Norwich, Connecticut

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Norwich, Connecticut
Seal
Nickname: The Rose Of New England
Coordinates: 41°33′01″N, 72°05′15″W
NECTA	Norwich-New London
Region	Southeastern Connecticut
Settled	1659
Incorporated (city)	1784
Consolidated	1952
Government
- Type	Council-manager
- City council	Benjamin P. Lathrop, Mayor Mark M. Bettencourt Jacqueline Caren John D. Crooks Lawrence N. Goldman John P. Mereen John M. Newson
- City manager	Robert Zarnetske
Area
- City	76.4 km²  (29.5 sq mi)
- Land	73.4 km² (28.3 sq mi)
- Water	3.0 km² (1.1 sq mi)
- Urban	318.7 km² (123.1 sq mi)
Population (2005)[1]
- City	36,598
- Density	499/km² (1,292.4/sq mi)
- Metro	266,618
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	06360, 06365, 06380
Website: http://www.norwichct.org/

Norwich, known as "The Rose of New England," is a city in, and formerly county seat (when there were county seats in the state) of New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 36,117 at the 2000 census. Norwich is located on three rivers, named the Yantic, the Shetucket and the Thames.

Norwich was founded in 1659 when settlers from Old Saybrook, Connecticut purchased land from Chief Uncas leader of the Native American Tribe Mohegan. It came to be known as a manufacturing city because of its many large mills.

Contents 1 Sports & Recreation 2 Norwich Neighborhoods 2.1 Norwichtown 2.2 Washington Street and Broadway 2.3 Bean Hill 2.4 Yantic 2.5 Plain Hill 2.6 Greeneville 2.7 Occum 2.8 Jailhouse Hill 2.9 East Great Plain 2.10 Thamesville 2.11 East Side 2.12 Union Street 2.13 Laurel Hill 2.14 Ox Hill 2.15 Mohegan Park 2.16 Chelsea 3 History 4 Geography 5 Demographics 6 Education 7 Notable people, past and present 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Sports & Recreation

The AA baseball Connecticut Defenders, formerly the Norwich Navigators, are a farm team of the San Francisco Giants and they perform at Dodd Stadium. The HBO movie "The Bronx Is Burning" was recently filmed at Dodd Stadium. The Norwich Municipal Ice Rink is an active center for Norwich's youth and young-at-heart. It has a 200’ x 85’ NHL regulation ice surface, four large locker rooms and other amenities. Residents of Norwich, Taftville, Occum and Yantic, senior citizens, and members of the U.S. Armed Forces receive reduced admission rates. Established in 1995, the Rose City Warriors are Norwich's Senior Women's Ice Hockey Team. A number of local high school ice hockey teams call the Rink home as well.

The Slater Memorial Museum located on the campus of The Norwich Free Academy is named for John Fox Slater (1814 - 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 American 19th century paintings.

[edit] Norwich Neighborhoods

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 Plain, Thamesville, Laurel Hill and Chelsea (the original "downtown" area.)

[edit] Norwichtown

This is the old town of Norwich, where its founders first settled. The Norwichtown Green is located up here, surrounded by many historic houses and shops (now converted into law practices, nursing homes or bed and breakfasts) such as the John Mason School (now the central administration for the Norwich Public School System) and First Congregational Church. Above the town's first schoolhouse are the old Colonial and Slave cemeteries where four Connecticut governors are buried.

Above the Green area are the Meeting House Rocks. It was on this cliff that the first meeting house was established and used as a lookout point. The memorial on top of the rocks and pathway are cared for by the First Congregational Church.

From the Green, Norwich spread south towards the river and east. Samuel Huntington's old house is located to the east of the Green. Norwichtown extends as far south as the Norwich Free Academy. The area between the Green and Academy contain numerous historic homes, the Backus Memorial Hospital, strip commercial establishments and the historic Leffingwell Inn.

