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Thomas Lee House c. 1660 |
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East Lyme Historical Society |
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Founded 1897 |
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Created by Barbara Jo McGrath, 2007-10 All Rights Reserved |
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Thomas Lee House
The Thomas Lee House (c. 1660) is one of the oldest wood frame houses in Connecticut still in its primitive state. The Lee House is listed on the National Register of Historic Houses, and is open for tours during the summer months.
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Little Boston School House |
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Little Boston School House
The Little Boston School was founded in 1734. The present building was built c. 1805 on land deeded by Elisha Lee. It was moved to its present site on the Lee House grounds in 1931.
Anthropology students from East Lyme and Ledyard High Schools, under the direction of James Littlefield and Dr. John Pfeiffer, conducted an archaeological study of the site of the original Little Boston School House. Their results can be found at : |
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East Lyme is also home to the Smith-Harris House, a c. 1845 farmhouse and museum. For more information, visit:
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About Us |
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News and Events |
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Organization |
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President's Message |
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The Lee Family |
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About East Lyme |
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Business Directory |
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Interesting Links |
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Contact Us |
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Membership Form |
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Our Mission
The purposes and objectives of the Society shall be: 1. To engage in educational, archival, research and exploration activities and to support such activities that will increase knowledge of and engender appreciation of the history of the Town of East Lyme and its heritage. 2. To encourage the preservation and restoration of the town’s historical assets, such as houses, structures, burying grounds, early artifacts and other things associated with the town’s origin and history. 3. To determine and develop year round historical programs and implementation of same. These programs and activities shall include the period of colonial history and may include all periods of American history and other history. 4. To cooperate and participate with other organizations for similar purposes and objectives, both within and without the town. 5. To establish the Thomas Lee House Preservation Committee to ensure the protection and preservation of the Thomas Lee House as an American heritage, wherein books, documents, pictures, furniture, tools, implements, artifacts and other articles associated with the history of the Thomas Lee House and the family are housed. |
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Where can you learn about:
historical museums nature trails wine trails odd street names and a whole lot more around Connecticut?
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Lee Family Gathering
The East Lyme Historical Society will be celebrating the 350th birthday of the Thomas Lee House with a gathering for descendants of Thomas Lee and his family, scheduled for September 11-12, 2010. Activities currently being planned include discussions on Lee family history, cemetery tours, roleplayers, and children’s activities. A cocktail social and dinner, with live period music, will take place on Saturday night. A new book on the Lee family, by East Lyme Town Historian Wilbur Beckwith, will be published in time for the gathering. We also look forward to forming a Thomas Lee Descendant Association. If you would like to be on our mailing list for this event, please contact us at: |
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Dedication of the Thomas Lee House, 1914 |
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Local Landmarks |
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Churches |
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Cemeteries |
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Also visit: |
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Your Support is Important!
The East Lyme Historical Society owns and maintains the Thomas Lee House and Little Boston School House, offers educational programs to the community throughout the year, works to provide access to historical materials through its publications, archives, and website, and is always ready to work with other groups to help foster understanding and appreciation of the history of our town. And we do it all as volunteers! The generosity of our town and our members is greatly appreciated. Time, energy, and dollars donated are put immediately to work. If you are currently a member, THANK YOU! If not, please consider joining us. The Membership Form can be printed and mailed in, or you can contact us at: info@eastlymehistoricalsociety.org Donations are always welcome. And please remember: all of our programs are open to the public, free of charge. We welcome your participation!
BUSINESS OWNERS: Become a Business Member of the East Lyme Historical Society for only $50 a year. Members receive a free listing on our Business Directory page, with a link to their own sites, as well as being mentioned in our newsletters. Our website is currently attracting over 500 unique visitors and 2500 hits each month, from all over the country, and from around the world. Many of them are in the process of planning trips to our area, and would be interested in the services you provide. Local residents will recognize your generosity, as well. |
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Smith-Harris House Society Road, Niantic |
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Newsletter Archive
The Autumn issue of our newsletter has been posted! Check it out here: |
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In 1934, as part of the Work Projects Administration, the Census of Old Buildings in Connecticut was assembled, containing photographs and information about buildings throughout the state. The Connecticut State Library has transcribed the forms and digitized the photographs. They are now available at:
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Mapping Main Street
“When politicians and the media mention Main Street, they evoke one people and one place. But there are over 10,466 streets named Main in the United States.”
Mapping Main Street is a collaborative documentary project aimed at creating a new map of the United States through stories, photos and videos recorded on actual Main Streets. Initiated by the Association of Independents in Radio and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and funded through Maker’s Quest 2.0 and the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, the project aims to document all of the streets named Main throughout the country. The public is encouraged to participate in this effort. For more information (and inspiration), please visit: |
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Sunday, February 14, 2:00 p.m. A History of the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut New London County Historical Society Mary Lenzini will take a look at the history of the VNA of Southeastern Connecticut, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. The program will take place at the VNASC offices, 40 North Frontage Road, Waterford. For more information, phone 860.443.1209 or visit: |
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Saturday, February 13, 2:00-3:30 p.m. The Granite History of Waterford Waterford Historical Society Willard Reed III will discuss the fascinating history of granite quarrying in Waterford. This program is co-sponsored by the Waterford Historical Society and the Waterford Public Library, and takes place downstairs at the library. It is free and open to the public. For more information, visit: |
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News from Our Neighbors |
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2009-2010 Lecture Series
Wednesday, March 3, 7:00 p.m. East Lyme High School, Chesterfield Road James L. Streeter, president of the Groton Historical Society, co-chairman of the Avery Point Lighthouse Society, and author, will discuss the life of Morton Freeeman Plant. The lecture is presented by the East Lyme Historical Society in conjunction with the East Lyme High School History Club. The event is free, and the public is cordially invited to attend. Morton F. Plant was the son of transportation magnate Henry Bradley Plant, but he held a greater passion for yachting than for business. After his father’s death he settled into a life of commerce, serving as director of several railroad, shipping and banking enterprises. Having more than doubled the multi-million dollar estate of his father, he spent well and generously in the Groton area, where he summered. He owned a minor league baseball team in New London, purchased a town hall for the town of Groton, and gave the fledgling Connecticut College for Women an endowment in excess of one million dollars. He established a model farm on 300 acres in Poquonnock Plains, created the Shoreline Electric Railroad, and built Branford House on Avery Point in Groton as his summer “cottage”. Plant also invested money in East Lyme, Lyme and Old Lyme, acquiring several small farms and consolidating them into a single estate, where he built a hunting lodge. A pre-existing dam on the Four Mile River is now known as Plants Dam, and the hunting lodge, known as Stones Ranch, is on the National Register of Historic Places. |