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Norwich, Connecticut

Norwich (/ˈnɔːrwɪ/ NOR-wich) (also called "The Rose of New England") is a city in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The Yantic, Shetucket, and Quinebaug Rivers flow into the city and form its harbor, from which the Thames River flows south to Long Island Sound. The city is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 40,125 at the 2020 United States Census.[3]

Norwich
City
City of Norwich
Nickname: 
The Rose Of New England
Coordinates: 41°33′01″N 72°05′15″W / 41.55028°N 72.08750°W / 41.55028; -72.08750
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyNew London
RegionSoutheastern CT
Settled1659
Incorporated (city)1784
Consolidated1952
Named forNorwichtown
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager
 • City council
  • Peter A. Nystrom (R), Mayor
  • William Nash (R)
  • Mark M Bettencourt (D), Council president pro tem
  • Joseph A. DeLucia (D)
  • Ella Myles (D)
  • Darell Q. Willson (D)
  • Stacy Gould (R)
[1]
 • City managerJohn Salomone
Area
 • City29.41 sq mi (76.16 km2)
 • Land28.06 sq mi (72.68 km2)
 • Water1.34 sq mi (3.48 km2)
 • Urban
123.1 sq mi (318.7 km2)
Elevation
56 ft (17 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City40,125
 • Density1,430/sq mi (552.1/km2)
 • Metro
274,055
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Codes
06360, 06380, 06389
Area codes860/959
FIPS code09-56200
GNIS feature ID0209410
Major highways
Websitewww.norwichct.org

History edit

The town of Norwich was founded in 1659, on the site of what is now the neighborhood of Norwichtown, by settlers from Saybrook Colony led by Major John Mason, James Fitch,[4] and Lieutenant Francis Griswold. They purchased the land "nine miles square" that became Norwich from Mohegan Sachem Uncas.[5] One of the co-founders of Norwich was Thomas Leffingwell, who rescued Uncas when surrounded by his Narragansett tribesmen, and whose son established the Leffingwell Inn.[6] In 1668, a wharf was established at Yantic Cove. Settlement was primarily in the three-mile (4.8 km) area around the Norwichtown Green. The 69 founding families soon divided up the land in the Norwichtown vicinity for farms and businesses.

Until 1786, the town of Norwich encompassed what became known as the "Nine Mile Square".[7] Eight Religious Societies were created over the course of the 18th century and in 1786 these were mostly split into new towns, while the Long Society was merged into Preston, Connecticut.

Society Number Society Name Founding Year Contemporary Town(s)
First Society Norwich 1660[8] Norwich[9][10]
Second Society West Farms 1716[11] Franklin[12]
Third Society Newent 1718[13] Lisbon[14]
Fourth Society New Concord 1737[15] Bozrah[16]
Fifth Society Long or East 1726[17] Griswold, Norwich, Preston[18]
Sixth Society Chelsea 1751[19] Norwich[20]
Seventh Society Hanover 1761[21] Canterbury, Lisbon, Sprague, Scotland[22]
Eighth Society Pautipaug 1758/1761[23][24] Franklin, Sprague[25]

By 1694, the public landing built at the head of the Thames River allowed ships to unload goods at the harbor; the harbor area is known as the Chelsea neighborhood. The distance from the port to Norwichtown was served by the East and West Roads which became Washington Street and Broadway. The original center of the town was a neighborhood now called Norwichtown, an inland location chosen to be the center of a primarily agricultural farming community. By the late 18th century, shipping at the harbor became far more important than farming, especially when industrial mills began manufacturing on the three smaller rivers. By the early 19th century, the center of Norwich had effectively moved to the Chelsea neighborhood. The official buildings of the city were located in the harbor area, such as the city hall, courts, and post office, and all the large 19th-century urban blocks. The former center is now called Norwichtown to distinguish it from the current city.

Norwich merchants were shipping goods directly from England, but the Stamp Act of 1764 forced Norwich to become more self-sufficient. Large mills and factories sprang up at the falls on the rivers which traverse the town, the largest of which was the Ponemah Mill in the Taftville neighborhood. The ship captains of Norwich and New London were skillful at avoiding Imperial taxation during peacetime and were later just as successful eluding warships during the American Revolution. Norwich supported the cause for independence by supplying soldiers, ships, and munitions, and it was also a center of activity for the Sons of Liberty.

The Oxford English Dictionary attests the first recorded use of the word "Hello" to The Norwich Courier on October 18, 1826.[26] Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 19th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing. This was also spurred by the building of the Norwich and Worcester Railroad in 1832–1837, bringing goods and people in and out of Norwich. By the 1870s, the Springfield and New London Railroad was also running trains through Norwich.

In 1892, the city's first electric trolleys started service to the area and to some cities, including New London, Willimantic, Putnam, and Westerly, Rhode Island.[27] The town and city of Norwich were consolidated in 1952.[28]

Geography edit

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.5 square miles (76.4 km2), of which 28.3 sq mi (73.4 km2) is land and 1.2 sq mi (3.0 km2) (3.87%) is water.

