Communities in Guilford
Five main neighborhoods make up Guilford, starting with Guilford Center. In the central part of town, you’ll find restaurants, shops, museums, the Guilford Fair Grounds, historic buildings, and the famous Guilford Town Green. This part of town is entirely walkable, and there’s a large residential area surrounding its commercial core.
Leetes Island isn’t really an island, but rather a piece of land in western Guilford with a harbor and multiple oceanfront properties. This neighborhood is mostly residential, although it does features some forested hiking areas, as well.
Sachems Head is just east of Leetes Island and also overlooks the ocean. There is a yacht club here, with many residents spending time on their boats in Sachem Head Harbor.
North Guilford is a popular area with families because it’s heavily forested, providing plenty of privacy, and there are numerous schools in the region. While you won’t find much in the way of amenities here, there is a small store where you can pick up groceries and food to go.
Nut Plains is the northeast side of Guilford that borders North Madison. In fact, various roads run between the two towns, so you might not know which town you’re in at any given moment. The population density is a little higher than North Guilford, and the area also has a golf course, a few businesses, and the famous Bittner Park.
Guilford’s great history
Europeans first arrived in the area that is now Guilford in 1639 after purchasing the land from Native American sagamore Wequash. The town got its name from Guilford, England, which is where many of these early settlers were born.
Guilford is known for its massive collection of old buildings. In fact, researchers believe the town has the third-largest population of historic homes in all of New England. Five of these historic homes have been converted into museums, and Comfort Starr House, which was built in 1645, is one of the oldest wooden buildings in Connecticut.
You’ll also find Henry Whitfield House (1939), the oldest home in Connecticut and the oldest stone house built by Europeans in all of North America.
With so much history in Guilford, you can spend weeks visiting everything and still have more to go.
Park, beaches, and activities
Living in Guilford, CT means spending a lot of time outdoors. Bittner Park is one place you’ll want to visit because of its hiking trails, jogging paths, and sports fields. It also has an ice skating rink when it gets cold enough.
As for the ocean, Chaffinch Island Park sits on Guilford Harbor and features views of Long Island Sound. There are also walking trails and picnic tables, in addition to an unsupervised swimming area. Jacobs Beach is another popular oceanfront park. Here, you’ll find kayak rentals, on-duty lifeguards, a playground, and a decent-sized parking lot.
You can swim away from the ocean in Guilford, as Lake Quonnipaug has a public beach in the summer. You can also fish at the lake and at Mill Pond, which is a popular place to ice skate in the winter, as well.
On the northwest side of Guilford is the Metacomet Ridge, which includes Totoket Mountain. Those looking for adventure can climb the Mattabesett Trail to Bluff Head, one of the mountain’s most notable peaks. The Westwood Trail System is another excellent place for hiking for those who are into flatter terrain.
Living in Guilford, Connecticut
Buying a home in Guilford, Connecticut means having access to a little bit of everything. You’re only a short drive from major cities while living here, but you’ll also have direct access to the beaches, lakes, ponds, trails, mountains, and parks that you’ll only find in more rural areas.
Page Taft knows Guilford and can help you locate the perfect home in one of America’s most desirable places to live. It doesn’t get much better than the small-town living found in Guilford, CT.
