Saugatuck River facts for kids
The Saugatuck River is a 23.7-mile-long river in southwestern Connecticut, in the United States. It flows through parts of Fairfield County and empties into Long Island Sound. A U.S. Navy ship from World War II, the USS Saugatuck, was even named after this river!
Contents
Exploring the Saugatuck River
The Saugatuck River starts from Sugar Hollow Pond, about 3 miles southwest of Danbury. It flows mostly southeast, passing through the Saugatuck Reservoir. This reservoir is a large lake created by damming the river. After the reservoir, the river turns south.
In Westport, the last 5 miles of the river become wider and deeper, forming an estuary. An estuary is where a river meets the sea, and the water is a mix of fresh and salty. The Saugatuck River then flows into Long Island Sound. You can often see Interstate 95 crossing the river near its mouth.
Many people enjoy fishing for trout in the Saugatuck River. The state of Connecticut adds trout to the river every year, making it a popular spot for anglers.
A Look Back in Time
Hundreds of years ago, in the 1600s, the Saugatuck River was home to the Paugusset people. The name "Saugatuck" actually comes from their language and means "river that flows out."
After a conflict called the Pequot War in 1637, new settlers from the Connecticut Colony began to move into the area. They settled between the Saugatuck River and the Norwalk River from 1639 to 1661.
In the 1700s, small farming villages grew along the river. The river was very important for travel and moving goods. By the 1800s, the lower part of the river became a busy place with warehouses and shipyards. It was a major center for trading by sea. The town of Westport was officially created in 1835, growing from the village of Saugatuck at the river's mouth.
Mark Twain and the River
Did you know that the famous author Mark Twain (whose real name was Samuel Clemens) lived near the Saugatuck River? In 1908, he moved into a large house called "Stormfield" in Redding, Connecticut, which overlooked the river. Mark Twain passed away in 1910, and his original Stormfield home was sadly destroyed in a fire in 1923.
Creating the Saugatuck Reservoir
In the years after 1938, a company called Bridgeport Hydraulic Company (now Aquarion) created the Saugatuck Reservoir. To do this, they flooded parts of the Saugatuck River Valley in Weston, Redding, and Easton. This meant that two small villages, Hull and Valley Forge, had to be moved to make way for the reservoir.
River Crossings
Many bridges cross the Saugatuck River. One special bridge in Westport is the Saugatuck River Bridge on Route 136. It was built in 1882 and is the oldest working movable bridge in Connecticut! It can swing open by hand to let boats pass. Before this bridge, people used a ferry service to cross the river, which started way back in 1746.
Here are some of the main crossings over the Saugatuck River, starting from where it meets the ocean:
- In Westport:
* Saugatuck River Railroad Bridge (for trains) * Bridge for Interstate 95 * Saugatuck River Bridge (Route 136) * Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge (U.S. Route 1) * Bridge for King's Highway (Route 57) * Bridge for the Merritt Parkway * Burrs Bridge (Weston Road/Route 57)
- In Weston:
* River Road * Cartbridge Road * Davis Hill Road * Valley Forge Road
- In Redding:
* Newtown Turnpike (Route 53) * Glen Road (Route 53) * Redding Road (Routes 53 and 107) * Diamond Hill Road * Redding Road (Route 53 – twice) * Station Road * Simpaug Turnpike * George Hull Hill Road
- In Danbury:
* East Starrs Plain Road * Hemlock Hill Road * Starrs Plain Road (twice)
River in Culture
The Saugatuck River has even appeared in popular culture!
- The rock band REO Speedwagon mentions the river in their song 157 Riverside Avenue.
- Secrets of Redding Glen is a children's book by Jo Polseno. It tells the story of the animals and nature along a part of the Saugatuck River.
