The Farmers Market at the Guilford Fairgrounds is a Thursday destination market located in Guilford, CT. The market is open annually starting in early May and runs until mid-fall (normally will run until the end of October with the possibility of running into November weather dependent). The market is proudly hosted by the Guilford Agricultural Society. Vendors offer fresh and locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as baked goods, artisan breads, meats, seafood, fresh pasta, eggs and many more specialty products.  You will also find local, CT made crafts at the market.

VISIT US
Bishop’s Orchards Guilford Farm Market & Winery, 1355 Boston Post Rd. in Guilford is open year round.

Bishop’s Orchards Guilford Pick-Your-Own Orchards are located at multiple fields. Please visit our Pick Your Own page for locations. Our Pick-Your-Own Season runs from June with Strawberries, till the end of October with Pumpkins.

BUSINESS HOURS:
HOLIDAY FARM MARKET & WINERY HOURS
Open 7am-7pm Thanksgiving Eve
Closed Thanksgiving
Close at 4pm Christmas Eve
Closed Christmas Day & Day After (26th)
Close at 5 pm New Years Eve
Closed New Years Day
Closed Easter Sunday
Closed Monday – Memorial Day
Closed 4th of July
FARM MARKET HOURS
Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

WINERY HOURS
Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Bishop’s Orchards Northford Farm at 1920 Middletown Ave in Northford is open weekends only (and Monday Columbus Day) from Sat 9/14 to Sunday 10/20 for apple picking, cider, donuts, pies, cookies and apples.

HISTORY
B.W. Bishop & Sons, Inc. is a family-owned and operated farm corporation, doing business as Bishop’s Orchards. The farm was started in 1871 by Walter Goodrich Bishop who engaged in general farming including dairy, vegetables and ice. His son, Burton Walter Bishop, joined him and expanded the business. In 1909, they set out the first commercial orchard. Burton’s sons, Arthur F. and Charles R., joined with their father in 1918 and continued to set out more orchards on land purchased in 1920 and 1926. Generations 3-7, expanded the business by adding a seasonal retail market (at the present location), pick your own fruits and other crops, bakery, winery (including a 25-foot wine bar), and a second location located on Rt. 17 in Northford.

Guilford White House Florist is a full-service florist serving the Town of Guilford for over 75 years.  Creating custom floral designs for all of life’s special occasions.  With your vision and our knowledge and experience, “Our Flowers Make The Room.”  Other services provided are, fruit and gourmet baskets, green and blooming plants, root candles, and fine chocolates from DeBrand.  If you are looking for something special we will help you find it at Guilford White House Florist.

Come dine and unwind at KC’s Restaurant and Pub, where you’ll find your favorite comfort foods, a fun kids menu, and the best wings on the shoreline! Relax with our selection of local craft beers and handcrafted cocktails while catching the game on our seven TVs. Come early and enjoy our Happy Hour menu and daily specials. Whether you choose to sit in the dining room, at the bar, or on our patio, KC’s becomes your favorite gathering place for good times with family and friends.

Chapter One Food & Drink offers something for everyone! Our New American menu offers everything from fresh seafood to salads, burgers, and specialty cocktails, our restaurant and bar offer a vibe like no other.

• Located off the Guilford Marina at the end of Whitfield Street or via Neck Road.
• 30-acre passive recreational area. Coastal walk to iconic red shack.

• Located on Cherry Street and North River Street.
• 1-acre park with picnic area and pond for fishing and ice skating.

• Located on Nut Plains Rd
• 23-acre park with dog parks, lacrosse fields, and trail.

• 3/4-acre beach with limited parking. Sunbathing. No lifeguards (swimming not permitted). Shell fishing by permit. Parking is limited.

• Located on Stonehouse Rd
• 1-acre passive recreation with picnic tables and benches.

• Located on River Street at the west end of Broad Street.
• 1-acre riverside park with canoe/kayak access.

• Located on Shell Beach Road.
• 1-acre shoreline park. Water views, shell fishing by permit.

• Located at the end of Whitfield Street.
• 2.4-acre marina. Coastal views and fishing. Fee for boat ramp.

• 7.7 acre green with park benches.

• Located at the end of Chaffinch Island Road
• 22-acre park for fishing and picnics. Picnic tables and grills on site.

• Located on Seaside Avenue
• 25-acre shoreline park with 430′ beach for swimming, boardwalk, bathhouse, outdoor showers, 2 picnic shelters, drinking fountain, half basketball courts, playground, volleyball court, and kayak racks for rent. Access fee$. Seasonal beach passes available at Guilford Parks & Rec.

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: Priscilla Otte Preserve

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: Munger Brook

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: Meeting House Hill Preserve

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: County Road Fields

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

To collect, preserve and share the history of Guilford, Connecticut for present and future generations.

203-453-2236

Guilford Keeping Society

Photo Archives

Welcome to the Historic Guilford presentation of Homes of
Civil War Soldiers.

The 10-mile loop, taking approximately 45 minutes, will pass by over 50
locations where soldiers resided before and after the war.

21 Whitfield Street

William Todd Seward lived here in 1860.
William was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st CT Light Artillery
and then commissioned as Captain in the 7th CT Infantry. He later served
in the US Volunteers Commissary Department until July 1865, serving
almost 4 years total.

15 Whitfield Street

Abraham B. Fowler lived at 15 Whitfield Street. He was a moulder, and
his father George was an apothecary who owned a drugstore at #17
Whitfield Street. Abraham served in the 1st CT Light Artillery for almost
two years.

86 Water Street

John Norton, built this house. John, a blacksmith in town, married
Lucinda Leete and had 3 children. He moved to Middletown, CT where
he was a respected member of that community prior to enlisting in
Co. I, 21st Regiment, CT Infantry.
During the long and weary march to Falmouth, Virginia, which began on
October 28, 1862, the men were exposed to the elements without shelter.
Many of them became sick with typhoid fever, John Norton one of them.
He died on Christmas day 1862 at the Regimental Hospital in Falmouth,
Virginia.

39 Boston Street
Samuel B. Dunn lived at 39 Boston Street with his parents and his
great uncle, Zenas Bradley, who owned the home. Samuel was a joiner, a
carpenter who joins pieces of wood without the use of nails. He married
and moved to Derby, CT prior to enlisting as a Corporal in Co. K, 13th
Regiment, Connecticut Infantry.

The regiment, raised under the name “The Knowlton Rifles” became
known as a fighting company, rarely missing an opportunity to distinguish
itself. The regiment fought mostly in Louisiana where Dunn was promoted
twice. On September 19, 1864, the army was on the Winchester, Virginia
side of the Opequon Creek (Virginia) and engaged the Rebels.
Dunn, the brave and faithful First sergeant was struck, his hands torn by
grapeshot. He held up his mangled hands and Major Homer B. Sprague
threw a cord around them to form a compress. Badly wounded Sergeant
Dunn was taken to Jarvis, USA military hospital, Baltimore, Maryland,
where he received treatment for his wounds. He died a couple of weeks
later from bacteria in the bloodstream.

Boston Street
Boston Street can claim to be one of the most patriotic streets in town,
sending a high number of its residents to fight for the Union.

One family that lived on Boston Street was the Fowler family. Samuel
Fowler and 3 of his sons served. His oldest son, Thomas, enlisted at the
beginning of the war and fought at the first Battle of Bull Run. Since the war
was thought to only last 90 days, this regiment was in service for only 3
months. Thomas reenlisted in Co. A, 10th CT Infantry and was promoted.
Another son, Wallace, who was only sixteen at the time, enlisted in
Company B, 16th CT Infantry. He was captured in battle at Plymouth, North
Carolina and sent to Andersonville Prison. He survived.
A third son, Emerson, was only 14 at the time, and too young to enlist.
Instead, he served as an officers’ waiter in the 27th Regiment, the same
as his father.

Samuel, the father, was wounded in the knee at the Battle of
Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862 and sent to the College General
Hospital in Georgetown. While the father was receiving care for his wound,
Emerson, the youngest, took sick and died from Typhoid Fever on
Christmas Day 1862. Samuel, the father, died just 15 days later from his
wounds. Others who lived on Boston Street included Richard L. Hull who
was killed at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862 and John R.
Burgiss who died from malignant fever while at Shrewsbury, Louisiana.

60 Boston Post Road
The next house is near the Guilford/Madison town line. Lewis Blatchley
lived at 60 Boston Post Road. He enlisted in Co. G, 15th CT Infantry and
was killed in action at the Battle of Wyse Forks in Kinston, North Carolina
on March 8, 1865.

The Battle of Wyse Forks, also known as Second Kinston, occurred
between March 7 and 10, 1865. The highest number of casualties for
Guilford during any single engagement occurred on March 8, 1865, when,
while briskly engaged, the regiment was enveloped by a division of the
enemy who had gained their rear. Two Guilford soldiers were killed and
eleven were captured.

34 East River Road
The Grosvenor family from England lived in this home. Three brothers
served for Guilford, two of whom we can verify lived in the house. The
other, Joseph, lived at 48 State Street. The two brothers who lived here
were Daniel and Samuel. Daniel was one of several Guilford men to enlist
as a musician in the 1st Regiment, New York Volunteers Band. He was
discharged and later became a blacksmith living at 17 East River Road.

Samuel, the third brother was wounded at the Battle of Antietam in 1862,
captured at the battle at Plymouth, North Carolina in 1864, sent to
Andersonville Prison in Georgia and then Florence Prison in South
Carolina where he suffered even more severely. After 232 days of
imprisonment, he was paroled. He was granted a furlough and was able to
spend Christmas 1864 with his family who had by then moved to 384
Clapboard Hill Road.

