz-John Winthrop. The town comprises four villages — Plainfield, Moosup, Wauregan and Central Village — each with its own post office and fire department. Plainfield Academy, founded in 1770 and incorporated in 1784 as only the third school incorporated in Connecticut, prepared boys for Yale before closing in 1890. Central Village's mill history began in 1814 with a small cotton mill on the Moosup River, followed by an 1845 brick mill and rail service in 1839. Moosup, settled around 1689 and named for Narragansett sachem Maussup, has held an annual V-J Day parade since 1961 — one of only a handful still held in the United States, and the only one in Connecticut. Major League first baseman Walt Dropo, "the Moose from Moosup," grew up in the village, where his father worked at the local textile mill.

Getting there

Interstate 395 bisects Plainfield with three exits — 28 (Lathrop Road), 29 (Route 14A, Moosup) and 32 (Route 14, Central Village) — and Routes 12, 14 and 14A handle local travel. There is no passenger rail station in Plainfield; the Providence & Worcester line through town carries freight only. Rail travelers use Amtrak/CTrail Shore Line East at New London or Amtrak at Providence, Rhode Island, and finish the trip by car. Metro-North's New Haven Line and the CTrail Hartford Line do not serve eastern Windham County.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Plainfield?
By car — Interstate 395 bisects the town with three exits (28, 29, 32), and Routes 12, 14 and 14A handle local travel. There is no passenger rail station in Plainfield; the nearest is Shore Line East at New London.
Is there a train to Plainfield?
No. The Providence & Worcester line through Plainfield carries freight only. Rail travelers use Amtrak/CTrail Shore Line East at New London or Amtrak at Providence, Rhode Island, and drive the rest of the way.
What is the Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery?
A state fish hatchery built in 1971 on about 2,000 acres, drawing on 14 wells to supply fish-production tanks. Open to the public 8 a.m.-3 p.m. seven days a week, with group tours by arrangement.
What is the Moosup V-J Day Parade?
An annual parade held in the Moosup village since 1961, one of only a handful still held in the United States and the only one in Connecticut, stepping off at 1:01 p.m. — the exact minute of the Japanese surrender.
Is there a hotel in Plainfield?
Yes — La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham and Quality Inn Plainfield I-395 both sit off the interstate, and the independent Elite Inn operates in the Moosup village. No historic inn or B&B could be verified in town.

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