[edit] Washington Street and Broadway

This is the neighborhood between Chelsea and Norwichtown that stretches down the length of Washington Street and Broadway. During the city's economic booms during the Civil War and Reconstruction Period, this district became the playground of the rich. Numerous mansions, many of which still stand today, line Washington Street and Broadway while smaller houses exist behind them on side streets. Like Chelsea, during the economic slump Washington Street and Broadway also declined. The millionaires left and most of the mansions fell into states of disrepair. Recently, an effort has been undertaken to spruce up the neighborhood. Many of the mansions have been repaired and some converted to apartment spaces.

The largest structure in the city, Saint Patrick's Cathedral, resides at the intersection of Broadway and Union Street just above Little Plains Park. Built solely by the Irish immigrants to the city with dimes and wages, Saint Patrick's is a solid stone Roman Catholic cathedral, whose main steeple is the tallest structure in the city. The seat of the Norwich Diocese, Saint Patrick's property extends to the Chancery, Offices and Saint Patrick's School in surrounding buildings. Monsignor King Park just across the street commemorates a former Monsignor of the cathedral. Other prominent churches in the neighborhood include Park Congregational Church.

The Norwich Free Academy is just up Broadway from Saint Patrick's.

Chelsea Parade is the main park in Washington Street and Broadway. Containing a Civil War Memorial, the city time capsule and a flag pole, this area is mainly used as a war memorial and hosts the Memorial Day Parade and Remembrance Ceremonies. Columbus Park with a small obelisk dedicated to Christopher Columbus is located adjacent to the parade and across Crescent Street from the Norwich Free Academy. Across a small divider street from the tip of the parade is War Memorial Park, a small plot of land with memorials to veterans of foreign wars and POW-MIAs. Around Chelsea Parade is the Masonic Temple, now demolished in order to preserve and ancient Mohegan Indian burial ground, the Blackstone Apartments and smaller mansions. Up in the area of Sachem and Asylum Streets is Heritage Falls Park and Indian Leap, where a young Mohegan leaped over the Yantic Falls to escape pursuing Narragansett Indians.

This district extends up to the Norwichtown welcome sign on Washington Street.

Right between Norwichtown and end of Washington Street lies a hospital called William W. Backus hospital on 326 Washington street

[edit] Bean Hill

Bean Hill was originally a separate village, located in close proximity to the Norwichtown Green. It was originally founded by a group of Episcopalians around a small Green (now a public park). Several of the old colonial houses and the Episcopal Church (now a photographic and investment business) still stand. Modern Bean Hill grew in all directions with the coming of a highway on and off ramp depositing into the area just below the Green. This area is now commercial with numerous gas stations, a Courtyard Marriot and a Park and Ride. Extending out from the Green are more commercial establishments, small shopping centers and, to the northeast, residential neighborhoods. The copper company Phelps Dodge is located in the farther reaches of Bean Hill next to old mills. The area is predominate as the home of the Stanley W. Israelite Business Park and Dodd Stadium.

Colonial history played a part in Bean Hill. The abolitionist David Ruggles had an Underground Railroad stop in this area in one of the houses.

[edit] Yantic

Named after the Yantic River which flows through it, this was originally an independent milltown. It contains small businesses, houses, some hotels, a highway and a former mill. Due to the planned nature of the milltowns that are now part of Norwich, Yantic contains a grid pattern street with mill house duplexes and Grace Church. The original mill, abandoned for years, is now being converted into a prominent resort hotel. The hotel project, plagued by financial and construction mis-management since 1995, has been unfortunately, the latest failed struggle to revitalize the economic vitality of the once thriving village.

[edit] Plain Hill

This gently sloping hill is located on the outskirts of Norwich, just above Bean Hill. It extends all the way up to the Sprague border. The area is entirely residential and very rural, with one main route (Plain Hill Road) connecting to side streets. Houses are few and far between in the more forested areas, while clearings can host several homes and a radio tower. Side streets lead off into smaller subdivisions.

