Aero view of Norwich, Connecticut 1912.
An aero-view print reproduction of Norwich, CT, published by Hughes & Bailey in 1912. A city with a rich colonial history, Norwich was originally founded in 1659 by a group of settlers from Old Saybrook, led by Major John Mason and Reverend James Fitch. Nine years later a wharf was built at Yantic Cove. A public landing built in 1694 at the head of the Thames River made it possible to offload goods at the harbor. The roads that served between the port and the town, the East and West Roads, later became Washington Street and Broadway.
Large mills and factories sprang up along the three rivers that flow into the city: the Yantic, the Shetucket and the Quinebaug. The Thames River flows out from the harbor, south to Long Island Sound. The developed factories and shipping port enabled Norwich to be instrumental in supplying soldiers with ships and munitions during the American Revolution. The notorious Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich.
During the American Civil War, Norwich served as a center of leadership for the state. William Buckingham, then governor of Connecticut, used his home in Norwich as his office during the Civil War.
Airplanes can be seen in the sky above Norwich in this 1912 map. The following "booster" statement appears in the lower margin:
"Norwich is a live, progressive and substantial city of about 30,000 population.
Beautifully and picturesquely situated among the hills at the head of navigation, 15 miles from Long Island Sound and the ocean. Is unusually healthy and attractive as a place of residence.
Educational system and facilities of the highest order and excellence.
Efficient and well equipped Fire and Police Departments assure thorough protection.
Municipal Light and Power, and Water Plants supply public utilities at cost.
Fraternal, religious and charitable organizations are fully represented.
Live and popular newspapers, ably conducted, with wide circulation.
Has a large number of extensive and diversified manufacturing, commercial and mercantile industries and enterprises.
Strong financial center; sound banks well managed with ample capital.
Competing railroads, water routes and express companies offer minimum traffic rates. Easily accessible by wide range of trolley connections.
To the business man or home seeker, Norwich, "The Rose of New England", presents the strongest and best inducements.
It's board of trade, and business men's association of active and prominent men, alive to local interests, invite and will encourage further industries and enterprise."
Complete reference list below.
Map includes inset photos and illustrations of the following notable buildings:
The Thames National Bank
The First National Bank
Thames Loan & Trust Co.
The Norwich Savings Society
The Chelsea Savings Bank
The Eaton-Chase Co.
The Porteous & Mitchell Co.
The Plaut-Cadden Co.
Norwich Business College
John & Geo. H. Bliss Co.
Shea & Burke Co.
R. F. Smith Co.
Jas C. Macpherson Co.
J. C. Worth & Co.
Auditorium Hotel
U. S. Post Office
Otis Library
Slater Memorial
Central Fire Station
Armory
Central Baptist Church
Park Church
City Hall
St. Patrick's Church
St. Mary's Church
Masonic Temple
Elks Home
Arcanum Club
Buckingam Memorial
Wauregan Hotel
Norwich Free Academy
Broadway School
Greenville School
Broad Street School
Norwich Town School
Mt. Pleasant School
Laurel Hill School
Taftville School
U. S. Finishing Co.
The Ulmer Leather Co.
The American Thermos Bottle Co.
The Norwich Nickel & Brass Co.
The Crescent Firearms Co.
The Turner-Stanton Co.
Morris Sussman Co.
Norwich Marble & Granite Works
Troy Steam Laundry
Geo. H. Madden Co.
McGrory Building
The Bulletin Co.
Features numbered references to the following locations:
- City Hall And Court House
- U. S. Post Office
- Otis Free Public Library
- The Norwich Free Academy
- Slater Memorial Hall
- Public Schools
- Y. M. C. A. Building
- Central Fire Station
- Armor, Connecticut National Guard
- Norwich Station, N. Y., N. H., & H. R. R.
- Norwich Station, Central Vermont R. R.
- William W. Backus Hospital
NORWICH PROMINENT INDUSTRIES.
- U. S. Finishing Co., Norwich Branch.
- The Brainerd & Armstrong Co., Silk Goods Manufacturers.
- The A. H. Hubbard Co., Paper Manufacturers.
- The J. B. Martin Co., Silk Velvet Manufacturers.
- Ponemah Mills Co., Cotton Goods Manufacturers, Taftville.
- The Norwich Belt Manufacturing Co., Inc., Tanners & Belt Manufacturers.
- Norwich Compressed Air Power Co.
- American Thermos Bottle Co.'s Manufactory
- MacKay Copper Process Co.
- The Reliance Worsted Co., Woolen & Worsted Good Manufacturers.
- McCrum-Howell Co., Manufacturers of Furnaces and Steam Heaters.
- The Ulmer Leather Co., Tanners & Manufacturers Leather Belting, etc.