After his furlough he returned to service. This unlucky fellow was aboard
the Black Diamond, a picket barge, when the Massachusetts, a Union
steamer, collided with it on the Potomac River just off Blackstone Island,
Maryland, on April 25, 1865 at 12:30 a.m. The Black Diamond sunk in 3
minutes and Grosvenor drowned. T.M. Jacobs, who is on the Guilford
Green today, used the 1864 diary of Samuel Grosvenor to write a book
entitled Almost Home, which is available for sale.

58 East River Road
Two soldiers who died and are listed on the Soldiers’ Monument lived at
58 East River Road. Oliver Evarts lived here in 1850 with the family of
Raphael Ward Benton. Both of them enlisted in Company I, 14th Regiment,
CT Infantry.

Raphael Ward Benton, Ward as he was called, was wounded in the neck
at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. In the days following the
battle Ward suffered in a field hospital, eventually walking over 20 miles
with other wounded soldiers seeking help. At the hospital in Frederick,
Maryland, eight days after the battle, he died due to blood loss, fatigue,
and improper care. His body was returned to Guilford and buried in
Alderbrook Cemetery. The Guilford Free Library holds a collection of his
letters sent to his wife during his brief service in 1862. His descendants
who had settled in Minnesota donated them in 1981 to the Guilford
Keeping Society.

Oliver Evarts was present at battle at Chancellorsville, Virginia when on the
morning of May 3, 1863, the 14th Regiment was located just north and
west of the Chancellor House, where the enemy appeared on their front
and right flank almost simultaneously. Oliver Evarts was killed in action.

African Americans, American Indian and a Horse Thief:
The 1860 census showed that Guilford had a population of 2,624,
including 23 blacks and 26 mulattos.

Twenty-one of the African Americans enlisted in the Civil War to help meet
the town’s quota. One of these, William Henry Wright, who was born in
Guilford traveled to Massachusetts to enlist in the 55th Regiment,
Massachusetts Infantry (Colored) because enlistment in Connecticut had
not yet opened up to African Americans. The monument misrepresents his
unit as the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the unit heralded by the movie
“Glory” in the late 80s.

Three other African Americans who served were married and had families
in town.
Abraham Jackson and Jacob Thompson enlisted in the 29th Regiment,
Connecticut Infantry (Colored), and William H. Porter, upon being drafted,
served in the 11th Regiment, U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery.
The other 17 African Americans who helped fill Guilford’s quota enlisted at
the conscript camp in New Haven, serving in the 29th Regiment,
Connecticut Infantry (Colored) and the 30th Regiment, Connecticut
Infantry (Colored). The 30th Regiment failed to organize and was
absorbed into the 31st Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops.
Six of the 21 African American men died during the Civil War, including the
four who are listed on the monument. William Henry Wright died from
tuberculosis and Abraham Jackson from dysentery.

Alexander Peterson and Toby Trout were both wounded at the Battle of
the Crater (Petersburg, Va.) and died at L’Ouverture Hospital (Alexandria,
Va.). Alexander Cunningham, who accidentally shot himself at the
conscript camp in New Haven, and Josiah Cozens, who died while on
furlough, were added to the monument in 2015.

Guilford also had an American Indian who helped fill Guilford’s quota.
Lyman Lawrence, half Pequot, half Narragansett Indian, served in the 29th
CT Infantry (colored) and was wounded at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm. He
survived and later moved to Clinton, CT where he operated a laundry
wagon.

And we have Elijah Saunders who stole a team of horses from Guilford.
He was tracked down in New York and brought back to Guilford where he
was offered the option of going to jail or enlist “for” Guilford.
He took the offer to enlist for Guilford, pocketed the bounty money that
came with the enlistment and then deserted shortly thereafter.

111 Goose Lane
Prior to the Civil War, the town played an active role in the Connecticut
Freedom trail. George Bartlett, a strong abolitionist, is reported to have
housed runaway slaves in his cellar here at 111 Goose Lane. His son,
William Nelson Bartlett, nicknamed “Willie” enlisted just after his
eighteenth birthday and fought in several battles.
At the battle at Morton’s Ford, Virginia, the men engaged in hand-to-hand
fighting in the dark. And, throughout the Wilderness campaign, the
regiment fought at five battles, daily losing valuable officers and enlisted
men. During the battle on August 15,1864, at Deep Bottom in Virginia,
Willie was shot through the heart. His body was brought back home and
buried in Alderbrook Cemetery.

829 Goose Lane
George Augustus Foote, Jr., first cousin to Harriet Beecher Stowe, was
among the first of Guilford men to enlist in April 1861, and fought at
the Battle of Bull Run, Virginia before being honorably
discharged in August 1861. He reenlisted a year later, as a Private,
Company I, 14th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry and was promoted to
Sergeant. This house was also the home of Harriet’s mother’s family who
cared for her here after her mother’s death when Harriet was 4 years old.
At the Battle of Antietam, Maryland, when the company became somewhat
disorganized, Captain Bronson called the men to form around “old Foote’s
musket,” which so amused the men that they cheered and quickly formed
again. On the same day, the flag fell and Foote volunteered to carry it for
the rest of the day.

During the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, at Marye’s Heights, the flag
fell again. As Foote stopped to pick it up, he was wounded in the leg and
fell. He was again shot by the Rebels, wounding him slightly in the head
and the hip. He laid on the field the rest of the day; three times the men
charged over him, trampling on his wounded leg. Half delirious, he begged
them to kill him to end his suffering. At night, he managed to crawl off to a
little hut where some other wounded men had hung a yellow flag.
They remained there for three days with little hard tack, and still less water,
when they were discovered by a Rebel officer and a few men who asked
them why they were there. Some of the men said they didn’t want to fight
but were drafted and obliged to. Foote, on the other hand, cooly lifted his
head and said “I came to fight Rebels, and I have found them, and if ever I
get well, I will come back and fight them again.”

“Bully for you,” said the officer, “you are a boy that I like,” and at once gave
him some water out of his own canteen, sent one of his men for some
more water, washed his leg and foot, bound it up as well as he could,
paroled him, and helped him cross the river to the Lacy House, a hospital.
The men gave him a blanket, and even cheered him as the wagon drove
off.

George’s leg was hastily amputated at the Lacy House, and he was moved
to the Armory Square Hospital, where his leg was operated on again and
the bone cut shorter.

His brother went south to tend to him and bring him home. George
recovered some portion of his strength and was offered commission as
2d Lieutenant, but never mustered in, and was discharged as a Sergeant
on July 31, 1863.

After regaining some health he attempted to once again farm, but had to
give that up. He entered the mercantile business for a year, but had to give
that up as well. After a cold brought on conditions of consumption, he went
to Florida hoping to improve his health, but long suffering had shattered his
health, and he gradually declined until his death on November 14, 1869.

605 Nut Plains Road
Joel C. Parmelee was born at and lived in the family ancestral home at 605
Nut Plains Road, Guilford. He was married and had 5 children; four
daughters and a son he named Edward Lincoln.
Joel, age 40, enlisted as a Private in Company C, 27th Regiment,
Connecticut Infantry and was killed in action at the Battle of
Fredericksburg, Maryland, on December 13, 1862. His cousin, Uriah N.
Parmelee lived at 652 Nut Plains Road.

652 Nut Plains Road
A direct descendant of John Parmelee (original planter of Guilford), Uriah
Parmelee, dropped out of Yale College to enlist stating: “what is knowledge
worth to me without a country.” He was promoted for “gallant conduct at
Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.”
While pursuing the Confederates at Five Forks, Virginia, outside of
Petersburg, an enemy regiment was spotted in an orchard.
Thinking the Confederates were unsupported, the 1st Connecticut Cavalry
charged in at a gallop, but as soon as they reached the outer edge of the
woods, the peaceful looking peach orchard assumed a different character;
the bright pink blossoms were blown into the air by bullets, shells, canister
and grapeshot. Every man who had gone into the open field was shot
down. Uriah Nelson Parmelee was instantly killed by a shell to his chest,
just 8 days before the war ended.

Uriah’s words and ideas about slavery, the war, and Civil War politics can
be found in his extensive letters and journals that are used by historians
today to help us understand the war and its soldiers.

959 Nut Plains Road
Brothers George H. Hall and Charles A. Hall along with their brother inlaw,
Joseph Coan, lived at 959 Nut Plains Road. All three enlisted in Co. E,
15th CT Infantry. George was discharged due to disability after serving 6
months. Charles served for almost 3 years.

Their brother inlaw, Joseph Coan, served just 91 days. When Joseph,
while on duty as a company cook became sick with typhoid fever, his twin
brother Jerome, also in the same regiment, was allowed to take care of
him. Jerome remained with him until Joseph’s death on November 7,
1862. Joseph’s remains were sent home and his brother was allowed a
furlough to attend the funeral. Joseph left a wife and 5 yearold
daughter.

In 1860, Guilford had a population of 2,101, occupying 421 households.
These included 23 blacks and 26 mulattos. North Guilford had a total white
population of 523, occupying 111 households.
Between the years 1861 and 1865, the United States was engaged in the
Civil War, the deadliest war in American history. Guilford did its duty,
providing men, supplies and support. The Town sent hundreds of its men
off to the war; sons, fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins and neighbors.
Many of these loved ones did not return and their sacrifices have been
memorialized on the Civil War monument that stands proudly in the center
of the Guilford Green

During the war, Guilford held special town meetings to defend and
maintain the national government “at every hazard and to the last
extremity.” Support and care for the soldiers and their families were
appropriated in town resolutions. Liberty poles were erected in Guilford
and North Guilford. Citizens worked to provide what they could, sending
linens, blankets, mittens, jellies, fruits, pickles and turkeys to their soldiers.
Newspaper subscriptions were sent to the men by members of the Third
Congregational or Abolitionist Church, and a chapel tent was sent to the
soldiers in the 1st Connecticut Light Artillery Battery who had formed a
religious society in their camp. Some of Guilford’s women traveled south
to the camps and battles to tend the wounded and dying and bring about
changes in sanitary conditions.

