Summary
In the lightly populated Windham County, the small town of Plainfield comprises the four villages of Plainfield, Moosup, Wauregan, and Central Village.
It can be stated that activities in this serene section of Connecticut are predominantly rural and centered around the outdoors, featuring woodland hikes through unique swamp habitats, visits to farms with corn mazes, and fishing in the multitude of ponds.
These water bodies punctuate the landscape, originating from the waterwheels of factories established in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Today, only faint remnants exist in a setting that has largely reverted to nature.
Your primary focus in Plainfield should be the nearby Prudence Crandall Museum, which serves as a monument to tolerance and race relations, established in the 1830s.
1. Prudence Crandall Museum
The abolitionist and educator Prudence Crandall (1803-1890) is recognized as Connecticut’s state heroine, celebrated for founding the first school for black girls in the United States.
This academy, housed in an impressive Greek Revival building from 1805, is located just five minutes from Plainfield Village at the Canterbury Town Green.
Crandall inaugurated the school in 1832, initially admitting all white students.
A solitary black woman, Sarah Harris, was later admitted, rendering this the first integrated school in the nation.
When the white students withdrew in opposition, the academy reopened specifically for black girls, reaching a peak enrollment of 24 students.
This situation eventually resulted in mob violence, leading to Crandall spending a night in prison in August 1833. The academy ultimately closed in 1834. The house and grounds are now designated as a National Historic Landmark and a State Archaeological Preserve.
Visitors can explore the story and broader significance of the site through period rooms and exhibit galleries (upstairs) before enjoying a leisurely stroll through the landscaped grounds.
2. Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm
Located conveniently in Sterling, this family-operated poultry farm raises approximately 3,000 pasture-raised turkeys, making it the largest operation of its nature in Connecticut.
As a humane initiative with happy, healthy livestock, the farm opens its doors to the public from spring to fall.
The Brown Cow Café offers an array of turkey sandwiches, including a Thanksgiving variation with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayo.
The creamery presents more than 30 ice cream flavors, with unique creations such as cake batter or cucumber, alongside traditional options including strawberry and peanut butter cup.
Choices include cups, waffle cones, shakes, sundaes, or even an apple cider donut topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel, whipped cream, and a cherry.
From September to October, families can enjoy getting lost in the corn maze, taking a hay ride, and visiting various animals such as goats, chickens, and of course, turkeys in the barnyard.
3. Old Furnace State Park
Much like various parts of the countryside in Windham County, Old Furnace State Park has roots in industry, as it was home to an iron furnace that operated long before the Revolutionary War.
During the war, horseshoes were forged here for the Continental Army.
The raw materials used for iron production were sourced locally, with ore extracted from swamps and bogs and charcoal made from the ancient woodlands that were cleared over a few decades.
By the 20th century, this industry had vanished, with only a pair of ponds remaining, and the land was ultimately sold to the town of Killingly and subsequently to the state of Connecticut.
The park features one of the state’s premier short hiking trails, winding past the ponds and ascending to a rocky ledge that rises 60 meters above the valley, providing panoramic views over eastern Killingly and, beyond that, into Rhode Island.
4. Hopeville Pond State Park
This pond in Griswold was historically flanked by mills, where the Pachaug River was first dammed by Europeans in the early 18th century, subsequently adopting its current form in 1828. Even prior to European settlement, the Mohegan tribe constructed weirs to fish in this section of the Pachaug.
At the turn of the 20th century, the mill and the small residential community on the pond’s shores were consumed by fire, including a gristmill that had operated from 1711 to 1908. The pond and the adjacent woodlands were designated as a state park in 1938, providing opportunities for swimming, camping, hiking, and fishing.
Among the fish species documented in these waters are chain pickerel, channel catfish, largemouth bass, yellow perch, and northern pike.
The Hopeville Pond Campground features 80 sites nestled in a tranquil wooded environment.
5. Logee’s Greenhouses
Logee’s has been operating in the horticultural industry since 1892, making their commercial greenhouses in Danielson an exciting destination for amateur botanists and horticulturists.
