Discover Naugatuck through its local history and the distinctive profiles of its trails. At Naugatuck Green and the Naugatuck History Museum, design and history take center stage; the Larkin State Park Trail, the Naugatuck River Greenway, and Naugatuck State Forest offer different outdoor experiences. When planning your stay, it helps not to treat these attractions as interchangeable stops: for culture, consider exhibition topics and historic design; outdoors, use the activity, trail layout, and stage of development as your guide.
Local History at the Museum and the Green
As part of the nationwide America 250 initiative, the Naugatuck History Museum is presenting a multi-part exhibition series. It connects local stories with the broader American experience. The “The Revolution and 19th Century” exhibition space explores war, industry, and everyday life in the 19th century. These topics offer different ways into history, from broader historical contexts to work and daily life. Before your visit, check which parts of the series are currently on display, as the offerings may change.
At Naugatuck Green, the history of its lease and its design belong to different chapters. In 1893, the Green was leased to the town for 999 years, subject to the requirement that it be maintained and cared for as a public park. Two years later, in 1895, the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White designed the Green. The two dates therefore tell different stories: one concerns the lease and its associated obligation, the other the design. The Green is laid out on an axial plan. This refers to a spatial arrangement along an imaginary axis and draws attention to the design of the space, not just to individual buildings.
Trail Profiles and Outdoor Landscapes
Naugatuck State Forest encompasses almost 5,000 acres of undeveloped forest, grasslands, rivers, lakes, gorges, and wetlands in the Naugatuck River Valley. The landscape therefore extends beyond forest to include open areas and waterside environments. If you include nature in your travel plans, you will find a different focus here than in the local history at the Green: the landscape and possible activities take center stage.
The activities mentioned differ considerably. In the Quillinan Block, the State Forest has several miles of mountain biking singletrack. There are also trails for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, trail running, and hiking. This lets you choose where to focus based on your planned activity, rather than treating the different types of trails as a single offering.
The Larkin State Park Trail is a 10.3-mile linear trail for walkers, joggers, cyclists, and hikers. It follows a former railroad line through Naugatuck. At the eastern end, there is parking for six to eight cars at Whittemore Glen State Park along Route 63. Check the parking access information before your trip.
The Naugatuck River Greenway is being developed through Naugatuck as a non-motorized multi-use trail. Open sections are accessible to users of all abilities. Along the Greenway, you can explore mapped access points, parking, and destinations. This distinguishes it from the expressly linear Larkin State Park Trail and the varied activities in the State Forest. Since the stage of development and map information may change, check the latest details about open sections and access points before planning your visit.
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