Wilcox and Bog Meadow Reservoirs, two of the city's backup reservoirs, are located on Plain Hill. In between the two is the main reservoir, Fairview.

The city's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is located on Plain Hill at the very border with Sprague.

[edit] Greeneville

The Greeneville section of Norwich Connecticut was named by William Greene. In 1826, Greene purchased land on both sides of the Shetucket River to develop. In 1828, he transferred the land to the Norwich Water Power Company, where he was the largest shareholder. Norwich Water Power Company began construction on a dam in 1829. By 1833, the dam and canals were finished and capable of providing hydro-electric power to 40-50 thousand spindles. Mills were quickly built along the Shetucket River during the mid-1800s to take advantage of this water-power. The remains of the original dam may still be seen upstream of the present dam.

The Greeneville Dam Fishing Area provides fishing and boating access to the Shetucket River at the site of Norwich Public Utilities operated hydroelectric dam and fish ladder. There is a canoe/kayak put-in within a 200 yard portage from the parking area. Norwich Public Utilities offers tours of its Greeneville Dam Fish Lift starting the last week of April and running through the month of May.

Greeneville Dam, accessed off 8th Street, is located on Roosevelt Avenue. Routes leading to the dam are posted with the brown and white Long Island Sound Access sign or you may go to the Connecticut Coastal Access Guide for directions and details.

Greeneville's Neighborhood Revitalization Zone committee, the Greeneville School and its PTO are active in keeping the Greeneville section small business and family-friendly. Taftville is another section of Norwich with a strong neighborhood identity and, despite a modest geographic area/population has kept its own ZIP code (06380).

Schools in Greenville include Greeneville Elementary School, Norwich High School (not to be confused with Norwich Free Academy), and the Hickory Street School.

[edit] Occum

Named after Samson Occum, this was another milltown that was later incorporated into Norwich. Like Greenville, it is located on the Shetucket River. The old mill and dam have since been demolished. Occum contains a small business center with a fire station and public park. The rest is devoted to residential housing and churches extending all the way into Baltic.

Plans and schematics for a the new Occum Country Club golf course with eight-hundred condominium units have been announced. The new developments will take place on an old farm property.

[edit] Jailhouse Hill

Located just above downtown, this district featured a hilltop prison before being demolished. It is now a quiet residential area with winding streets and view of the rest of the city.

[edit] East Great Plain

Originally a residential area, this district's face was changed when the businesses migrated out of Chelsea. Any remaining houses have been converted into doctor's practices or insurance offices. The area is now marked by strip establishments and shopping plazas stretching almost all the way to the Bozrah border. Traffic congestion on the main artery has increased significantly since the arrival of the businesses. Behind the strip malls are residential neighborhoods and small warehouses. Three Rivers Community College, the Norwich Ice Rink and the Norwich Public Golf Course are located in East Great Plain.

Stanton Elementary School is located in East Great Plane next to the second of Norwich's synagogues, Beth Jacob

[edit] Thamesville

Taking its name from the Thames River, this predominantly residential neighborhood hosts a few riverside businesses intermixed with houses on Route 32, the Norwich Police Department and the American Ambulance Headquarters along with another office building designed by Richard Sharpe and Associates. The Spa at Norwich Inn is located in the southern portion of Thamesville. Next to the Uncasville border, a string of car dealerships has earned that portion of Route 32 the nickname, "Car Dealership Row." On nearby Shipping Street, the former Lehigh Oil Company complex is in the process of being converted into a riverfront development project.

[edit] East Side

On the Shetucket River and hills just northeast of Laurel Hill, this is a largely ethnic neighborhood on East Main Street and Hamilton Avenue. When first occupied, this district was dominated by Italian immigrants and later Poles. Hatians, Hispanics and most recently Asians have made this neighborhood their home. Anglo Saxon families have integrated the neighborhood as well, providing for a true melting pot. The area has not lost its ethnic character, as new Asian grocery stores open up alongside old Italian shops.

