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James Lloyd Green, viewing the hills from the banks of the Norwich has always drawn upon a wide range of diverse Thames, compared the city to the beautiful petals of a rose. cultures for its citizenry. Irish, Polish, Italian, Asian, Haitian Preacher, abolitionist and suffragist Henry Ward Beecher, vis- and many more have all come to Norwich, found a home and iting Henry B. Norton’s Norwich home, declared her “The contributed to its economy and society. Rose of New England.” As Norwich developed, the city expanded from Norwich – Events /PSXJDI $POOFDUJDVU Norwichtown to the Harbor and the downtown Chelsea area. When Norwich men and women were called upon to Other neighborhoods, such as Yantic, Greenville, Laurel Hill, serve their country in war, they did so valiantly. In the 17th Norwich – Places and Things Norwich Free Academy is at the mid point between and Mohegan Park, developed along the rivers as the popula- century, wars caused the deaths of countless Mohegans, Norwich’s rich history and sense of place have Norwichtown and Downtown with The Slater Museum part of the tion and industry grew. Pequots, Narragansetts and European colonists. Leaders ensured the preservation of landmarks like the Old campus. The museum houses copies of the world’s greatest included the Pequot Sachems Tatobem and Sassacus, the Burying Grounds, Yantic Cemetery, Chelsea Parade, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Renaissance sculpture. Within the Norwich – The People Narragansett Sachem Miantonomo, the Mohegan Sachem Norwichtown and Little Plain greens. Her streets are Museum are the Converse Art Gallery, focusing on contemporary The native peoples called the area by names that have Uncas and the English Lion Gardner, John Mason, Thomas lined with accurately restored houses from conserva- Connecticut artists and the Norwich Galleries, displaying fine and become Shetucket and Yantic today. The Pequot and Leffingwell, Jonathan Brewster, John Winthrop Jr., and the tive 18th century Colonials and Georgians to exuber- decorative art representing 350 years of Norwich History. Art and Mohegan Tribes, joined through marriage, controlled vast Reverand James Fitch. ant 19th century Victorians. Monuments to the war artifacts from five continents and three millennia are presented. hunting grounds. The English settlement known as Norwich In the series of wars for domination of North America against dead include those for one who died at Andersonville Norwich – The Land was founded in 1659 by Major John Mason and Reverend the French during the eighteenth century, Norwich played the during the Civil War and to the French soldiers who James Fitch through acquisition from the Mohegans. Major part of a purveyor of supplies, transportation and men. came to our aid during the Revolution From its earliest human habitation, to English settlement, to Mason is known as the colonists’ Commander during the In the Revolutionary War several Norwich men joined the Norwich architecture represents over 300 years the present, the people of Norwich have been drawn here by wars between and among the native tribes and European set- thousands rushing to Massachusetts after the “Lexington of examples beginning with buildings from the the land. Natives and newcomers have been influenced by, tlers. He became Deputy Governor of Connecticut. Alarm.” Many Norwich men commanded ships for the Navy early Republic such as the First Congregational dependent upon and in love with the natural features within In the 18th century, Norwich produced leaders of the including Jonathan Buddington, William Colt, William Wattles, Church, the Jesse Brown Tavern and the Daniel the “9 mile square” purchased from the Mohegan Indians in American Revolution and the United States under the Henry Billings, Zephaniah Jennings and Elisha Lathrop Jr. Lathrop School on the Norwichtown green and the 1659. Three rivers; the Yantic, Shetucket and Thames have Articles of Confederacy including Samuel Huntington, signer During the Civil War about 1300 Norwich men served in Leffingwell Inn off Washington Street. Up and been essential to agricultural, commercial and industrial devel- of the Declaration of Independence and the first President the Army and the Navy. The men from Norwich fought in down Broadway and Washington streets are gra- opment of Norwich through the centuries. under the Confederacy. Benedict Arnold was an outstanding all the battles of the Eastern Theater, and some fought in cious 19th century homes built in many styles by The richness of the river basin created a fertile environment in Revolutionary colonial general as well as infamous traitor. Louisiana and Mississippi. They fought at the “Bloody Lane” the successful businessmen of Norwich. At the which life and trade thrived. A fierce battle between two tribes In 19th century Norwich, noteworthy men and women at Antietam; “ Picket’s Charge” at Gettysburg; “Marye’s turn of the 20th century, more millionaires made took place here in 1643, giving it the name Indian Leap. Along the contributed to American invention, industry, arts and letters. Heights” at Fredericksburg, and hundreds of other battles. their homes in Norwich than anywhere else in Thames River, Trading Cove was an important Mohegan anchor- Lydia Huntley Sigourney created her school for women. In One hundred and fifty six did not return to Norwich alive. New England. Ponemah Mills, completed in 1871, age and Chelsea Landing was established in 1684 where shipbuild- the 1850’s Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson partnered, in Among the many memorials on Chelsea Parade is a monu- is believed to have been the largest cotton mill ing would begin only 10 years later. The sacred Mohegan Royal Norwich, to develop the first automatic pistol, later founding ment for Capt. Chester Samuel Reid, naval hero of the War complex in the world. The surrounding village of Burying Ground is sited on high ground above the river. By 1760, Smith and Wesson. William Buckingham became Governor of 1812 who designed the third version of the Stars and Taftville with homes built for the mill workers, is a Norwich merchants shipped agricultural and industrial products of Connecticut through the Civil War years and was a Stripes in 1818 at the request of a Congressional Committee. reminder of Norwich’s industrial peak. directly to England and the shipbuilding industry continued staunch supporter of his friend Abraham Lincoln who visited Natural disasters struck Norwich including The Great Flu Downtown Norwich is a showplace of histori- through most of the 1800’s. Nineteenth century steamboat service Norwich just months prior to being elected President. Epidemic of 1918, which killed 20 million world wide and was cally important and architecturally magnificent between Norwich and New York launched Norwich as a transpor- Lafayette Foster, from Norwich, who, as the Senate pro tem- responsible for the death of 205 Norwich citizens. When the places such as the ornate City Hall, Governor tation center. Meanwhile, along the Yantic and Shetucket rivers, pore, became the Vice President of the United States when Spaulding dam failed in 1963, the Spaulding Pond Flood caused Buckingham’s home, and the Wauregan Hotel. The textile mills were built, further developing Norwich as an impor- Lincoln was assassinated. personal and public loss. Possibly the worst disaster was caused Downtown Chelsea Arts District is home to the tant, flourishing industrial community. Yantic Falls in the heart of In the 20th century, Harry Rossoll, born in Norwich, was by the immense hurricane of 1938. During the storm Franklin Norwich Arts Council gallery, Donald Oat Theater, Norwich was a meeting place for indigenous tribes and later sup- the artist who created Smokey the Bear, and Edwin H. Land Square was flooded, scores of people were evacuated by rowboat Art Space gallery and The Spirit of Broadway ported major industry which captured the power of the falls. from Norwich invented the Polaroid Camera. Norwich son from homes and businesses. Martial law was declared in Theater where theatrical performances and art Norwich boasts three rivers and five hills. Two men have Wally Lamb became a nationally respected author after sev- Norwich for the first time in history. The storm left Norwich exhibits are presented year ’round. been credited with the city’s sobriquet. Mayor (1862-1866) eral best selling novels. with 600 dead, 2000 injured and $500 million in damages. Norwich was once the e orwich contains over Le We e second most Av Yantic 300 years of architectural s District populous city in Mason/Founders t examples – from Colonial Monument d Road and through Neo-colonial Connecticut Post-Gager g Burying Ground cotlan (in the 1750s). 1660-1714 T S o Today, w First Lane n n Congregational to Norwich’s g Church n i population is 87 nt 6 u S Tow approximately t st n Stree H re Ea t 5 et 35,000. This 4 map highlights Norwichtown e Old Green v Burying 7 A Grounds Total distance from a linear area lm Samuel E Huntington Norwichtown Green encompassing 8 O House to Howard T. Brown Cem ld Norwichtown e etery Memorial Park ik p Lan et approximately 4 miles to the harbor, rn e re u T 9 t 3 T o Lowthorpe S in the heart of w n n n Meadows d to oa o g R Chelsea nd in d o an 10 h rl (downtown). L S s Coit Lane a t a H r Other sections ew e W e Greeneville/ James Lloyd Greene compared N Norwichtown t 2 Taftville of the city, such the five hills of Norwich, as District Butts 169 as viewed from the banks of the Lane Thames River, to that of Petals East District Laurel Hill, of a Rose and declared 2 School 32 Leffingwell Greeneville, Norwich indeed the House “Rose of Museum Mohegan Park New England.” 1 and Yantic, have their own interesting Backus Hospital 11 Benedict Arnold histories.