Glastonbury Center is one of Glastonbury’s three activity centers and is shaped by the Welles-Turner Library. The area around the library includes a tree-shaded park and a fountain. This gives you concrete points of interest to consider when planning your trip: the library grounds and green space, local history, trees along historic Main Street, and a creative makerspace.

Finding Your Way Between the Library and Shopping Plazas

The shops and retail stores in Glastonbury Center are spread across four plazas along Hebron Avenue and Welles Street. These plazas provide a different point of reference for finding your way than the area around the library. Main Street and Hubbard Street feature prominently in several historical topics.

History at the Green and on Main Street

The Museum on the Green is located on Hubbard Green, at the corner of Main Street and Hubbard Street. It presents Glastonbury’s history, from the Wangunk People, who lived here for thousands of years before anyone else, and the arrival of the colonists, through the Revolutionary War, slavery and its abolition in Glastonbury, and the Civil War, to local industries and businesses and the history of the early 20th century. The topics therefore range from the early history of the Wangunk People to the town’s later political and economic developments.

Glastonbury Center is also home to the historic Gideon Welles House, an 18th-century colonial building. The Glastonbury Historical Society is located at a corner on Hubbard Street, in a building that originally served as Town Hall. The two sites offer different historical points of reference: a colonial building and a house that formerly served as the town hall.

Town Green and Historic District

The Art Guild holds its annual art exhibitions on the original Town Green. Green Cemetery borders the Town Green directly; its gravestones date from the 17th century. The Historic District begins on Main Street, south of Glastonbury Center. Art events, old gravestones, and the historic street each highlight a different aspect of local history.

A Self-Guided Tree Walk

The self-guided tree walk starts opposite the intersection of Rankin Road and Main Street. It leads from Glastonbury Center to Hubbard Street and includes Hubbard Green. The walk is intended to help residents identify trees along historic Main Street. Its focus differs from that of the museum: here, the emphasis is on trees and identifying them along the street, rather than on Glastonbury’s historical events and developments.

Creative Pursuits at 2CF Studio

2CF Studio is a dynamic public library makerspace. It offers tools for 3D printing, digital media, and traditional crafts. Its offerings bring digital and hands-on fields together. For choosing what to explore, this offers a different focus from the museum, historic buildings, and tree walk: the studio focuses on tools and creative pursuits, while the other places and activities emphasize history or trees.

For an overview of the wider trip: Glastonbury.