Wethersfield Cove
Encyclopedia
The Wethersfield Cove is a natural inlet in Wethersfield, Connecticut
, and a former site of much local trade and travel.
and forty miles from Long Island Sound
. It was originally an oxbow
in the Connecticut River
. It is located near Old Wethersfield
, one of the oldest settlements in the United States
.
, from the cove
in 1649. From 1650-1830, trade with the West Indies thrived. Merchant
s exported lumber, grain, onions, salted beef, fish and pork
, and in exchange received salt, sugar, molasses and rum from the Caribbean
. "The Cove" was also noted in Revolutonary times as "Blackbird Pond".
Wethersfield, Connecticut
Wethersfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. Many records from colonial times spell the name Weathersfield, while Native Americans called it Pyquag...
, and a former site of much local trade and travel.
Geography
Wethersfield Cove is ten feet above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
and forty miles from Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. It was originally an oxbow
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
in the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. It is located near Old Wethersfield
Old Wethersfield
Old Wethersfield, also known as Old Wethersfield Historic District, and historically known as Watertown or Pyquag, is a section of the town of Wethersfield, Connecticut roughly bounded by the borders of the adjacent city of Hartford and town of Rocky Hill, railroad tracks, and I-91...
, one of the oldest settlements in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Thomas Deming built his shipyard on the banks of this natural harbor. Deming launched the Tryall, the first ship built in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, from the cove
Cove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often inside a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are often considered coves...
in 1649. From 1650-1830, trade with the West Indies thrived. Merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
s exported lumber, grain, onions, salted beef, fish and pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
, and in exchange received salt, sugar, molasses and rum from the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. "The Cove" was also noted in Revolutonary times as "Blackbird Pond".