Salisbury, Connecticut

salisbury, connecticut the quiet corner, with bears

As the northwestern most town

in Connecticut, Salisbury is where Litchfield County meets the Berkshires. It’s home to two prep schools, but also wild and mountainous black bear habitat. Salisbury has a small-town feel, with full-time and part-time residents whose lives often take them into Manhattan, just a little over two hours by car and also reachable by rail from Wassaic, only fifteen minutes away. Who, upon seeing a little place with a “For Sale” sign on a well-kept lawn, wouldn’t feel a little tug?

Salisbury is a welcoming town, whether or not you own real estate there. It thrives on the mixture of people it attracts, from celebrities (Meryl Streep has lived there for years) to the shaggy hikers who come down a half a mile off the Appalachian Trail to pick up supplies at LaBonne’s Market. Begin with a walk down Main Street and follow your nose to Sweet William’s Coffee Shop Bakery, famous for pies, pastries, and cookies. Right across the street is the General Store, which also doubles as the town’s pharmacy. Around the corner is browser-friendly Johnnycake Books, specializing in rare and collectible volumes. Go a little further and you’ll soon be on the Railroad Ramble, Salisbury’s scenic Rail Trail.

Outdoor activities draw many people to the area. If you can hike half a mile—uphill, that is (the hike is listed as ”moderate to strenuous”)—pluck up your courage and try the trail to Lion’s Head for spectacular views over the surrounding countryside. The trailhead is only a mile out of town on Bunker Hill Road (there’s a parking lot marked “Hiker Parking” where the road comes to an end); the road begins at the Salisbury Town Hall in the center of town.

There are six lakes, with names like Wononscopomuc, Washinee, Washining, and Wononpakook (brush up on your Algonquian before you visit). Deep, beautiful 348-acre Wononscopomuc (also known as Lakeville Lake, in very plain

From left: Sweet William’s Coffee Shop & Bakery, Main Street. English) is the site of the well-run public beach, known as the Salisbury Town Grove. There’s a $10-per-head fee for nonresidents. Boat launching (at an additional $10) and various watercraft rentals are also available. The fishing is excellent, and Connecticut licenses are available at the Grove.

A landmark in Salisbury is Lime Rock Park. The 2021 major event season concludes with the 39th annual Historic Festival on Labor Day weekend, September 3 – 6. Lime Rock is one of Salisbury’s “hamlets,” but don’t look for thatched cottages. Since 1956 the 1.5-mile track at Lime Rock Park has been a mainstay on the American racing circuit, and it’s also where amateur drivers can drive and dream and (if they qualify) compete.

But perhaps you took the advice of the New York Times and travelled to Salisbury simply to dine at The White Hart Inn on dishes prepared by celebrated British chef Annie Wayte. The Inn houses Provisions, a stylish café and sandwich spot open every day starting at 7 a.m. for take-out only now. For sit-down dining, you have your choice of the casual Tap Room and its outdoor patio, the Garden room and the elegant Dining Room, all open for dinner Thursday through Monday starting at 5 p.m. and all serving what the restaurant characterizes as “elevated Britishinspired comfort food” that highlights seasonal ingredients sourced from nearby farms. The food is both exotic and local— a good reflection of the town itself.