Norwichtown
Encyclopedia
Norwichtown is an historic neighborhood in the city of Norwich
, Connecticut
. It is generally the area immediately north of the Yantic River
between I-395 and Route 169
.
The portion of the neighborhood from the Norwichtown Green and east of it is a locally designated historic district
that was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973 as the Norwichtown Historic District
. The district includes 48 contributing building
s and one other contributing site over an 110 acres (44.5 ha) area.
The earliest settlement of Norwich, in 1659, was in Norwichtown. Initial settlement, by 35 English
settlers who bought land from the Mohegans, was centered around the Norwichtown Green.
The Green is triangular in shape, with an area of about 1.75 acre (0.7082005 ha). It is surrounded by shade tree
s and bordered by Town Street, East Town Street and Elm Avenue. These streets are lined with 18th and 19th houses and shops that face the Green. There are four houses in Norwichtown that were built in the 17th century: the 1660 Bradford-Huntington House, built circa 1660; the Olmstead-Lathrop House, dating to circa 1659-1745; Leffingwell House Museum, built circa 1675; and the Simon Huntington House, built circa 1690. The First Congregational Church, built in the Federal style in 1801, was the third building to house the local congregation. Many older homes in the district have been converted to commercial use. The John Mason School is now the central administration for the Norwich Public School System. North of the town's first schoolhouse is the Colonial Cemetery where four Connecticut governors are buried. Four houses from the 17th century remain standing north of the Green area is Meeting House Hill, a cliff of large rocks that is also known as the Meeting House Rocks. It was on this cliff that the village's second and third meetinghouses were established, with the site used as a lookout point. The memorial on top of the rocks and pathway are cared for by the First Congregational Church.
Five buildings included in the historic district
are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the saltbox
Leffingwell Inn
, the Joseph Carpenter Silversmith Shop
, built circa 1772-1774; the Dr. Daniel Lathrop School
, one of Connecticut's oldest remaining brick schoolhouse
s, which dates to 1782; the Bradford-Huntington House
at 16 Huntington Lane; and the Gen. Jedidiah Huntington House
at 23 E. Town Street.
Norwichtown was the old center of Norwich, when the town was settled primarily as a farming community in the late 17th century. By the early 18th century, the focus of Norwich became the harbor facilities in the adjacent Chelsea neighborhood east and south of the town center, and eventually the 'center' of Norwich became the small urban center at Chelsea, which was also ringed with industrial mills. The establishment of the city of Norwich in 1784 centered on the Chelsea neighborhood necessitated the distinction of calling the old town center 'Norwichtown'. The city of Norwich was consolidated with the town of Norwich in 1952 relegating Norwichtown to become a residential neighborhood of the city of Norwich.
Samuel Huntington
, signer of the Declaration of Independence
, president of the Continental Congress
, first President of the United States under the Articles of Confederation
, and governor of Connecticut, lived in Norwichtown. His house is located to the east of the Green and he is buried in Norwichtown's colonial era cemetery. Samuel Huntington Elementary School on West Town Street in Norwichtown, a public school operated by Norwich Public Schools, is named for him.
Fairview Reservoir, one of Norwich's backup reservoir
s, is between Canterbury Turnpike and Scotland Road in Norwichtown.
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It is generally the area immediately north of the Yantic River
Yantic River
The Yantic River forms at the confluence of the Deep River, Sherman Brook, and Exeter Brook about east of Colchester, Connecticut. It runs for and flows into the Shetucket River in Norwich, forming the Thames River...
between I-395 and Route 169
Route 169 (Connecticut)
Route 169 is a state highway in the U.S. states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. It begins in the city of Norwich and runs through Northeastern Connecticut, continuing across the state line into Southbridge, Massachusetts. The route ends in Charlton after another nine miles...
.
The portion of the neighborhood from the Norwichtown Green and east of it is a locally designated historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
that was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973 as the Norwichtown Historic District
Norwichtown Historic District
The Norwichtown Historic District is a historic district in the Norwichtown section of the town of Norwich, Connecticut. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. By then, the district was already a local historic district...
. The district includes 48 contributing building
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
s and one other contributing site over an 110 acres (44.5 ha) area.
The earliest settlement of Norwich, in 1659, was in Norwichtown. Initial settlement, by 35 English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
settlers who bought land from the Mohegans, was centered around the Norwichtown Green.