Climate edit

Climate data for Norwich, Connecticut (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1956–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 70
(21)
72
(22)
85
(29)
94
(34)
98
(37)
98
(37)
101
(38)
102
(39)
97
(36)
88
(31)
79
(26)
77
(25)
102
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 37.7
(3.2)
40.5
(4.7)
47.8
(8.8)
59.3
(15.2)
69.9
(21.1)
78.4
(25.8)
84.1
(28.9)
82.6
(28.1)
75.5
(24.2)
63.9
(17.7)
53.0
(11.7)
43.2
(6.2)
61.3
(16.3)
Daily mean °F (°C) 29.5
(−1.4)
31.7
(−0.2)
38.6
(3.7)
49.2
(9.6)
59.4
(15.2)
68.4
(20.2)
74.4
(23.6)
72.6
(22.6)
65.2
(18.4)
53.8
(12.1)
43.6
(6.4)
35.1
(1.7)
51.8
(11.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 21.2
(−6.0)
22.9
(−5.1)
29.4
(−1.4)
39.1
(3.9)
48.9
(9.4)
58.5
(14.7)
64.8
(18.2)
62.7
(17.1)
54.9
(12.7)
43.6
(6.4)
34.3
(1.3)
27.0
(−2.8)
42.3
(5.7)
Record low °F (°C) −21
(−29)
−17
(−27)
−1
(−18)
17
(−8)
27
(−3)
33
(1)
43
(6)
40
(4)
29
(−2)
18
(−8)
6
(−14)
−13
(−25)
−21
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.89
(99)
3.75
(95)
5.09
(129)
4.71
(120)
3.64
(92)
4.27
(108)
3.63
(92)
4.41
(112)
4.79
(122)
4.86
(123)
4.17
(106)
4.97
(126)
52.18
(1,325)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 9.0
(23)
7.1
(18)
5.0
(13)
0.8
(2.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.3
(0.76)
5.6
(14)
27.8
(71)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.8 9.6 10.4 10.8 11.3 10.1 9.4 8.7 8.6 10.3 9.3 10.9 120.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.5 3.0 2.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 2.4 11.3
Source: NOAA[29][30]

Neighborhoods edit

Several Norwich neighborhoods maintain independent identities and are recognized by official signs marking their boundaries. Neighborhoods of Norwich are Norwichtown, Bean Hill, Yantic, Taftville, Greeneville, Occum, East Great Plains, Thamesville, Laurel Hill and Chelsea (the original "downtown" area.)

Demographics edit

Historical population
YearPop.±%
17565,540—    
17747,327+32.3%
17827,325−0.0%
18003,476−52.5%
18102,976−14.4%
18202,983+0.2%
18303,135+5.1%
18404,200+34.0%
18506,139+46.2%
186014,048+128.8%
187016,653+18.5%
188015,112−9.3%
189016,156+6.9%
190017,251+6.8%
191020,367+18.1%
192022,304+9.5%
193023,021+3.2%
194023,652+2.7%
195023,429−0.9%
196038,506+64.4%
197041,739+8.4%
198038,074−8.8%
199037,391−1.8%
200036,117−3.4%
201040,493+12.1%
202040,125−0.9%
Population 1756–2010[31][32][33][34][35]

As of the census[36] of 2000, there were 36,117 people, 15,091 households, and 9,069 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,274.7 inhabitants per square mile (492.2/km2). There were 16,600 housing units at an average density of 585.9 per square mile (226.2/km2).

Twenty-nine percent of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. Thirty-two percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

In 2012, the population had risen to 40,502 and the racial makeup of the city was 70% White, 13% Hispanic or Latino, 10% Black or African American, 8% Asian, and 1% Native American. A significant influx of Chinese Americans has settled in Norwich since 2010.

The 2012 median income for a household in the city was $51,300. Fifteen percent of the population were below the poverty line.

Arts and culture edit

The Slater Memorial Museum, located on the campus of the Norwich Free Academy, is named for John Fox Slater (1815−1884), corporator of The Norwich Free Academy for twenty years. The museum has grown to include the "Art of Five Continents"—North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Of particular interest are the Vanderpoel Collection of Asian Art, the Paul Zimmerman Collection of African and Oceanic Art, and a collection of 19th-century American paintings. Another wing of the museum displays souvenirs from the Slater family's circumnavigation of the globe.

Sports edit

The AA Eastern League Connecticut Defenders, previously the Norwich Navigators, were a farm team of the San Francisco Giants and they played at Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium from both's inception in 1995 until the team announced its move to Richmond, Virginia for the 2010 season, where they are now known as the Richmond Flying Squirrels. However, starting in 2010, Dodd Stadium became the home to the Connecticut Tigers (formerly the Oneonta Tigers, now named Norwich Sea Unicorns) in the Class-A short-season New York–Penn League. The ESPN mini-series The Bronx Is Burning was filmed at Dodd Stadium.

Parks and recreation edit

Mohegan Park edit

 
Norwich Falls by John Trumbull, 1806
 
Pavilion and lake, 1912
 
Norwich, 2018

This forested area is Norwich's largest park. The park's property contains numerous hiking and biking trails, picnic tables, grills, pavilions for rent, a beach, basketball courts, a Mohegan monument, fountain and playgrounds. The Rose Garden at the entrance on Judd Road contains over a hundred varieties of roses and is a popular site for weddings. Many of the hiking trails are used by the Norwich Free Academy cross country team for practices, and in 2006 the team volunteered to improve the condition of trails. 5K "fun runs" are held in the park on Thursdays during the summer. As of 2009, the running course has been redesigned to incorporate much of the trails.

The Park Center contains Spaulding Pond, the square, fountain, and Mohegan monument, both playgrounds and a dog pound run by the Norwich Police Department. The Park Center has declined somewhat. The zoo, reptile house, and concession stand have been closed for over a decade. However, much has been done to improve the appearance of the remaining park.

