Overview: U.S. Route 6 spans 116 miles across Connecticut, from the New York border at Danbury to the Rhode Island state line. This east–west route (the historic Grand Army of the Republic Highway) takes you through classic New England towns, past museums that celebrate local heritage, and by scenic viewpoints. The guide below follows Route 6 sequentially from west to east, highlighting must-see museums, walkable historic town centers, and historic landmarks or viewpoints all located on (or within a mile of) Route 6. Enjoy your drive through the Nutmeg State with these rewarding stops along the way!
Western Connecticut (Danbury to Newtown)
- Danbury Railway Museum (Museum) – 120 White St, Danbury, CT 06810
Housed in the fully restored 1903 Danbury Union Station, this museum features vintage railcars, locomotives, and an extensive model railroad display ctvisit.com. It offers an interactive journey into New England’s railroading past, with historic artifacts and guided tours on a rail yard that once served the New York & New England Railroad. It’s the perfect first stop to experience Danbury’s rich transportation history in a charming downtown setting. - Newtown Historic Main Street & Matthew Curtiss House (Walkable Town & Museum) – Main Street (CT-25) at Church Hill Rd, Newtown, CT 06470
Newtown’s Main Street is a classic New England town center, lined with Colonial-era homes and anchored by the Newtown Flagpole, a 100-foot landmark that has stood in the middle of the five-way intersection since 1876. Stroll this walkable district to admire 18th- and 19th-century architecture and pop into small shops. Don’t miss the Matthew Curtiss House at 44 Main Street – a saltbox house built in 1750 that now serves as Newtown’s local history museum. The Historical Society offers tours of this preserved home, rich with artifacts, to give visitors a glimpse of colonial life in Newtown.
Central Connecticut (Woodbury to Bristol)
- Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden (Museum & Garden) – 49 Hollow Rd, Woodbury, CT 06798
Woodbury’s Main Street (Route 6) is famed for its antiquarian charm, and the Glebe House is its crown jewel. Built around 1740, this Georgian Colonial home is now a museum showcasing period furnishings and religious history – it’s where the first U.S. Episcopal Church election was held in 1783 en.wikipedia.org. The surrounding garden, designed by English horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll, invites a short stroll among heirloom flowers. Woodbury’s leafy town center, with cafés and antique shops in historic buildings, makes for a pleasant walk before getting back on Route 6.Lock Museum of America (Museum) – 230 Main St, Terryville, CT 06786
In the Terryville section of Plymouth, Route 6 runs through what was once known as “Lock City.” This unique museum celebrates over 150 years of lock manufacturing heritage. Inside, you’ll find the world’s largest collection of locks and keys – from Colonial-era door locks to ornate Victorian padlocks and even handcuffs. The displays include antique bank vault locks and key-making machines, offering a niche but fascinating look at industrial innovation. (Hours are seasonal; check ahead. Plenty of parking along Main Street.)
The Eli Terry Jr. Water Wheel (c.1830) in Terryville, a rare surviving wooden waterwheel once used to power a lock factory.
- Eli Terry Jr. Waterwheel (Historic Landmark) – Main St at Benedict St, Terryville, CT 06786
Just down the road from the Lock Museum, you can’t miss this gigantic wooden water wheel preserved in a small park by the Pequabuck River. Probably built in 1851 to drive machinery in Eli Terry Jr.’s clock factory (later a lock factory), the 22-foot wheel is one of only three 19th-century waterwheels still standing in Connecticut. A viewing platform allows you to examine the wheel’s construction – its iron hub and thick wooden blades once harnessed river flow to power local industry. This roadside landmark (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) is a tangible link to Terryville’s manufacturing era and makes for a great photo stop. - American Clock & Watch Museum (Museum) – 100 Maple St, Bristol, CT 06010
Bristol was the heart of American clock-making in the 19th century, and this museum (just a block off Route 6) showcases that legacy. Housed in an 1801 Federal-style home, it features eight galleries filled with ticking treasures – from colonial-era grandfather clocks to Victorian shelf clocks and vintage Mickey Mouse watches. The exhibits celebrate Connecticut’s innovative clockmakers (like the Terry family) who revolutionized timekeeping. Don’t miss the quaint sundial garden outside. The museum is open year-round with self-guided tours; allow about an hour to enjoy the chimes and craftsmanship of over 1,500 timepieces on display. - New England Carousel Museum (Museum) – 95 Riverside Ave, Bristol, CT 06010
A short hop off Route 6 in downtown Bristol, this joyful museum is dedicated to the art and history of the carousel. Inside a restored factory building, you’ll recapture the wonder of childhood surrounded by dozens of beautifully carved antique carousel horses and animals. The collection features pieces from the golden age of carousels (1890s–1920s), including flamboyant horses, lions, and giraffes adorned in gold leaf. You can learn about the craftsmen who carved them and even peek into the on-site restoration workshop. Young (and young-at-heart) visitors can take a spin on an indoor working carousel. (Bonus: The museum also houses a Fire History exhibit and a tribute to local Greek culture under the same roof.)
Greater Hartford (Hartford & Bolton)
The Mark Twain House in Hartford – a 25-room Victorian mansion where Samuel Clemens (“Mark Twain”) lived and wrote in the 1870s–1880s.