Even though the majority of citizens supported the war, Guilford had its
share of Copperheads and those who opposed it and wanted a peace
settlement with the Confederates. On August 18, 1861, a Confederate flag
was raised in North Guilford, in exultation over the Federal defeat at Bull
Run. Rebel sympathizers also organized a plan to tar and feather their enemy,

Captain, later General Joseph Hawley, when he visited his wife,
Harriet Ward Foote Hawley’s family in Guilford.

655 Little Meadow Road
George Stevens lived at 655 Little Meadow Road prior to 1860. He
enlisted in the 1st CT Light Artillery before transferring to the Navy.
The Bullard family bought the home around 1860 where Henry B. Bullard
lived with his mother before enlisting in the 1st CT Light Artillery on
October 16, 1861. The men trained at Camp Tyler, West Meriden, Connecticut,
before leaving the state three months later.
Henry Bullard died just 24 days later while on board the Ellwood Walter.
His comrades buried Henry under some giant yellow pines just outside
Beaufort, South Carolina. He was later reinterred in the National Cemetery,
Beaufort, South Carolina. A headstone for him is also located in the Nut
Plains Cemetery. He was the first soldier from Guilford to die.

215 State Street
Samuel H. Hull was injured by a horse falling on him while on drill at
Beaufort, South Carolina. He was discharged from service on April 22, 1863,
after having been ill with chronic diarrhea for over six months. He returned
to Guilford where he died from consumption or Tuberculosis on February 1, 1876.
He is the last soldier to die who is listed on the Soldiers’ Monument.

93 State Street
93 State Street was built in 1865 and used by the Guilford Light Battery,
veterans of the Civil War as a National Guard building until 1885. This
house originally stood at the southwest corner of 89 State Street and
moved to this location in 1903.

48 State Street
Joseph Grosvenor was an apprentice carriage maker who lived with
Samuel Stone, a master carriagemaker. Joseph was one of two Guilford
soldiers who were killed in action at the Battle of Antietam on September
17, 1862. He is buried at the National Cemetery in Sharpsburg, MD.

17 Graves Avenue
Henry Harrison Hall was an apprentice blacksmith who lived here with John
Graves, a master blacksmith. Henry enlisted in Co. A, 10th CT Infantry in
September 1861 and was promoted in December. During the first
regimental battle at Roanoke Island on February 8, 1862, the men
“exhibited great coolness and sterling bravery.” Almost two years later, on
January 1, 1864, Henry reenlisted as a veteran and received a $300
bounty. He was wounded seven months later, on August 14, 1864, at the
Battle of Deep Bottom in Virginia, and died the next day. After his death,
his greatcoat and forage hat were sent to his mother back home.

The research for this tour was compiled by Tracy Tomaselli, a
Guilford historian who is related to four Guilford Civil War Soldiers. She did
extensive work with the National Archives, Genealogy materials and
mid-nineteenth century census data. Thank you to Dennis Culliton for putting
the information into this format.

In 2010, the GPA completed a Survey of Barns and Outbuildings in Guilford, Conn. The survey includes photos and information about 334 barns and outbuildings and was produced in cooperation with the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. The statewide survey can be viewed online at www.connecticutbarns.org

Guilford’s Historic Cemeteries

Soon after Guilford’s settlement in 1639, the Town Green became the fledgling community’s burial grounds. Because the Green was also used for other purposes, including militia training and grazing livestock, use of the grounds as a cemetery was eventually deemed inappropriate. In the early 19^th century, graves were moved from the Green to two new cemeteries in other parts of town. As Guilford’s population grew in the years that followed, other cemeteries were established including small, private family cemeteries.

Today, Guilford’s cemeteries offer a quiet retreat for visitors to stop at the grave sites of some of Guilford’s notable citizens and to contemplate the stories of their lives.

New information on those laid to rest in Guilford’s cemeteries is continually coming to light through the ongoing research of historians and genealogists.  Following are locations of Guilford’s cemeteries and stories of some of those laid to rest in these cemeteries.

When visiting a cemetery, please keep the following in mind:

• A cemetery is a place for families to mourn and visit their loved ones. Be respectful of those around you.
• Do not to leave any trash.
• Do not disturb any memorials (such as flowers, coins, photos or other mementos).
• Do not take any rubbings of headstones – this can seriously damage old stones.
• Do not make any unauthorized repairs to headstones. Repairs require specialized materials and expertise.
• If the cemetery’s open hours are posted, visit only during these hours.

If you are conducting genealogical research:

The Historical Room at the Guilford Free Library, 67 Park Street, provides many resources that may help including diaries, books, letters, photographs, newspapers, school yearbooks, tax lists and federal census records. For hours of operation and available research assistance, visit www.guilfordfreelibrary.org/historical-room

Alder Brook Cemetery

• Boston Street (across from 344 Boston Street)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.17216, Longitude: -72.40056
• Contact:  Tracy Tomaselli (203) 671-9351

Established circa 1818, this cemetery is located .8 mile east of the Town Green. Alder Brook is Guilford’s largest cemetery and is the resting place of many of Guilford’s earliest residents. Many of the gravestones were originally located on the Town Green and were moved here in the early 19^th century.

Notable burials include:

Fitz-Greene Halleck – Poet

July 8, 1790 – November 19, 1867

Fitz-Greene Halleck’s popularity as a poet reached its zenith in the 1820s and 1830s when he produced “Alnwick Castle” and the long poem “Marco Bozzaris,” considered his masterpiece by his contemporaries.

Born and raised in Guilford, Halleck moved to New York at the age of 20.  A banker by trade, he began collaborating with writer Joseph Rodman Drake in a series of satires, “The Croaker Papers,” in 1819. Published anonymously, the series became popular for its irreverent view of New York society and culture. That year, he also published “Fanny,” a satirical narrative poem. The next year, Drake died. Halleck’s grief inspired one of his most famous poems, “On the Death of Joseph Rodman Drake.”

By this time, Halleck’s popularity as a writer drew him into the Knickerbocker group, a circle of New York literati that included Washington Irving and William Cullen Bryant. Though nicknamed “The American Byron,” he continued to work in banking and in other financial jobs.

In 1849, Halleck returned to Guilford and lived here until his death in 1867. In 1877, a statue of Halleck was dedicated in New York’s Central Park by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The memorial’s inscription states: “One of the few, the immortal names that were not born to die.” Halleck is the only American writer honored in the “Literary Walk” of Central Park.

William Graham Sumner – Sociologist

October 30, 1840 – April 12, 1910

William Graham Sumner was a sociologist known for his classic work “Folkways: A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores and Morals,” published in 1906.

Sumner was born October 30, 1840 in Paterson, New Jersey and graduated from Yale University in 1863. He studied abroad in Geneva and Gottingen in the fields of history and divinity and was ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1869. He served briefly as assistant rector of Calvary Church in New York City and then as rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, New Jersey, from 1870-1872.

On April 17, 1871 he married Jeanne Whittemore Elliott, and they had two sons, Eliot and Graham. From 1872 to 1909 he was professor of political and social science at Yale University, and in 1909 he became president of the American Sociological Society. On December 26, 1909, shortly before he was to address the American Sociological Society at their meeting in New York City, he collapsed. Sumner died on April 12, 1910 and was buried in Guilford in his wife’s family plot, the Elliott Family Circle. The entire family group was later moved to the Alderbrook Cemetery.

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Bluff Head Cemetery 

• Off Route 77
• Just above Great Hill Road on left, dirt parking area, follow trail to the southwest
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.24469, Longitude: -72.41794 (parking)
• Contact: Robert Ashman (203) 453-0489

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Foote-Ward Cemetery 

• Bearhouse Hill Road
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.18607, Longitude: -72.4021
• Park at the end of Bearhouse Hill Road.  Walk over the foot bridge, bearing left at the fork.  At the next fork, bear to the right and proceed up the hill.

This small private cemetery is the burial site of members of the Foote and Ward family.

Notable burials include:

Roxanna Foote Beecher – Mother of Harriet Beecher Stowe

January 10, 1775 – September 24, 1816

Roxanna Foote Beecher was the wife of Presbyterian minister Lyman Beecher. The Beechers were the parents of nine children including author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Roxanna died when Harriet was only five years old. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s most famous book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” was published in 1852. The antislavery novel galvanized abolitionists and is cited among the causes of the Civil War.

Memorial Stone:

Alfred Perkins Rockwell – Geologist, Educator, Industrialist

October 15, 1834 – December 24, 1903

Although not buried at the Foote-Ward Cemetery, a memorial stone honors Alfred Perkins Rockwell due to his marriage a Foote family member, Katharine Virginia Foote. Rockwell excelled in many areas – as a war hero, a professor, geologist and industrialist. After receiving degrees from Yale and the Sheffield Scientific School in the 1850s, Rockwell started his career in geology by studying at the Museum of Practical Geology in London and at the prestigious Bergakademie at Freiberg, Saxony. He also visited coal mines in Northern England and Germany to study advanced mining technology and the economics of the industry.

