58-855: Norwichtown is a 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 buildings and one other contributing site over 110 acres (45 ha) area. The earliest settlement of Norwich, in 1659,
116-542: 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
174-496: A City Manager who acts as chief executive officer of the city government, the city Planning Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals. Elementary and middle school residents are zoned to Norwich Public Schools . 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
232-475: 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
290-492: 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
348-495: A household in the city was $ 51,300. Fifteen percent of the population were below the poverty line . 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
406-544: A privately endowed educational institution that is governed by its board of trustees. One of the state's three endowed, independent academies, the Connecticut State Department of Education refers to the Academy as "a privately governed, endowed, regional independent school." In addition to serving Norwich and surrounding communities, NFA also educates private tuition students. NFA is a member of
464-684: 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
522-508: Is Broadway. One interesting House located at 189 Broadway is the De Witt House-Lydia Huntley Sigourney School. The house was built in the late eighteenth century. In 1812 the house was used a school for young ladies. Lydia Huntley conducted the school with her friend Nancy Maria Hyde until she was forced to close the school once Hyde became ill. Continuing down Washington Street toward Norwich town
580-512: 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
638-605: 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
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#1732786842589696-470: Is named for him. Fairview Reservoir, one of Norwich's backup reservoirs , is between Canterbury Turnpike and Scotland Road in Norwichtown. This district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1973. By then, the district was already a local historic district. The National Register application was promoted by the local historic commission, in connection to its opposition to
754-536: Is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region . The population was 40,125 at the 2020 United States Census . 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 , and Lieutenant Francis Griswold. They purchased the land "nine miles square" that became Norwich from Mohegan Sachem Uncas . One of
812-524: Is the Joshua Prior House. Joshua Prior built the house in 1766. The house still has the original fluted pilasters over the doorways and six-paneled raised double front door. Dr. Joshua Lathrop House was built in 1763. This house was built in two sections, a saltbox section and then a three-bay Georgian Section. The house has been restored and it still has original fireplaces including a nine- foot cooking fireplace. Samuel Huntington , signer of
870-489: Is the most famous of historic homes in Norwich, the Leffingwell Inn . Stephen Backus built the original house in 1675. In 1700, Thomas Leffingwell 2nd, the son of Norwich co-founder Thomas Leffingwell, bought the house and converted the original two-room house into an inn. The Tavern Hall, to the right of the entrance is the original part of the house and exhibits one of the few remaining, completely paneled rooms from
928-815: 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 the Old Norwichtown Burying Ground. Samuel Huntington Elementary School on West Town Street in Norwichtown, a public school operated by Norwich Public Schools ,
986-589: The Dr. Daniel Lathrop School , one of Connecticut's oldest remaining brick schoolhouses , 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
1044-583: 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 . Norwich Free Academy The Norwich Free Academy ( NFA ), founded in 1854 and in operation since 1856, is a coeducational independent school for students between the 9th and 12th grade. Located in Norwich, Connecticut ,
1102-685: 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
1160-417: The census 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/km ). There were 16,600 housing units at an average density of 585.9 per square mile (226.2/km ). 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
1218-414: The 1798 East District School , at 365 Washington Street; the Gen. Jedidiah Huntington House , at 23 E. Town Street; and Leffingwell Inn , a saltbox at 348 Washington Street, in the southeast corner of the first part of the district. Washington Street includes many pre-1800 homes. The historic district includes part of the original area of the 1660 settlement of Norwichtown. More than 300 years later,
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#17327868425891276-491: The Academy serves as the primary high school for Norwich and the surrounding towns of Canterbury , Bozrah , Voluntown , Sprague , Lisbon , Franklin , Preston , and Brooklyn . It was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2001. Incorporated in 1855 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature, the Academy is an independent school and operates as
1334-559: The Chelsea neighborhood. The distance from the port to Norwichtown was served by the East and West Roads, which became Broadway and Washington Street. The original center of the town was a neighborhood now called Norwichtown, an inland location chosen to be the center of a primarily agricultural community. By the late 18th century, shipping at the harbor became far more important than farming, especially when industrial mills began manufacturing on
1392-540: 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
1450-532: The Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. In 2017 the NFA administration protested against a Governor of Connecticut Dannel P. Malloy 's Senate Bill 786, which requires trustees of any "incorporated or endowed high school or academy" to publicly post each "schedule, agenda and minutes of each meeting". SB 786 also allows for area school districts that send students to NFA to have seats on
1508-562: The Green and stretches down to the Leffingwell museum at Washington and Town Streets. A smaller, separated part includes six buildings on Harland Road and/or Harland Place. The district's 110 acres (45 ha) area includes 48 contributing buildings and one other contributing site. The district is defined to exclude a large commercial mall, the Norwichtown Mall, and other non-historic areas. Two "outstanding" buildings in
1566-627: The Green. There are four houses in Norwichtown that were built in the 17th century: the 1660 Bradford-Huntington House, built c. 1660; the Olmstead-Lathrop House, dating to c. 1659-1745; Leffingwell House Museum, built c. 1675; and the Simon Huntington House, built c. 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
1624-418: The NFA board of representatives. It also allows public hearings and reviews by area boards of education of portions of NFA's budget, as well as the auditing the NFA revenues each year. The bill ultimately was modified; it continued to allow area boards of education to review the NFA budget and hold public hearings and requiring annual auditing, but the requirement that area school boards have representatives on
