East Lyme and Niantic

East Lyme is located in the southeastern part of the state on Long Island Sound. Formed from parts of Lyme and Waterford and incorporated as a town in 1839, East Lyme includes two villages, Flanders in the northern part of town and Niantic along the coast. Fishing, shipyards, and quarries were the major industries until the railroad came through in 1851. East Lyme’s shoreline and beaches became attractive places for summer homes and recreation—an attribute the area still retains today. Rocky Neck State Park and a portion of Nehantic State Forest lie within East Lyme’s borders.

Niantic, named after the Nehantic tribe that once inhabited the area, is the only community on the Connecticut coast where the “Main Street” runs parallel to the beautiful Long Island Sound. Downtown Niantic is the traditional center of East Lyme, with a Town Hall, a non-chain specialty supermarket, a famed movie theater, various restaurants and pubs. Niantic was once famous for its Niantic River scallops, but the scallop population has been in decline for a number of years.