At the outset of the Civil War, Rockwell was commissioned as Captain of the 1st Connecticut Light Artillery, earning a promotion to Colonel of the 6th Connecticut Infantry.  On March 13, 1865, he was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers, for “gallant and distinguished services in the field during the (Petersburg) campaign of 1864.”

Rockwell served briefly on the Board of Visitors at the U.S. Military Academy followed by stints as professor of mining at the Sheffield School and at MIT. After the fire of 1872 that consumed much of downtown Boston, Rockwell was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Fire Commissioners. He later served as president of the Eastern Railroad and as treasurer of the Great Falls (N.H.) Manufacturing Co., a textile firm. Rockwell wrote two books, Great Fires and Fire Extinction and Roads and Pavements in France. Rockwell died on Dec. 24, 1903 and was interred in the Yantic Cemetery, Norwich, Connecticut.

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Fowler Cemetery

• 2804 Boston Post Road (corner of Moose Hill Road and Boston Post Road)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.18601, Longitude: -72.44125

This small private family cemetery is the burial site of members of the Fowler family.

Notable burials include:

William Ward Fowler – Farmer and Businessman

April 3, 1833 – August 21, 1879

William Ward Fowler was a member of the New Haven County Farmer’s Club and a leading advocate for the cause of intelligent agriculture. He may also have been one of the unluckiest men in the state.

On July 7, 1843, Fowler was sitting on his verandah in the early evening when suddenly a keg of nails rolled from the roof and struck his head, inflicting some 70 cuts and bruises and rendering him unconscious.  In October of 1844, after recently recovering from an illness, he dislocated his hip and was confined to his room for several weeks.  Previously he had fallen several times and broken bones.  Once, while digging a pit for a boulder he came near being crushed.  On another occasion, while ascending a stone abutment he fell backward, displacing the bones at one of the hip joints.  His barns were destroyed by fires three times and in 1872, his house caught on fire.  In 1878, he was confined to his house by typho-malarial fever.  On July 25, 1879, while driving between Branford and Guilford, he struck a rock and was thrown from his wagon and dragged about half a mile.  Fowler died on August 21, 1879.

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Goldsmith Cemetery 

• 1454 Moose Hill Road (across from Stony Hill Road)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.17978, Longitude: -72.43436

This small private family cemetery is the burial site of members of the Goldsmith family. Some members were exiled from Long Island during the American Revolution and moved to Guilford in 1782.

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Leetes Island Cemetery 

• Moose Hill Road (off Route 146)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.15915, Longitude: -72.43038

This cemetery was established circa 1801.

Notable memorials include:

Memorial Stone:

Simeon Leete

April 14, 1753 – June 19, 1781

Simeon Leete was shot by the British in a skirmish at Leetes Island near Guilford on June 19, 1781. He was buried on the Town Green.  Leete’s tombstone was later removed to the Leetes Island.  The pointed rock where Leete was mortally wounded can be found in the front yard at 60 Harbor View Road.

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Murray Cemetery 

• 251 Nortontown Road
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.18394, Longitude: -72.38266

This small private cemetery is the burial site of Rev. William H.H. Murray (“Adirondack Murray”) and his family.

Notable burials include:

Rev. William H. H. Murray – Minister, Author, Outdoorsman

April 26, 1840 – March 3, 1904

“Adirondack” Murray was an orator, outdoorsman, Congregational minister and author of religious and outdoor books including “Adventures in the Wilderness; Camp Life in the Adirondacks” (published in 1869) which popularized the north as a resort and health cure destination. The widely distributed book created the “Murray Rush” of visitors to the Adirondacks. He has been called “The Great Evangelist of Outdoor Life for the People.”

Murray graduated from Yale in 1862 and attended East Windsor Theological Seminary. He served as minister to churches in Greenwich and Washington, Connecticut. In the mid-1860s he became pastor of the First Congregational Church in Meriden, Connecticut and later was pastor of the Park Street Church in Boston. He retired from the clerical profession at the age of 40 and traveled for seven years. The last 12 years of his life were spent on his Guilford homestead.

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Nut Plains Cemetery

• Nut Plains Road (east side of intersection of Nut Plains and Goose Lane)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.18795, Longitude: -72.40660
• Contact:  John Sullivan Jr. (203) 453-4460

This cemetery was established circa 1818.

Notable burials include:

Moses Gunn – Actor

October 2, 1929 – December 16, 1993

Gunn made his debut on Broadway in 1962 and was an Obie Award-winning stage player. He co-founded the Negro Ensemble Company in the 1960s. A veteran a many feature films, some of his most memorable roles were in “Shaft” (1971), “Roller Ball” (1975), “Ragtime’ (1981), “Heartbreak Ridge” (1986), “Bates Hotel” (1987) and “Perfect Harmony” (1991). He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1977 for his role in the TV mini-series “Roots.” Television credits include “Kung Fu,” “Little House on the Prairie,” “Good Times,” “Father Murphy” and “Homicide: Life on the Street.”

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Old North Guilford Cemetery

• Ledge Hill Road (Western side of intersection of Ledge Hill and Long Hill Road at the crest of the hill)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.22065, Longitude: -72.43658
• Contact:  Donald Homer (203) 457-0107

Located in picturesque North Guilford, this cemetery contains the graves of several American Revolutionary War patriots.  Also located here is the grave of Shem, an African American slave owned by Rev. Joseph Elliot. (GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.22044, Longitude: -72.43682)

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Saint George Cemetery

• Route 77 (across from 5 Durham Road)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.17968, Longitude: -72.41281
• Contact:  Saint George Church (203) 453-2788

Located north of the Town Green, this Catholic cemetery was established circa 1885.

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Westside Cemetery 

• Three Mile Course (off Boston Post Road)
• GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.17224, Longitude: -72.41500
• Contact:  Shelley Brothers Monuments:  (203) 453-9129

This cemetery was established circa 1818.

Notable burials include:

Edward Merwin Lee – Civil War General

August 23, 1835 – January 1, 1913

Lee was a served as Lieutenant Colonel of the 5th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry, which was a part of the famed “Michigan Wolverine” brigade commanded by General George A. Custer. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865, for “gallant and meritorious services during the war.”

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• Located on Route 77 – 3 miles north of Route 1
• 136 acres
• State Park
• Disc Golf Course
• Pickleball Courts
• Trails for Cross Country Skiing, Horses, Hiking, Biking
• Restrooms
• Softball and Soccer Field with lights
• 3 Little League Fields
• Playground

Guilford’s “Little Augusta” is an Executive 9-hole golf course.  For more information please go to the Guilford Lakes Golf Course website at: https://www.guilfordlakesgolf.com

Guilford is an agricultural community.  There are currently about 40 farms operating in our small town.  Residents and visitors can also take advantage of two Farmers Markets to purchase locally grown, fruit, vegetables, and homemade goods.  The Dudley Farm Farmer’s Market operates in North Guilford on Saturday mornings and the Farmer’s Market at the Fairgrounds operates on Thursday evenings.

Guilford Farm Map

Jacobs Beach

• Located on Seaside Avenue
• 25 acre beach
• 2 picnic shelters
• Drinking fountain
• Outdoor showers
• Boardwalk
• Playground
• Volleyball Court
• Half Basketball Court
• Bath House
• Boat Racks also available
• Accommodates a 430′ beach for swimming
• Seasonal beach passes available at Guilford Parks & Rec

Chaffinch Island

• Located at the end of Chaffinich Island Road
• 22 acre park for fishing and picinics
• Picnic tables
• Grills

Nut Plains Park

• Located on Nut Plains Rd
• 23 Acres
• 2 Lacrosse Fields
• Trails
• Dog Park

Daniel Avenue Beach

• 3/4 acre
• Clamming & Sunbathing
• No lifeguard – No Swimming
• Parking is limited

Rollwood Park

• Located on Stonehouse Rd
• 1 acre passive recreation
• Picnic tables and benches

Chittenden Park

• Located off Seaside Avenue, 100 yards from Jacobs Beach
• 14 acres
• Soccer
• Bocce courts
• Access to Long Island Sound
• Boardwalk and platform gateway to National New England Trail

Bittner Park

• Located on Route 77 – 3 miles north of Route 1
• 136 acres
• State Park
• Disc Golf Course
• Pickleball Courts
• Trails for Cross Country Skiing, Horses, Hiking, Biking
• Restrooms
• Softball and Soccer Field with lights
• 3 Little League Fields
• Playground

Lake Quonnipaug

• Located on Route 77 – North of Route 80
• 41 Acres
• Accommodates a 314′ beach for swimming and fishing
• Picnic Shelter
• Bath House
• Kayak and Paddleboats available
• Seasonal Beach Passes available at Guilford Parks & Rec

Women’s Boutique carrying handcrafted jewelry, belt buckles, clothing, accessories, and gift items. Many unique one-of-a-kind finds.

September 17-24, 2023, on and around the Guilford green. The festival is back with a brand new name and better than ever! Twenty-five free live performances and family-friendly events including storytelling, folk, jazz, classical and world music. Ballet and contemporary dance. Music, dance and stories of Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Egypt and India. Puppet shows, circus skills, plein art painting, stand-up comedy. A DIY StoryCorps booth where you can tell your story! Be there, on and around the Guilford Green! For more information and the schedule of events, visit www.greenstageguilford.org.

RockPaperSistas’ is an artisan shop with highly curated handmade coastal items for Her, him, heart and home.