Spaulding Pond, the main body of water in Mohegan Park, is held back by an earthworks dam, across which is a path bordered by pergolas and flowering plants. On March 6, 1963, long-term saturation of the over-100-year-old earthen content, along with unchecked shrub and tree growth, severely weakened the structural content of the dam and caused the waters of Spaulding Pond to burst forth into the city, causing the Great Flood of Norwich, elegantly chronicled in the 2013 book A Swift and Deadly Maelstrom; The Great Norwich Flood of 1963. The break and subsequent flood flow pulverized houses with its large ice content, over-ran streets and cars while destroying the eastern half of the Turner-Stanton Mill, situated in the flood's direct path on Centennial Square. It was there that the building collapsed, claiming the lives of six of the seven total who would die that night while causing over six million dollars in damage. Mohegan Park also contains another, smaller pond, called The Skating Pond which is southeast of the main pond. This pond, which had always been designed as an overflow spillway for Spaulding Pond and, when frozen in the winter provided a wonderful ice skating area for the local youth, thus its sobriquet, was re-designed as part of Norwich's long-term flood plan in 1968 and currently still serves as a surge overflow volume for the upgraded Spaulding Pond Dam, although it is no longer open for public use.[37]

Ice rink edit

The Norwich Municipal Ice Rink has a 200' × 85' National Hockey League regulation ice surface, four large locker rooms and other amenities. Established in 1995, the Rose City Warriors are Norwich's Senior Women's Ice Hockey Team and a number of local high school ice hockey teams call the Rink home as well.

Government edit

The city elects a Mayor, who presides over the City Council, which includes six other members, all elected at large. The Mayor serves a maximum of two four-year terms; the council members serve two-year terms. The council appoints the Town and City Clerk, a City Manager who acts as chief executive officer of the city government, the city Planning Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals.[38]

Education edit

Elementary and middle school residents are zoned to Norwich Public Schools.[39] The middle schools of Norwich are Teachers' Memorial Global Studies Middle School and Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School. Norwich is also home to the Integrated Day Charter School, an alternative to the area of public schools. Despite Norwich Public Schools serving the district, since 2007 NPS has not operated a high school after Norwich High School was closed and repurposed.[40]

The Norwich Free Academy is the primary high school for students living in Norwich and several surrounding towns, including Bozrah, Canterbury, Franklin, Lisbon, Preston, Sprague, and Voluntown. The Norwich Free Academy was incorporated in 1855 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature, and operates as a privately endowed independent school governed by its Board of Trustees and funded by private, municipal, and state sources. In 2006, Sidney Frank donated $12 million to the Norwich Free Academy[41] which resulted in the campus's newest building being named after him: the Sidney E. Frank Center for Visual and Performing Arts.

Norwich Technical High School, A Connecticut Technical High School System School, also serves the area. This school is a public option to those within the Norwich area, and many other towns surrounding Norwich. To those within the Norwich area, transportation is provided by Norwich Public Schools via the same buses that serve Norwich Free Academy in the morning, and in the afternoon students are transported to Norwich Free Academy to use their buses to return home.

Three Rivers Community College also serves the region.[42]

 
Norwich skyline

Economy edit

Top employers edit

Top employers in Norwich according to the town's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report[43]

# Employer # of Employees
1 William W. Backus Hospital 1.895
2 City of Norwich 1,212
3 State of Connecticut 944
4 Bob's Discount Furniture 553
5 Norwich Free Academy 345
6 U.S. Food Services 300
7 United Community & Family Services 276
8 Nordson EFP 270
9 The American Group 219
10 ShopRite 180

Infrastructure edit

 
Commuters boarding buses at the Norwich Transportation Center.

Transportation edit

Local public transportation in Norwich is provided by Southeast Area Transit (SEAT). The main bus hub, the Norwich Transportation Center, is located on Holly Hock Island next to the downtown area. This station is also served by the Windham Region Transit District with service to and from Willimantic, CT. Norwich is also served by the Northeastern Connecticut Transit District with service to and from Putnam, CT.

Historically, the city held a railroad stop at its downtown station, which is now in use as an office for The Norwich Bulletin. In the past, the city was served by the Norwich and Worcester Railroad, which today is still operated as a freight railroad, the Providence and Worcester Railroad.

The nearest passenger rail station to Norwich is New London Union Station in New London, CT. The nearest options for air travel are Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT, and Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport in Providence, RI. Both of which are located 55–65 minutes away by vehicle. Up until the mid 2000s, there was a closer airport with commercial air service, Groton-New London Airport.

In recent years, there have been discussions and proposals involving restoring passenger rail service to Norwich along the New England Central Railroad, providing service from New London, CT, through Norwich up to Brattleboro, VT. The most recent and ongoing proposal is the Central Corridor Rail Line.