Before water services were extended across the Shetucket, the East Side was watered by a spring up in the hills above Talman Street. The water would flow down and be collected by families at a communal fountain. Recently in a local ceremony, the fountain was reestablished in a small flowered alcove underneath a parking lot. This landmark of the East Side is observable from the intersection of Talman Street and East Main Street where it comes off the Preston Bridge.

Nathaniel Bishop Elementary School is located on the East Side.

[edit] Union Street

This is the in-between zone between Chelsea and Washington Street and Broadway. It contains a Baptist Church on City Hall Square, several city offices and numerous houses stretching up the hill towards Little Plains Park.

[edit] Laurel Hill

On the opposite side of the river from Thamesville is Laurel Hill. It is also predominantly residential with most businesses and organization buildings located on Route 12. Its very riverfront contains old warehouses, a condemned trainyard and a cleared landfill. The former Thermos Corporation operated a plant here, the building of which has been converted into the Integrated Day Charter School. The Norwich portion of the now-defunct Norwich Hospital is located on the very south end of Laurel Hill along with an abandoned planned community that is considered part of the former psychiatric hospital.

There is also an apartment community right before the abandoned hospital called Thames View Apartments with a fire department right next to it.

Veterans' Memorial Elementary School and the former Laurel Hill Neighborhood School make up this neighborhood's educational dimensions.

[edit] Ox Hill

Located just to the northeast of Washington Street and Broadway, Ox Hill is predominantly residential and recreational. The Norwich Vocational Technical High School now occupies the former Mohegan Campus of Three Rivers Community College. Thomas J. Kelly Junior High School is just next to the tech school down the road. Acrosst the road from Kelly are sports fields, courts and parks used by the Norwich Recreation Department. The Rose City Senior Center and three broadcast towers are located up here as well. The rest of the area is residential in nature with connections to Norwichtown. Mohegan Park is located on Ox Hill.

[edit] Mohegan Park

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.

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. A small zoo, repitle house and concession stand run by the park have since been abandoned.

Spaulding Pond, the main body of water in Mohegan Park, is held back by an earthworks dam, across which is a path bordered by pergulas and flowering plants. In the 1960s, a crack in this dam caused the waters of Spaulding Pond to burst forth into the city, causing the Great Flood of Norwich that swamped houses, streets, cars and collapsed a mill, causing several deaths. Mohegan Park also contains another pond, called The Skating Pond, in the southwest corner. This pond has been pressed into reservoir service and is no longer open to public use.

[edit] Chelsea

Because of its location at the Y-fork of the Thames, Shetucket and Yantic Rivers, Chelsea became the home of the city's former shipping harbor located on Hollyhock Island. Because of Norwich's industrial and commercial nature, this neighborhood is quite large, with its borders extending from Washington Street in the west to Burnham Square in the east.

The majority of big business, including the Wauregan Hotel, Reid and Hughes, Sears, Woolworth's and Chelsea Groton Bank, developed around Centennial Square before moving out of thecity or to East Great Plain with the economic tide. Numerous churches and historic homes, the YMCA and Post Office are also in and around Chelsea. The old train station and tracks are located here also, along with the City Hall, New London County Superior Court and the Otis Library. The oldest remaining building in the city, Chelsea Landing Pub, is located here as well. The main public areas in this district are Centennial Square, City Hall Square and Howard T. Brown Memorial Park, which contains the riverside mini-golf course Putts up Dock. The offices of the Norwich Bulletin are located in the Sunshine Building and the main newspaper building on Franklin Street in the north, just below the SBC Offices next to City Hall. The original Otis Library was in a small brick building across the square from City Hall. It moved to the more modern and spacious State Building on Main Street due to heightened population.

