Mystic River Historical Society

Welcome to the Mystic River Historical Society.

MRHS is located in Mystic, Connecticut, centered around the famous Mystic Bridge which has connected the towns of Groton and Stonington for nearly 200 years. We are some 300 strong and have been dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of the greater Mystic area since 1973. We’re a totally volunteer organization offering a wide variety of opportunities for those who are willing and able to contribute time and energy.

The Connecticut League of History Organizations (CLHO) has awarded MRHS a 2023 Award of  Merit for the Mystic River Bascule Bridge Centennial project.  MRHS board members Elizabeth Boucher and Marilyn Comrie created the Mystic River Bridge display  at the Groton Public Library and authored the bridge souvenir booklet and hard cover book Walk Your Horses. Board member Jim Streeter gave a talk on the history of the Mystic River bridges.  MRHS also served on the Chamber of Commerce’s bridge anniversary committee to help with the many bridge-related activities held during last year’s bridge centennial, and worked with Firesite Films on their production of numerous short videos related to the bridge and its history.

On May 1, 2023, the Mystic River Bridge centennial plaque was formally unveiled.  The plaque is mounted on the bridge tender’s house.  MRHS is proud to have significantly contributed to the many activities that celebrated our 100 year-old bridge and is grateful for the recognition by the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.

The Mystic River Historical Society is 50 years old this year.  To help celebrate this milestone,  MRHS walked in this year’s Mystic Irish Parade on March 19.  Also, board member Lynn Schroder has been researching our history by decade and telling our story in our newsletters this year.   On September 24 we will be having a “gala” at the Mystic Shipyard Yacht Club from 4pm to 8pm with food, drink, and music from the 70’s.  Formal invitations and details will be sent to MRHS members.

As the culmination to this past year’s celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the Mystic drawbridge, the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce has published a hard cover book, “Walk Your Horses, The Story of the Mystic River Bridge.”  Mystic River Historical Society board members Elizabeth Boucher and Marilyn Comrie authored this 104-page “coffee table book.”

It features 25 stories about the bridge, including a timeline showing how the bridges in Mystic have evolved to meet the needs of the village.  A section of the book highlights with photos all the bridge’s 100^th birthday activities this past year.  The book can be purchased at the Chamber’s Bascule Bridge Visitors Center on the east (Stonington) side of the bridge, just in time for holiday gift giving.  The Visitor Center is open daily from 11am to 5pm.  The book can also be ordered on line through the Mystic Chamber of Commerce website.   Note  that the 56-page souvenir booklet, “Centennial Celebration of the Mystic Bascule Bridge,” is still available for purchase, too.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MRHS ARCHIVES

When you join MRHS, you become part of an active organization that welcomes your involvement.

Benefits include:

– Free speaker programs (October, December, February, March, April, and May)
– Access to MRHS archives, including thousands of documents, photographs, books and maps
– Five bi-monthly newsletters with news of MRHS activities and articles of interest

Your membership supports the on-going preservation of our collection and our property. It also makes available to the public lectures on topics of historic interest. To join, visit our membership page.

Please note that MRHS has no affiliation with the Town of Groton’s Historic District Commission, and does not regulate any building projects.