Mystic, beautiful and historic resort village that resides partly in the town of Stonington and partly in Groton, New London county, southeastern Connecticut, U.S. Settled in 1654, its name was derived from the Indian missituk (“great tidal river”), it resides on the Mystic River.  For two centuries 17^th and 18th, Mystic was known as a shipbuilding town. Fast clipper ships were built there, and from its shipyards the first regular ironclad vessel, Galena, was launched in 1861. Mystic Seaport, a museum-village, relives the sailing ship era, exhibiting along its waterfront the 19th-century whaler Charles W. Morgan (1841) and other ships, including the square-rigged Joseph Conrad (1882). A unique row of old sea captains’ houses is preserved. Olde Mistick Village is a colonial-style outdoor shopping and restaurant destination. Mystic Aquarium features more than 6,000 specimens, and its is known for its dolphin and sea lion shows.