- Falls Co., Cotton Goods Manufacturers
- The Hopkins & Allen Fire Arms Co., Manufacturers of Fire Arms.
- The Norwich Nickel & Brass Co., Manufacturers of Metal Display Fixtures.
- The Turner & Stanton Co., Manufacturers of Picture and Shade Cords and Household Hardware.
- The Sterling Machine Co., Manufacturers, Lubricators, Engines, etc.
- Industrial Building Co., Crescent Arms Co.
- Chelsea File Works, File Cutters.
- John T. Young Boiler Co, Manufacturers of Steam and Hot Water Heaters.
- American Straw Board Co.
- Norwich Cutlery Co., Branch of International Silver Co.
- Thamesville Power Station.
- Silk Goods Manufactory.
- Shetucket Co., Cotton Goods Manufacturers.
- City of Norwich Gas and Electrical Dept.
- Norwich Marble and Granite Works, J. C. Quinlan.
- Morris Sussman, Manufacturer of Mattresses and Iron Springs.
- Troy Steam Laundry, A. A. Fournier.
- Norwich & New York Propeller Co., Chelsea Line.
- Geo. P. Madden, Cigar Manufactory.
- Allen, Frank H., Patent Attorney & Solicitor, 321 Main St.
- American House, Farrell & Sanderson, Proprietors, 79 Shetucket St.
- Areanum Club, 150 Main Street.
- Auditorium Hotel, Corner, Market & Water Streets.
- Bailey, Wm. F., Hack & livery Stable, 12 Bath Street.
- Beckley, Thomas H., Real Estate, Loans & Insurance, 278 Main Street.
- Beebe, E. S., D. S. S. N. E. Telephone Co., 23 Union Street.
- Bishop, Bidwell & Co., Wholesale Grocers, 45 Water Street.
- Blackledge, H. & Co., Contractors, Builders and Lumber Dealers, 7th Street.
- Bliss, John & George H., Jewelers, 126 Main Street.
- Breed's Theatre, 16 Main Street, Charles McNulty, Proprietor.
- Briggs, Lucius, Insurance, Real Estate, Investments, Shannon Building.
- Bromley, C. B. & Son, Light and Heavy Teaming, Shetucket St. & Steam Boat Docks.
- Brown & Perkins, Attorneys-at-Law, 22 Shetucket Street.
- Bulletin Co., The, Publishers & Printers, 66-74 Franklin Street.
- Burns, Thos. F., Plumbing and Heating, 92 Franklin Street.
- Carroll, Geo. W., Stocks, Bonds, Investment Securities & Real Estate, 40 Shetucket Street.
- Carroll, L. W. & Son, Wool, Cotton, Dye Stuffs, Paints & Oils, Manufacturers' Supplies, 17-21 Water Street.
- Caruthers, Wm., Post Master.
- Case, James L., Real Estate, Investments, Insurance, 40 Shetucket Street.
- Central House, The, Joseph Bedard, 61-65 West Main Street.
- Chapman, L. L. Co., The, Harness & Carriage Repository, 14-29 Bath Street.
- Chappell, Edward Co., The, Lumber & Coal, 44-76 West Main Street.
- Chelsea Savings Bank of Norwich, The, Franklin Square, Main, corner, Cliff Streets.
- Combies Sign Works, J. P. Combies, Proprietor, 13 Bath Street.
- Comeau, George A., Dentist, 321 Main Street.
- Crowell, Fred C., Doors, Sash & Blinds, Paints & Painters' Supplies, 87 Water Street.
- Cudworth & Woodsworth, Architects, 148 Main Street.
- Dime Savings Bank of Norwich, The, 40 Main Street.
- Donohue, Francis D., Real Estate & Insurance, 43 Broadway.
- Eaton Chase Co, The, Hardware, Iron, Steel and Electrical Supplies, 129 Main Street and 146-8 Water Street.
- Eldredge, T. H., Hardware, Blacksmiths', Carpenters' and Machinists' Supplies, Garden Seeds, 85 Water Street.
- Fairclough, Chas. S., Grocer, 235-237 West Thames Street.
- Fenton Building Co., The, 287 Main Street, McGrory Building.
- First National Bank, The, 24 Shetucket Street.
- Gager, Chas. A., Jr., Funeral Director & Embalmer, 70 Franklin Street.
- Gallup, L. A. Co., The, Wholesale Grocers, 31 Water Street.
- George, J. A., Cigar Manufacturer, Wholesale & Retail, 72 Main Street.
- Grand View Sanitarium, John J. Donohue, Jr., M. D., Resident Physician, 138 Washington Street.
- Hall Bros., Manufacturers Woolen Goods, 29 & 31 Commerce Street.
- Harris, Joseph D., Commercial Printing, 321 Main Street
- Hill, Wm. F., Real Estate & Insurance, 218 Main Street.
