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Historic Fun FactsTake a walking tour through Historic Downtown Mystic.
Dutch Captain Adrian Bloc first explored the coastline of Connecticut in 1614. American Flyer used the Mystic Train Depot as a model for its model train station. A Mystic built ship, the Andrew Jackson, broke all previous records for a New York to San Francisco voyage in 1869 with an elapsed time of 89 days, 4 hours. In 1819, when a private company owned the Mystic bridge and collected tolls, a person nabbed taking a passenger across in a boat forfeited a double toll to the bridge tender. Key West, Florida was founded by Mystic sea captains who needed a southern base for their runs to and from the West Indies. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall honeymooned at the Inn at Mystic. Ruth Buzzi, of Laugh In fame, was born in Stonington and had her arm tattooed "Fun is Wequetequock" after Wequetequock Cove. The first non capsizable life saving boat with a self bailing cockpit was made here. The sea sled was also made in Mystic. James Lathrop Company was the first to hold a US patent on a gasoline marine engine. Lathrop was also one of America's first millionaires. Cheney Globe Works produced globes and stands found in every school in the US. 1895-1905 Post Clipper Ship Era ‚owners of older buildings in downtown Mystic were pressured into remodeling storefronts in new plate glass windows. Within a course of a few years, Mystic had electricity, trolleys, banks, factories, merchants, churches, a library, schools, fraternal lodges, and volunteer firemen. In 1881 the Navy established a yard on the Thames River that would eventually become the Submarine Base in Groton. The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1937. Charles W. Morgan, last of the old time whaling ships, arrived in 1941 at the Mystic Seaport Museum from New Bedford. The First Annual Blessing of the Fleet was held in 1956 in Stonington Borough and has become an annual event. In 1957 the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival began. Historic Downtown Mystic held it’s first May Day celebration in 1980. The Liberty Flagpole was first erected in 1862. In 1979 the Mystic Seaport Museum’s Steamboat,The Sabino, started river cruises down the Mystic River. | |
Copyright Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce 2006. All Rights Reserved. | |
