Essex

Our town consists of three villages: Essex, Centerbrook and Ivoryton, each part of the whole yet uniquely different.
      We are located half way between New York and Boston, and a short commute to the capitol city of Hartford.
      Our villages were settled around the Falls River, which flows eastward from the hills of Ivoryton, through the plains of Centerbrook, along the rocky heights of Essex Village down to the sparking Connecticut River. A few short miles from Long Island Sound, Essex in well-known for its beautiful landscapes, majestic trees and gardens, and fascinating architecture. You can even taste a bit of history in our factory homes of Ivoryton, our churches and factories, and streets lined with Federal, Victorian, and Cape Cod houses. Even our town hall dates back to 1892.
      Here you'll find a long tradition of benevolence and volunteerism that brings a "can-do" vibrancy to our communities, reminiscent of our Yankee past.
      We have many cultural, historical and educational attractions as well, from the Essex Steam Train to the Ivoryton Playhouse to the Connecticut River Museum, Connecticut Audubon Ecotravel, the Bushy Hill Nature Center, and Sailing Masters of 1812 (whose members are attired in the traditional garb of a Navy midshipman of the time period).
      Essex is famous for holding a multitude of parades, from Groundhog Day (with Essex Ed), to the "Burning of the Ships Parade" (celebrating the 1814 British raid that left 29 ships burning in the harbor). And many others as well. Parades in Essex are a way of life.
      Civic groups invigorate our town with community activism - groups such as the Rotary, Lions, Merchants Group, Historical Society, Garden Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a strong scouting program.
      Essex offers an outstanding culinary experience to residents and visitors alike - such hometown originals as the historic 1776 Griswold Inn, the renowned Cooper Beech Inn, Gabrielle's, Cugino's, the Black Seal, and Oliver's Tavern. For shoppers of all persuasions, we have art galleries, antique businesses, plenty of great shops and boutiques and a beautiful harbor to relax by.
      We are proud of our schools. Essex Elementary School offers an outstanding program. We participate in a regional secondary school with our neighbors in Chester and Deep River, and are currently upgrades to these facilities to a cost of more than forty million dollars.
      Emergency services are provided by superbly trained and equipped volunteer fire department and ambulance corps, along with a professional constabulary.
      We invite you to come to our town and experience, explore and enjoy the small-town enchantment of Essex, Connecticut.

Warm regards,
Philip Miller, First Selectman