Historically, Mystic was a leading seaport of the area. The story of Mystic's nautical background is told at Mystic Seaport, the nation's largest maritime museum, which has preserved a number of sailing ships, such as the whaling ship "Charles W. Morgan". The village is located on the Mystic River, which flows into Long Island Sound, giving access to the sea. The Mystic River Bascule Bridge crosses the river in the center of the village. According to the Mystic River Historical Society, the name "Mystic" comes from the Pequot words "missi-tuk" as describing a large river whose waters are driven into waves by tides or wind. The population was 4,205 at the 2010 census.