Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Housatonic River
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Quizzes
water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)
Water and its Varying Forms
Read Next
The United States Supreme Court building, Washington, D.C.
14 Questions About Government in the United States Answered
Bar graph of the United States Death Toll during major events. Infogram chart.
U.S. Death Toll During Major Events
The Battle of New Orleans, by E. Percy Moran, c. 1910. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812.
26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History
Groups of depositors in front of the closed American Union Bank, New York City. April 26, 1932. Great Depression run on bank crowd
Causes of the Great Depression
Aerial view of the Amazon River in the Amazon rainforest near Manaus in Brazil. South America
How Long Is the Amazon River?
Discover
Panoramic view at sunrise of moai, Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Chile
6 Lost Civilizations
Bog body. Head of Tollund Man. Died at about age 30-40, Dated to about 280 BCE early Iron Age. Found Bjaeldskovdal bog Denmark in 1950 near Elling Woman. Most well preserved bog body to date. Human remains mummified in natural peat bogs. mummy, embalm
9 Noteworthy Bog Bodies (And What They Tell Us)
The Battle of New Orleans, by E. Percy Moran, c. 1910. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812.
26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History
Saint Lucia Day. Young girl wears Lucia crown (tinsel halo) with candles. Holds Saint Lucia Day currant laced saffron buns (lussekatter or Lucia's cats). Observed December 13 honor virgin martyr Santa Lucia (St. Lucy). Luciadagen, Christmas, Sweden
7 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World
Christmas tree, holiday, pine
How Did the Tradition of Christmas Trees Start?
Neon sign of the word BAR hanging in a bar that serves alcoholic drinks. Alcohol drinking
Pro and Con: Lowering the Drinking Age
NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting.
10 Great Sports Rivalries

Housatonic River

river, United States
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/place/Housatonic-River
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History

Housatonic River, river in southwestern New England, rising in the Berkshire Hills, near Pittsfield, Mass., U.S. It flows southward for 148 miles (238 km) through Massachusetts past Pittsfield, Lee, and Great Barrington; and then through Connecticut past New Milford, Derby, and Shelton to enter Long Island Sound, 4 miles (6 km) east of Bridgeport. Several hydroelectric plants utilize the river’s drop of 959 feet (292 m) in the first 119 miles (191 km) to Derby. Below Derby the river is tidal for about 12 miles (19 km). Lake Zoar is impounded in the river in Paugussett State Forest. The name Housatonic is supposedly derived from the Mohican (Mahican) Indian word for “place beyond the mountain.”

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.