Located on the historic Guilford Green, Tracy Brent Collections & Tracy 2 offer clothing and accessories for the sophisticated woman looking for that unique outfit or finishing touch. Find some of the best designers of the world, right here in Connecticut. Our style experts at Tracy Brent Collections will help you create the perfect look for any occasion. Our diverse selection of clothing, jewelry, bags and other accessories makes us the perfect stop for your fashion needs. Love your style at Tracy Brent Collections & Tracy 2.

Breakwater Books is an independent bookstore located on the historic Guilford Green. We carry adult, YA and children’s books as well as cards, puzzles, games and gifts for book lovers. We have been serving the Guilford community since 1972 and we would love to meet you.

View our website: https://www.breakwaterbooks.net

The Guilford Poets Guild was organized in 1998, and in 1999 the organization produced “An Anthology of Guilford Poets.” The Guilford-area poets meet regularly to discuss poetry, plan readings, and work with high school students in local schools. In 2009 the group published “The Guilford Poets Guild Tenth Anniversary Anthology.”

Fitz-Greene Halleck – Poet

July 8, 1790 – November 19, 1867

Fitz-Greene Halleck’s popularity as a poet reached its zenith in the 1820s and 1830s when he produced “Alnwick Castle” and the long poem “Marco Bozzaris,” considered his masterpiece by his contemporaries.

Born and raised in Guilford, Halleck moved to New York at the age of 20.  A banker by trade, he began collaborating with writer Joseph Rodman Drake in a series of satires, “The Croaker Papers,” in 1819. Published anonymously, the series became popular for its irreverent view of New York society and culture. That year, he also published “Fanny,” a satirical narrative poem. The next year, Drake died. Halleck’s grief inspired one of his most famous poems, “On the Death of Joseph Rodman Drake.”

By this time, Halleck’s popularity as a writer drew him into the Knickerbocker group, a circle of New York literati that included Washington Irving and William Cullen Bryant. Though nicknamed “The American Byron,” he continued to work in banking and in other financial jobs.

In 1849, Halleck returned to Guilford and lived here until his death in 1867. In 1877, a statue of Halleck was dedicated in New York’s Central Park by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The memorial’s inscription states: “One of the few, the immortal names that were not born to die.” Halleck is the only American writer honored in the “Literary Walk” of Central Park.

The Guilford Art Center is a non-profit school, shop, and gallery established to nurture and support excellence in the arts. Through classes for adults and children, gallery programs, a shop of contemporary crafts, and special events, the Center fulfills its mission to provide opportunities for the public to participate in the arts, to experience their cultural and historical diversity, and to appreciate the process and product of creative work. The Center seeks to preserve craft traditions and foster innovation by providing an environment where artists can gather, practice, exhibit, teach and exchange ideas.

Founded in 1967 (as the Guilford Handcraft Center), the Center evolved from the first Handcraft Expo, held on the Guilford Green in 1957, in which local artisans displayed and demonstrated their crafts. Ten years later, the Center was incorporated and, since that time, has become a vital part of the town and the shoreline community and culture. It serves as the most comprehensive art organization, and includes the largest public exhibition space, between New Haven and Old Lyme.

The school annually serves over 2,000 students, from preschool-aged through senior citizens, in four semesters of approximately 350 classes, including ceramics, jewelry, metalsmithing, weaving, glass, drawing and painting, blacksmithing and stone carving. Tuition assistance is available to help insure that the Center’s programs are accessible for community members of all means.

The Center’s gallery presents juried and invitational exhibits of art in all media and is open seven days a week, free of charge. The Shop, open year-round, features fine, handmade American crafts; an annual highlight is the Artistry Holiday Sale of Fine American Craft, which includes works by more than 300 artisans. Craft Expo, held on the Guilford Green each July, features works by more than 180 of the country’s most distinguished artisans and is a much-anticipated annual event for the shoreline community.

Check our calendar for upcoming classes, programs, and events:  http://guilfordartcenter.org

The Guilford Art Center is handicap accessible.

Directions:

I-95 to Exit 58; north on Route 77 for 200 yards.
Guilford Art Center is on your right, just past the blinking light.

For information and trail map please go to: Timberland Preserve

Passive recreation only.  Limited number of trails which are multipurpose.

For fishing regulations and licenses please go to: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/CT-Fishing

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Parking is available at Cox School (.25 miles north of the site).

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information and trail map please go to: http://www.ci.guilford.ct.us/boards/conservation-commission/

Passive recreation only.  Limited number of trails which are multipurpose.

Access permits and horseback riding permits are required.  Please contact the Water Authority https://www.rwater.com/in-the-community/recreation to obtain.

To purchase a pass go to:

https://web1.myvscloud.com/wbwsc/ctsouthcwawt.wsc/search.html?module=PM&type=Family%20Permit,Individual%20Permit&SessionID=4cb4a1e24585a546868977f049

Permitted Activities: This site is for passive use only – no mechanized vehicles. Bicycling is permitted from April 15th-December 31st. Bikers can ride on designated trails only and must yield to all hikers. Wading and swimming are prohibited. Dogs are not permitted. State fishing license is required for fishing along the sections of Page Lot Brook and Iron Stream where fishing is allowed.

For fishing regulations and licenses please go to: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/CT-Fishing

Trail map: http://scrcog.org/wp-content/uploads/trails/RWA/RecTrails_RWA2_6-2-16.pdf or https://web1.myvscloud.com/images/ctsouthcwa/splash/areas/Genesee.pdf

The Genesee gated entrance and parking area is located in Madison along Durham Road (Route 79), south of County Road.

A Regional Water Authority (RWA) Recreation Area – Genesee Trails wind through watershed lands in Madison and Guilford and along the site of the “Little Genesee Settlement.” There are six trails covering more than nine miles through rolling, wooded land. According to folklore, the families who settled in this area were originally headed to the Genesee Valley in New York, but they broke a wagon wheel and decided to stay and farm the land. Together with the Goat Lot Trail, the Pine Trail forms a nice loop over gentle grades. Red and white pines here are subtle reminders that this was once open pasture and crop land less than a century ago. Watch for old house foundations and stone walls, remnants of the Little Genesee Settlement established about 1770 and abandoned between 1850 and 1875 on this and the Cooper Lot Trail. Part of the Durham Trail was once an important highway linking the docks on the Connecticut River in Haddam with inland areas stretching as far west as North Branford. The other part of the trail follows an abandoned logging road through low-lying areas containing the most fertile soils of Genesee. Red oak, hickory, beech and sugar maple trees thrive and interesting rock outcrops add to the scenic charm of this trail.

The Grandma Hall Trail is a quaint old logging road that was once used as a cart path. It was named after an early resident of the area, a great-grandmother of an RWA employee. This trail skirts the northwest corner of the property, past a large wetland and along upland where, 20,000 years ago, a glacier scraped off most of the topsoil. As a result, the trees grow slowly here and compete with each other for water and nutrients. Unlike the origin of most of the trails in this system, the Bushwhack Trail was blazed specifically as a hiking trail and includes large, old trees that provide shelter to many forest animals including deer.

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: Eastwoods (guilfordlandtrust.org)

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Conservation Land Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Photo credit: Guilford Conservation Land Trust

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to: East River Preserve & Map

Passive recreation only.  Limited number of trails which are multipurpose.

(Town of Guilford)

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to: http://www.ci.guilford.ct.us/boards/conservation-commission/

Passive recreation only.  Limited number of trails which are multipurpose.

Please note that horseback riding is restricted to a small number of designated trails.

(Guilford Land Conservation Trust and Town of Guilford)

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Land Conservation Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Photo credit: Guilford Land Conservation Trust

• 136 Acres
• Skate Park
• Disc Golf
• Trails for Cross Country Skiing, Horses, Hiking and Bike Riding
• Restrooms
• Softball & Soccer field with lights
• 3 Little League fields
• Pickleball Courts
• Playground

Trail map: https://www.bhhsneproperties.com/uploads/users/tsteiner/trail%20maps/trail%20map%20guilford%20bittner.pdf

Directions:
I-95 to Exit 58. At the end of the ramp head north on Rt. 77 (Right turn if coming from the East; Left turn if coming from the West). Travel approximately 3 miles and the park is on the left. The field is at the rear of the park.

Option 1: FROM I-91
I-91 to Exit 22S Route 9 South. Take exit 13 for State Route 17 S toward New Haven. At light Turn left onto CT-17 South/​South Main St. Travel 6.8 miles to a Slight left onto Route 77 South/​Guilford Rd. Travel 10.0 miles to 1390 Durham Rd (Route 77)

Option 2: FROM I-91
I-91 to Exit 15 Route 68 East. If travelling I91 North Turn Right and go to your second light about 0.9 miles. If travelling I91 South turn Left and go to your third light about 1.0 miles. At light Turn left to stay on Route 68. Go 4.2 miles to end of Route 68 and turn right on Route 17 South/Main St. Travel 0.9 miles to a Slight left onto Route 77 South/​Guilford Rd. Travel 10.0 miles to 1390 Durham Rd (Route 77)

Bittner Park is Guilford’s largest park and one of its most popular. It contains 15 acres of active recreation area and 126 acres of passive areas. Active area consists of a playground, one lighted softball field, three little league fields, a jogging/walking path, one lighted soccer field, roller sports complex, ice rink, fishing access, rest rooms, disc golf course, and more. Passive area contains year-round horseback riding trails, jogging trails and acres of woodlands to hike and walk and cross-country ski. The Bittner Park Trails include many wetland areas and small bridges along the West River. Good hiking shoes are recommended as areas may generally be muddy and especially so during the rainy season. The trail passes through a secessional forest through newer Cedars, a high canopy combination of local deciduous trees (oaks, hickories, maples, and birch), understory shrubs, and intermittent ground cover. Birdwatching opportunities are plentiful. The upland trails also have a seasonal waterfall.

