This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background, The lettering is the same on both sides. I love the location of the marker– right in front of Town Hall between two sidewalks, mailboxes and a bicycle rack. I love the idea that so many people walk by it every day to learn something about their town. Some of the markers I see are way off the beaten path, on a random street(example? Stonington). The marker is in good condition with easy to read lettering. It summarizes the history of the town from it’s 1646 settlement and Massachusetts Puritan roots, its spin-off from New London 60 years later, and a great piece of trivia– that Groton was the site of one of the final battles of the American Revolution. On a more contemporary note, it talks about Groton’s importance to the submarine industry. The marker reads: As a part of New London Plantation, Groton was settled in 1646 by John Winthrop, the younger, and a band of Puritans from Massachusetts. The town separated from New London in 1705, and was named for the Winthrop manor in England. One of the last battles of the American Revolution was fought on Groton Heights at Fort Griswold, September 6, 1781. The Groton Monument commemorates the battle. A state park now preserves the fort area. Groton is the site of the Submarine Base of the United States Navy, and home of the builder of much of the Navy’s undersea fleet. It is the birthplace of the nuclear submarine. Erected by the Town of Groton, the Groton American Revolution Bicenntennial Committee and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1976
