1. King’S Inn And Suites
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (877) 784-6835
Address: 5 Heritage Rd.
Description: This classic hotel/motel just off exit 96 of I-395 in Putnam is a great alternative to both camping and luxurious inns. There are 40 rooms and a king-size suite with a full kitchen and living room, as well as 2 conference rooms. Out back next to the highway there is a pond with a charming little bridge, and 7 acres to roam. You can also take a dip in their outdoor pool or grab a bite in the small Casa Mariachi Mexican restaurant and bar attached to the main building. The inn has free wireless Internet, and staying here will allow you to spend that much more on the antiques down the street in the center of Putnam.
2. Day Kimball Hospital
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Health Care
Telephone: (860) 928-6541
Address: 320 Pomfret St.
Description: Day Kimball Hospital is part of the Day Kimball Healthcare system, which serves Windham County, with additional facilities in Danielson, Dayville, Plainville, and Thompson. Services include primary care, home-care help, hospice and palliative care, physician services, and patient and family support services.
3. Thai Place
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 963-7770
Address: 214 Kennedy Dr.
Description: This fairly new restaurant in Putnam has given the locals and tourists a little variety in the Quiet Corner. Classics like pad thai and tom yum goong are done very well, but try something different here and expand your taste buds. The Panaang curry chicken and the Thai Place duck are both big hits, and in season the soft-shell crab curry is a fusion delight. Wash it down with a Singha beer or one of those delicious Thai iced teas. There are a number of options for the vegetarians in your family, like basil tofu and vegetarian pad thai. They also have takeout, but the fairly large dining room is bright and tastefully decorated, so why not stay a while? Save room for dessert; the ice cream here is reputed to be delicious.
4. Bill’S Bread And Breakfast
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 928-9777
Address: 149 Providence St.
Description: Bill’s is a little storefront breakfast place with exposed brick walls that give it a homey feeling. At 9 a.m. on a weekday morning, expect it to be packed with locals ordering the daily specials. If the specials do not appeal, try the homemade hash or the wheat pancake with blueberries, a meal in itself the size of a dinner plate. The homemade sausage patties are the size of saucers, and the omelet is also huge, filled with sizable chunks of ham and cheese. The large homemade muffins come in many different flavors, and the black bottom muffin with cream cheese filling is a fan favorite. And in case you didn’t get it from the preceding description, the portions are, shall we say, large.
5. 85 Main
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 928-1660
Address: 85 Main St.
Description: Set in the old Union Station in Putnam, 85 Main opened in 2005 with chef James Martin at the helm. They offer American fusion cuisine with fresh ingredients and organic products. The casual fine-dining atmosphere is a great place to enjoy any of the wonderful entrees and appetizers, from the pulled pork to the maple-glazed scallops. They also have a number of daily specials, including sushi rolls. Try the raw bar, too, the best place to get fresh seafood this far from the sea. If you like mussels, the saffron broth they use is outstanding. Get the Ballet of Angels from nearby Sharpe Hill Vineyard with your seafood. A stop at 85 Main is a great end to a day spent walking the heritage trail and browsing the antiques shops of Putnam.
6. Antiques Marketplace
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (860) 928-0442
Address: 109 Main St.
Insider Pick:
Description: At the corner of Main and Putnam Streets in an old mill is central New England’s largest antiques and collectibles mall, with an astonishing 350 dealers in 22,000 square feet. As you might imagine from those numbers, you can find anything here: books, prints, fine art, crafts, clocks, coins, embroidery, linens, furniture, glass, china, gold, jewelry, ornaments, lamps, metalwork, musical instruments, records, pottery, quilts, rugs, silver, toys, and vintage clothing. The store is quite organized, and you can spend hours just looking over the huge inventory. In fact, there are so many floors and rooms, you could get lost, so be careful. Luckily, they are open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., so eventually you’ll find your way out.
7. Sawmill Pottery
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (860) 963-7807
Address: 112 Main St.
Description: Located in an old mill, this shop has pottery for sale, made by some of northeastern Connecticut’s most talented potters. Founded in 2003 by potter Dot Burnworth, Sawmill’s dedication to community is part of each piece, as she donates 10 percent of her online sales to nonprofit organizations. There are unique pieces for sale, including jewelry and buttons, mugs and plates. They hold classes for all ages and abilities, as well as private lessons that include all materials and firing fees. Sawmill also has a line of bisqueware that you can paint. Check out Burnworth’s Stone Soup Pottery collection; it’s one of the best.
8. River Mills Heritage Trail
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 963-6811
Description: Downtown Putnam’s collection of mills is not only historic, but located on the scenic Quinebaug River, making for a nice loop walk suitable for all, complete with markers along the way. There are a number of municipal parking lots; try the one at the corner of Kennedy Drive and Pomfret Street at the center of town by the 1868 Monohansett Mill, where 2.75 million yards of cotton sheetings and shirtings were produced annually. Cross the river on the Pomfret Street bridge, enjoying Cargill Falls. Turning right onto Church Street, you will pass the 1868 Morse Mansion, a brick Victorian Italianate villa, and the 1874 Old Putnam High School, now the town hall. The path will turn right off of Church Street into a riverside park. Here you’ll find the 1861 Morse Mill, another textile manufacturing plant. Turn right onto Providence Street and cross the river again near the upper falls. The Belding and Powhatan Mill is on this side of the street, incidentally where the office of the Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor is located today. You will also see two more mills, the 1842 Rhodes and 1861 Nightingale. After seeing these fascinating buildings, you can continue back along the river to your car. Or, keep walking south along the River Trail, and you can cross the river again on a 200-foot pedestrian stone railroad trestle.
9. Connecticut National Golf Club
City: Putnam, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 928-7748
Address: 136 Chase Rd.
Description: Once the Putnam Country Club, the new Connecticut National Golf Club is an 18-hole, par 71 golf course now open to the public. Designed by Mark Mungeam, this 6,169-yard course is full of small hillocks and presents fun challenges for medium-level players especially. Holes 4 and 9 are hilly and challenging. The course includes 2 practice greens, a driving range, a short game area, and a restaurant that serves lunch and beer, wine, and spirits. The course is considered one of the best in New England, and has recently been renovated to great acclaim.