About Chester

Welcome to the Town of Chester, Connecticut, settled in 1692. Chester is a beautiful small rural town that has grown and adapted since its historic beginnings as a shipbuilding and mill town. Often described as quaint and unique, Chester has a picturesque Main Street with interesting architecture, elegant shops, art galleries, superior restaurants, and the world renowned Goodspeed Opera House’s local Norma Terris Theatre. Located on the hillside of the Connecticut River, we have a number of marinas, lakes, hidden streams, cascading waterfalls, thousands of acres of state forest, and hiking trails. We also have a Y.M.C.A. camp and small airport. We celebrate community, the outdoors, art, history, music, theater, crafts, cuisine and conversation. We cherish our small town way of life, striving to preserve it as we live fully embracing life in the 21st century.

Chester is a vibrant town full of creative people who welcome all to visit. With year round town-wide events, it is always a good time to come to Chester. Easy to get to by car, rail, air, or boat, we are just over 2 hours from both New York City and Boston. Come experience all Chester has to offer. You will want to stay longer than you planned.