Notable people edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Mayor and City Council". www.norwicht.org. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  2. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  3. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Norwich city, Connecticut". Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Caulkins, Frances Manwaring (1866). History of Norwich. [Hartford] Case, Lockwood & Brainard.
  5. ^ "Norwich, CT - Official Website - History of City". www.norwichct.org. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  6. ^ Mahan, Russell, Thomas Leffingwell: The Connecticut Pioneer Who Rescued Chief Uncas and the Mohegans; Historical Enterprises, Santa Clara, Utah, 2018.
  7. ^ "Final Nine Mile Square marker a reminder of history". The Bulletin. Gannett Co., Inc. August 5, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  8. ^ Bates, Albert Carlos (1913). List of Congregational Ecclesiastical Societies Established in Connecticut Before October 1818. [Hartford] Connecticut Historical Society. p. 24.
  9. ^ Caulkins (1866). p 429
  10. ^ Bates (1913). p. 24
  11. ^ Bates (1913). p. 12
  12. ^ Caulkins (1866). p 429
  13. ^ Bates (1913). p. 17
  14. ^ Caulkins (1866). p 429
  15. ^ Bates (1913). p. 6
  16. ^ Caulkins (1866). p 429
  17. ^ Bates (1913). p. 17
  18. ^ Caulkins (1866). p 429, 448
  19. ^ Bates (1913). p. 24
  20. ^ Bates (1913). p. 24
  21. ^ Bates (1913). p. 15
  22. ^ Caulkins (1866). p 429
  23. ^ Caulkins (1866). p. 482
  24. ^ Bates, Albert Carlos (1913). p. 24
  25. ^ Caulkins (1866). p 429
  26. ^ Oxford English Dictionary: hello, int. and n.
  27. ^ Hilton, George Woodman; Due, John Fitzgerald (2000). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804740142.
  28. ^ "City of Norwich, Connecticut, City Council's Adopted Budget, Fiscal Year 2018-19". Norwich, CT. City of Norwich, Connecticut. April 6, 2018. p. 17. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  29. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  30. ^ "Station: Norwich Public Utility PLT, CT". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  31. ^ . Archived from the original on September 13, 2005.
  32. ^ . Archived from the original on June 11, 2004. Retrieved June 11, 2004.
  33. ^ "Norwich city, Connecticut". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
  34. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  35. ^ United States Census Bureau (1909). "Population in the Colonial and Continental Periods" (PDF). A Century of Population Growth. p. 14.
  36. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  37. ^ Moody, Thomas (2013). A Swift and Deadly Maelstrom ISBN 978-1-4797-4863-1
  38. ^ "City of Norwich Charter". www.municode.com. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  39. ^ "Norwich Public Schools". www.norwichpublicschools.org.
  40. ^ . Norwich Public Schools. Archived from the original on April 20, 2001. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  41. ^ Martin, Douglas (January 13, 2006). "Sidney E. Frank, 86; liquor baron was a master of marketing". U-T San Diego. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  42. ^ "Three Rivers Community College". www.trcc.commnet.edu.
  43. ^ "City of Norwich Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2022". City of Norwich. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  44. ^ "Richard Chase Albertine". obits.theadvocate.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  45. ^ "Christopher Anvil 1925—2009". Locus. December 9, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  46. ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  47. ^ Lineage Book, published by Daughters of the American Revolution, 1901, Volume 13, page 125
  48. ^ White, Pliny H. (October 16, 1866). Jonas Galusha, fifth governor of Vermont: A Memoir. E.P. Walton. p. 2.
  49. ^ "United States Senators from Connecticut since 1789". CT.gov. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  50. ^ "Lottie B. Scott legacy, dreams and all, preserved in paper". The Day. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  51. ^ "Computer History Museum Interview of Bernard Widrow". YouTube. January 3, 2014. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.