When the businesses moved across the water and downstate after shipping moved to New London, Chelsea declined greatly. Most businesses went defunct, including the Wauregan Hotel. Most of the buildings became carcasses and quickly fell into disrepair. It was renamed the Chelsea Arts District for the remaining theaters such as the Donald L. Oat and Spirit of Broadway. Hollyhock Island became home to a pleasure craft marina on the south end and a decaying industrial zone with a sewage treatment plant on the north end. The train station was abandoned and later converted into a soup kitchen.

Today, the economic slump has tapered off and Chelsea is experiencing a revival. The Wauregan Hotel, Chelsea Landing and Otis Library/State Building are all undergoing large-scale renovations and will soon be reopened for mixed residential and commercial use. A Mercantile Exchange was recently built along the waterfront and for the remaining abandoned buildings there is much talk among developers as to how to reuse them. Although not completely salvaged, Hollyhock Island was freed of the abandoned Duffy Mill complex. Today there is talk of either having a transport hub or a theme park on this island. Utopia Studios had recently expressed interest in a large-scale development project in Downtown, the result of which would have been two thrity-seven story condominium towers located around Howard T. Brown Memorial Park and commercial developments, but it didn't meet approvals. Theaters have remained in the area, notably the Donald L. Oat (run by the Norwich Arts Council) and the Spirit of Broadway. Art galleries, offices, new shops and bars have opened in the downtown area, many occupying previously abandoned buildings and storefronts. The old Laurel Hill Bridge was also gutted and replaced by a more modern, secure structure with Victorian theme lightposts and flower boxes.

[edit] History

Norwich was founded in 1659 by settlers from Old Saybrook led by Major John Mason and Reverend James Fitch. They purchased the land that would become Norwich from the local Native American Mohegan Tribe. In 1668, a wharf was established at Yantic Cove. Settlement was primarily in the three mile area around the Norwichtown Green. The 69 founding families soon divided up the land in the Norwichtown vicinity for farms and businesses. By 1694 the public landing built at the head of the Thames River allowed ships to off load goods at the harbor. The distance between the port and Norwichtown was serviced by the East and West Roads which later became Washington Street and Broadway. Norwich merchants were shipping goods directly from England, but the Stamp Act of 1764, forced Norwich to become more self sufficient. Soon large mills and factories sprang up along the three rivers which traverse the town, the Yantic, Shetucket, and Thames Rivers. During the American Revolution Norwich supported the cause for independence by supplying soldiers, ships, and munitions. One of the most infamous figures of the Revolution, Benedict Arnold, was born in Norwich. Other Colonial era noteworthies include Samuel Huntington, Christopher Leffingwell, and Daniel Lathrop. 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 around the cause of freedom and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing. This was also spurred by the building of the Norwich-Worcester Railroad in 1832 bringing goods and people both in and out of Norwich.

Norwich served as leadership center for Connecticut during the Civil War as Governor William Buckingham was from Norwich and used his home as a de facto office during the war years. Also, State Senator Lafayette Foster later became Acting Vice President after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. During this period, Frances M. Caulkins composed her histories of both Norwich and New London. Through the end of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, Norwich served as home to many large mills. The population grew and became more diverse with an insurgence of different ethnic groups. These new residents helped to build the city's schools, churches, and social centers. Today, Norwich is a thriving city with a stable population, wide range of municipal services, a modern industrial park, its own utility company, and a positive outlook for residential and business growth.

(http://www.norwichct.org/content/169/171/default.aspx)

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 76.4 km² (29.5 mi²). 73.4 km² (28.3 mi²) of it is land and 3.0 km² (1.1 mi²) of it (3.87%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Historical population of Norwich[1][2]
1756	5,540
1774	7,327
1782	7,325
1800	3,476
1810	3,528
1820	3,634
1830	5,179
1840	7,239
1850	10,265
1860	14,048
1870	16,653
1880	21,143
1890	23,048
1900	24,637
1910	28,219
1920	29,685
1930	32,438
1940	34,140
1950	37,633
1960	38,506
1970	41,739
1980	38,074
1990	37,391
2000	36,117

As of the census² of 2000, there were 36,117 people, 15,091 households, and 9,069 families residing in the city. The population density was 492.2/km² (1,274.7/mi²). There were 16,600 housing units at an average density of 226.2/km² (585.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.14% White, 6.84% Black or African American, 1.21% Native American, 2.10% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.76% from other races, and 3.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.11% of the population.

