Putnam, Connecticut

 

Putnam, Connecticut is a city reborn.

Instead of the old, empty buildings and closed businesses, of a few decades ago, Putnam has evolved into a northeastern Connecticut city filled with interesting restaurants, small shops and antique stores.

It is also home to Day Kimball Hospital and offers a wide variety of medical practices.

Putnam has it's own police force and a courthouse next door.

You can find services of every kind available in this small and vital city. There are at least 100 businesses, including insurance agencies, travel agencies, a radio station, WINY Radio, and others too numerous and varied to mention individually.

Putnam is surrounded on all sides, by rural towns that offer the best of country living. It is a short drive from Putnam to Woodstock, Pomfret and Thompson.

Three exits off of Route 395 bring you into Putnam. Whether you are driving through or walking the charming streets surrounding main street, you will be tempted to eat at a variety of charming restaurants, that include: Victoria Station, Jessica Tuesdays, The Courthouse, Nikki's Dog House, 85 Main Street, Something Special, The Thai Palace, Bills's Bread and Breakfast and several others.

Putnam has been transforming itself into a popular and very interesting antique center for the past two decades.

You can visit antique shops on Front and Church Streets as well as the nine shops that can be found on Main Street. These stores range from small storefronts to those that fill entire buildings.

Their windows are filled with treasures sure to appeal to every taste.

Every time I visit Putnam, I am reminded of items that my older relatives owned, that I wish were still in my family.

You can also see enormous sculptures and other works of art outside of these establishments enticing you in the view the variety they offer.

Putnam is also known for it's river mill buildings. The most famous of which is the Cargill River Mill building that sits across Church Street from the Cargill Falls on the Quinebaug River. The Cargill Mill is the oldest cotton mill site in the nation. It was founded in 1807.

The Belding Mill, on Providence Street, houses a number of businesses, including the Last Green Valley Quinebaug Shetucket Heritage Corridor headquarters.

Putnam also offers hiking and biking trails. The 2 mile Putnam River Trail and the 1 1/2 mile River Mills Heritage Trail.

Lastly, Putnam is home to the The Theater of Northeastern Connecticut at The Bradley Playhouse.

Located on Front Street and Rte 44, The Bradley" is a 100+ year old Vaudeville Theatre in the heart of the Putnam Antiques District in the Quiet Corner of N.E. Connecticut.

The theatre reopened and has been operated by the volunteers since 1991, offering more than 100 productions.