External links edit

norwich, connecticut, confused, with, norwich, norfolk, norwalk, connecticut, norwich, ɔːr, wich, also, called, rose, england, city, london, county, connecticut, united, states, yantic, shetucket, quinebaug, rivers, flow, into, city, form, harbor, from, which,. Not to be confused with Norwich Norfolk or Norwalk Connecticut Norwich ˈ n ɔːr w ɪ tʃ NOR wich also called The Rose of New England is a city in New London County Connecticut United States The Yantic Shetucket and Quinebaug Rivers flow into the city and form its harbor from which the Thames River flows south to Long Island Sound The city is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region The population was 40 125 at the 2020 United States Census 3 NorwichCityCity of NorwichNorwich City HallSealNickname The Rose Of New England New London County and Connecticut Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region and ConnecticutShow NorwichShow ConnecticutShow the United StatesCoordinates 41 33 01 N 72 05 15 W 41 55028 N 72 08750 W 41 55028 72 08750Country United StatesU S state ConnecticutCountyNew LondonRegionSoutheastern CTSettled1659Incorporated city 1784Consolidated1952Named forNorwichtownGovernment TypeCouncil manager City councilPeter A Nystrom R Mayor William Nash R Mark M Bettencourt D Council president pro tem Joseph A DeLucia D Ella Myles D Darell Q Willson D Stacy Gould R 1 City managerJohn SalomoneArea 2 City29 41 sq mi 76 16 km2 Land28 06 sq mi 72 68 km2 Water1 34 sq mi 3 48 km2 Urban123 1 sq mi 318 7 km2 Elevation56 ft 17 m Population 2020 City40 125 Density1 430 sq mi 552 1 km2 Metro274 055Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern Summer DST UTC 4 Eastern ZIP Codes06360 06380 06389Area codes860 959FIPS code09 56200GNIS feature ID0209410Major highwaysWebsitewww wbr norwichct wbr org Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2 1 Climate 2 2 Neighborhoods 3 Demographics 4 Arts and culture 5 Sports 6 Parks and recreation 6 1 Mohegan Park 6 2 Ice rink 7 Government 8 Education 9 Economy 9 1 Top employers 10 Infrastructure 10 1 Transportation 11 Notable people 12 See also 13 References 14 External linksHistory editThe town of Norwich was founded in 1659 on the site of what is now the neighborhood of Norwichtown by settlers from Saybrook Colony led by Major John Mason James Fitch 4 and Lieutenant Francis Griswold They purchased the land nine miles square that became Norwich from Mohegan Sachem Uncas 5 One of the co founders of Norwich was Thomas Leffingwell who rescued Uncas when surrounded by his Narragansett tribesmen and whose son established the Leffingwell Inn 6 In 1668 a wharf was established at Yantic Cove Settlement was primarily in the three mile 4 8 km area around the Norwichtown Green The 69 founding families soon divided up the land in the Norwichtown vicinity for farms and businesses Until 1786 the town of Norwich encompassed what became known as the Nine Mile Square 7 Eight Religious Societies were created over the course of the 18th century and in 1786 these were mostly split into new towns while the Long Society was merged into Preston Connecticut Society Number Society Name Founding Year Contemporary Town s First Society Norwich 1660 8 Norwich 9 10 Second Society West Farms 1716 11 Franklin 12 Third Society Newent 1718 13 Lisbon 14 Fourth Society New Concord 1737 15 Bozrah 16 Fifth Society Long or East 1726 17 Griswold Norwich Preston 18 Sixth Society Chelsea 1751 19 Norwich 20 Seventh Society Hanover 1761 21 Canterbury Lisbon Sprague Scotland 22 Eighth Society Pautipaug 1758 1761 23 24 Franklin Sprague 25 By 1694 the public landing built at the head of the Thames River allowed ships to unload goods at the harbor the harbor area is known as the Chelsea neighborhood The distance from the port to Norwichtown was served by the East and West Roads which became Washington Street and Broadway The original center of the town was a neighborhood now called Norwichtown an inland location chosen to be the center of a primarily agricultural farming community By the late 18th century shipping at the harbor became far more important than farming especially when industrial mills began manufacturing on the three smaller rivers By the early 19th century the center of Norwich had effectively moved to the Chelsea neighborhood The official buildings of the city were located in the harbor area such as the city hall courts and post office and all the large 19th century urban blocks The former center is now called Norwichtown to distinguish it from the current city Norwich merchants were shipping goods directly from England but the Stamp Act of 1764 forced Norwich to become more self sufficient Large mills and factories sprang up at the falls on the rivers which traverse the town the largest of which was the Ponemah Mill in the Taftville neighborhood The ship captains of Norwich and New London were skillful at avoiding Imperial taxation during peacetime and were later just as successful eluding warships during the American Revolution Norwich supported the cause for independence by supplying soldiers ships and munitions and it was also a center of activity for the Sons of Liberty The Oxford English Dictionary attests the first recorded use of the word Hello to The Norwich Courier on October 18 1826 26 Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 19th century During the Civil War Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile armaments and specialty item manufacturing This was also spurred by the building of the Norwich and Worcester Railroad in 1832 1837 bringing goods and people in and out of Norwich By the 1870s the Springfield and New London Railroad was also running trains through Norwich In 1892 the city s first electric trolleys started service to the area and to some cities including New London Willimantic Putnam and Westerly Rhode Island 27 The town and city of Norwich were consolidated in 1952 28 Geography editAccording to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 29 5 square miles 76 4 km2 of which 28 3 sq mi 73 4 km2 is land and 1 2 sq mi 3 0 km2 3 87 is water Climate edit Climate data for Norwich Connecticut 1991 2020 normals extremes 1956 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high F C 70 21 72 22 85 29 94 34 98 37 98 37 101 38 102 39 97 36 88 31 79 26 77 25 102 39 Mean daily maximum F C 37 7 3 2 40 5 4 7 47 8 8 8 59 3 15 2 69 9 21 1 78 4 25 8 84 1 28 9 82 6 28 1 75 5 24 2 63 9 17 7 53 0 11 7 43 2 6 2 61 3 16 3 Daily mean F C 29 5 1 4 31 7 0 2 38 6 3 7 49 2 9 6 59 4 15 2 68 4 20 2 74 4 23 6 72 6 22 6 65 2 18 4 53 8 12 1 43 6 6 4 35 1 1 7 51 8 11 0 Mean daily minimum F C 21 2 6 0 22 9 5 1 29 4 1 4 39 1 3 9 48 9 9 4 58 5 14 7 64 8 18 2 62 7 17 1 54 9 12 7 43 6 6 4 34 3 1 3 27 0 2 8 42 3 5 7 Record low F C 21 29 17 27 1 18 17 8 27 3 33 1 43 6 40 4 29 2 18 8 6 14 13 25 21 29 Average precipitation inches mm 3 89 99 3 75 95 5 09 129 4 71 120 3 64 92 4 27 108 3 63 92 4 41 112 4 79 122 4 86 123 4 17 106 4 97 126 52 18 1 325 Average snowfall inches cm 9 0 23 7 1 18 5 0 13 0 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 