There were 15,091 households out of which 29.0% 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. 32.0% 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 population was spread out with 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.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,181, and the median income for a family was $49,155. Males had a median income of $34,880 versus $26,880 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,742. About 8.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

Elementary and middle school residents are zoned to Norwich Public Schools [3]. The district also operates Thames Academy, an alternative high school. The middle schools of Norwich are Teachers' Memorial Middle School and Kelly Middle School.

The Norwich Free Academy is the primary high school for children living in Norwich and several surrounding towns.

Norwich Free Academy is a public school that is often described as an "independent school." The school receives money from state, federal, and private sources, and is not controlled by any of the municipalities that it serves. The school is administered directly by the state of Connecticut.

Sidney Frank donated $13 million to the school which resulted in the campus' newest building to be named after him: the Sidney E. Frank Center for Visual and Performing Arts.

Three Rivers Community College serves the region and is located on two sites in Norwich.[4]

[edit] Notable people, past and present

• Benedict Arnold, born in Norwich, famous colonial traitor. There is a commemorative plaque on the lot where his house used to stand. The city library has a prominent portrait of Arnold on the north wall. ^[2]
• Isaac Backus, a delegate to the First Continental Congress, was born in the city.
• Benjamin Church surgeon general of the Continental Army, suspected of spying for the enemy, was confined in the city.
• Erastus Corning, born in the city
• Thomas J. Dodd (1907-1971) a U.S. Senator and Representative and the father of U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd, was born in the city.
• Arielle Dombasle (born Arielle Sonnery de Fromental in 1958 in Norwich) is a singer and actress working mostly in French films.
• Charlotte Perkins Gilman, author and social reformer, lived for a short time in the city.
• Jonas Galusha (1753-1834) Governor of Vermont for two terms in the early 1800s, was born in the city.
• Roger Griswold (1762-1812), Governor of Connecticut, practiced law for a time in Norwich.
• Galusha A. Grow, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863, studied law in the city.
• Benjamin Huntington (1736–1800) a 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 from 1817-1819.
• Samuel Huntington, a delegate to the Second Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence
• Samuel Kirkland (1741–1808) a Presbyterian missionary among the Oneida and Tuscarora people and founder (in 1793) of the Hamilton-Oneida Academy (later Hamilton College), was born in the city.
• Wally Lamb, author of She's Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True, was the director of the Writing Center at the Norwich Free Academy in the city from 1989 to 1998.
• Edwin H. Land, inventor of the Polaroid Camera
• Miantonomoh (1565?-1643), chief of the Narraganset tribe, captured and executed by the Mohican chief Uncas with a tomohawk in Norwich.
• Elisha Perkins (1741–1799) a popular quack doctor whose magnetic therapy, "Perkins Tractors" (made up of two 3-inch steel and brass rods with points at the ends) convinced even George Washington to buy a set.
• E. Annie Proulx(pronounced /proo/) was born in 1935 in the city.
• Edith Roosevelt, the second wife of Theodore Roosevelt, was born in the city.
• Lydia Sigourney (1791-1865) an extremely popular poet from the early to mid Nineteenth century, was born in the city.
• 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 & Wesson in 1852.
• Daniel B. Wesson, see Horace Smith
• William Woodbridge (1780-1861) Governor of Michigan, who also represented the state in the U.S. Senate, was born in the city.

[edit] References

• 1. ^ [www.city-data.com/city/Norwich-Connecticut.html City Of Norwich Population Estimates]

• ^ (1963) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 

[edit] External links

• Norwich, Connecticut website
• Mystic Country: The Eastern Regional Tourism District
• A Brief History of Norwich

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 41.55018° -72.08794°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

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