A special feature of Bittner Park is the Scott C. Carey Trout Trail. The town of Guilford was assisted by the Hammonasset Chapter of Trout Unlimited in controlling trail erosion and river sedimentation to the West River. This organization also rebuilt a hiking bridge to cross a wetland area to protect this watershed area. The West River is annually stocked with trout by Department of Environmental Protection. A state fishing license is required for those over 16 years of age. (https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/CT-Fishing)

For information, trail maps, and directions please go to the Guilford Land Conservation Trust website at: https://guilfordlandtrust.org/wordpress/

Photo credit: Guilford Land Conservation Trust

To access full map go to: Recreational Map town of Guilford, CT

Once on that page, you can view, enlarge, and download (download by clicking on the arrow in the upper right-hand corner)

Established during the earliest days of settlement in the center of town, the Guilford Green has always been a center of town activity. In the early days, it was a utilitarian public space rather than the park-like setting it has today. In 1643, a meetinghouse was constructed on the Green. Within a few years, the town academy, Town House and an Episcopal Church were also built. The green was used as the military drilling grounds and open space for wandering cows, sheep, horses and pigs for almost two centuries. In the early 1700s, it also began to be used as a cemetery.

In 1815, the newly formed Town Borough of Guilford began making civic improvements to the green. Residents were ordered to restrain their horses, cattle and sheep in this space that had been officially named the Publick Square. In 1824, burial headstones were removed, and three years later elm trees were planted. In 1837, a fence was constructed to keep animals out. Also in the 19^th century, all buildings were removed.

In 1874, Guilford’s female residents organized the United Workers for Public Improvement to raise funds “to repair the walks, light the streets, improve the condition of the Village Green, and extend the work of beautifying and improving the village.”

By the 1880s, the green was landscaped much as it appears today. Mature trees grow along the paths, and near the center is a Civil War monument dedicated in 1877. Smaller memorials are found throughout the Green including a large boulder with a bronze plaque honoring those who served in the Spanish American War; a smaller boulder with a bronze plaque “in memory of all Revolutionary Soldiers in Guilford”; a rectangular cut stone memorializing those who served in World War I, Korea and Vietnam; a large rectangular stone next to a smaller one remembering those who died in Vietnam; another large boulder with a bronze plaque dedicated to those who served in World War I; and a polished granite memorial honoring fire fighters who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Links to Online Resources:

Historical Room Resources at the Guilford Free Library

Books:

A History of the Plantation of Menunkatuck and of the Original Town of Guilford and Madison, by Bernard Christian Steiner (1897)

Guilford Portraits: Memorial Epitaphs of Alderbrook and Westside [Cemeteries] with Introductory Elegies and Essay by Henry Pynchon Robinson (1907)

History of New Haven County, Connecticut, by J. L. Rockey(1892)

Fifty Puritan Ancestors by Elizabeth Todd Nash (1908)

Vital Records:

Connecticut Death Records Index, 1897-1968 (enter Guilford in the search box)

Connecticut Marriage Records Index, 1897-1968 (enter Guilford in the search box)

Burial Records and Guilford Cemeteries

Newspapers:

Shore Line Times Index (obituaries and some articles)

Library of Congress

Houses, Barns & Buildings:

Illustrated Historical Survey (Historical Homes)

Property Cards (Guilford Town Hall)

A Guide to Researching the History of a House

Pictures & Postcards

Edith B. Nettleton Historical Room Collection (Guilford Free Library)

The Edith B. Nettleton Postcard Collection  (Guilford Free Library)

The Guilford Keeping Society Archives Collection (1)

The Guilford Keeping Society Archives Collection (2)

Connecticut State Library Collection

Other:

The Guilford Covenant (reproduction – page 1)

The Guilford Covenant (reproduction – page 2)

The Guilford Covenant (reproduction – page 3)

Historic Buildings of Connecticut – Guilford
This link (http://historicbuildingsct.com/?page_id=2052/) takes you to the Guilford section of a website that includes towns across the state. The site lists each town’s historic buildings with photos and history. In addition, it offers a searchable statewide list of styles of architecture.

Thanks to Dennis Culliton for providing information about this site.

Admission is charged.

National Historic Landmark
State Archaeological Preserve
Connecticut’s Oldest House
New England’s Oldest Stone House
Connecticut’s First State Museum

The home of Reverend Henry Whitfield, one of Guilford’s founders, dates to 1639. Built of local granite by the first settlers in Guilford, Whitfield shared the home with his wife, Dorothy, and their nine children. The home also served as a protective fort for settlers and a shelter for travelers. Since 1899, the site has been owned and operated by the State of Connecticut.

• The Visitor Center offers travel information, a gift shop and changing exhibits in two galleries.
• The Whitfield House includes a self-guided tour through three floors filled with 17th-19th century furnishings and artifacts. Tour guides are available to answer questions.
• The Education Building offers other hands-on activities and historical exhibits.
• The Landscaped Grounds feature extensive stone walls, a bronze statue representing Henry Whitfield, and a ship’s cannon from the War of 1812.

Click Here for: History & Genealogical Links

The Guilford Free Library is located on the Northeast side of the Guilford Green.

Historical Resource: The library’s Edith B. Nettleton Historical Room contains materials documenting Guilford’s history and genealogy. Included are books, diaries, letters, maps, photographs, postcards, scrapbooks, high school yearbooks, and early tax lists. Also available are microfilm reels of the federal census for New Haven and Middlesex counties from 1800 to 1930. The Shore Line Times newspaper from 1877 to 2008, and the Guilford Courier from its inception in October 1998, are indexed and searchable through the catalog. A portion of the Guilford Keeping Society’s collection of photographs, original manuscripts, and documents is housed here.

Recreation: The mission of the Guilford Free Library is to provide the greatest possible diversity of books, media, information and programs to meet the recreational, cultural, and educational aspirations of all members of the Guilford community. Visit their website (above) to find out about their many events and programs for all ages and interests.

National Register of Historic Places

Open House – see website for schedule

Built in 1802, Faulkner’s Island Lighthouse is Connecticut’s second oldest lighthouse tower and is the only active light station on an island in the state. Faulkner’s Island is about three and one half miles offshore from Guilford. In the early 19^th century, many vessels negotiating Long Island Sound were wrecked on the rocks around the three-acre island, prompting the Lighthouse Establishment to erect a 40-foot stone lighthouse in 1802. The beacon was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, and the island was purchased from Medad Stone for $325.

In 1991, the Faulkner’s Light Brigade was formed as a commission of the Guilford Preservation Alliance to save the lighthouse structure. A restoration was completed in 1999.

The island is part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, and has one of the largest breeding colonies of roseate terns, an endangered species, in the northeastern United States. Access to the island is restricted during nesting season from May to August.

3 mile (approx.) walk: State Street tennis courts to historic Whitfield House Museum

Enjoy an unsolicited walking tour (by visitor, John Watson – 2020) which will take you from the tennis courts on State Street to the Henry Whitfield State Museum.  This narrated tour includes some of Guilford’s historic museums, other beautiful historic homes, landmarks, and landscapes.

To enjoy this video please go to:  Walking to Whitfield’s (3 mile walk)

(photo: 122 Broad Street – Congregational Church office (1874 Elisha Chapman House) – one of the historic buildings along this walk)

Admission is charged.

Click here for a virtual tour of the house.

National Register of Historic Places

The Thomas Griswold House is a classic New England saltbox dwelling standing along a picturesque stretch of the old Post Road. Thomas Griswold III built the house for two of his sons, John and Ezra, circa 1774, on land that had been in the Griswold family since Thomas Griswold II moved from Wethersfield in 1695. The house was purchased by the Guilford Keeping Society in 1958. The house is restored and furnished in the style of the early 19th century, representing the period of George and Nancy Griswold’s occupancy. One room is dedicated to temporary exhibits of items from the society’s collection.

Enjoy a self-guided walking tour, highlighting many properties around the Guilford Green.

Go to: http://cameltours.org/ct/u6/t3 or download a QR code reader and scan the code below.  Select from several properties to hear a recording and view photos.

2. Outside of Guilford Town Center

Enjoy a self-guided walking tour, highlighting many properties outside the Guilford Green.

Go to: https://cameltours.digital.conncoll.edu/ct/u15/t46/ or download a QR code reader and scan the code below.  Select from several properties to hear a recording and view photos.

This Scavenger History Hunt was created during the Covid-19 pandemic as an outdoor activity for children to safely do with their families, using proper social distancing.  Tourist and residents can also enjoy this activity while learning about Guilford and North Guilford history.  Please be respectful of items listed that are located on private property, by viewing them from the street.

Included: (1) an introduction, (2)  a checklist of items to find, (3) aerial maps, (4) detailed descriptions with audio, photos, and addresses, (5) a quiz, and (6) source information.

Historians from the Guilford Free Library, the Guilford Keeping Society, the Henry Whitfield State Museum, and others have put together this Scavenger History Hunt.

For more detailed information regarding many of the locations please consult A Treasury of Guilford Places, by Joel Helander.

We hope you enjoy the Scavenger History Hunt.

Guilford self-guided walking tours are available to download for offline use, allowing users to experience the tours without using smart phone data.

1.  Click here https://uqr.me/blog/best-qr-code-readers/#i-nigma to download a free “QR code reader” app for iPhones, Androids, Blackberry, and Windows phones.