The oldest of the six greenhouses, the Fern House, has been on-site since the establishment of the business.
In the Big House, one can find collections of camellias, geraniums, cacti, along with an orange tree that has thrived for 150 years and features ten different grafts.
Another historic specimen resides among the orchids in the Lemon Tree House, where the Ponderosa lemon tree, dating back to 1900, produces lemons as large as grapefruits.
The Herb House is abundant with medicinal and culinary plants, while the Potting House is filled with bonsais, spice plants, and passion flowers.
6. Buttonwood Farm
This family-operated dairy farm in Griswold has been a staple since 1975, known primarily for its sunflower fields and decadent ice cream.
Each season, the farm cultivates 14 acres of sunflowers, yielding approximately 300,000 blooms.
For a $10 donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Connecticut, visitors can take home a bouquet of five sunflowers.
From March through late October, the farm offers a variety of Buttonwood Farm’s delightful ice cream, crafted in small batches right on-site.
The waffle cones are made fresh daily, and the whipped cream is genuinely homemade.
With over 50 flavors to choose from and several limited editions, there is certainly something for everyone. A notable flavor introduced in autumn 2019 was Elephant Trunk, featuring vanilla with peanut butter swirl, chocolate-covered pretzels, and chocolate-covered peanuts.
In the fall, Buttonwood Farm hosts numerous activities for young children, including a seven-acre corn maze, hayrides, opportunities to meet farm animals, and climbing up the Straw Bale Mountain.
7. Pachaug State Forest
The largest forest within the Connecticut state forest system encompasses over 27,000 acres across various parcels in the eastern sector of New London County, near the boundary with Rhode Island.
This area spans six towns and is divided into two sizeable sections known as the Chapman Area (to the west) and the Green Falls Area (to the east). In Plainfield, the Chapman Area is virtually in your backyard, providing numerous opportunities for adventure along three long-distance Blue-Blazed Trails: The Pachaug Trail, the Nehantic Trail, and the Quinnebaug Trail.
The latter begins just east in Sterling, traversing unique patches of Atlantic white cedar swamp over an 8.1-mile route heading south.
Particularly captivating about this landscape is its historical agricultural significance; remnants of past farmland can be encountered, evident in the stone foundations and cellar holes left by long-gone farmhouses.
8. Tikkanen’s Berry Farm
One of the most gratifying ways to spend a sunny day in rural Connecticut is to engage in the delightful experience of picking your own produce at a charming farm.
You can achieve this at Tikkanen’s Berry Farm, located near the Rhode Island boundary in Sterling.
The farm operates from Thursday to Monday, generally from early July through early September.
The season commences with gooseberries, currants, and blueberries, with late blueberries ripening throughout July.
Towards the end of August, beach plums become ready for picking, which can turn out to be delicious on the day you choose to visit.
As Tikkanen’s Berry Farm runs as an authentic rural business, it is advisable to check in advance to confirm its operating hours.
9. Black Pond Brews
A craft brewery is never far away in Connecticut, and the closest one is located just over the town line to the north in Danielson.
Open from Thursday to Monday, the taproom at Black Pond Brews is a vibrant venue, featuring ample outdoor seating, trivia nights on select Mondays, open songwriter sessions on the third Saturday of each month, comedy nights, and video game tournaments.
The brewery frequently rotates its beer offerings every couple of weeks; however, the flagship IPA, known as D-Burg, is always available. In September 2019, additional brews were introduced, including Israel Putnam Brown Ale, Bare Branches Oktoberfest infused with local maple syrup, Sun Gate Porter using Peruvian coffee, and Machu Picchu, a Jalapeño Saison.
10. Glen Falls Bridge
Proceed along Brunswick Avenue, off N Main Street in Moosup, and you will soon encounter the closed Glen Falls Bridge.
This historic structure spans the Moosup River and was constructed by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company in 1886, serving as one of the few remaining examples among hundreds of lenticular truss bridges built in the late 19th century.
Although long since closed to vehicular traffic, Glen Falls Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 and is situated near a 19th-century mill complex on the northern bank of the river.
