Stony Creek, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Stony Creek is an affluent, shorefront section of Branford, Connecticut
, centered on a harbor on Long Island Sound
, in the southeast corner of the town. Stony Creek residents feel it has its own distinct feeling, that of a small village with a traditional timeless and quaint charm. Two unique attractions set Stony Creek apart from other small Connecticut
coastal towns: the Thimble Islands
and the Stony Creek Puppet House
.
The Thimble Islands are a jumble of glacial rocks
, ranging from 17 acres (69,000 m²) down to stepping-stone size, at the mouth of the harbor. Despite their small size, they possess a wealth of history and local lore, as well as provide pleasant scenery for a summer cruise
.
The Stony Creek Puppet House is one of the few places in the world where traditional 4- to 5-foot-high Sicilian
puppet
s can be seen. Unfortunately, the puppets are not performing regularly, but they are on display on the walls of the Puppet House and can sometimes be coaxed into visiting other venues for demonstration purposes. Meanwhile, the 100-year-old puppet house itself serves as a theater for a wide variety of concerts, dances, plays, musicals, dinner theater, puppet shows and children's programs, year round.
A large quarry is still working, and supplied the distinctive pink/orange Stony Creek granite for the Brooklyn Bridge
, the Willoughby Wallace Library in Stony Creek http://www.wwml.org, the 27th President of the United States
and 10th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court William Howard Taft
's Headstone, and the newest House Office Building in Washington, DC.
The portion of Stony Creek along Thimble Islands Road is included in the Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Branford, Connecticut
-Landmarks and attractions:Branford has six historic districts that are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places . These include buildings in Federal, Arts and Crafts, and Queen Anne styles of architecture...
, centered on a harbor on Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
, in the southeast corner of the town. Stony Creek residents feel it has its own distinct feeling, that of a small village with a traditional timeless and quaint charm. Two unique attractions set Stony Creek apart from other small Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
coastal towns: the Thimble Islands
Thimble Islands
Ghost Island redirects here. For the island in Japan, see Hashima Island.The Thimble Islands is an archipelago consisting of small islands in Long Island Sound, located in and around the harbor of Stony Creek in the southeast corner of Branford, Connecticut.The archipelago of islands made up of...
and the Stony Creek Puppet House
Stony Creek Puppet House
The is a theater in the shoreline Stony Creek section of Branford, Connecticut, near New Haven.The Puppet House is unique in possessing perhaps the only remaining collection of traditional , Sicilian puppets outside of Sicily itself....
.
The Thimble Islands are a jumble of glacial rocks
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
, ranging from 17 acres (69,000 m²) down to stepping-stone size, at the mouth of the harbor. Despite their small size, they possess a wealth of history and local lore, as well as provide pleasant scenery for a summer cruise
Cruising (maritime)
Cruising by boat is a lifestyle that involves living for extended time on a boat while traveling from place to place for pleasure. Cruising generally refers to trips of a few days or more, and can extend to round-the-world voyages.- History :...
.
The Stony Creek Puppet House is one of the few places in the world where traditional 4- to 5-foot-high Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
s can be seen. Unfortunately, the puppets are not performing regularly, but they are on display on the walls of the Puppet House and can sometimes be coaxed into visiting other venues for demonstration purposes. Meanwhile, the 100-year-old puppet house itself serves as a theater for a wide variety of concerts, dances, plays, musicals, dinner theater, puppet shows and children's programs, year round.
A large quarry is still working, and supplied the distinctive pink/orange Stony Creek granite for the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
, the Willoughby Wallace Library in Stony Creek http://www.wwml.org, the 27th President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and 10th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
's Headstone, and the newest House Office Building in Washington, DC.
The portion of Stony Creek along Thimble Islands Road is included in the Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District
Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District
The Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District is a historic district in Branford, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988....
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.