# Willimantic River

The Willimantic River is a tributary of the Shetucket River, approximately 25 miles (40 km) long in northeastern Connecticut in the New England region of the United States.
It is formed in northern Tolland County, near Stafford Springs by the confluence of Middle River and Furnace Brook. It flows south to the city of Willimantic, where it joins the Natchaug River to form the Shetucket. It is joined by the Hop River on the Coventry, Columbia, and Windham town border. The river is also designated as a National Recreation Trail.

## Name

The word Willimantic is of Algonquian origin, either Mohegan-Pequot or Narragansett. It is commonly translated as "land of the swift running water", but the word more likely originally meant "place near the evergreen swamp". The word was first attested in English writing as Waramanticut in 1684, and later as Wallamanticuk, Wewemantic and Weammantuck before being standardized as Willimantic.

## Geography

Shortly upstream from its confluence with the Natchaug, the Willimantic experiences a drop of ninety feet in one mile. The river powered textile mills from Stafford Springs to Willimantic, including the American Thread Company mill. None of these mills are operating as of 2007, having all been destroyed or converted to other uses such as apartment space.
A popular long paddling route begins south of Stafford Springs along Route 32 where the river is mostly quickwater all of the way to the flatwater of Eagleville Pond. The remainder is fairly easy going to the take-out at Route 66. Beware of the dam at the Route 275 bridge. Other access points may be at the N. River Road bridge, the Route 74 bridge, the Depot Rd bridge, the Route 195 bridge, the Jones Crossing bridge, the Merrow Road bridge, the U.S. Route 44 bridge, Brigham bridge, near the Route 275 dam, the Depot Rd bridge, the Route 31 bridge, and the Flanders Rd bridge.

## Crossings

| County | Town | Carrying |
| Windham | Windham | Closed Bridge (Connected to ATC Mill 04.) |
| Windham | Windham | The Garden Bridge (Former Jillson Bridge) |
| Windham | Windham | South St. (Frog Bridge) |
| Windham | Windham | New England Central Railroad Providence and Worcester Railroad |
| Windham | Windham | Willimantic Footbridge |
| Windham | Windham | Route 32 |
| Windham/Tolland | Windham/Columbia | Air Line State Park Trail |
| Windham/Tolland | Windham/Columbia | Route 66 |
| Windham/Tolland | Windham/Coventry | US 6 (Willimantic Bypass) |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | Flanders Rd. |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | Route 31 |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | New England Central Railroad |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | Depot Rd. |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | New England Central Railroad |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | Route 275 |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | Plains Rd. |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Coventry | Merrow Rd. |
| Tolland | Mansfield/Tolland | Route 195 |
| Tolland | Willington/ Tolland | New England Central Railroad |
| Tolland | Willington/ Tolland | S. River Rd./Depot Rd. |
| Tolland | Willington/ Tolland | Route 74 |
| Tolland | Willington/ Tolland | I-84 |
| Tolland | Willington/ Tolland | New England Central Railroad |
| Tolland | Willington/ Tolland | Route 32 |
| Tolland | Ellington/Willington | New England Central Railroad |
| Tolland | Stafford | Private Dr. |