Norwich Connecticut History
Indians were the inhabitants with whom the English explorers had to deal with and as far as Connecticut was concerned in 1637 a force of 90 Englishmen and 70 Indians from the friendly tribe of Mohegans made their way down the Connecticut river.

Their aim was to attack the original inhabitants and as yet unfriendly Pequot Indian tribe. This they did with a throughness that almost exterminated the Pequot, Thus the Mohegans occupied the land bordering the Thames river and in their subsequent war with yet another tribe whose demise is recorded in the history of Norwich as 'The Indian Leap' - a ravine down which the remnants of this tribe were forced to leap to their death.

The fine grazing lands and sparkling streams persuaded a large proportion of the neighbouring town of Saybrook to remove and make a settlement called Norwich. Thus, with 69 founding families, Norwich began as an accomplished community rather than a gradual evolvement in 1659.

By 1694 there was a public landing area at the head of the Thames river and Norwich town was serviced by two main roads which became Washington Street and Broadway.

In the first instance goods were shipped direct from England, but the Stamp Act of The English Parliament in 1764, which put a tax on all such goods, forced Norwich to become more self sufficient. Factories and large mills developed with the water power afforded from the fast moving rivers. Woollen mills, timber processing and later on Armaments were thriving industries.

Carpenters Shop. One of the late 18th century buildings in the old Norwich Town area.

It is a matter of history that such taxes became the basis for the American independence and battles were fought against the English with Norwich becoming the leadership centre.
Two fateful battles decided the course of The American revolution in 1777. These resulted in the English forces aided by contingents of German and Canadian militia being overcome and the French throwing in their power behind the American forces.

Norwich's individual history concerns, amongst many others, a remarkably 'fiery' Norwich born gentleman, General Benedict Arnold, whose courage and leadership contributed greatly to these victories. However despite his injuries which made him no longer a fighting soldier, he finally lost faith in his fellow generals whose intentions were to diminish his achievements, and he went over to The British. History in Norwich has branded him as traitor but it may be that this has gradually been less emphasised in view of his exemplary achievements for American independence. Arnold is buried in England, whilst Norwich has many memories of all nations in its Old Burial Grounds.

Map of part of New London County, Connecticut - from an 1895 Atlas
showing Norwich - both City and Town - and a Norwich Township, of which we have no information.

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