Noank Connecticut
Noank Village
Noank Village was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. In the historic district nomination form, the community is described as "a village on a small peninsula, vaguely ear-shaped, at the western edge of the entrance to Mystic River Harbor. With water on three sides and the double-tracked railroad corridor cutting it off on the northwest, Noank has an isolated feeling, much like an island."
"Noank is on the end of the road to nowhere. No one passes through Noank - you have to go there because you want to go there."
Noank Connecticut
Noank Village
Noank's isolation on land stands in sharp contrast with its accessibility by sea. Generations of Noank fishermen ranged from the Grand Banks to Key West, Noank captains traded in ports from New York to China to San Francisco, and Noank built vessels have been sailed all over the world. This combination of isolation and openess, small town life and grand maritime tradition, has contributed to the unique culture and spirit of Noank Village.
Noank Connecticut
Greater Noank
Greater Noank is bounded by Palmer Cove, West Cove and Beebe Cove along the coast of the Mystic River and Fishers Island Sound, and extends from Route 215 to Fishtown Road and up Route 1 to Fort Hill. This land included some of the earliest settlements in Noank, including Cove Nook Farm, built in 1713 (now a private residence off Brook Street).
Noank Connecticut
Interesting Facts:
- Noank is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic district.
- The village of Noank gets its name from the Pequot word “Nauyang”, meaning point of land, and dates back to the 1600s.
- The Noank Shipyard, known by several names throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, was the largest builder of wooden ships in the United States during the mid to late 1800s.
- The fishing sailboat known as the “Noank Smack” is indigenous to this village. The Emma C. Berry, built at the Palmer Shipyard in 1866, is one of the oldest surviving commercial vessels in America. Designated a National Historic Landmark, she is currently exhibited afloat at the Mystic Seaport.
- Noank is proud of its military heritage and its Memorial Day parade dates back to 1876.
- Aviatrix Amelia Earhart married George P. Putnam in Noank in 1931. The secret wedding was held at the home of Putnam’s mother, which remains a private residence.