The Green is triangular in shape, with an area of about 1.75 acre (0.7082005 ha). It is surrounded by shade tree
Shade tree
A shade tree is any tree grown specifically for its shade. This term usually applies to large trees with spreading canopies. Shade trees are effective in reducing the energy used in cooling homes....
s and bordered by Town Street, East Town Street and Elm Avenue. These streets are lined with 18th and 19th houses and shops that face the Green. There are four houses in Norwichtown that were built in the 17th century: the 1660 Bradford-Huntington House, built circa 1660; the Olmstead-Lathrop House, dating to circa 1659-1745; Leffingwell House Museum, built circa 1675; and the Simon Huntington House, built circa 1690. The First Congregational Church, built in the Federal style in 1801, was the third building to house the local congregation. Many older homes in the district have been converted to commercial use. The John Mason School is now the central administration for the Norwich Public School System. North of the town's first schoolhouse is the Colonial Cemetery where four Connecticut governors are buried. Four houses from the 17th century remain standing north of the Green area is Meeting House Hill, a cliff of large rocks that is also known as the Meeting House Rocks. It was on this cliff that the village's second and third meetinghouses were established, with the site used as a lookout point. The memorial on top of the rocks and pathway are cared for by the First Congregational Church.
Five buildings included in the historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the saltbox
Saltbox
A saltbox is a building with a long, pitched roof that slopes down to the back, generally a wooden frame house. A saltbox has just one story in the back and two stories in the front...
Leffingwell Inn
Leffingwell Inn
The Leffingwell Inn is a historic inn in the Norwichtown section of Norwich, Connecticut.The building is architecturally important for having been built around "some of the best seventeenth century remains left in Connecticut"....
, the Joseph Carpenter Silversmith Shop
Joseph Carpenter Silversmith Shop
The Joseph Carpenter Silversmith Shop was built during 1772-74 on the Norwichtown green in Norwichtown, now a section of Norwich, Connecticut. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970....
, built circa 1772-1774; the Dr. Daniel Lathrop School
Dr. Daniel Lathrop School
The Dr. Daniel Lathrop School is located in the Norwichtown section of Norwich, Connecticut. The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 29, 1970....
, one of Connecticut's oldest remaining brick schoolhouse
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s, which dates to 1782; the Bradford-Huntington House
Bradford-Huntington House
The Bradford-Huntington House is a home built during 1691-1719 in the Norwichtown section of Norwich, Connecticut. Its property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and it is also a contributing property in the Norwichtown Historic District .The house is a timber house...
at 16 Huntington Lane; and the Gen. Jedidiah Huntington House
Gen. Jedidiah Huntington House
The Gen. Jedidiah Huntington House in the town of Norwich, Connecticut was built in 1765. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970....
at 23 E. Town Street.
Norwichtown was the old center of Norwich, when the town was settled primarily as a farming community in the late 17th century. By the early 18th century, the focus of Norwich became the harbor facilities in the adjacent Chelsea neighborhood east and south of the town center, and eventually the 'center' of Norwich became the small urban center at Chelsea, which was also ringed with industrial mills. The establishment of the city of Norwich in 1784 centered on the Chelsea neighborhood necessitated the distinction of calling the old town center 'Norwichtown'. The city of Norwich was consolidated with the town of Norwich in 1952 relegating Norwichtown to become a residential neighborhood of the city of Norwich.
Samuel Huntington
Samuel Huntington (statesman)
Samuel Huntington was a jurist, statesman, and Patriot in the American Revolution from Connecticut. As a delegate to the Continental Congress, he signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation...
, signer of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
, president of the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
, first President of the United States under the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement among the 13 founding states that legally established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first constitution...
, and governor of Connecticut, lived in Norwichtown. His house is located to the east of the Green and he is buried in Norwichtown's colonial era cemetery. Samuel Huntington Elementary School on West Town Street in Norwichtown, a public school operated by Norwich Public Schools, is named for him.
Fairview Reservoir, one of Norwich's backup reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s, is between Canterbury Turnpike and Scotland Road in Norwichtown.
See also
- Neighborhoods of Norwich, ConnecticutNeighborhoods of Norwich, ConnecticutSeveral neighborhoods of Norwich, Connecticut maintain independent identities and are recognized by official signs marking their boundaries. The following is a list of neighborhoods in Norwich.-Bean Hill:...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut