Submarine Capitol of the World
Groton is a town in New London County, Connecticut, located on the Thames River. It is home to General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is the major contractor for submarine work for the United States Navy. Groton is sometimes referred to as the “Submarine Capitol of the World” due to the long-standing history of submarines in the town and the fact that Groton has one of the largest submarine bases in the world.
So it’s only fitting that Groton is home to the U.S.S Nautilus. Built a little longer than a football field with the ability to carry 11 officers and 105 enlisted men, it was the world’s first nuclear-powered ship and the first vessel to go to the North Pole. It could dive to 700 feet and had the capabilities to remain underwater for two weeks or more. The U.S.S Nautilus was in service for 26 years, beginning in 1954 until the Navy decommissioned her in 1980.
Today, there is an amazing museum that you can walk through that lays out the history of submarines. You can also take a self-guided walk/tour through the actual U.S.S Nautilus submarine to get a feel for what life is like on these tiny and secretive vessels. And none of this costs a dime!
*Being a huge literary buff, I was excited to find an 1892 edition of Jules Verne’s work, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, on display here inside the Nautilus!*
Lindsay View All →
Our roots will forever be from here, America, born and raised. Yet, life requires us to move more frequently than we care to count. Whether living stateside or abroad, you can always find us traveling somewhere. We scout out places that you only think you can dream of one day seeing and we seek out those that aren’t found in guidebooks. We then bring them to life here in our travel memos, so hopefully, one day you too can visit them or at least be able to live vicariously through us. This blog isn’t just about crossing off places from a bucket list. It’s about absorbing and learning how other cultures grow and fit into the same world that we do. Life is short and the world is big. Enjoy and get out there!
American Roots. Traveling Boots. 