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Southbury, Connecticut: State Parks, Colonial Roots, and the Pomperaug Valley

Southbury, Connecticut

Pictures from Southbury

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Lake Zoar Bent of the River Southbury Town Hall South Britain Congregational Church

Southbury began in 1673, when religious dissidents from Stratford bought "Pomperaug Plantation" along a Housatonic tributary; the southern parish went its own way in 1787 with a charter as The Town of Southbury. What that history left behind is a town built for being outdoors: an Audubon sanctuary on a bend of the Pomperaug, a state park on Lake Zoar named for a one-kettle land deal, and a waterfall park with a covered bridge. Add a genuine resort-style hotel and a small, good restaurant row, and Southbury is the comfortable overnight in the region.

  1. About 700 sanctuary acres left to Audubon for education by Althea Clark — trails open to the public since the early 2000s.

  2. 605 acres on Lake Zoar with six-plus miles of trails. Day use is open; the campground is closed for the 2026 season after 2024 flood damage.

  3. Tiered waterfall, covered bridge, observation tower, and a trout-stocked pond — on the old Diamond Match Company site.

  4. The Southbury Historical Society's anchor property in South Britain.

  5. A one-room schoolhouse run as a living museum.

  6. The founding 1989 location of the family — and a 'Best Burrito in Connecticut' winner.

  7. The big-menu Connecticut original's Southbury outpost — lobster roll and fish fry.

  8. NYC-style cocktail lounge — espresso martinis and bao buns.

  9. Family-owned Indian with near-perfect ratings. Closed Tuesdays.

  10. The region's resort-style stay: saltwater pools, spa, athletic club, The Tavern, and nine holes of golf out back.

Pomperaug Plantation and the kettle legend

In 1673, religious dissidents from Stratford purchased Pomperaug Plantation and settled the valley; Southbury — originally Woodbury's southern parish — received its own town charter in 1787. During the Revolution the town supplied militia and provisions to Washington's forces. The land kept its stories: legend says colonists obtained the Kettletown tract from the Pootatuck people for a single brass kettle, and the original village site there disappeared under water in 1919 when damming the Housatonic created Lake Zoar. Colonial Revival photographer Wallace Nutting, a Southbury resident, immortalized the town in his 1923 "Connecticut Beautiful."

Know before you go

Kettletown's campground is closed for the 2026 season (2024 flood damage), though day use is open. And a note that saves confusion: Heritage Village, despite the name, is an age-restricted residential community — not a tourist attraction. The Heritage Hotel on Heritage Road is the place travelers actually want.

Frequently asked questions

How did Kettletown get its name?
Local legend says early colonists traded one brass kettle to the Pootatuck people for the right to hunt and fish the land.
Is the Kettletown campground open?
Not in 2026 — it's closed for the season due to August 2024 flood damage. The park itself is open for day use.
What is Heritage Village?
An age-restricted retirement community, not a tourist attraction. Travelers looking for 'Heritage' want the Heritage Hotel, Golf & Conference Center on Heritage Road.
When did Southbury become a town?
1787, when Woodbury's southern parish received a charter as The Town of Southbury; European settlement of the valley dates to 1673.
Where should I stay?
The Heritage Hotel, Golf & Conference Center — Southbury's full-service resort-style hotel with pools, a spa, and golf.

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