BANTAM

Bantam sits on the shore of Connecticut's largest natural lake in the Litchfield Hills. This former mill village turned borough operates at a quiet, unhurried pace shaped by water, woods, and a handful of local institutions.

The Bantam Cinema & Arts Center, housed in a 1929 movie house believed to be the oldest continuously operating cinema in the state, runs a mix of independent film and live performances as a community nonprofit.

Small-town Litchfield County — art galleries tucked into a repurposed switch factory along the Bantam River, a lake that freezes for ice sailing in winter, and not much reason to rush anywhere.

Tip: Check the Bantam Cinema & Arts Center schedule before you visit — screenings sell out in the small auditorium, and the concession stand is half the experience.

Neighborhoods: Bantam Borough • Town Center • Northfield