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Winter on the Conway Scenic Railroad
FEATURED: History, Holiday Magic, and a Season Full of Special Excursions
Discover
Autumn in Connecticut comes with a soundtrack: the rustle of turning leaves, the faint crunch of apples underfoot, and the aroma of warm cider drifting through misty air. This sampler brings together destinations where history lives, harvests thrive, and sweet, communal energy fills the air. Expect a journey through 275 years of orchard heritage, steam-powered relics, playful maze paths, and farms rooted in tradition.
Founded in 1741 when John and Hope Lyman purchased 37 acres in what is now Middlefield, the orchard originally focused on peaches—a crop that thrived until the disastrous frost of 1817 forced a shift to hardier apple varieties. Today, the farm spans about 1,100 acres, remaining a family operation across ten generations. Preservation of land and innovation remain part of the mission—executed by Lymans still deeply involved in the business.
The Corn Maze & Cider Donut Festival, running from late August through early November, blends tradition with creativity, is designed around rotating themes, such as this year’s theme: “Connecticut Pizza” or past nods like Benjamin Franklin. Plan on spending at least 30-45 minutes strolling through the maze which covers approximately 4 acres with over a mile of winding paths
The maze is open 1-5:30pm Monday-Friday and 10am-5:30pm on Weekends and Holidays. Last maze entry is 5:30pm.
Since 2000, proceeds from the maze have supported worthy causes—raising over $806,000 for the American Cancer Society and over $91,700 for the Connecticut Cancer Foundation.
This is community that weaves history and joy throughout fall traditions.
Step through the gates of B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill in Mystic, Connecticut, and it feels less like a farm stand and more like stepping into a living museum. The scent of apples and wood smoke mingles with the hiss of steam, as a machine from another century still roars faithfully to life each fall.
Benjamin F. Clyde first began pressing cider around 1881, and by 1898, he’d invested in a state-of-the-art steam-powered press built by Boomer & Boschert of Syracuse, New York. Powered by a 10-horsepower steam engine, this behemoth was a marvel of its day—and against all odds, it still runs. Today, Clyde’s is recognized as the only steam-powered cider mill still operating in the United States, and since 1994, it has been honored as a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
But Clyde’s is more than its machinery. The business has been lovingly passed down through six generations of the Clyde family, each adding their stewardship to the tradition. Stories tell of the early days when neighbors would arrive with horse-drawn wagons to have their apples pressed; now, cars and trucks line the lot, but the ritual is much the same. The clang of the press, the gleam of juice flowing into oak barrels, and the simple pleasure of cider—hot or hard—connect visitors directly to a rhythm of life that has endured for over 140 years.
From September through early winter, the mill is alive with activity. Families crowd around to watch apples fed into the conveyor, children peer up wide-eyed as the steam engine hisses and wheels turn, and everyone leaves with something sweet: a jug of amber cider, a sack of still-warm cider donuts pulled from a wood-fired oven, or perhaps a bottle of Clyde’s famous hard cider or apple wine.
In an age of convenience and speed, Clyde’s is proof that some traditions are too good to let slip away. Here, each generation inherits not just a family business, but a living link to New England’s agricultural past—a place where history is not just preserved, but pressed fresh every autumn.
Clyde’s Through the Years
🍎 1881 – Benjamin F. Clyde begins pressing cider in Mystic, CT.
⚙️ 1898 – Steam-powered cider press, built by Boomer & Boschert, is installed.
🐴 Early 1900s – Locals arrive by horse and buggy to press apples and take home cider.
🏡 Mid-20th Century – The mill remains in the family, traditions carried on through generations.
📜 1994 – Designated a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the ASME.
👨👩👧👦 Today – Operated by the 6th generation of the Clyde family—the only steam-powered cider mill that is still in operation in the U.S.
Corn mazes remain beloved fall staples statewide:
Preston Farms (Preston): The 8-acre maze began in 2000 and is now a cherished community staple with themes and a fun 16-stamping-stations treasure hunt.
Foster Family Farm (South Windsor): Double mazes combining for over 4 miles of paths, alongside pirate ships, corn pits, and animal pens—playtime in maize fashion.
Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm (Sterling): Hailed as one of the state’s largest and most scenic, with hayrides, farm animals, and rustic treats.
Wells Hollow Creamery (Shelton): A cozy, weekend-only maze paired with homemade ice cream and pie—classic, harvested joy.
These mazes turn stalks into stories, and pathways into shared wanderings.
These destinations form a tapestry of tradition, innovation, and sensory delight:
Lyman Orchards combines nearly three centuries of family heritage with playful, purpose-driven community engagement.
B.F. Clyde’s presses history with steam, offering a visceral bridge between past and present.
Preston Farms and maze-makers across CT deliver shared adventurous spirit in every turning corridor.
You know, standing inside Clyde’s, with that steam hissing and the gears clanking, you can’t help but feel like you’ve slipped into another time. It’s not a museum—this isn’t something behind glass—it’s the real thing, still working just the way it did over a century ago. And to think, six generations of the Clyde family have kept this tradition alive, pressing apples year after year, season after season. That’s not just history, that’s heart.
What’s so special is the way everyone comes together here. You’ll see little kids wide-eyed at the big old press, grandparents remembering the cider they had as children, and families hauling home jugs just like folks did in horse and buggy days. The world has changed so much since 1881, but inside Clyde’s, the rhythm of autumn feels steady and familiar.
And when you finally take that sip—sweet, crisp, and just a little tangy—you realize you’re tasting more than cider. You’re tasting a piece of New England itself, a reminder that some of the best things in life don’t need to be reinvented. They just need to be kept alive, season after season, by people who care enough to share them. And that, to me, is pure magic.