2.  Select a tour to download

http://cameltours.org/ct/u6/t3/ – Historic Guilford Town Center Tour

http://cameltours.org/ct/u15/t9/ – Fair Street Tour

http://cameltours.org/ct/u15/t7/ – Alder Brook Cemetery Tour

3.  Scroll down and select “Download Tour for Offline Use”

MEIGS RAID

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR

From Sachem’s Head Harbor, Guilford, CT, on May 23, 1777, 170 men, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs, rowed across Long Island Sound to raid and destroy a British supply outpost at Sag Harbor, New York.

During the engagement with the enemy, not one of his men was killed or wounded, and 90 prisoners were taken.

Congress voted to recognize Lieutenant-Colonel Meigs for the “Prudence, Activity, Enterprise and Valor” in which the 25-hour expedition was conducted.  Lieutenant-Colonel Meigs was awarded a prestigious presentation sword for his heroism.

Tours also available by appointment

Admission is charged.

Virtual tour of the Mead Stone Tavern.

National Register of Historic Places

In 1803, anticipating the Boston Post Road would be rerouted, Medad Stone built the structure to serve as a tavern for travelers along the road. As it was not rerouted that way, the tavern never opened. Instead, the Davis family occupied the house and farmed the surrounding land for almost 200 years. In 2001, the tavern was given to the Guilford Keeping Society. The society restored the tavern to its original appearance and opened it as “the tavern that opened 200 years late.” The building has 14 rooms and 10 fireplaces. The property also includes a barn, corn crib and extensive fields.

Guilford has many beautiful historic barns. Most are on private property, but many can be viewed from the street.

A map and listing can be found at: https://connecticutbarns.org/map/guilford

Click on each icon to view actual images.

Seasonal guided walks exploring the landscapes around Guilford including the beauty of the area’s woodlands, wetlands, meadows, streams and a vast array of botanical and bird species. Walks are led by experts who will share their knowledge of the terrain and ecosystems. Tours offer something for everyone as they vary by season, location and length.

guilfordlandtrust.org

Hikes (guilfordlandtrust.org)

Calendar of hikes, events and talks

Grass Island Cruises is Guilford’s only tour boat. A one-hour shoreline and river cruise Aboard the Charly More, a 15-passenger Oldport launch, takes in sights of the sound and inlets from Guilford to Madison.

Private Charters

Sunset cruises, birthday parties, bachelor parties, burial at sea and memorial services, special event cruises or any other special occasion can be celebrated for up to 1½ hours aboard the Charly More for up to 15 passengers. Available 7 days a week by appointment.
BYO F & B

Call Captain Bill: 203-245-7208; www.grassislandcruisesct.com

Tour Departure Location

Guilford Lobster Pound Dock
505A Whitfield Street

Tickets
Adults – $14
Seniors – $12
12 and under – $7

The Guilford Lobster Pound serves the freshest lobster roll and homemade clam chowder on the shoreline. We also serve hot dogs, chili dogs, ice cream and cold drinks. You can also BYOB. So, come on down and enjoy not only the food but the best view on Long Island Sound. We guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Hot Lobster Roll $17.00 (4 oz Fresh Lobster Meat)

Sea Dogs $4.00 (Hot Dog on the Water)

Clam Chowder $4.00 (Clear Broth)

Stuffed Clams $3.00 (Stuffed w/Scallops & Shrimp)

Cole Slaw $1.50
Soda & Ice Tea $2.00
Bottled Water $2.00
Chips $1.00
Ice Cream $3

Fair Street Tour 

Enjoy a virtual stroll along the historic Fair Street, Guilford, Connecticut.  Each property listed contains audio and visual information regarding the architecture, owners and occupants.

One of several tours designed by the Guilford Preservation Alliance board member, Tracy Tomaselli.

Guilford, CT

Click here to read short articles regarding various topics pertaining to Guilford history, compiled by GPA board member, Tracy Tomaselli.

(Permission to publish any of the information must be obtained in writing, by emailing tomasellitracy@sbcglobal.net)

Photo source:  Courtesy of the Edith B. Nettleton digital archives collection, Guilford Free Libary

Tours also available by appointment

Admission to the house is charged

The Dudley Farm was built in 1844 by Erastus Dudley, a prosperous North Guilford farmer, gristmill and tannery owner. Today, the house, barns and 10 picturesque acres occupy a portion of the land farmed by the Dudley family for almost 300 years. The property is operated by the Dudley Foundation.

Tours tell visitors how the family lived and worked on the farm in the year 1900. The barns and out buildings, with displays of tools and farm equipment, and animals representative of the period, give a glimpse into life and work on a family farm. The grounds include period flower and herb gardens, a farm garden, cropland, meadows and woods. The house is a charming museum featuring quilts and weaving; one can imagine that the family just stepped out for a few minutes, leaving everything in use as we might today.

The design objective of our sterling silver jewelry is not so much trend driven as it is to invoke a sense in the wearer, however subtle, of transcendence from the humdrum of our daily existence, to our truer nature, that which connects us all to our planet.

Natural influences abound, such as floral and leafy shapes; also spiritual symbols such as spirals and various geometric designs can be seen. Semi-precious stones accent these wonderful jewelry pieces.

Visit our local store, on the historic Guilford Green, or shop online.

Our Experience

The adventure begins when you first enter the store and are greeted by friendly, knowledgeable staff, who invite you to “Come In and Smell the Spices!^®” It’s not just our tagline, it embodies our desire to welcome you to take part in The Spice & Tea Exchange^® experience!

Entering The Spice & Tea Exchange^® is an adventure like no other. Our store is unique, following the framework of an 18^th Century Trading Post. Heavy wooden beams, nautical and antique fixtures highlight the open and airy fresh market feeling that evokes a sense of stepping back in time. You’ll immediately smell the wonderful fine spices, fresh herbs, gourmet blends and exotic teas. You are encouraged to open the jars to smell, while you watch Spice Masters create hand-mixed blends. Let your curiosity guide you as you explore The Spice & Tea Exchange^®.

Located in the historic district of Guilford, CT, Page Hardware & Appliance Co. anchors the shopping area surrounding the town Green. The hardwood floors and neighborly conversations you expect to see in an old-fashioned hardware store are surrounded by modern products found at today’s trend-setting retailers.

Come in and browse a wide array of gifts, gadgets, and necessities, in hardware, housewares, and appliance departments. Inside you will find locally-made products, Guilford t-shirts, postcards, and other souvenirs. While you shop, kids can hunt for Finn, a stuffed hammerhead shark, and win a prize.

Customer service is the number one priority at Page’s. A friendly face is always available to help you find just the right solution for your project or the perfect gift for someone special in your life. Page’s also offers a large range of services, from gift cards and key cutting, to little perks like free gift wrapping and carrying your purchase to your car. Come visit to experience the store for yourself. There is always something you need to pick up at Page’s.

Unique clothing and giftables for baby & kids – newborn thru 8 years

Visit us at the shop located on the corner of Boston Post Road & State Street or online at https://justhatched.com/

Hole in the Wall, Guilford’s oldest and only non-profit consignment and resale shop, is located at 35 Boston Street, across from Guilford Savings Bank in the Boston Commons shopping center.

New merchandise arrives every day at Hole in the Wall, always gently priced and offering great value. The shop is open seven days a week: Monday through Friday, 10 am to 5pm; Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm; Sunday, noon to 4 pm.

Quality clothing, housewares, jewelry, shoes, books and seasonal items are accepted for consignment or donation. Donations are accepted daily. Consignors should call the shop (203-453-2088) to arrange an appointment. Clothing should be on hangers, in current style and season, clean, pressed and in excellent condition.

Since 1974, Hole in the Wall has supported Guilford’s A Better Chance program (“ABC”) which invites academically talented young women of color from under-represented communities to attend Guilford High School and to enjoy the many benefits of living in the Guilford community. The program’s goal is to lessen the educational divide, one scholar at a time, and to prepare these scholars for a lifetime of achievement.

Open May to mid-December, Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4:30 pm.  The shop and visitor center are also open from January to April on most Mondays to Fridays, 10 am to 4:30 pm.

The Guilford Art Center is a non-profit school, shop, and gallery established to nurture and support excellence in the arts. Through classes for adults and children, gallery programs, a shop of contemporary crafts, and special events, the Center fulfills its mission to provide opportunities for the public to participate in the arts, to experience their cultural and historical diversity, and to appreciate the process and product of creative work. The Center seeks to preserve craft traditions and foster innovation by providing an environment where artists can gather, practice, exhibit, teach and exchange ideas.

Founded in 1967 (as the Guilford Handcraft Center), the Center evolved from the first Handcraft Expo, held on the Guilford Green in 1957, in which local artisans displayed and demonstrated their crafts. Ten years later, the Center was incorporated and, since that time, has become a vital part of the town and the shoreline community and culture. It serves as the most comprehensive art organization, and includes the largest public exhibition space, between New Haven and Old Lyme.

The school annually serves over 2,000 students, from preschool-aged through senior citizens, in four semesters of approximately 350 classes, including ceramics, jewelry, metalsmithing, weaving, glass, drawing and painting, blacksmithing and stone carving. Tuition assistance is available to help insure that the Center’s programs are accessible for community members of all means.

The Center’s gallery presents juried and invitational exhibits of art in all media and is open seven days a week, free of charge. The Shop, open year-round, features fine, handmade American crafts; an annual highlight is the Artistry Holiday Sale of Fine American Craft, which includes works by more than 300 artisans. Craft Expo, held on the Guilford Green each July, features works by more than 180 of the country’s most distinguished artisans and is a much-anticipated annual event for the shoreline community.