1682-646: The NFA board was removed. On March 24 the Education Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly approved this revised version. The NFA administration expressed satisfaction over this outcome. The 38 acre main campus contains seven buildings that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places , the most prominent being the Slater Memorial Museum . The oldest high school football rivalry in
1740-595: The Park Congregational Church and the church was built in 1873. The church was built in the Romanesque revival style . The Teel House originally built, as a hotel is also located on Chelsea Parade. Joseph Teel of Preston built the Hotel in 1789. The Hotel was known for its fine halls and splendid ballrooms. After Mr. Teel's death, the hotel was converted into a boarding school and day school. Today
1798-636: 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. 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,
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1856-469: The Teel House is a residence. The house has an impressive center hall plan and contains eight fireplaces. One of the main streets running through Norwichtown and adjacent to Chelsea Green is Washington Street. Along Washington Street is the house of Charles A. Converse. This gothic-styled house was built c. 1870 and is most notable for its steeply pitched roofs and the red and gray roof slates. However,
1914-532: The United States is between Norwich Free Academy and New London High School . The first meeting between NFA and the Bulkeley School for Boys occurred on May 12, 1875; Bulkeley merged with Chapman Technical High School in 1951 to become New London High School and the rivalry with NFA continued. The games have been noncontinuous, interrupted by World War I and a 2-year hiatus after a brawl in 1951. Some years saw them play against each other more than once
1972-827: 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. 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
2030-797: The area and to some cities, including New London , Willimantic , Putnam , and Westerly, Rhode Island . The town and city of Norwich were consolidated in 1952. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 29.5 square miles (76.4 km ), of which 28.3 sq mi (73.4 km ) is land and 1.2 sq mi (3.0 km ) (3.87%) is water. 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 "downcity" area.) As of
2088-406: 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. 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
2146-469: 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. 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
2204-536: The century. The House also includes fine works from Norwich silversmiths and clock makers of the 1700s. Christopher Leffingwell, the son of Thomas commissioned Thomas Harland to design a clock for the North Parlor that is still hung in the same exact place that Christopher originally hung the clock. Also, in 1776 supposedly George Washington ate breakfast at the Leffingwell Inn. Further into Norwich town
2262-425: The co-founders of Norwich was Thomas Leffingwell, who rescued Uncas when surrounded by his Narragansett tribesmen, and whose son established the Leffingwell Inn. 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,
2320-578: 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
2378-526: The demolition of a building in the district area. The local commission sought the listing "for the prestige and status that is sometimes found in the recognition by not only a State agency but the Federal government." The district includes much of the original settlement area of the town. It includes the Norwichtown Green and Old Norwichtown Burying Ground and "has irregular boundaries on the radiating streets." The district consists of two parts: one includes
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2436-646: 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
2494-580: The district, both located on the Norwichtown Green, are the Dr. Daniel Lathrop School and the Joseph Carpenter Silversmith Shop . The school, built in 1783, is believed to be one of the earliest brick schoolhouses still surviving in Connecticut. There are five separately NRHP-listed buildings in the district: the Bradford-Huntington House , at 16 Huntington Lane; Joseph Carpenter Silversmith Shop , at 71 E. Town Street;
2552-400: 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
2610-405: 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. 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,
2668-699: The owner, Charles Converse, is noted more for the Converse Art Gallery that he gave to the Norwich Free Academy , less than a block away. Traveling further down Washington Street away from Norwich town there are many other Historic Houses, such as the Learned-Aiken House, Vernet-Lee House, the Eliza Huntington Memorial Home, and the Lathrop-Brewer House. Running parallel to Washington Street
2726-531: The pattern of development is still similar. Norwich, 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
2784-600: The region. Top employers in Norwich according to the town's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 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
2842-695: 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. This forested area
2900-556: 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
2958-441: The three tributary rivers. By the early 19th century, the center of Norwich had effectively moved to the Chelsea neighborhood. The official buildings of the city, such as the city hall, courts, and post office, and all the large 19th-century urban blocks, were located in the harbor area. The former center is now called Norwichtown to distinguish it from the current city. Norwich merchants were shipping goods directly from England, but
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#17327868425893016-530: The town of Norwich encompassed what became known as the "Nine Mile Square". 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 . 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
3074-415: 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
3132-402: Was consolidated with the town of Norwich in 1952 relegating Norwichtown to become a residential neighborhood of the city of Norwich. As Chelsea Parade became a more populated residential district, the residents wanted a church closer than those in Norwichtown. Therefore, the Park Congregational Church was built right next to Chelsea Parade. Stephen C. Earle of Worcester Massachusetts designed
3190-544: Was in Norwichtown. Initial settlement, by 35 English settlers who relocated from Saybrook Fort under the leadership of Major John Mason and bought land from Uncas , sachem of the Mohegans , was centered on the Norwichtown Green. The Green is triangular in shape, with an area of about 1.75 acres (0.71 ha). It is surrounded by shade trees and bordered by Town Street, East Town Street and Elm Avenue. These streets are lined with 18th and 19th houses and shops that face
3248-500: 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 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 ,
3306-593: 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 c. 1772-1774;
3364-427: 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
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