Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor

The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor in northeastern Connecticut and south central MA has been called "the last green valley" in the Boston-to-Washington megalopolis. Close to Hartford, Providence, and Worcester, but far enough away to avoid urban sprawl, this 1086 square mile region remains predominately rural. It's rivers wind through rolling hills linking region's many small towns, farmlands, forests and mills.

The past 50 years have brought many changes to the Corridor. Factories have been recycled into housing, antique and craft shops, and high-tech industry. Despite this, the region has retained its fundamental character, with farms, lush woodlands and clean waterways, authentic sites representing distinct periods of American history, and opportunities for individuals and families to enjoy a rural, small-town lifestyle.

The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor is a special kind of park. It embraces 35 towns, numerous villages and a total population of about 300,000. The federal government does not own or manage any of the land as it does in traditional national parks. Instead, citizens, businesses, nonprofit cultural and environmental organizations, local and state governments, and the National Park Service work together to preserve and celebrate the region's cultural, historical and natural heritage.