# Monroe (Connecticut)

Monroe is a town of 20,000 people (2017) in Fairfield County. Monroe is largely considered a bedroom community of New York City, New Haven, and Bridgeport.

## Understand

The community is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States.

## Get in
### By car

* Connecticut Route 25, Main Street, starts in Brookfield/Danbury and runs to Bridgeport. From Brookfield through Monroe, it is a 2-lane road, and just over the Monroe-Trumbull border within Trumbull, it becomes a 6-lane freeway which connects to Interstate 95.
* Connecticut Route 34 begins in Newtown and ends in New Haven, where it connects with I-91 and I-95.
* Connecticut Route 59 begins at its intersection with Route 25 in Monroe and travels south through Easton and Fairfield, where it ends in Bridgeport.
* Connecticut Route 110 begins in Monroe at its intersection with Route 111, then travels through Shelton before ending in Stratford.
* Connecticut Route 111, Monroe Turnpike, begins at its intersection with Route 34 in Monroe and runs south to Trumbull, where it terminates just north of Bridgeport at the Merritt Parkway.

### By train

* Bridgeport Train Station, 525 Water St, Bridgeport (approx. 12 miles south), ☏ +1 800 872-7245. Serviced by Amtrack and Metro-North (updated Jul 2021)

### By bus

Monroe is serviced only by Route 19X of the Greater Bridgeport Transit System.

### By plane

Monroe is approximately 70 miles from two airports.
* Bradley International Airport, Schoephoester Rd, Windsor Locks (via I-84 E), ☏ +1 860 292-2000. (updated Jul 2021)
* John F. Kennedy International Airport, Queens, NY (via I-95 S), ☏ +1 718-244-4444. (updated Jul 2021)

### By bicycle

* Pequonnock River Trail, 525 Water Street, Bridgeport, ☏ +1 203-366-5405, info@pequonnockrivertrail.org. A 16-mile multi-use, linear trail that runs from Bridgeport through Trumbull and Monroe along the Pequonnock River Valley (updated Jul 2021)

## Get around

Monroe Senior Center, 235 Cutlers Farm Road, ☏ +1 203-452-2815, fax: +1 203-452-2965. Services Monroe, Trumbull, Shelton, Stratford and Bridgeport as well as the VA Hospital in West Haven by appointment. $20 annually. (updated Jul 2021)

## See
### Locations owned by the Monroe Historical Society

* East Village Methodist Meeting House, 433 Barn Hill Road, ☏ +1 203-261-1383, society@monroecthistory.org. The oldest Methodist church building in Connecticut (updated Jul 2021)
* Barn Hill, East Village Schoolhouse, 311 Wheeler Road, ☏ +1 203-261-1383, society@monroecthistory.org. c.1790, it is the oldest of Monroe’s 7 former one-room schoolhouses. (updated Jul 2021)
* The Eliot Beardslee (Beardsley) Homestead, 31 Great Ring Road, ☏ +1 203-261-1383, society@monroecthistory.org. c. 1780, a classic example of an 18th century New England saltbox colonial. (updated Jul 2021)

### Locations on the National Register of Historic Places

* Daniel Basset House, 1024 Monroe Turnpike. (updated Jul 2021)
* Monroe Center Historic District, CT 110 and CT 111. (updated Jul 2021)
* Stevenson Dam Hydroelectric Plant, CT 34. (updated Jul 2021)
* Thomas Hawley House, 514 Purdy Hill Rd. (updated Jul 2021)

## Do

* 41.3749-73.16321 Webb Mountain Park, Old Fish House Road, ☏ +1 203-452-2806, parksandrec@monroect.org. A 135-acre municipal park that offers hiking trails, rock climbing, nature study, and campsites. Camping: $15 per site for one to five people ($25 for non residents) and $20 per site for six to ten people ($35 for non residents). (updated Jul 2021)
** 41.3605-73.17052 Webb Mountain Discovery Zone, 71 Webb Circle, ☏ +1 203 556-9737, info@webbdiscoveryzone.org. 6AM-8PM. A 170-acre park and outdoor learning center with programs for ages 3-5. (updated Jul 2021)
* Whitney Farms Golf Course & Catering, 175 Shelton Rd, ☏ +1 203-268-0707, contact@whitneyfarmgc.com. M-F 7:30AM-5PM, Sa Su 7AM-5PM. $40-80 for 18 holes. (updated Jul 2021)
* William E. Wolfe Park. Office hours: M-Th 8:30AM-4:30PM, F 8:30AM-1:30PM. This town park includes a public pool, four baseball fields, a football field, a basketball court, a playground, and a hiking trail that leads to Great Hollow Lake. The park includes a barbecue set up on the grass, and a nearby pavilion. Great Hollow Lake is located in the south-western area of the park. (updated Jul 2021)
** Housatonic Railway Trail. An approximately five-mile section of the scenic walking and biking Pequonnock River trail that runs from Great Hollow Lake in Wolfe Park through the Newtown Town line. (updated Jul 2021)

### Events

* Memorial Day Parade up CT 111, annually
* Monroe Congregational Church’s Strawberry Festival, annually in mid-late June
* Monroe Farmers' Market, Fridays 3–6PM from mid-June through late October
* Monroe Volunteer Fire Department's Carnival, annually in early July
* St. Jude's Italian Festival, annually in late August

## Buy

* Benedict's Home & Garden
* Maria & Peter Warren Antiques
* Mustard Seed Thrift Shoppe
* Pondview Farm

## Eat

* Bill's Drive-In, 431 Monroe Turnpike, ☏ +1 203-268-8808. 7AM-8PM. A 1940s-era diner and classic car show venue (updated Jul 2021)
* Jennie's Pizzeria, 380 Monroe Turnpike, ☏ +1 203-452-2435. Tu-Th Sa 11AM-9PM, F 11AM-9:30PM, Su noon-8PM. Fairfield County's oldest pizzeria (updated Jul 2021)
* Lake Zoar Drive-In, 14 Roosevelt Drive Rural, ☏ +1 203-268-8137. M-W 6:30AM-7:30PM, Th-Sa 7:30AM-8:30PM, Su 8:30AM-7:30PM. (updated Jul 2021)
* Mr. Mac's Canteen, 838 Main St C, ☏ +1 203-459-9595. A family-owned and -operated restaurant and food truck serving chili dogs. (updated Jul 2021)

## Drink

* Prime 111, 43 Monroe Tpke, ☏ +1 203-220-6615. (updated Jul 2021)

## Connect

* Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, 733 Monroe Turnpike, ☏ +1 203-452-2850, reference@ewml.org. A public library with a business center, makerspace, and events for all ages. (updated Jul 2021)

## Cope
### Clinics

* DOCS Urgent Care, 427 Main St, ☏ +1 475 242-7532. M-F 8AM-6PM. (updated Jul 2021)
* Hartford HealthCare Urgent Care, 401 Monroe Turnpike, ☏ +1 203-268-2501. (updated Jul 2021)
* Immediate Medical Care Monroe, 388 Main St, ☏ +1 203 459-0191. Sa Su 9AM-2PM, M-F 9AM-7PM. (updated Jul 2021)

### Veterinarians

* Monroe Animal Hospital, 270 Main St, ☏ +1 203 261-0544. M-F 8a-5p, Sa 9a-12p. (updated Jul 2021)
* Monroe Town and Country Veterinary Hospital, 607 Main St, ☏ +1 203 268-8681. M-F 8a-6p, Sa 8a-12p. (updated Jul 2021)

## Go next

* Trumbull
* Newtown (Connecticut)
* Greater New Haven