Connecticut

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From the rolling Litchfield Hills to the picturesque Long Island Sound, your tour will cross such varied landscapes as scenic villages, cosmopolitan cities and quaint covered bridges.  This state really packs a fun-filled punch for groups in for the time of their lives! 

Connecticut is America’s third smallest state, but don’t let that fool you. Within a surprisingly short
distance visitors will encounter such a wide variety of things to do and places to see it’ll be hard to decide where to start!  Your group can experience activities as diverse as exploring a Colonial town, trying their luck at the world’s largest casino, doing a wine-tasting at an award-winning winery, or even thrilling to the antics of the Mystic Aquarium’s famed beluga whales – all within a 45-minute drive.

The Constitution State is also deeply rooted in American history and that history permeates every corner of the state.  The original charter of Connecticut’s first colonists was used as the model for the American Constitution, and the state’s museums and historic sites are burgeoning with exhibits and artifacts to satisfy even the deepest of historical thirsts.  Historical Connecticut is about award-winning art, music, sports, festivals and much more.
Just 90 miles from east to west, and 55 miles from north to south, compact Connecticut can be crossed in less than three hours.  Its ideal location halfway between Boston and New York make the state a perfect gateway for travelers – a gateway to New England for those coming from the south and a gateway to the Mid-Atlantic for those coming from the north.

Getting around the state is not only exciting to visitors, but it’s a breeze as well.  The state boasts a well-maintained highway system and Interstate-95 skirts along Connecticut’s coastline  providing access to all points in the state. 

Groups will love all that Connecticut has to offer. It’s convenient and thoroughly appealing to groups of all sizes and all interests.  Be sure to treat your tour to Connecticut while visiting the region, a real sample of everything New England.

Included on the trail are buildings reported to have been used on the Underground Railroad, sites associated with the Amistad case of 1839-1842, and gravesites, monuments, homes, and other structures that represent the concept of freedom so cherished in the American mind. It is hoped that those who visit some or all of the locations on the Freedom Trail will gain a greater appreciation for the experiences and contributions of Connecticut's African Americans.

The Amistad Case
On June 28, 1839, the Spanish ship Amistad left a port in Havana, Cuba, with 53 Africans who had been kidnapped from their homeland, destined for a lifetime of slavery. The Africans seized control of the ship mid-voyage and forced the Spanish owners to sail towards Africa. However, the ship entered the waters of Long Island Sound where the U.S. Navy took it into custody.

The Africans were placed in jail in New Haven while their fate became a major legal case that took two years to resolve. The long process led the public's attention to focus on the rights of African Americans in the United States.  Former President John Quincy Adams successfully defended the Africans before the U. S. Supreme Court, and in February 1841 they were declared free.

In March 1841 the Africans of the Amistad were sent to Farmington to live while funds were raised privately for their return to Africa. The 35 surviving Africans sailed towards their homeland as free individuals, reaching Sierra Leone in January 1842.

The Underground Railroad
Slavery existed in America from colonial settlement at the beginning of the seventeenth century until it was abolished in 1865 by passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. Many slaves who wanted freedom chose to escape from their owners and find a safe location. The Underground Railroad, which was neither under the ground nor a railroad, provided a series of safe havens, or stations, for fugitive slaves who were making their way to the Northern states, Canada, or other locations.

The North Star was a guide for runaway slaves leaving the South, but once in the Underground Railroad system the participants were conducted by foot, wagon, horse, or boat to a private house, barn, or church where they would be hidden until it was possible to send them to the next northward-bound location. There were many entry points for the fugitive slaves coming into Connecticut,
including Stamford, New Haven and Old Lyme.  This operation required the cooperation and
secrecy of free participants who could be charged with breaking the law in helping slaves.
Because of the secrecy, some of the buildings
listed cannot be documented with precision. However, their inclusion on the Freedom Trail is based on written histories, studies, and traditions.

Freedom Trail Locations
There are dozens of sites for visitors to view and even tour on Connecticut’s Freedom Trail.  There is a combination of publically accessible sites and
private residences (therefore not open to the
public).  For a comprehensive listing of sites
pertaining to the Underground Railroad, the Amistad Case and other sites representing the Concept of Freedom in Connecticut, log onto www.ctfreedomtrail.com.

Links of Interest
For more information on Connecticut’s Freedom Trail, be sure to visit the following links of interest:

Amistad Committee, Inc. - amistad.nai@rcn.com

Amistad America, Inc. - www.amistadamerica.org

Underground Railroad Initiative National Park Service - www.nps.gov/undergroundrr/
 
CT Women's Hall of Fame - www.cwhf.org
 
Connecticut’s Regional Tourism Districts
www.ctvisit.com/tourism_regions
 
John E. Rogers African American Cultural
Center, Inc.- www.johnrogers.org
 
The Gilder Lehrman Center - www.yale.edu/glc