- Holbrook, Chas. S., Town Clerk.
- Holloway, J. P., Groceries, Flour, Hay, Grain, etc., 315-319 Main Street.
- Homestead, The, Albert Boardman, Proprietor, Hardware & House Furnishing Goods, 74 Franklin Street.
- Houghton, Don A., Photographer, Shannon Building.
- Hourigan, M., House Furnisher, Funeral Director, 62-66 Main Street.
- Lathrop, A. D., Dealer in Coal, Light & Heavy Teaming, Corner, Market & Shetucket Streets.
- Lathrop, J. L. & Sons, Insurance & Real Estate, 28 Shetucket Street.
- Learned, B. P. & Co., General Insurance Agency, 28 Shetucket Street.
- Lee & Osgood Co., The, Wholesale & Retail Druggists, 129-133 Main Street, 150 - 154 Water Street.
- Lillibridge, Albert W., First selectman.
- Macpherson, James C., Hatter, Furrier & Haberdasher, 291 Main Street.
- Main, Oscar H., Deputy Jailor, New London County.
- McGrory Building, Jas. McGrory, owner, 287-91 Main Street.
- Merchants' National Bank, The, 71 Main Street.
- Monaher, Joseph P., Plumber, Steam & Gas Fitter, 185 Franklin Street.
- Morgan, John A. & Son, Lumber & Coal, 5 Central Wharf.
- Murphy Hardware Co., Plumbing & Gas Fitting, Hardware, Stoves, Etc., 16 Thames Street.
- Murphy, John, Residence, 87 Thames Street.
- Murphy, M. V., Funeral Director & Embalmer, 353 Main Street.
- New London County Mutual Fire Insurance Co., 59-61 Broadway.
- Norwich Business College, W. E. Canfield, Principal, 99-105 Main Street.
- Norwich Commercial School, L. M. Crandall, Proprietor, Franklin Square, over Morley's Hat Store.
- Norwich Electric Co., The. General Electrical Contractors, 100 Franklin Street.
- Norwich Evening Record, 101 Broadway.
- Norwich Savings Society, The, Main Street, corner of Broadway.
- Norwich Water Power Co., The, 40 Shetucket Street.
- Norwich Weekly Courier, The, 66-74 Franklin Street.
- O'Connell, James & Co., Imported & Domestic Wines and Liquors, 20 Bath Street.
- Otis and Son, A. T., High Grade Groceries, 72 Franklin Street.
- Palmer and Rogers, Real Estate & Fire Insurance, 161 Main Street.
- Pitcher, George E., Civil Engineer & Surveyor, 63 Broadway.
- Plaut-Cadden Co., The, Piano Dealers, Musical Merchandise, Diamonds, Watches, Jewelry, etc., 144-146 Main Street.
- Porteous & Mitchell Co, The, Dry Goods, 75-95 Main Street and 98-116 Water Street.
- Pratt, George H., Importer & Dealer, Foreign & Domestic Liquors, 71-75 Water Street.
- Rallion, The, Grocer, 45 Broadway, Central Building.
- Royce, Frank J., Fire Insurance, 35 Shetucket Street.
- Shannon, J. B., Corner, Market & Commerce Streets.
- Shea & Burke, House Furnishings, Undertaking & Embalming, 37-41 Main Street.
- Smith, R. F., Grocer, 276 Main Street.
- Stanton, Howard L., Chief, Fire Department.
- Stetson & Young, Builders, 53 W. Main Street.
- Stevens, W. R., Photographer, 197 Main Street.
- St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Rev. H. J. Fitzmaurice, 192 N. Main Street.
- St. Patrick's Church, Corporation, Rev. Hugh Treanor, 213 Broadway.
- Storms, C. S., Residence, 575 Main Street.
- Sullivan, W. A., Superintendent, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., Shannon Building.
- Swan, A. C. Co., The, Cadillac Agency, Garage, Tires, Supplies, Livery, Franklin Square.
- Tarrant, N. & Co., Real Estate & Insurance Agency, 117 Main Street.
- Thames Loan & Trust Co., 34 Shetucket Street.
- Torrance, Archibald, Contractor & Builder, Prospect & 9th Streets.
- Troland, John, Plumber, 23 West Main Street.
- Uncas National Bank, 42 Shetucket Street.
- Waters, Milo R., Printer, 103 Broadway.
- Wauregan House, The, Parker-Davenport Co., Proprietors, Main, corner of Broadway.
- Williams, C. M., General Contractor & Builder, 218 Main Street.
- Worth, J. C. & Co., Wholesale Commission Merchants, 50-56 Market Street.
- Young, Wm. B., Jr., Insurance & Real Estate, Shannon Building.
