Childe Hassam arrived in 1903 and shifted the colony from misty Tonalism to vivid Impressionist light — earning Old Lyme the nickname "the American Giverny."
Our Old Lyme retro logo carries Connecticut's clam shell over "Connecticut · Est. 1636," tying the town to the colonial founding of Connecticut — the shared emblem of every Merlin Classics Connecticut place. Printed black-and-white with the worn look of an old oyster-crate label, the shell reads as the shoreline in shorthand: tidal, coastal, salt-aired. What makes this one Old Lyme is the story behind it — the boarding house, the painted doors, and the birthplace of American Impressionism.
Why People Visit Old Lyme Connecticut
- Tour the Florence Griswold Museum, artists colony home with galleries and riverside grounds.
- See the painted panels — 41 works painted directly on the doors and walls of the boarding house.
- Visit Lyme Art Association, historic galleries showcasing regional painters.
- Relax at Sound View Beach, sandy shoreline with gentle surf and boardwalk blocks.
- Walk the Town Green, churches and historic homes along tree lined Lyme Street.
- Enjoy White Sand Beach, neighborhood cove with seasonal access and calm waters.
- Paddle or picnic at Rogers Lake, the freshwater anchor of the town's northern half.
