Three hundred years of history follows you around today as you wander the streets of Essex, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton. Essex harbor is located on the Connecticut River six miles north of Long Island Sound, between Mystic Seaport and New Haven. It is a major stopping point for boaters in the Northeast who come from various ports to dock in the harbor, dine at the Griswold Inn, take in the maritime history at the Connecticut River Museum, or walk along the narrow streets to view the fine old houses in this New England community. Homes once owned by sea captains, shipbuilders, and captains of...

Deep River and Ivoryton, two villages in the lower Connecticut River Valley, were dominated for more than a century by "white gold"-ivory. The growth of the piano industry led to a new use for this exotic and long-treasured substance and, suddenly, the two villages became tied to Zanzibar, the most important exporting place for the tusks of African elephants.

With more than two hundred exceptional photographs and narrative, Deep River and Ivoryton tells the story of how ivory shaped the economy and culture of these villages. Two companies, Pratt, Read & Company and the Comstock, Cheney &...