East Haddam Connectivity Project
You’re invited! Please join us to celebrate the opening of a new interpretive loop on the grounds of the Palmer-Warner House at 4 pm on Thursday, June 29, 2023. Brought to you in partnership with Connecticut Landmarks, the Town of East Haddam, and the NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.
Moodus, East Haddam
Connecticut Landmarks, in partnership with the Town of East Haddam and with support from the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, is creating a vision for a walking and biking corridor that will connect destinations in East Haddam, Haddam, Moodus and Chester.
This project began as a proposed pedestrian corridor to create safe connections between historic sites, natural spaces, and tourism-based businesses on Town Street in East Haddam. After a series of public workshops, the vision has grown to what is now an eighteen-mile walking and biking loop, connecting to other nearby towns and destinations.
Additionally, this project will consider opportunities to create interpretive walking trails on the Palmer-Warner House property to share stories about the house in a fun and accessible way.
Click the links or scroll down to learn more:
Pedestrian & Biking Trail Loop
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The proposed “Lower Connecticut Valley Heritage Trail” is a pedestrian and biking trail that will connect the towns of East Haddam, Haddam, Chester and Moodus. Using existing roadways, the proposal would improve infrastructure for pedestrians, making streets safer and more accessible. Some sections would be entirely off-street, and others would be on-street with improvements. This is a great time to be having these conversations. Transportation authorities have outlined planned improvements for many of these roads, and ongoing initiatives like the East Haddam Swing Bridge Project are investing in pedestrian infrastructure.
The Lower Connecticut River Valley is filled with incredible outdoor recreation opportunities, delightful shopping and dining experiences, compelling historic features, and many other attractions! Creating a safe and enjoyable trail to access these experiences can create a sense of place and provide healthy recreation opportunities for those who live, work and play in the region, while supporting tourism to the area.
This is an ongoing, community-based process. We would love to hear from you about what you think about the trail, and what types of amenities you would like to see along the way. Please see the survey below.
Interpretive Trails at the Palmer-Warner House
Part of the grant-approved plan is to suggest and plan ways to activate the outdoor space at the Palmer-Warner House. Connecticut Landmarks staff have been cataloguing the property’s extensive collection and researching its history as we welcome visitors on a limited basis. We seek to be a setting to share multiple viewpoints, encourage visitors to share and document their own history, foster conversations around inclusion, identity, privacy, and privilege.
The Palmer-Warner House was built in 1738 by John and Mehitable Warner. In 1936, preservation architect Frederick Palmer purchased and began renovating the house. From the mid-1940s until his death in 1971, Palmer lived there with his partner Howard Metzger, who continued living in the house until his own death in 2005. Palmer worked on historic properties around the state from his office on the third floor of the Palmer-Warner House. He and Metzger collected antiques and art, hosted social gatherings, and enjoyed life in the town of East Haddam.
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The Palmer-Warner House property today consists of 50 acres of land where Palmer and Metzger created a space where they could look out and see what the Warners would have seen in the 18th century. Visitors will be able to enjoy the austere New England stone-walled fields, preserved from the property’s days as a farm, and enjoy the grounds as Palmer and Metzger conceived of them.
The trail’s route and signage is still in development. Download a PDF of our brochure to walk one possible path virtually today .
The Palmer-Warner House will be a place to explore underrepresented LGBTQ+ stories through the lives and relationship of Palmer and Metzger. Connecticut Landmarks is fortunate to have the couple’s archival collections, their furniture and decorative arts, diaries and letters, and the research they conducted on the house’s history to build on. Learn more about the house and plan your visit today.
Public Feedback & Events
We want to hear from you! Do you hike trails in East Haddam? Would you be interested in enjoying the Palmer-Warner House via an interpretive trail? Fill out our survey and sign up to receive updates on the continuing development of this property!
Upcoming Events
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Virtual Workshop on December 8th!
Join us to learn more the walking and biking corridor loop that will connect tourism resources and historic sites in Moodus, East Haddam, Chester, and Haddam. We want to hear from you! This virtual workshop will provide an interactive space for your questions, opinions, and curiosities about the loop and more! [Register Here]
If you have any questions or need any accommodations for the workshop, let us know by emailing mallory_zink@nps.gov.
Open House at Palmer-Warner Barn
Past Events
Thank you to those who came to chat at these events!
Community Conversation
May 4, 2022 at East Haddam Grange Hall & Community Center
Feedback Session
July 23, 2022 at Palmer-Warner House
Fall Celebration Open House
October 1, 2022 at Palmer-Warner House