76 5 6 14 27 8 71 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 10 8 9 6 10 4 10 8 11 3 10 1 9 4 8 7 8 6 10 3 9 3 10 9 120 2Average snowy days 0 1 in 3 5 3 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 4 11 3Source NOAA 29 30 Neighborhoods edit Main article Neighborhoods of Norwich Connecticut Several Norwich neighborhoods maintain independent identities and are recognized by official signs marking their boundaries Neighborhoods of Norwich are Norwichtown Bean Hill Yantic Taftville Greeneville Occum East Great Plains Thamesville Laurel Hill and Chelsea the original downtown area Demographics editSee also List of Connecticut locations by per capita incomeHistorical populationYearPop 17565 540 17747 327 32 3 17827 325 0 0 18003 476 52 5 18102 976 14 4 18202 983 0 2 18303 135 5 1 18404 200 34 0 18506 139 46 2 186014 048 128 8 187016 653 18 5 188015 112 9 3 189016 156 6 9 190017 251 6 8 191020 367 18 1 192022 304 9 5 193023 021 3 2 194023 652 2 7 195023 429 0 9 196038 506 64 4 197041 739 8 4 198038 074 8 8 199037 391 1 8 200036 117 3 4 201040 493 12 1 202040 125 0 9 Population 1756 2010 31 32 33 34 35 As of the census 36 of 2000 there were 36 117 people 15 091 households and 9 069 families residing in the city The population density was 1 274 7 inhabitants per square mile 492 2 km2 There were 16 600 housing units at an average density of 585 9 per square mile 226 2 km2 Twenty nine percent of households had children under the age of 18 living with them 40 7 were married couples living together 15 0 had a female householder with no husband present and 39 9 were non families Thirty two percent of all households were made up of individuals and 12 5 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 34 and the average family size was 2 96 In the city the age distribution of the population shows 24 1 under the age of 18 8 9 from 18 to 24 30 2 from 25 to 44 21 5 from 45 to 64 and 15 4 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 37 years For every 100 females there were 90 5 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87 3 males In 2012 the population had risen to 40 502 and the racial makeup of the city was 70 White 13 Hispanic or Latino 10 Black or African American 8 Asian and 1 Native American A significant influx of Chinese Americans has settled in Norwich since 2010 The 2012 median income for a household in the city was 51 300 Fifteen percent of the population were below the poverty line Arts and culture editThe Slater Memorial Museum located on the campus of the Norwich Free Academy is named for John Fox Slater 1815 1884 corporator of The Norwich Free Academy for twenty years The museum has grown to include the Art of Five Continents North and South America Europe Asia and Africa Of particular interest are the Vanderpoel Collection of Asian Art the Paul Zimmerman Collection of African and Oceanic Art and a collection of 19th century American paintings Another wing of the museum displays souvenirs from the Slater family s circumnavigation of the globe Sports editThe AA Eastern League Connecticut Defenders previously the Norwich Navigators were a farm team of the San Francisco Giants and they played at Senator Thomas J Dodd Memorial Stadium from both s inception in 1995 until the team announced its move to Richmond Virginia for the 2010 season where they are now known as the Richmond Flying Squirrels However starting in 2010 Dodd Stadium became the home to the Connecticut Tigers formerly the Oneonta Tigers now named Norwich Sea Unicorns in the Class A short season New York Penn League The ESPN mini series The Bronx Is Burning was filmed at Dodd Stadium Parks and recreation editMohegan Park edit nbsp Norwich Falls by John Trumbull 1806 nbsp Pavilion and lake 1912 nbsp Norwich 2018This forested area is Norwich s largest park The park s property contains numerous hiking and biking trails picnic tables grills pavilions for rent a beach basketball courts a Mohegan monument fountain and playgrounds The Rose Garden at the entrance on Judd Road contains over a hundred varieties of roses and is a popular site for weddings Many of the hiking trails are used by the Norwich Free Academy cross country team for practices and in 2006 the team volunteered to improve the condition of trails 5K fun runs are held in the park on Thursdays during the summer As of 2009 the running course has been redesigned to incorporate much of the trails The Park Center contains Spaulding Pond the square fountain and Mohegan monument both playgrounds and a dog pound run by the Norwich Police Department The Park Center has declined somewhat The zoo reptile house and concession stand have been closed for over a decade However much has been done to improve the appearance of the remaining park Spaulding Pond the main body of water in Mohegan Park is held back by an earthworks dam across which is a path bordered by pergolas and flowering plants On March 6 1963 long term saturation of the over 100 year old earthen content along with unchecked shrub and tree growth severely weakened the structural content of the dam and caused the waters of Spaulding Pond to burst forth into the city causing the Great Flood of Norwich elegantly chronicled in the 2013 book A Swift and Deadly Maelstrom The Great Norwich Flood of 1963 The break and subsequent flood flow pulverized houses with its large ice content over ran streets and cars while destroying the eastern half of the Turner Stanton Mill situated in the flood s direct path on Centennial Square It was there that the building collapsed claiming the lives of six of the seven total who would die that night while causing over six million dollars in damage Mohegan Park also contains another smaller pond called The Skating Pond which is southeast of the main pond This pond which had always been designed as an overflow spillway for Spaulding Pond and when frozen in the winter provided a wonderful ice skating area for the local youth thus its sobriquet was re designed as part of Norwich s long term flood plan in 1968 and currently still serves as a surge overflow volume for the upgraded Spaulding Pond Dam although it is no longer open for public use 37 Ice rink edit The Norwich Municipal Ice Rink has a 200 85 National Hockey League regulation ice surface four large locker rooms and other amenities Established in 1995 the Rose City Warriors are Norwich s Senior Women s Ice Hockey Team and a number of local high school ice hockey teams call the Rink home as well Government editThe city elects a Mayor who presides over the City Council which includes six other members all elected at large The Mayor serves a maximum of two four year terms the council members serve two year terms The council appoints the Town and City Clerk a City Manager who acts as chief executive officer of the city government the city Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals 38 Education editElementary and middle school residents are zoned to Norwich Public Schools 39 The middle schools of Norwich are Teachers Memorial Global Studies Middle School and Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School Norwich is also home to the Integrated Day Charter School an alternative to the area of public schools Despite Norwich Public Schools serving the district since 2007 NPS has not operated a high school after Norwich High School was closed and repurposed 40 The Norwich Free Academy is the primary high school for students living in Norwich and several surrounding towns including Bozrah Canterbury Franklin Lisbon Preston Sprague and Voluntown The Norwich Free Academy was incorporated in 1855 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature and operates as a privately endowed independent school governed by its Board of Trustees and funded by private municipal and state sources In 2006 Sidney Frank donated 12 million to the Norwich Free Academy 41 which resulted in the campus s newest building being named after him the Sidney E Frank Center for Visual and Performing Arts Norwich Technical High School A Connecticut Technical High School System School also serves the area This school is a public option to those within the Norwich area and many other towns surrounding Norwich To those within the Norwich area transportation is provided by Norwich Public Schools via the same buses that serve Norwich Free Academy in the morning and in the afternoon students are transported to Norwich Free Academy to use their buses to return home Three Rivers Community College also serves the region 42 nbsp Norwich skylineEconomy editTop employers edit Top employers in Norwich according to the town s 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 43 Employer of Employees1 William W Backus Hospital 1 8952 City of Norwich 1 2123 State of Connecticut 9444 Bob s Discount Furniture 5535 Norwich Free Academy 3456 U S Food Services 3007 United Community amp Family Services 2768 Nordson EFP 2709 The American Group 21910 ShopRite 180Infrastructure edit nbsp Commuters boarding buses at the Norwich Transportation Center Transportation edit Local public transportation in Norwich is provided by Southeast Area Transit SEAT The main bus hub the Norwich Transportation Center is located on Holly Hock Island next to the downtown area This station is also served by the Windham Region Transit District with service to and from Willimantic CT Norwich is also served by the Northeastern Connecticut Transit District with service to and from Putnam CT Historically the city held a railroad stop at its downtown station which is now in use as an office for The Norwich Bulletin In the past the city was served by the Norwich and Worcester Railroad which today is still operated as a freight railroad the Providence and Worcester Railroad The nearest passenger rail station to Norwich is New London Union Station in New London CT The nearest options for air travel are Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks CT and Rhode Island T F Green International Airport in Providence RI Both of which are located 55 65 minutes away by vehicle Up until the mid 2000s there was a closer airport with commercial air service Groton New London Airport In recent years there have been discussions and proposals involving restoring passenger rail service to Norwich along the New England Central Railroad providing service from New London CT through Norwich up to Brattleboro VT The most recent and ongoing proposal is the Central Corridor Rail Line Notable people editRichard Albertine 1944 2016 photographer born in Norwich 44 Christopher Anvil 1925 2009 science fiction author 45 Benedict Arnold 1741 1801 born in Norwich American Revolutionary War general and later British defector a commemorative plaque is on the lot where his house used to stand city library has a prominent portrait of Arnold on its north wall 46 Hannah Arnold 1708 1758 born in Norwich mother of Benedict Arnold Isaac Backus 1724 1806 a delegate to the First Continental Congress born in the city Isaac H Bromley 1833 1899 born in Norwich lawyer editor politician railroad director and humorist Allyn L Brown 1883 1973 Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court 1950 1953 was born in the city and graduated Norwich Free Academy William Alfred Buckingham 1804 1875 Mayor of Norwich 41st governor of Connecticut and United States Senator Oliver A Caswell Wisconsin politician born in the city Asa Child 1798 1858 United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut under President Jackson Calvin G Child 1834 1880 United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut and a Norwich City Judge Benjamin Church 1734 1776 surgeon general of the Continental Army suspected of spying for the British was confined in the city Elisha Clark 1752 1838 American Revolutionary War veteran 47 Richard Falley Cleveland 1804 1853 born and raised in Norwich Christian minister known as the father of President Grover Cleveland Margaret Coit 1919 2003 historian born in the city Erastus Corning 1794 1872 businessman and politician born in the city Rajai Davis born 1980 Major League Baseball outfielder Roger Wilson Dennis 1902 1996 American plein air impressionist painter and art conservator Costa Dillon born 1953 filmmaker creator of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Thomas J Dodd 1907 1971 U S Senator and Representative father of U S Senator Christopher J Dodd was born in the city Arielle Dombasle born Arielle Sonnery de Fromental in 1958 in Norwich singer and actress working mostly in French films Terence P Finnegan 1904 1990 Chief of Chaplains of the U S Air Force Lafayette S Foster 1806 1880 U S Senator and 57th President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate died in the city Clarke Fraser 1920 2014 Canadian medical geneticist student of congenital malformations was born in Norwich Jonas Galusha 1753 1834 Governor of Vermont for two terms in the early 19th century born in the city 48 Charlotte Perkins Gilman 1860 1935 author and social reformer lived for a short time in the city Daniel Coit Gilman 1831 1908 educator college president foundation president Calvin Goddard 1768 1842 former mayor of Norwich Judge and Senator Roger Griswold 1762 1812 Governor of Connecticut practiced law for a time in Norwich Galusha A Grow 1822 1907 speaker of the U S House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863 studied law in the city Benjamin Hanks 1755 1824 goldsmith instrument maker first maker of bronze cannons and church bells in America Benjamin Huntington 1736 1800 delegate to the Continental Congress and later a Congressman resident of the city Ebenezer Huntington 1754 1834 member of the United States House of Representatives 1817 1819 Samuel Huntington 1731 1796 delegate to the Second Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence first President of the United States under the Articles of Confederation Helen Kinne 1861 1917 Home economist college professor Samuel Kirkland 1741 1808 Presbyterian missionary among the Oneida and Tuscarora people founder in 1793 of the Hamilton Oneida Academy later Hamilton College was born in the city Paul Konerko born 1976 former MLB player Wally Lamb born 1950 author of She s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True director of the Writing Center at the Norwich Free Academy in the city from 1989 to 1998 Edwin H Land 1909 1991 inventor of the Polaroid camera James Lanman 1767 1841 United States Senator 1819 1825 49 Cato Mead c 1761 1846 African American Revolutionary War veteran Steve Merrill 1946 2020 77th governor of New Hampshire Miantonomoh c 1565 1643 chief of the Narraganset tribe captured and executed by the Mohegan chief Uncas with a tomahawk in Norwich Elisha Perkins 1741 1799 popular quack doctor whose magnetic therapy Perkins Tractors made up of two 3 inch 76 mm steel and brass rods with points at the ends convinced even George Washington to buy a set Simeon Perkins 1735 1812 Nova Scotia merchant diarist and politician outfitted Loyalist privateers during the American War for Independence born and raised in this city until moving to Liverpool Nova Scotia with the New England Planters Bela Pratt sculptor born in Norwich in 1867 E Annie Proulx journalist and author born in 1935 in the city Edith Roosevelt 1861 1948 second wife of Theodore Roosevelt born in the city Ellis Ruley 1882 1959 African American folk artist Albert Schatz 1929 2005 microbiologist who discovered streptomycin Lottie B Scott born 1936 civic leader and civil rights advocate lived in Norwich since 1957 50 William Albert Setchell 1864 1943 botanist and UC Berkeley professor born in the city Matt Shaughnessy born 1986 football defensive end for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League graduate of Norwich Free Academy Charles Sholes 1816 1867 Wisconsin politician born in the city Lydia Sigourney 1791 1865 extremely popular poet from the early to mid 19th century born in the city John Fox Slater 1815 1884 industrialist and philanthropist founder of million dollar Slater Fund for the Education of the Southern Freedmen in 1882 Horace Smith 1808 1893 partnered with Daniel B Wesson in Norwich in the early 1850s to develop the first repeating rifle known as the Volcanic rifle the two founded Smith amp Wesson in 1852 James Lindsay Smith c 1816 c 1883 African American slave narrative author and minister Sarah Lanman Smith 1802 1836 American Christian missionary memoirist school founder Albert H Tracy 1793 1859 former US Congressman Phineas L Tracy 1786 1876 former US Congressman Dean Trantalis born 1953 mayor of Fort Lauderdale Florida Ariel L Varges 1890 1972 newsreel cameraman and war photographer died in Norwich John T Wait 1811 1899 Connecticut politician and lawyer U S Representative from 1876 to 1887 Henry S Walbridge 1801 1869 former US Congressman Daniel B Wesson 1825 1906 firearm designer see Horace Smith Bernard Widrow born 1929 electrical engineer 51 William Woodbridge 1780 1861 Governor of Michigan also represented the state in the U S Senate was born in the citySee also edit nbsp Connecticut portalNorwichReferences edit Mayor and City Council www norwicht org Retrieved May 29 2018 2019 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved July 2 2020 Census Geography Profile Norwich city Connecticut Retrieved December 18 2021 Caulkins Frances Manwaring 1866 History of Norwich Hartford Case Lockwood amp Brainard Norwich CT Official Website History of City www norwichct org Retrieved March 13 2016 Mahan Russell Thomas Leffingwell The Connecticut Pioneer Who Rescued Chief Uncas and the Mohegans Historical Enterprises Santa Clara Utah 2018 Final Nine Mile Square marker a reminder of history The Bulletin Gannett Co Inc August 5 2017 Retrieved November 28 2023 Bates Albert Carlos 1913 List of Congregational Ecclesiastical Societies Established in Connecticut Before October 1818 Hartford Connecticut Historical Society p 24 Caulkins 1866 p 429 Bates 1913 p 24 Bates 1913 p 12 Caulkins 1866 p 429 Bates 1913 p 17 Caulkins 1866 p 429 Bates 1913 p 6 Caulkins 1866 p 429 Bates 1913 p 17 Caulkins 1866 p 429 448 Bates 1913 p 24 Bates 1913 p 24 Bates 1913 p 15 Caulkins 1866 p 429 Caulkins 1866 p 482 Bates Albert Carlos 1913 p 24 Caulkins 1866 p 429 Oxford English Dictionary hello int and n Hilton George Woodman Due John Fitzgerald 2000 The Electric Interurban Railways in America Stanford University Press ISBN 9780804740142 City of Norwich Connecticut City Council s Adopted Budget Fiscal Year 2018 19 Norwich CT City of Norwich Connecticut April 6 2018 p 17 Retrieved April 11 2018 NowData NOAA Online Weather Data National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 2 2021 Station Norwich Public Utility PLT CT U S Climate Normals 2020 U S Monthly Climate Normals 1991 2020 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 2 2021 Office of the Secretary of the State Archived from the original on September 13 2005 City amp Town Population Estimates U S Census Bureau Archived from the original on June 11 2004 Retrieved June 11 2004 Norwich city Connecticut U S Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 12 2020 Retrieved October 14 2009 Population and Housing Unit Estimates United States Census Bureau May 24 2020 Retrieved May 27 2020 United States Census Bureau 1909 Population in the Colonial and Continental Periods PDF A Century of Population Growth p 14 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 Moody Thomas 2013 A Swift and Deadly Maelstrom ISBN 978 1 4797 4863 1 City of Norwich Charter www municode com Retrieved July 12 2007 Norwich Public Schools www norwichpublicschools org Norwich Public Schools website 2007 Norwich Public Schools Archived from the original on April 20 2001 Retrieved March 10 2022 Martin Douglas January 13 2006 Sidney E Frank 86 liquor baron was a master of marketing U T San Diego Retrieved April 17 2014 Three Rivers Community College www trcc commnet edu City of Norwich Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30 2022 City of Norwich Retrieved August 17 2023 Richard Chase Albertine obits theadvocate com Retrieved December 5 2018 Christopher Anvil 1925 2009 Locus December 9 2009 Retrieved June 11 2019 Who Was Who in America Historical Volume 1607 1896 Chicago Marquis Who s Who 1963 Lineage Book published by Daughters of the American Revolution 1901 Volume 13 page 125 White Pliny H October 16 1866 Jonas Galusha fifth governor of Vermont A Memoir E P Walton p 2 United States Senators from Connecticut since 1789 CT gov Retrieved June 11 2019 Lottie B Scott legacy dreams and all preserved in paper The Day Retrieved December 7 2021 Computer History Museum Interview of Bernard Widrow YouTube January 3 2014 Archived from the original on December 12 2021 Retrieved February 24 2021 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Norwich Connecticut nbsp Wikisource has the text of a 1921 Collier s Encyclopedia article about Norwich Connecticut Official website Norwich Community Development Corporation Norwich The American Cyclopaedia 1879 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Norwich Connecticut amp oldid 1202243082, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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