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The township of Essex consists of three villages: Essex, Centerbrook and Ivoryton, each part of the whole yet uniquely different.

Located half way between New York City and Boston, and a short commute to the capitol city of Hartford, Essex may be the perfect vision of what many people feel a New England village should look like.

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Its a pleasant stroll from the top of the main street down to the Connecticut River...that's filled with historic homes, shops and restaurants.

Settled around the Falls River, which flows eastwardly from the hills of Ivoryton, through Centerbrook, along Essex Village down to the sparkling Connecticut River, Esex is a few short miles from Long Island Sound.

Essex also has many cultural, historical and educational attractions as well, from the Essex Steam Train to the Ivoryton Playhouse to the Connecticut River Museum, Connecticut Audubon Ecotravel, and Sailing Masters of 1812 (whose members are attired in the traditional garb of Navy midshipmen of the time period).

Essex is famous for hosting a multitude of parades, from Groundhog Day (with Essex Ed), to the Burning of the Ships Parade (celebrating the 1814 British raid that left 29 ships burning in the harbor). And many others as well. Parades in Essex are a way of life.

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Essex offers an outstanding culinary experience to residents and visitors alike - such hometown originals as the historic 1776 Griswold Inn, the renowned Copper Beech Inn and the Black Seal.

For shoppers of all persuasions, there are art galleries, antique businesses, plenty of great shops and boutiques and a beautiful harbor to relax by.

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