One of the only roads listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Merritt Parkway is the truck-free alternative to the interstate through Connecticut to New York City.
Winding through parklike landscaping and under Art Deco bridges, the Parkway was originally built to relieve congestion on the Boston Post Road between New York and Boston, one of the oldest roads in the nation, now known as Route 1.
Even though the road appealed to American’s newly found fascination with the automobile, the very practical then Connecticut Governor ordered all scheduled highway work to be moved forward as rapidly as possible with the intention of “aiding the jobless.” As so many Depression-era projects, this beautiful road has stood the test of time, remaining an exquisite 38 miles for all to enjoy nearly 100 years later.