By STEPHEN SINGER
By STEPHEN SINGER
Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut is a small state that can be crossed in a matter of hours, depending on traffic, offering relatively easy access for travelers looking to visit various corners of the state. Here are five free things to do and see there.
SUBMARINE FORCE MUSEUM
The Submarine Force Museum on the Thames River in Groton is home to the Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered vessel and first ship to reach the North Pole. It’s the only submarine museum operated by the U.S. Navy and is the primary repository of artifacts, documents and photographs related to the history of submarines in the military. The museum traces the development of submarines, from the so-called Turtle, the first American submarine developed for use in the Revolutionary War, to today’s Ohio and Virginia class submarines.
FORT GRISWOLD BATTLEFIELD STATE PARK
Connecticut is a destination for amateur historians. One of the 13 colonies, it played a key role in providing munitions to the fledgling U.S. Army.
A visit to Connecticut’s shoreline can include a stop at the Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park in Groton in southeast Connecticut. British forces, commanded by Benedict Arnold, captured the fort in 1781 and killed 88 of the 165 defenders.
HAMMONASSET BEACH STATE PARK
Hammonasset, Connecticut’s largest shoreline park, offers a boardwalk and more than 2 miles of beach. Parking is free from mid-September to April 20. But even during the season when a parking fee applies, visitors can parking in nearby downtown Madison for free and bike the 2-mile route east on Route 1 to Hammonasset.
YALE CENTER
FOR BRITISH ART
The Yale Center for British Art houses the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom. Admission is free, insisted upon by its benefactor, Paul Mellon, a 1929 Yale graduate.
The museum boasts paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings and a rare books collection, said Scott Wilcox, chief curator of art collections.
STATE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The Museum of Natural History and Connecticut Archaeology Center at the University of Connecticut in Storrs boasts the single largest repository of Connecticut Native American, colonial and industrial artifacts.
The materials document more than 11,000 years of the area’s past. Collections include a large sample of Connecticut Indian stone bowls and pottery vessels.