Walk Through Time In Old Lyme, Sites From 1680-1934 Line Lyme Street

OLD LYME, CT —A stroll north to south, and south to north along Lyme Street in Old Lyme is a akin to opening a time capsule, albeit a living one. Most of the ancient to 20th century structures are now private homes, and a number were once public spaces. So inside, generations of families lived and also, generations of a community gathered.

One doesn't have to be a history buff to appreciate how these buildings journal the evolution of the town, indeed, the Lymes, as it were. It turns out that it wasn't until 1928 when the then-when the post office on Lyme Street finally adopted the name Old Lyme.

But we digress.

The first stop on the Lyme Street walking tour is actually Still Lane. (Great name.)

Built by Samuel Tinker beginning in around 1680, the Peck Tavern at 1 Still Lane, is the oldest structure on the Old Lyme Historical Society's walking tour.

"Originally built by Samuel Tinker, the oldest part of the building likely dates to 1680, with substantial renovations in the 1730s and 1760s made by the Peck family who kept a tavern there until the 1800s. Merchant and patriot John McCurdy ran a store there in the 1750s, and the tavern was known as a site for handing out clothing, food and supplies during the Revolutionary War. An unusual feature of the tavern is the second-floor ballroom, which may be divided into smaller rooms via an ingenious partition swung down from the ceiling. Local legend says that Washington and/or Lafayette may have danced upon this floor. The house remained in the Peck family until 1904. In the 1930s, it was home to the Old Lyme Guild, a non-profit arts and crafts organization. It is now a private residence."

There are no less than 36 historic structures along the walking tour of Lyme Street. Some will be very familiar. The circa 1898 Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, Old Lyme Inn, circa 1856, the circa 1756 Bee & Thistle Inn, and of course, circa 1817 site of the Florence Griswold Museum.

Learn more about the historic Lyme Street Walking Tour, and the Old Lyme Historical Society here.