- Mark Twain House & Museum (Museum) – 351 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT 06105
This Victorian Gothic mansion is one of Connecticut’s most cherished historic homes. Famed author Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) lived and wrote here from 1874 to 1891, penning classics like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn under its roof. The 25-room house dazzles with ornate woodwork, stenciled ceilings, and the author’s eclectic collections. Guided tours lead you through Twain’s library, billiard room, and conservatory while sharing colorful anecdotes of his family life. The adjacent museum center offers exhibits on Twain’s life and work, a film, and a gift shop. Literature lovers and architecture buffs alike will appreciate this National Historic Landmark – often cited as one of the world’s top writer’s house museums. - Bolton Notch State Park (Scenic Nature Spot) – Bolton Notch Park Rd (off US 6 & US 44 junction), Bolton, CT 06043
Where the divided highways of Route 6 and 44 meet, Bolton Notch offers a welcome nature break. This 95-acre state park features a dramatic notch (gap) in the hills, with trailheads for the Hop River Trail and Shenipsit Trail. A short hike from the parking area leads to points of interest like Squaw Cave and Flag Rock, an overlook with sweeping views of the valley scenesfromthetrail.com. The park is also home to an 800-foot abandoned rail tunnel from the 1850s scenesfromthetrail.com – an intriguing remnant along the Hop River rail-trail that passes under the ridge. Whether you’re up for a quick walk or just want to stretch your legs, Bolton Notch’s mix of geology and history makes it a worthwhile stop. (Tip: The trails are moderate – wear good shoes, and you’ll be rewarded with rustic scenery right off the road.)
Eastern Connecticut (Windham County to Rhode Island)
One of four bronze frog statues on Willimantic’s “Frog Bridge,” perched atop a thread spool to symbolize the town’s textile heritage and legendary 1754 frog folklore.
- Willimantic Textile Heritage (Downtown & Frog Bridge) (Walkable Town & Museum) – 411 Main St, Willimantic (Windham), CT 06226
As Route 6 continues east, it bypasses downtown Willimantic, but do take Exit 3 to visit this vibrant mill town. Park near the 1909 footbridge or Main Street to explore the compact downtown on foot. Spanning the Willimantic River is the famous Frog Bridge (officially “Thread City Crossing”) – decorated with four giant copper frogs sitting on spools of thread, reflecting the city’s 19th-century thread mills and the local “Battle of the Frogs” legend. Just up Main Street, the Windham Textile and History Museum (a.k.a. The Mill Museum) is housed in a former mill storehouse. This museum presents the area’s industrial story – you’ll see historic looms, exhibits on mill workers’ lives, and even the giant skein winding machines from Willimantic’s thread factories. After learning about the boom of the “Thread City,” enjoy a stroll to view street murals and grab a coffee in one of the eclectic cafés. Willimantic’s mix of Victorian commercial blocks and converted brick mills makes its heritage palpable. - Diana’s Pool (Scenic Waterfall & Picnic Spot) – Diana’s Pool Rd off CT-198, Chaplin, CT 06235 (0.5 mi north of US 6)
Tucked in the woods just beyond a bend of Route 6 in Chaplin is a local natural gem known as Diana’s Pool. This is a small series of waterfalls and clear pools on the Natchaug River, accessed by a short footpath from a tiny roadside parking area. The spot is renowned for its tranquility and beauty – sunlight filtering through hemlocks onto mossy rocks and cascading water. It’s a designated scenic water access point, “gorgeous year-round,” and a favorite for fishing, photography, or a peaceful picnic. (Swimming is technically not allowed, and use caution on wet rocks.) If time permits, a quick stop at Diana’s Pool offers a refreshing nature experience just seconds off Route 6. - Brooklyn Town Green & Putnam Monument (Historic Site & Small Museum) – Route 169 at US 6 (Canterbury Rd), Brooklyn, CT 06234
The village of Brooklyn centers around a charming green that packs significant history. Here you will find the grand equestrian statue of Revolutionary War General Israel Putnam, a Connecticut folk hero famous for his daring exploits. The bronze statue (erected 1888) shows Putnam on horseback and even features a wolf’s head on the base, nodding to the legend of Putnam slaying Connecticut’s last wolf. Just behind the monument is the Brooklyn Historical Society Museum (open summer weekends), which houses the “General Putnam Gallery” with exhibits about Putnam’s life and times. You can also peek into the preserved 19th-century law office of Daniel P. Tyler (Putnam’s great-grandson) on the grounds. This tiny town green, flanked by an old church and tavern, is perfect for a brief walk – you’ll feel transported to the eighteenth century. (Note: Brooklyn is at the crossroads of Route 6 and scenic Route 169, a National Scenic Byway.) - Danielson Main Street Historic District (Walkable Historic Town) – Main Street (US 6) between Academy & Broad Streets, Danielson (Killingly), CT 06239
As you near the Rhode Island border, Route 6 passes through Danielson, a borough of Killingly with an inviting historic downtown. Main Street here is lined with 19th-century brick and wood-frame buildings – many in Italianate and Queen Anne style – that evoke the prosperity of Danielson’s mill era komoot.com. Notable sights include the 1855 Westfield Congregational Church with its tall white steeple and the 1901 Bugbee Memorial Library, as well as several Victorian commercial blocks now home to local eateries and shops komoot.com. The district is compact and walkable; take a short loop to see the charming shopfronts and perhaps grab an ice cream. For history enthusiasts, the Killingly Historical & Genealogical Society Museum (196 Main St) offers archives and exhibits (open by appointment) on local heritage ctvisit.com. Danielson is an authentic “Quiet Corner” community – a great final stop to stretch your legs before continuing east. Just beyond downtown, US 6 merges with the last stretch of the Connecticut Turnpike and in a few miles crosses into Rhode Island, concluding your Route 6 journey through Connecticut.