Check our calendar for upcoming classes, programs, and events:  http://guilfordartcenter.org

The Guilford Art Center is handicap accessible.

Directions:

I-95 to Exit 58; north on Route 77 for 200 yards.
Guilford Art Center is on your right, just past the blinking light.

Bold color and beautiful design are what you will find at BSK Design at the Greene Art Gallery. BSK design has moved to the iconic Greene Art Gallery, behind Chapter One, in the red barn.

Barbara Shulman-Kirwin exhibits her unique, affordable fused glass dichroic jewelry and functional glass pieces as well as her equally colorful abstract paintings. This new space is also home to her healing practice, where she sees clients for life coaching and her forgiveness practice.

Come in and see for yourself!

Since opening our doors in 2015, The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center has redefined convenience and truly embraces the ‘Your Market. Your Place.’ philosophy. Nothing says local charm quite like The Marketplace. With a rich history and deep community roots this one-stop shop—café, bakery, deli, grocery, butcher, prepared foods, and catering—will keep you coming back for more. We happily serve the shoreline communities and beyond.

The Marketplace sets the standard for delicious food, quality customer service, and a welcoming casual atmosphere. We offer indoor dining, outdoor patio dining, take-out, curbside, and local delivery.

Grass Island Cruises is Guilford’s only tour boat. A one-hour shoreline and river cruise Aboard the Charly More, a 15-passenger Oldport launch, takes in sights of the sound and inlets from Guilford to Madison.

Schedule – 2019

May 24th thru June 16th – Friday, Saturday and Sunday

June 21st thru September 2nd – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

September 7th thru October 8th – Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Embark: 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. Evenings by appointment

Private Charters

Sunset cruises, birthday parties, bachelor parties, burial at sea and memorial services, special event cruises or any other special occasion can be celebrated for up to 1½ hours aboard the Charly More for up to 15 passengers. Available 7 days a week by appointment.
BYO F & B

Call Captain Bill: 203-245-7208; www.grassislandcruisesct.com

Tour Departure Location

Guilford Lobster Pound Dock
505A Whitfield Street

Tickets
Adults – $14
Seniors – $12
12 and under – $7

The Guilford Lobster Pound serves the freshest lobster roll and homemade clam chowder on the shoreline. We also serve hot dogs, chili dogs, ice cream and cold drinks. You can also BYOB. So, come on down and enjoy not only the food but the best view on Long Island Sound. We guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Hot Lobster Roll $17.00 (4 oz Fresh Lobster Meat)

Sea Dogs $4.00 (Hot Dog on the Water)

Clam Chowder $4.00 (Clear Broth)

Stuffed Clams $3.00 (Stuffed w/Scallops & Shrimp)

Cole Slaw $1.50
Soda & Ice Tea $2.00
Bottled Water $2.00
Chips $1.00
Ice Cream $3

VISIT US
Bishop’s Orchards Guilford Farm Market & Winery, 1355 Boston Post Rd. in Guilford is open year round.

Bishop’s Orchards Guilford Pick-Your-Own Orchards are located at multiple fields. Please visit our Pick Your Own page for locations. Our Pick-Your-Own Season runs from June with Strawberries, till the end of October with Pumpkins.

BUSINESS HOURS:
HOLIDAY FARM MARKET & WINERY HOURS
Open 7am-7pm Thanksgiving Eve
Closed Thanksgiving
Close at 4pm Christmas Eve
Closed Christmas Day & Day After (26th)
Close at 5 pm New Years Eve
Closed New Years Day
Closed Easter Sunday
Closed Monday – Memorial Day
Closed 4th of July
FARM MARKET HOURS
Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

WINERY HOURS
Monday – Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Bishop’s Orchards Northford Farm at 1920 Middletown Ave in Northford is open weekends only (and Monday Columbus Day) from Sat 9/14 to Sunday 10/20 for apple picking, cider, donuts, pies, cookies and apples.

HISTORY
B.W. Bishop & Sons, Inc. is a family-owned and operated farm corporation, doing business as Bishop’s Orchards. The farm was started in 1871 by Walter Goodrich Bishop who engaged in general farming including dairy, vegetables and ice. His son, Burton Walter Bishop, joined him and expanded the business. In 1909, they set out the first commercial orchard. Burton’s sons, Arthur F. and Charles R., joined with their father in 1918 and continued to set out more orchards on land purchased in 1920 and 1926. Generations 3-7, expanded the business by adding a seasonal retail market (at the present location), pick your own fruits and other crops, bakery, winery (including a 25-foot wine bar), and a second location located on Rt. 17 in Northford.

Guilford’s Historic Cemeteries

Soon after Guilford’s settlement in 1639, the Town Green became the fledgling community’s burial grounds. Because the Green was also used for other purposes, including militia training and grazing livestock, use of the grounds as a cemetery was eventually deemed inappropriate. In the early 19^th century, graves were moved from the Green to two new cemeteries in other parts of town. As Guilford’s population grew in the years that followed, other cemeteries were established including small, private family cemeteries.

Today, Guilford’s cemeteries offer a quiet retreat for visitors to stop at the grave sites of some of Guilford’s notable citizens and to contemplate the stories of their lives.

New information on those laid to rest in Guilford’s cemeteries is continually coming to light through the ongoing research of historians and genealogists.  Following are locations of Guilford’s cemeteries and stories of some of those laid to rest in these cemeteries.

When visiting a cemetery, please keep the following in mind:

• A cemetery is a place for families to mourn and visit their loved ones. Be respectful of those around you.
• Do not to leave any trash.
• Do not disturb any memorials (such as flowers, coins, photos or other mementos).
• Do not take any rubbings of headstones – this can seriously damage old stones.
• Do not make any unauthorized repairs to headstones. Repairs require specialized materials and expertise.
• If the cemetery’s open hours are posted, visit only during these hours.

Click here :  Self-Guided Virtual Tour

Twenty-eight interesting interments explored through audio and images. (see list below with GPS coordinates)

One of several tours designed by the Guilford Preservation Alliance board member, Tracy Tomaselli.

Evergreen Fine Crafts is a contemporary craft shop, established in 1983.

The shop’s focus is American craft and features a distinctive collection of functional ceramics, wood, metal, and fashion accessories, including handbags and scarves, glass, jewelry, and so much more!

Evergreen offers affordable pricing, free gift wrapping, gift certificates, and shipping.

Come visit and celebrate the creative spirit of American craftsmen! You will find us on the south side of the Guilford Green.

Since opening our doors in 2015, The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center has redefined convenience and truly embraces the ‘Your Market. Your Place.’ philosophy. Nothing says local charm quite like The Marketplace. With a rich history and deep community roots this one-stop shop—café, bakery, deli, grocery, butcher, prepared foods, and catering—will keep you coming back for more. We happily serve the shoreline communities and beyond.

The Marketplace sets the standard for delicious food, quality customer service, and a welcoming casual atmosphere. We offer indoor dining, outdoor patio dining, take-out, curbside, and local delivery.

The Monastery of Our Lady of Grace
A community of Cloistered Dominican Nuns with Solemn Vows, Papal Enclosure and Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, following the Rule of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions of the Nuns of the Order of Preachers, we live a hidden sacrificial life of faith, adoration and charity and are associated with the “holy preaching” of the Dominican Order by our prayer and penance. ​Founded in 1947 from the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary, Summit New Jersey, the community now numbers 29.

Seasonal guided walks exploring the landscapes around Guilford including the beauty of the area’s woodlands, wetlands, meadows, streams and a vast array of botanical and bird species. Walks are led by experts who will share their knowledge of the terrain and ecosystems. Tours offer something for everyone as they vary by season, location and length.  For Guilford Land Conservation Trust trail maps, visit Guilfordlandtrust.org/trail-maps.

Tours available: by appointment

FREE – Around The Green Walking Tour – sponsored by the Guilford Preservation Alliance

Tour Information

Tours begin at The Guilford Information Plaza, 32 Church Street, Guilford, CT

Explore 375 years of Guilford’s history on a guided walking tour led by volunteers. History of the Town Green and many of the surrounding homes and businesses, most of which are on the National Register of Historic Places, is provided. Learn about the Native Americans, New England slavery, how Guilford is connected to the saving of the Connecticut Charter (1687), the Salem Witch Trials (1692), and the Statue of Liberty. Other entertaining historical stories are added, making this tour sure to please visitors of all ages.

You’ll love our delicious hand tossed pizzas and entrées

Sure you have had pizza before. But if you haven’t had a pizza from Naples Restaurant & Pizza, you are in for a treat! When you want REAL pizza, come to our family owned restaurant for simply the best pizza you will find anywhere in the area. After 35 years in this business, we know how to make great pizza for you. Or, if you want an entrée, there’s plenty to choose from at Naples Restaurant & Pizza. Enjoy a wide selection of traditional Italian entrées or tasty sandwiches. Whatever you’re in the mood for, if you enjoy great Italian cuisine, you’re sure to find just the right selection in our family owned restaurant.

Let the restaurant come to you!

Have a great pizza party with the freshest pizza, wherever you want! We bring the restaurant and the party to you so you don’t have to worry about a thing. Enjoy your party or event and let us take care of the rest. We bring the food, the paper products and even remove our own garbage. This will be the easiest party you ever hosted! Your event will be worry-free because we are entirely self-contained and supply our own electricity and water.

Located on the historic Guilford Green we are more than just your average package store. We are a part of the Guilford community and thus we pride ourselves on our welcoming atmosphere and friendly customer service. Browse our shelves where you will find an eclectic and curated inventory featuring a wide range of fine wines, trending spirits and the best in craft beer as well as all the brands you know and love.